All about our household journey to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee!
Earlier than we left for our joint household journey to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, I answered a whole lot of questions on why we have been going there. Nicely, the reply is that this: Pigeon Forge is an efficient place to satisfy within the center (type’ve within the center) with our greatest buddies who reside in Columbus, Ohio, through automotive, keep in a cabin and have loads of household pleasant issues to do. And sure, it fulfilled all of that.
We had initially wished to do a seashore journey with our besties, Grant and Bre, and their three youngsters, however we deliberate it too late and weren’t capable of safe an enormous AirBnB/VRBO for us all to remain at any good seashore spots. That’s why we selected Tennessee, and although we didn’t know a ton in regards to the Pigeon Forge space, it ended up being good for us.
Aspect observe: We’re planning to guide a seashore trip for subsequent 12 months very quickly, now that we all know that’s how individuals do it within the Carolinas. Lesson realized.
We arrived on Sunday afternoon and left on Thursday morning, and we undoubtedly may have stayed one other day to slot in extra.
The principle drag of Pigeon Forge considerably jogged my memory of Worldwide Drive in Orlando, and there are one million leisure points of interest for households and large chain eating places. We stored it easy and did one massive factor a day for our three full days there. And the remainder of the time, we stayed at our cabin hanging out.
We made breakfast and dinner at dwelling every day and ate our lunches out, which was an excellent plan, with 4 youngsters and 4 adults (and a canine, due to course, we introduced Rudy). Dave was our resident breakfast chef and made pancakes for the children three mornings in a row. I wished one thing extra substantial to carry me over, so I opted for peanut butter toast with scrambled eggs and blueberries, and I had this identical breakfast all 4 mornings. Yum!
Within the evenings, after the kiddos went to mattress, the adults all frolicked on the desk sipping on drinks, chatting, and we even performed Cards Against Humanity one evening, which is all the time an excellent time. Although we spent our mornings and evenings on the cabin, it by no means felt like we had all that a lot downtime, and we by no means obtained bored. As soon as once more, all of it labored out.
Our cabin had a room for everybody, and there was a basement with pool desk, massive TV and video games, so the children largely frolicked down there, whereas the adults stayed on the primary ground.
Brady slept in his personal big-boy mattress in a bit of darkish room within the basement, and we have been nervous he’d be scared being so removed from us. However we introduced his monitor and stored a watch on him, and he slept nice and by no means even cried within the evening, which he nonetheless typically does at dwelling. It could have helped that he skipped his naps and had a ton of exercise every day, and he additionally went to mattress later than standard, so he was exhausted every evening.
(TMI second) The one dangerous factor about our cabin and this journey for me was the bugs. I obtained a ton of bug bites from being exterior, and possibly from the cabin, however nobody else actually did. I had two large bites that bothered me for a pair days, that I imagine to be spider bites. I even needed to go get some particular antihistamine cream to placed on them, nevertheless it didn’t assist a lot. Yuck!
On a greater observe: Whereas I usually don’t sleep nice on trip, we introduced our personal pillows, white noise and slumber masks, and I slept superior every evening. Yay for that!
We discovered our cabin on VRBO, and that was after Dave did a ton of analysis. To be completely trustworthy, Dave deliberate our complete journey, down to each exercise, and we’re grateful for that. All the remainder of us did was present up and get to get pleasure from it. He principally deliberate our final journey too, and this journey fell nearly precisely a 12 months after our adults-only getaway to Jamaica, additionally with Grant and Bre. We’re fortunate to have him!
Our Pigeon Forge journey had only a few similarities to our stress-free Jamaica journey, and you may guess we laughed about that loads, as we have been rolling eight deep.
Let’s do a fast recap of our three massive actions …
Ripley’s Aquarium in Gatlinburg
Okay, if Dave, Brady and I hadn’t been to the Georgia Aquarium only a few months earlier, I could have appreciated this a bit of bit extra. However as a result of the Georgia Aquarium is the perfect of the perfect, and it was recent on our minds, so it made Ripley’s fall a bit quick. We had enjoyable and noticed some great things, nevertheless it wasn’t superb, and it was most likely my least favourite exercise we did.
I’ll say that the children liked the aquarium and have been absolutely glad with Ripley’s although. Nonetheless, the adults thought it was overpriced for what you bought, and it was very crowded. Folks have been all over the place, and it was typically exhausting to rise up to see the fish within the tanks from all of the crowds — ick.
The Ripley’s Aquarium is all indoors, and it’s specified by a squished and complicated means. However I’ll say they did have one cool aspect — a penguin parade. They performed some music, cleared a path and two little penguins marched across the aquarium simply toes from us. It was so cute, and it nearly redeemed the complete aquarium expertise for me. They have been so tiny, and so they appeared like they have been so happy with themselves whereas parading round. Cherished it!
I most likely wouldn’t return to this spot, though I’ll say the children had a blast and so they thought it was nice. The climate was a bit cloudy main as much as it, in order that’s why we selected it. However on a nicer day, we most likely would have slot in a hike within the close by Smoky Mountains as an alternative of this aquarium.
But it surely was cool to stroll round downtown Gatlinburg, which is kind of touristy. We ate lunch at Landshark Bar & Grill, proper close to the aquarium, and my salmon salad was tasty. We may have crammed much more time strolling round Gatlinburg, however as soon as once more, it was tremendous crowded on today, so a number of hours was sufficient for us.
That evening, we stopped by Publix to select up some meals, and Dave made us scrumptious wrapped burgers for dinner again on the cabin.
(And I made a video about our journey to the aquarium here.)
Dollywood Theme Park in Pigeon Forge
We had a good time at Dollywood, and I used to be so impressed that we made it six hours, as a result of Brady’s solely different theme park expertise topped off at round 4 hours, once we took him to close by Carowinds in Charlotte.
Nicely, Dollywood is loads larger than Carowinds, that’s for positive. Dollywood just isn’t Disney high quality, nevertheless it’s nice, and we most well-liked it to Carowinds. There have been some exhibits, plenty of rides, loads of locations to eat, and largely pleasant individuals working. Nonetheless, the signage was not superb, and I felt like they may study a factor or two from Disney on that time.
However total, we had a blast at Dollywood, driving rides, hanging out and doing all of the belongings you do at theme parks. Our first trip was a racetrack, and Brady thought it was the good. He wished to go on all the things a second time, however we stored urgent ahead. We additionally did bumper vehicles, which I hadn’t executed in perpetually, and I actually appreciated them.
The anticipate the smaller rides was about 10 minutes, however about half-hour to an hour for the largest points of interest. We did break up up by household for a bit of bit so Grant and Bre may take their larger youngsters on curler coasters and scarier rides. Whereas, Dave, Brady and I hung within the little child space. He was so darn cute on each trip, and we actually have been these dad and mom waving each single time he got here round close to us. However talking of scary, Brady did go on the log flume trip with the group (with out actually understanding there can be an enormous drop), and he was so happy with himself after the very fact, and he was moist.
I don’t understand how the six hours flew by so shortly, however they did. Brady did nice driving rides, ready in line and strolling round. We carried him a bit of bit, however largely he held his personal. Oh, and did I point out all of us wore matching t-shirts to the theme park? I believed it will be enjoyable, so I ordered these from Etsy, and I’m more than happy. It helped us all discover one another within the crowd too! I mixed our final names, Pitt and Mooi, to make the Mooitts. 🙂
I’ve to say the massive present store close to the exit of Dollywood (which it’s important to stroll by way of to depart) was the nicest theme park present store I’d ever been to. There have been so many cute Dolly Parton objects that I wished. I settled on a “Peace, Love and Dolly” sweatshirt, however I may have purchased fairly a number of extra issues. They actually get you there.
Dollywood was a very good time, and I’d undoubtedly return. The youngsters liked it, and so did the adults!
(Oh, and enjoyable truth: They are saying you’ll be able to’t usher in exterior food and drinks, however I had a bunch of snacks in my bag, and so they by no means checked it. And I’m so glad I had these snacks. Whereas we did eat lunch there and get some treats, we nonetheless appreciated having some further meals to get us by way of.)
That evening, we ordered pizza from a bit of place close to our cabin, and it was not good. However we have been hungry so we didn’t care.
(And I made a video about our time at Dollywood here.)
Renting a pontoon boat on Douglas Lake in Dandridge
This was most likely my favourite exercise total, and I believe most of us would agree. Who doesn’t love a ship day?
However actual speak: The primary half-hour of our boating journey weren’t good. It was insanity. We had eight hungry individuals on a pontoon boat on a scorching day, and earlier than everybody had their lunch (which we introduced with us — sandwiches for the adults and Lunchables for the children), everybody was a bit of grumpy, and the children have been making an attempt to do one million issues without delay, with fishing hooks flying by way of the air in a small house.
Actually, I instructed Dave that possibly this boat factor was a nasty concept throughout these moments. However after all of us ate, and we obtained some order, we took off cruising, put out the tube and the day actually reworked right into a super-fun one. It was evening and day.
We have been out on Douglas Lake in Dandridge, Tennessee for about 4 hours, and we completely may have stayed longer. We tubed, we swam, we jumped off the boat, we chilled, and it was an extremely good summer season journey exercise for each single one in all us.
I used to be so shocked that Brady went on the tube and that he was leaping off the boat into the water (all the time carrying his life vest, after all). I took a activate the tube and did some leaping off the boat too, and the water was inexperienced, a bit of bit chilly and tremendous calm.
Douglas Lake is completely stunning, and there have been hardly every other boats on the market, so we felt very protected and relaxed. Additionally, the pontoon boat rental was so moderately priced and even got here with free pizza and ice cream. We used Douglas Lake Marina, by the way in which, in the event you ever wish to repeat this exercise.
That evening, Grant made us all rooster tacos, and so they have been so good. Sure, the blokes have been the cooks on this journey, however they’re the cooks in actual life too. Bre and I simply obtained to take a seat again and chill out, which we didn’t thoughts in any respect.
(And I made a video about our boat trip here.)
General ideas on our household journey to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee
I used to be pleasantly shocked with our journey. We liked it! I had anticipated it to really feel much more annoying and chaotic with 4 youngsters and 4 adults (and a canine), nevertheless it didn’t really feel that means in any respect (exterior of the primary half-hour on the pontoon boat, which have been insanity).
We had a good time and almost all the things labored out nicely. We had simply sufficient deliberate, simply sufficient down time, our climate was nice, and we appreciated all our actions. I want we had stayed yet one more day so we may slot in some mountain climbing within the Smoky Mountains, however we’ll simply have to return and do this on one other event.
I believe the change of surroundings, change of routine and probability to take a psychological break have been actually good for me (and for all of us), and we undoubtedly had that, with some recent mountain air. It felt like an actual break. And breaks are good. We left proper earlier than we felt prepared to depart too, which was most likely a good suggestion.
It’s not straightforward to journey with such an enormous group and never get aggravated with one another, however we mesh so nicely with our besties and their kiddos — and we had zero points — so we’d take one other massive household journey with them once more for positive. Brady and their youngsters all suppose they’re associated to one another too, which could be very candy. 🙂
(And I made yet one more video about our Pigeon Forge trip here.)
General, it was simply what we would have liked. Household time. Good friend time. Laughs. Exploration. Down time. And loads of recollections made.
And that’ll do it for in the present day! Thanks for studying all about our household journey to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Have a beautiful day and week, my pal!
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Questions of the day for YOU …
Have you ever ever been to Pigeon Forge?
Have you ever taken any journeys this summer season?
What’s one factor you’re wanting ahead to this summer season?
