Pigeon Forge is a vacation destination known for being the heart of the Great Smoky Mountains in eastern Tennessee. It is home to many attractions like unique theme parks, indoor slides, diners, and hotels, most of them situated along Parkway. Having your own car is important if you want to reach the city, but not necessary to go around town, as Pigeon Forge has trolleys for your convenience. It sounds awkward if you think that you will simply visit Pigeon Forge to sightsee. To make it interesting for you we’ve selected 10 things that the natives do. You can read on to find the top non-touristy things to do in Pigeon Forge and enjoy your stay here. Learn about the great activities below, and put them on your itinerary for the trip to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee!
1. Enjoy indoor skydiving at Flyaway
Take (indoor) flight in Flyaway, where no planes, parachutes, or risky landings are required. Everyone is free to take a flight here. You and up to four others share a 30-minute slot at the wind tunnel. Your experience begins with a 15-minute training to cover the basics, followed by a 15-minute free flight session. You can show off the skills you learned, or improvise on your own. You or your companions must weigh between 40 and 230 pounds, to guarantee the quality of your flight.
Flyaway Indoor Skydiving
Address: 3106 Parkway Pigeon Forge, TN 37863
Website: Flyaway Indoor Skydiving
Opening hours: 10am - 8pm (daily)
Price: 34 USD
2. Visit Parrot Mountain and Gardens
This garden serves as a home to many flowers and hundreds of parrots, including some endangered species. Some of these birds include macaws, cardinals, cockatoos, and even peacocks. You can be hands-on with the parrots, as you will be able to view, pet, and even feed these birds. You can enjoy the food from the deli while being greeted by a view of the mountains. Don’t forget to get some souvenirs from the cottage gift shop. This is an overall great experience for you and your family!
Parrot Mountain and Gardens
Address: 1471 McCarter Hollow Road Pigeon Forge, TN 37862
Website: Parrot Mountain and Gardens
Opening hours: Mar - Jun, Aug - Oct: 10am - 6pm (daily); Jul: 10am - 7pm (daily); Nov: 10am - 5pm (daily) (closed from Dec - Feb)
Price: 19.95 USD
3. Explore the unique Salt and Pepper Shaker Museum
The Salt and Pepper Shaker Museum is a one-of-a-kind collection of condiment containers from all over the world. In fact, this is only one of two such places in the world, the other one being a sister museum in Spain. There are over 20 thousand sets of containers, and they come in all shapes and sizes. Some of the more unique designs include soft drink bottles, religious items, pandas, and even cartoon characters. You can buy your own collectible shakers here too, to complete your trip here.
Salt and Pepper Shaker Museum
Address: 561 Brookside Village Way Gatlinburg, TN 37738
Website: Salt and Pepper Shaker Museum
Opening hours: 10am - 2pm (daily)
Price: 3 USD
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4. Play a sweet round of golf at Crave Golf Club (from USD 22.0)
Enjoy a candy-themed game of golf here at Crave Golf Club, that has almost 19000 square feet (1765.2 square meters) of playing space. There are two mini-golf courses, one is an indoor course for any season, and the other a rooftop outdoor course. There are also two escape rooms that you and your friends can try and conquer in 30 minutes. You can buy candies and ice cream from the store after you finish your challenges here in Crave. Overall, it’s an experience that would make even Willy Wonka proud.
Pigeon Forge 2-Course Mini Golf
Duration 2 hours
5. Go horseback riding at Big Rock Dude Ranch
Looking for a fun ride across the mountainside? Big Rock Dude Ranch has well-raised horses you can ride. You can ride one up the mountain trail, just like the first settlers in town did, while enjoying all the views of the Smokies. You can also enjoy other activities like fishing in the stocked pond, picking gems at the gem mine, and interacting with animals at the petting zoo. If you want more adventure, you can rent one of the ATVs here, and trek through the creeks and trails to complete your stay here in this ranch.
Big Rock Dude Ranch
Address: 909 Little Cove Rd • Pigeon Forge, TN 37863
Website: Big Rock Dude Ranch
Opening hours: 9am - 5pm (daily)
Price: Under 89.95 USD
6. Take part in wine tasting (from USD 69.0)
Explore some of Tennessee’s moonshine and wine distilleries on this half-day tour from Pigeon Forge. You’ll be able to visit moonshine distilleries and wineries, such as Hillside Winery, Ole Smoky Tennessee Moonshine, Mountain Valley Winery, Smith Creek Moonshine, and Tennessee XXX Moonshine. The tour guide will talk about the history of moonshine and prohibition, details about local breweries and distilleries. You also get some tastings of the wine and moonshine, and you may even get gifts from the wineries afterward.
Gatlinburg Local Moonshine and Wine Tasting Day Tour
Duration 3 to 5 hours
7. Check out the Forbidden Caverns
Tennessee is known for its numerous caves and caverns, and the Forbidden Caverns located just outside Pigeon Forge is a great example of these many caverns. Inside the caverns are numerous calcite formations, an underground river, and the largest wall of onyx stones. This cave has seen use in a moonshine production, as the cave had the river and was protected from the winter. It has since been converted into a tourist spot in 1967. The tour lasts around an hour, and you will have a guide at every step of the way.
Forbidden Caverns
Address: 455 Blowing Cave Rd. Sevierville, TN 37876
Website: Forbidden Caverns
Opening hours: Mon - Sat: 10am - 5pm (closed on Sun, Thanksgiving, December - March)
Price: 16 USD
8. Catch a show at Country Tonite (from USD 45.0)
Country Tonite is one of the biggest country music acts in town, with the theater located just north of Pigeon Forge. The stage and atmosphere are always bright and lively, and the performers always bring their best and shine. You can watch their great performances of old country songs, modern songs, gospel songs, and even patriotic songs. There are also holiday shows, and big country names also come here to perform. It is little wonder that this place always gets high praise among the country faithful.
Pigeon Forge: Country Tonite Show Admission Ticket
Duration 2 hours
9. Go ziplining at Adventureworks Pigeon Forge (from USD 34.0)
The Adventureworks treetop obstacle course is an experience you’ll take for the thrills. There are two levels of challenges here, ranging between 15 and 40 feet (4.5 - 12 meters) off the ground. You can run across hanging bridges, become Tarzan on the rope swings, and zoom between trees in this fun course. There is also a course for young children, so the whole family can have fun. You can take your time finishing the course. This venue is ideal for team-building and family vacations.
Climb Zip Swing Adventure Course in Pigeon Forge
Duration 2 hours
10. Try snow tubing all year round (from USD 20.0)
Pigeon Forge Snow provides two great indoor snow experiences. The first is the snow tube lanes, where you can slide down a large snow slide on a rubber tube akin to a water slide. The other is the large snow play, a giant snowfield where you can build snowmen, castles, and even throw snowballs at each other. Tickets are sold in an affordable 1-hour snow tube and 30-minute snow play packages. The fun is available all year long; you don’t need to wait for winter to have fun here.
Pigeon Forge Snow: Indoor Snow Tubing Admission Ticket
Duration 1 hour
Pigeon Forge, a great vacation spot in the Smokies
With many fun theme parks and specialty museums along the main road, there’s plenty of entertainment to be had. There are also natural areas in the periphery you can appreciate, like the horse trails and underground caverns. All of these make Pigeon Forge a great destination for your next vacation.