We were looking for a quick vacation for our family and decided that 9-hours to Tennessee was just far enough but also not too far. It was definitely a challenge figuring out where to go because we wanted something all of us could enjoy which includes my kids ranging from 11 to 15. I also didn’t want stressful as I was hoping for a vacation for myself!

We left on a Monday morning to drive to Tennessee and drove home on Saturday morning. So we had 4 full days there and then part of Monday night, I am not counting Saturday since we left after breakfast.

I feel like we jam-packed in a lot and staying in a cabin was the cherry on top. I highly recommend a cabin, which there are a ton to choose from. It gave us space to spread out after busy days, and a kitchen to cook in to save money from eating out so much and easier access to come and go rather than trekking through a big hotel.

We stayed here in this cabin looking for ideas and it was perfect for our family of five:

So here is our itinerary for the 5 days we were there:

Day 1: Monday

Drive to our cabin. We ended up stopping at Walmart for groceries for our stay and again great way to save some money.

We also stopped at The Christmas Place – which is located in Pigeon Forge and is the largest permanent Christmas retailer in the American south, and one of the largest in the United States.

To end the night we headed over to the Rocky Top Mountain Coaster which I highly recommend in the dark because it is all lit up but I bet the daytime would be a fun and different experience as well.

We did one ride each which includes 9 minutes of twists, turns, tunnels on the longest coaster in Tennessee. Seriously a must-do as it was a hit with my whole family! There are a ton of these coaster places in the area but after researching, I am glad we ended with this one.

My Christmas Place review: https://momandmore.com/2023/02/the-incredible-christmas-place-review-pigeon-forge-tn.html

Day 2: Tuesday

Jayell Ranch Adventure Park – this was a must for my family because my boys have been wanting to drive ATVs and you only have to 12 and up to drive your own and under 12 can drive with an adult. This was perfect because my boys (14 and 15) drove their own and my daughter drove with me. It is a 12-mile ATV adventure through the rolling foothills with views of the Smoky Mountains and it was well worth the money for how fun it was!

They have other activities at the ranch which are both free or additional costs. We chose to do the Unlimited Mountain Tubing which had a lot of steps but definitely something fun and different.

My Jayell Ranch Adventure Park Review: https://momandmore.com/2023/02/riding-atvs-at-jayell-ranch-near-pigeon-forge-tn.html

After the Jayell Ranch, we picked up some Subway and headed to the Smokey Mountains for a few hours. I figured sub sandwiches would be perfect for the road and easy to eat. I will say I wish we had more time for the Smokey Mountains because we ended up going a second time later in the week because there was so much we wanted to do. Honestly, I think you could spend days at the Smokey Mountains and not see it all as there are so many trails to drive through and hike in. We did a few where we would pull over and stop (tons of spots to do this) and get out and hike for a little bit and then keep driving.

For dinner we did the Hatfield & McCoy Dinner Show. We did a lot of research on shows and this the one we ended up choosing. I will say it is pricey, especially for a family of five, but you do get unlimited food and a show so keep that in mind. We really enjoyed the show and the back and forth of the families as they feuded.

As far as the food goes, it was amazing and honestly I wish I could have it now just thinking about it. The service was great and we had plenty of food flowing through the night!

My Hatfield & McCoy Dinner Show: https://momandmore.com/2023/01/enjoying-the-hatfield-mccoy-dinner-feud-pigeon-forge-tn.html

Day 3: Wednesday

This was our Dollywood day and I say day because we were there all day! In case you are not familiar, Dollywood is a theme park that has rides, shows, animals and dining plus its so nice to just walk around and enjoy. We did a little of everything and it has rides for all ages from little kiddie rides to big coasters and everything in between. I loved how clean it was there and how beautiful the setting the park was in.

We also went during their holiday season and got to enjoy the Christmas lights which they go above and beyond with. We took the Dollywood Express train which is pulled by steam locomotives.

I will say Dollywood probably cost us the most out of all the places between admission, parking and food, but it was something on my list that I wanted to do and we all enjoyed it so I’m glad we did.

My Dollywood Review: https://momandmore.com/2023/02/10-reasons-to-check-out-dollywood-theme-park-pigeon-forge-tn.html

Day 4: Thursday

This was a more relaxed day where we started by going back to the Smoky Mountains, which was about an hour from our cabin, and driving all through there in a different part. We did the 11-mile, one-way loop through Cades Cove and this is a must-do in our opinion. It goes slow as you could get stuck behind people but the views are amazing and there are so many historic buildings to see that are so rich in history.

We also got to see where the Appalachian Trail comes in through the Smokey Mountains and where the multiple states meet!

My Great Smoky Mountains National Park review: https://momandmore.com/2023/03/visiting-the-great-smoky-mountains-national-park.html

After the Smoky Mountains for a few hours, we drove to Anakeesta which isn’t far and located near downtown Gatlinburg. We ended up parking at a trolley lot which was free and taking the trolley to downtown. It is super busy downtown and very touristy – but fun to walk around and so many shops to check out.

Anakeesta was something not to miss either as it is basically an outdoor theme park. There are no rides like you’d expect from a theme park but rather tree bridges to cross, rope areas to climb and there is a mountain coaster as well. I feel like there is a lot for younger kids to explore and adults get to enjoy the atmosphere. I could definitely see myself sitting up there with a group of friends enjoying a drink and gazing at the mountains.

Oh and you do have to take either a chair lift or truck to get up to Anakeesta (you cannot drive yourself) and we got to see a bear right below us!

My Anakeesta review: https://momandmore.com/2022/12/enjoying-the-view-exploring-at-anakeesta-gatlinburg-tn.html

Day 5: Friday

Watching the weather we knew it was going to rain this day so we planned inside activities. Let me say there really is no shortage of things to do in the Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg area!

First stop was Beyond the Lens, honestly it was because it looked so cool on the outside and luckily the inside did not disappoint. There is so much to do inside from a 4D ride experience to VR to an escape room to more, so much more I couldn’t even explain it all here!

My Beyond the Lens Review: https://momandmore.com/2023/02/a-little-of-everything-at-beyond-the-lens-pigeon-forge-tn.html

Next stop was the Titanic Museum and honestly even my teens who don’t like museums said the place was awesome. This was another stop that had an amazing outside appearance that is hard to miss!

We had a guide who was amazing and gave us a great tour, although they do have audio tours or you could just explore on your own. There are facts and photos everywhere and actual pieces from the Titanic.

We were fortunate to be there as well when a captain was there that actually did a dive to help retrieve items!

My Titanic Museum review: https://momandmore.com/2023/03/visiting-the-largest-titanic-museum-attraction-pigeon-forge-tn.html

Finally, the rain let up and we got to check out The Island, which is basically an outdoor shopping experience with a few rides and a beautiful fountain show. Great place to walk around for free!

Day 6: Saturday

Breakfast and drive home. We had an amazing week and knocked a lot off our list but we definitely have plans to go back. We went in early November and felt like the weather was perfect.

Have you been to the Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg area and have a suggestion for next time we go?