Back to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee
My wife, Marilyn, got a call from her sister a few weeks ago, asking us to join her and her husband for a long Labor Day weekend in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. While we looked forward to spending time with them, it wouldn’t have been one of the places we would have chosen to go.
When we lived in western South Carolina, and later when we moved to the Cincinnati area, neighboring Gatlinburg was one of the places people went to on holidays. Marilyn labeled it a “tourist trap,” and I can’t say I found a lot there to recommend it. For the twenty-five years we have lived in eastern North Carolina, we haven’t been back.
The first pleasant surprise was the length of the trip. The map services said about seven hours, and we made it easily in that length of time. Most of it is on I-40, and without any slowdowns or backups, it was a pleasant drive.
I can’t say that Gatlinburg has changed a lot, at least in the type of stores that are there. What has changed, and I would say in a really good way, is nearby Pigeon Forge.
There was not a lot to Pigeon Forge thirty years ago. Except for the charm of the hotels on the Pigeon River in Gatlinburg, for my money, Pigeon Forge has a lot more going for it.
With new land for development in Pigeon Forge, unlike Gatlinburg, what has really taken off has been live entertainment. There are literally dozens of showplaces. Many are country music shows, but there were also several playhouses, magic shows, a mystery dinner theatre, and even a Broadway style production on the life of Christ. Dick Clark has opened an American Bandstand themed show this year with headliners of old performing. Chubby Checker was there this past weekend.
If you like big country breakfasts, there are plenty of places to enjoy one in Pigeon Forge, particularly pancakes. Our host and hostess particularly like Cracker Barrel, so two mornings we ate there. There’s even a breakfast show at one of the theatres.
I’ve never been accused of being a big fan of going shopping, but if your ladies want to get in some shopping, Pigeon Forge has plenty to offer. I think there are no less than five outlet malls, plus lots of individual stores along the main drag through the area.
It looked as if rates went up some over the holiday, but when we got there Wednesday, there were some $30 rooms in Pigeon Forge. Again, Pigeon Forge isn’t as scenic, but with a great number of motels being built there, there is a lot of pressure to keep room rates down.
The in-laws were celebrating their anniversary, and they had been given a three-bedroom cabin in the mountains between Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge by their children for the week. The kids had also given them a night out at one of the nice restaurants. Some of the choices about where to go had already been made.
They had been up there many times in recent years, and had been to some of the shows and they weren’t interested in going back on this trip, so we did not go, though I would have liked to.
I had mentioned to a friend a couple of weeks ago we were going to the area, and she said she and her husband enjoyed the Old Mill Restaurant in Pigeon Forge. As the in-laws had been there and also enjoyed it, that was one of our choices. As recommended, we went early, and on a weeknight, as the in-laws had recalled waiting two hours to eat. We can heartily recommend the pot roast and the shrimp, and with family style fixings and huge portions, plus dessert included in the $20/head price, you won’t leave hungry. I couldn’t finish the leftovers at lunch the next day.
If you want dinner without a show, there are plenty of other places, many very nice, some modest, and many chain restaurants.
We had been to Cade’s Cove thirty years ago, and enjoyed that glimpse into the Appalachian past, and we returned. We stopped at one of the old churches in this part of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, but mostly went to enjoy the natural beauty of the area and to look for wildlife. We weren’t disappointed as we saw a number of deer and caught a glimpse of a mama black bear and her cub.
It’s still a healthy drive from here, but if you have a few days, you might want to consider what Gatlinburg-Pigeon Forge have to offer for your next holiday.
When we lived in western South Carolina, and later when we moved to the Cincinnati area, neighboring Gatlinburg was one of the places people went to on holidays. Marilyn labeled it a “tourist trap,” and I can’t say I found a lot there to recommend it. For the twenty-five years we have lived in eastern North Carolina, we haven’t been back.
The first pleasant surprise was the length of the trip. The map services said about seven hours, and we made it easily in that length of time. Most of it is on I-40, and without any slowdowns or backups, it was a pleasant drive.
I can’t say that Gatlinburg has changed a lot, at least in the type of stores that are there. What has changed, and I would say in a really good way, is nearby Pigeon Forge.
There was not a lot to Pigeon Forge thirty years ago. Except for the charm of the hotels on the Pigeon River in Gatlinburg, for my money, Pigeon Forge has a lot more going for it.
With new land for development in Pigeon Forge, unlike Gatlinburg, what has really taken off has been live entertainment. There are literally dozens of showplaces. Many are country music shows, but there were also several playhouses, magic shows, a mystery dinner theatre, and even a Broadway style production on the life of Christ. Dick Clark has opened an American Bandstand themed show this year with headliners of old performing. Chubby Checker was there this past weekend.
If you like big country breakfasts, there are plenty of places to enjoy one in Pigeon Forge, particularly pancakes. Our host and hostess particularly like Cracker Barrel, so two mornings we ate there. There’s even a breakfast show at one of the theatres.
I’ve never been accused of being a big fan of going shopping, but if your ladies want to get in some shopping, Pigeon Forge has plenty to offer. I think there are no less than five outlet malls, plus lots of individual stores along the main drag through the area.
It looked as if rates went up some over the holiday, but when we got there Wednesday, there were some $30 rooms in Pigeon Forge. Again, Pigeon Forge isn’t as scenic, but with a great number of motels being built there, there is a lot of pressure to keep room rates down.
The in-laws were celebrating their anniversary, and they had been given a three-bedroom cabin in the mountains between Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge by their children for the week. The kids had also given them a night out at one of the nice restaurants. Some of the choices about where to go had already been made.
They had been up there many times in recent years, and had been to some of the shows and they weren’t interested in going back on this trip, so we did not go, though I would have liked to.
I had mentioned to a friend a couple of weeks ago we were going to the area, and she said she and her husband enjoyed the Old Mill Restaurant in Pigeon Forge. As the in-laws had been there and also enjoyed it, that was one of our choices. As recommended, we went early, and on a weeknight, as the in-laws had recalled waiting two hours to eat. We can heartily recommend the pot roast and the shrimp, and with family style fixings and huge portions, plus dessert included in the $20/head price, you won’t leave hungry. I couldn’t finish the leftovers at lunch the next day.
If you want dinner without a show, there are plenty of other places, many very nice, some modest, and many chain restaurants.
We had been to Cade’s Cove thirty years ago, and enjoyed that glimpse into the Appalachian past, and we returned. We stopped at one of the old churches in this part of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, but mostly went to enjoy the natural beauty of the area and to look for wildlife. We weren’t disappointed as we saw a number of deer and caught a glimpse of a mama black bear and her cub.
It’s still a healthy drive from here, but if you have a few days, you might want to consider what Gatlinburg-Pigeon Forge have to offer for your next holiday.
posted by Barry | 9:53 AM
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