Blake Walsh

25 Best Things to Do in Pigeon Forge, TN

  • Published 2022/07/11

For a small city, Pigeon Forge offers visitors an unbelievable amount of adventures and attractions.

Housed in the beautiful deep mountains of Tennessee, it is a place where you can escape from your everyday routine and take a healthy and refreshing break.

From world-famous museums to amusement parks, the city has everything it takes to be a traveler’s favorite spot.

Pigeon Forge is a wonderful place to visit and is, without a doubt, a most enjoyable vacation destination.

Here are the best things to do in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee:

Go Back in Time at Old Mill Square

People are often surprised to learn that Pigeon Forge was founded in the late 1700s.

With such a historical footprint, the city definitely deserves a place to describe its journey.

Old Mill Square is that place.

It is a famous attraction in Pigeon Forge that was designed between the 18th and 19th centuries.

Old Mill Square is covered with various shops, restaurants, and quaint buildings that give it a very colonial vibe.

The atmosphere is quite amicable and refreshing.

The workers are always demonstrating their art to visitors.

The shades on the streets also make it quite comfortable to bear with the sun during the summers.

With its great historical value, Old Mill Square has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Take Your Whole Family to The Island in Pigeon Forge

Light show at central fountain in the Island

Scott Heaney / Shutterstock.com

A completely different place from Old Mill Square, The Island in Pigeon Forge is a very fancy and dazzling place in the city.

Its very modern and fast-moving culture creates a stark contrast with the city’s historic vibe.

A premier tourist location, The Island in Pigeon Forge is always filled with people who visit to enjoy the colored light shows at the central water fountain.

View of the ferris wheel and fountain of The Island

Ritu Manoj Jethani / Shutterstock.com

A Ferris wheel enhances the beauty of the place.

Modern cafes, stores, restaurants, and gaming arcades can easily be spotted on each corner.

Stretching fairly wide, this complex is a great place to enjoy your evenings casually.

Aerial view of The Island

Wayne B / Shutterstock.com

Have a Classic Tennessee Meal at Sawyer’s Farmhouse Breakfast

A trip to any city in Tennessee cannot be considered complete until you stop by a classic Tennessee restaurant.

Sawyer’s Farmhouse Breakfast is that classic restaurant in Pigeon Forge.

Named after a Mark Twain character, it is one of the city’s best places that serve delicious southern food.

Its interiors are quite rustic and decorated using wooden benches, plastic roosters, and red walls.

In addition to the interiors, the menu is also great.

The restaurant’s breakfast menu is served at all hours of the day to ensure that no one misses the delicacies.

Enjoy the Rides at Dollywood

Signage of Dollywood

Michael Gordon / Shutterstock.com

Dollywood is probably one of the top reasons why visitors flock to Pigeon Forge.

This attraction was created by Dolly Parton, a very famous country singer.

Dollywood is a famous amusement park that covers more than 300 acres and boasts a number of rides, rollercoasters, pools, a splash pad, and slides.

People riding one of Dollywood's rollercoaster

Coasterman1234 at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

It also has a resort and various multi-utility shops, museums, and halls.

This place is no doubt a server of non-stop entertainment.

Visiting Dollywood will surely enhance your vacation experience by a significant factor.

Mystery mine rollercoaster in Dollywood

Coasterman1234 at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

See Pigeon Fold from a Different Perspective by Riding the Smoky Mountain Alpine Coaster

The Smoky Mountain Alpine Coaster is one of Pigeon Fold’s most unique and enjoyable attractions.

It is a low-level coaster ride that will enable you to go down the mountains and enjoy.

The coaster ride is different from your typical roller coaster, as you control the speed on your own.

This alpine coaster ride is also great as it allows you to enjoy views of Pigeon Fold that you won’t be able to anywhere else.

Get Your Adrenaline Pumping at TopJump Trampoline & Extreme Arena

TopJump Trampoline and Extreme Arena is the place to go if you enjoy activities that get your adrenaline pumping and your blood rushing.

This indoor trampoline park in Pigeon Forge allows you to indulge in various enjoyable and refreshing activities like wall climbing, basketball, dodgeball, obstacle racing, VR games, car racing, and many more.

The arena also has so many fun activities that make it perfect for anyone, regardless of their varying preferences.

Whether you’re traveling with a group of adults or your family, this trampoline park is always ready to welcome all.

Go for a Swim in the Little Pigeon River

Little Pigeon river fllowing near an old mill

Kevin Ruck / Shutterstock.com

A secluded attraction in the city, the Little Pigeon River is a small body of water that is a perfect place for all adventure seekers.

Even though the river looks very small, it is still perfect for tubing, swimming, fishing, birdwatching, hiking, photography, and more.

A small waterfall on Little Pigeon River

Urvashi Gupta / Shutterstock.com

The site of the river is also a hotspot for various festivals and events.

You can also participate in some refreshing yoga classes near the river.

The river and its surrounding area are like a tiny world of their own.

View of the Little Pigeon River

Dee Browning / Shutterstock.com

Take Photos with the Wax Figures at the Hollywood Wax Museum

Exterior of the Hollywood Wax Museum

Aneese / Shutterstock.com

A famous tourist attraction housing all the glamour in the world, the Hollywood Wax Museum is an incredible work of art.

This museum has two floors filled with incredible wax statutes.

Sculptures of famous actors and singers on Hollywood Wax Museum's facade

Aneese / Shutterstock.com

In addition to wax statues of Marilyn Monroe, Johnny Depp, Julia Roberts, Robert Downey Jr., and other celebrities, the museum also has a hall filled with mirrors, a zombie escape adventure, and various other fun activities.

It’s a fun place where you can enjoy and feel as though you’ve stepped into Hollywood.

Closeup of King Kong at Hollywood Wax Museum

Dee Browning / Shutterstock.com

Enjoy Christmas All Year Round at the Incredible Christmas Place

Don’t get fooled by the name of this place.

The Incredible Christmas Place is a holiday-themed village that is always open to visitors, whether or not it’s Christmastime.

It is an unbelievably festive, beautiful, and lively place.

From breathtaking decorations to beautiful shops selling affordable items, this village feels like something straight out of a fairy tale.

Even though the most incredible time to visit this place is during the eve of Christmas, visiting at any other time is also advisable as it is no less fun.

The locals welcome all the visitors with great warmth and love.

This place is also known for its hospitality and cultural richness, and you will definitely not miss that part of your trip to Pigeon Forge.

The Incredible Christmas Place is a one-of-its-kind attraction and cannot be found anywhere else, so don’t miss your chance to visit and make eternal memories.

Have a Unique Dining Experience at the Hatfield & McCoy Dinner Show

Exterior of Hatfield &McCoy Dinner Show

Aneese / Shutterstock.com

The Hatfield & McCoy Dinner Show is a dining experience that everyone should take up at least once in their life.

Beginning with the traditional Southern-style dinner, you will enjoy actors giving their best performances and scenes changing faster than your moods.

Building sign of Hatfield & McCoy Dinner Show

eakkarat rangram / Shutterstock.com

The Hatfield & McCoy Dinner Show, hands down, offers the most enjoyable music performances, most realistic dramas, and most enjoyable comedies.

The theater’s high energy and charged atmosphere are great companions for an unforgettable dinner.

Try Indoor Snow Tubing Pigeon Forge Snow

Pigeon Forge Snow is an indoor snow park in Pigeon Forge.

Since Tennessee does not get a lot of snowfall, this man-made snow ground will make your snow dreams come true.

Pigeon Forge Snow is a large place with icy slopes where you can enjoy snow tubing, play in the free area, build your own snowman, and have snowball fights.

Regardless of what time of year you visit, this indoor snow park is best suitable for family outings and get-togethers.

Imagine getting to enjoy snow activities in the summer.

Unbelievable, isn’t it?

Tour a Replica of the Titanic, Complete with Artifacts from the Historic Ship

Night view of the Titanic Museum

Aneese / Shutterstock.com

The Titanic is one thing that almost everyone knows about regardless of the part of the world they belong to.

The Titanic Museum is the largest and the most famous attraction in Pigeon Forge.

While it’s half the size of the original ship, the museum was designed to replicate its shape and houses actual items from the Titanic.

Grand piano in the Titanic Museum

robin gentry / Shutterstock.com

The museum experience was designed to make visitors feel as though they were the ship’s original passengers.

Not only does it recreate the famous ship, but it also honors those who lost their lives in the doomed event in 1912.

The Titanic Museum is truly a must for your Pigeon Forge itinerary.

Front view of Titanic Museum's exterior

ehrlif / Shutterstock.com

Visit the Quirky Yet Fascinating WonderWorks

Unique exterior of WonderWorks Museum

ehrlif / Shutterstock.com

WonderWorks is a unique attraction in the city that defies the basic laws of gravity.

The perfect place for all those who enjoy being curious, WonderWorks is a building that is quite attractive itself.

The museum has various educational displays about science, physics, and maths.

Interior of WonderWorks museum

eakkarat rangram / Shutterstock.com

It also organizes various magic shows, events, and other fun games like laser tag.

The museum also has rope courses, which are designed in a way that they glow in the dark.

As curious and crazy this place seems, it is equally—rather, more—enjoyable.

A perfect blend of education, fun, and adventure, WonderWorks will truly leave you in wonder.

View of WonderWorks museum's ceiling

eakkarat rangram / Shutterstock.com

Shop, Eat, and Meet Cute Goats at Goats on the Roof

The concept of Goats on the Roof might seem bizarre to many visitors at first instance, but it will take almost no time to change one’s mind.

Goats on the Roof is more of a roadside attraction.

This place combines various a bakery, gift shops, a petting zoo, and souvenir shops in a manner that is food for thought.

Designed across two levels, this attraction lets you feed the goats, buy some gifts, eat fresh food, enjoy homemade cookies, and even ride the goat coasters, all in one place.

There are even live goats that will definitely be your good friends and make your experience 10 times livelier.

A visit to an all-in-one shopping place, eatery, collectibles shop, and home to cute and friendly goats is what one can call actual therapy.

Do not forget to bring your camera to this place and get some crazy pictures you’ll cherish for a lifetime.

Peek into America’s Crime History at Alcatraz East

Alcatraz East is a museum that is quite unique in its concept.

This museum is designed in the form of a 19th-century prison and shows how crime and punishment were dealt with during the old times.

The place has an interior resembling an actual prison; from prison bars to morbid interiors, this museum is no joke.

This museum also includes a CSI lab and a shooting range for thrill-loving visitors.

Relax with a Glass of Wine at Mountain Valley Winery

Mountain Valley Winery is the place in Pigeon Forge where you can go after a long day of exploring its many attractions.

This refreshing winery has its own vineyard and offers various tours and wine tasting events.

You can also shop for a lot of local souvenirs at friendly prices in this winery.

The winery has its own collection of some of the best wines in the nearby areas.

A truly sophisticated place, Mountain Valley Winery is perfect for rejuvenating your spirits and ending your day with some delicious wines.

Pet Parrots at Parrot Mountain and Gardens

A toucan in Parrot Mountain and Gardens

Joelk75, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Parrot Mountain and Gardens is the ideal place for a family outing, romantic excursion, or field trip to learn about tropical birds in a unique botanical environment.

This paradise for the senses boasts over four acres of breathtaking scenery consisting of creative landscaping.

This area is available for visitation from March until December if the weather permits.

However, on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day, the garden won’t be available for visitation.

This popular tourist attraction also has thousands of plants, trees, and flowers on display.

You can also opt for a guided tour where you get to ride a golf cart.

Here, biblical themes are woven into a garden-and-bird sanctuary.

You can hold the parrots and watch some baby birds in a nursery.

Pop in for a Show at Comedy Barn Theater

Signage of Comedy Barn Theater

Zoe Cappello / Shutterstock.com

Comedy Barn Theater is a performing arts theater in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.

A stone’s throw away from The Island in Pigeon Forge, Comedy Barn is Pigeon Forge’s premier family-friendly comedy venue.

This theater features a variety of different types of humor, including ventriloquists, magicians, jugglers, comedians, and more.

Exterior view of the Comedy Barn Theater

Nielsduinker, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

There is such a wide range of entertainment in Comedy Barn’s line-ups that both adults and children are sure to enjoy themselves when they come to see shows at the theater.

Concessions are available before all performances for hungry patrons and everyone in attendance.

They also offer a military discount, which is a much-appreciated perk.

Spend a Fun Day at Rockin’ Raceway Arcade

Rockin’ Raceway Arcade is an amusement center in Parkway, Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.

It’s full of exciting, fun games that you and your family/significant other will absolutely love.

There are a variety of different games to play, and there are so many different prizes to choose from.

They even have a speedy go-kart racetrack where you shower off your competition along with hairpin twists and turns.

There’s a retro-themed area filled with bright lights and 150 games for fun daydreaming.

They have not just one but many different types of bowling games as well as connect four or the big piano or even the classic guitar hero, among others.

Rockin’ Raceway Arcade offers re-loadable cards that you can use to drop money and then go play the games.

Their coin pushers are always fun and addicting and fairly priced too.

Visit the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Experience its Wonders

Scenic mountain view at Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Sean Pavone / Shutterstock.com

The Great Smoky Mountains reside at the heart of the Appalachian Highlands at the junction of Tennessee, North Carolina, and Georgia.

The area’s mountain peaks have earned their names from the smoke-like appearance that emanates from them every evening.

All those beautiful mountains make for a nice background to Pigeon Forge.

Surrounded by an astounding 500,000 acres of Southern Appalachian wilderness, the mountains themselves are 95% covered in forest and refuge to diverse wildlife.

A waterfall in Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Weidman Photography / Shutterstock.com

Here you can uncover breathtaking streams, stunning waterfalls, and beautiful flowering plants.

There’s no better way to explore this beautiful area than by hiking, horseback riding, or renting bikes.

The park’s scenic routes offer countless photo opportunities for lovers of nature everywhere.

With a variety of weather conditions that can be mild on occasion, the mountains make for far more than a simple vacation getaway.

An old grist mill in Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Mark Baldwin / Shutterstock.com

Enjoy a Show while Eating at the Great Smoky Mountain Murder Mystery Dinner Show

Dinner and a puzzle—this is the premise of the Great Smoky Mountain Murder Mystery Dinner Show.

This unique theater brings together the art of comedy murder mystery performances with a hearty three-course meal.

With three interactive shows in rotation throughout the week, dinner has never been this memorable.

Get to the middle of a marriage gone wrong or a family murder plot.

And whatever you do, enjoy your American comfort meal!

The Great Smoky Mountain Murder Mystery Dinner Show is on Teaster Lane.

Slip and Slide at Outdoor Gravity Park

Outdoor Gravity Park brings you the best of zorbing on American soil.

In fact, it’s the only zorbing park in the whole country.

Originating in New Zealand, zorbing is a sport that takes you for a downhill ride while inside an inflatable ball.

The ball can accommodate up to three people, so you can slide and roll with your loved ones.

It’s also an eccentric way of getting acquainted with Pigeon Forge’s countryside landscape.

Outdoor Gravity Park is along Sugar Hollow Road.

View Taxidermy Animal Specimens at Mountain Wildlife Museum

If meeting wild animals up close is not an option for you, a trip to Mountain Wildlife Museum and its animal displays might do the trick.

This one-of-a-kind museum offers a different indoor wildlife experience with its collection of preserved mountain animals.

Learn more about the animal kingdom of North America and their respective environmental habitats.

Some of its exhibits include life-sized mounts of bears, wolves, and crocodiles.

There’s also a set of extant creatures you may have not seen before.

Bring your whole family and friends over for a quick educational tour of mountain life and see native animal species up close without risking your life.

Mountain Wildlife Museum sits within The Shops at Lumberjack Square facility on 2530 Parkway.

Get Your Adrenaline Pumping at The Mountain Monster

Calling all the daredevils and adventure lovers!

The Mountain Monster awaits you.

This theme park takes pride in being the home of three of the scariest, stomach-lurching rides in the city.

One of these is the 200-feet Monster Drop that ups the stakes of most drop rides with only a lap belt to keep you on your seat.

Experience free fall in the most surprising way at the Monster Swing and its water feature.

The Monster Launch is not setting you up for space, but it might just be, as it takes you for a swing of about 200 feet.

You can get to The Mountain Monster via Teaster Lane.

Learn More About Gem Fossils at Pigeon Forge Gem Mine

View of the Pigeon Forge Gem Mine

Mr Privacy / Shutterstock.com

Pigeon Forge Gem Mine is an ideal stop if you’re interested in the art of digging gems.

Established in 1998, this mining facility was, at first, included in the Delozier family farm property.

And best of all?

It caters to everyone of all ages, making it a good stop for the whole family!

View of the Pigeon Forge Gem Mine

Mr Privacy / Shutterstock.com

Visit its accompanying museum that introduces you to the history and importance of rock mining.

After an interactive mining adventure, you may even take home the gems and rocks you’ve dug up.

The facility also offers jewelry customization services, so you can bring home a unique wearable art piece to commemorate your visit.

It comes with a flume area so you can try your hand at mining rocks and gemstones.

Pigeon Forge Gem Mine is on 2865 Parkway.

Other Things to Do Nearby

Forbidden Caverns

It is surprisingly an unknown fact, but Tennessee is home to the largest number of caves in any of the states in the US.

Located in the city of Sevierville, Forbidden Caverns is situated right beneath the Great Smoky Mountains.

It is a cave network that runs underground and stays cool even when the weather outside is scorching.

You can undertake a cavern tour and explore the caves with the help of a learned guide.

These caves are actually very fun to explore as you can spot everything.

From underground steams and incredible rock formations to lighting arrangements and stereo sound for a spooky show, the caves have it all.

Final Thoughts

Pigeon Forge, Tennessee is a cool town to visit with so many things to see and do.

This list has some of the best local heritage places including award-winning amusement parks, historical landmarks, and cultural attractions to make your trip extra special.

So make sure to remember this list when you’re planning an itinerary for your next group trip designed specifically for you!

© All rights reserved.