5 Night Pigeon Forge Itinerary

Whether you are visiting Pigeon Forge for the fresh mountain air, the fun attractions, or both, this 5-night Pigeon Forge Itinerary will give you everything you need to plan an awesome family trip to Pigeon Forge.

There are so many unique and fun attractions in Pigeon Forge that I decided to revisit this trip itinerary post from when my kids were small to create a 5-Night itinerary for Pigeon Forge Tennessee that will be fun for the whole family.

We absolutely loved our time in Pigeon Forge and have been thinking about going back now that my kids are teens, with a few added places.

Today I am sharing what worked, what we would skip next time, and what I need to include for our next trip to Pigeon Forge.

Pigeon Forge Itinerary

We spent a few days driving from our home in Rochester, NY to Pigeon Forge with fun stops on the way to Tennessee. Once we arrived this is what our itinerary looked like:

• Day 1: Arrival/Check In
• Day 2: Anakeesta, Titanic Museum, Hatfield & McCoys
• Day 3: Clingman’s Dome Hike, Wonder Works, Mini-Golf
• Day 4: MagiQuest, The Old Mill Lunch & Shops, Dolly Parton Stampede, The Island
• Day 5: Mountain Coaster, Pigeon Forge Snow, Gatlinburg
• Day 6: Check Out Drive Home

Where is Pigeon Forge, Tennessee

Pigeon Forge, Tennessee is situated in the mountains near Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It is located in Southeast Tennessee. Pigeon Forge is 7.5 miles from Gatlinburg, Tennessee and 8 miles from Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

The nearest airport is McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS) in Alcoa, Tennessee which is about 41 miles from Pigeon Forge. You will need a car when visiting Pigeon Forge to see all the attractions.

Where to Stay in Pigeon Forge

We stayed at a Cabin and it was located about a 10 minute drive from the main area of Pigeon Forge. It was located in an area with many rentals but was our own house for the 5 nights.

This did not include any resort or hotel amenities and we were responsible for cleaning up the kitchen at the end of our stay.

If you are looking for more traditional hotel lodging, check out the options listed below or browse the map.

• The Wayback: This unique hotel has a retro vibe that is one of the different looking places to stay in Pigeon Forge.
• The Lodge at Camp Margaritaville: Great RV resort with awesome pool and mountain views. No RV? Check out Margaritaville Island Inn.
• Looking for something rustic? Try Under Canvas which offers luxury tent accommodations.
• If you are planning to spend time at Dollywood there are two resorts at the theme park. They are Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort and Dollywood’s HeartSong Resort.

Itinerary for Family Trip to Pigeon Forge

Now lets get into what to do during your Pigeon Forge vacation. We like to stay busy during our vacations and each day of our itinerary is full! We did take breaks during the day to go back to the cabin for some relaxing time as well but most of our time was spent exploring Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg.

Day 1

Once we checked into our cabin and got settled we were ready to start exploring all the fun things we had planned.

Before we made it out of our cabin complex we saw a black bear crossing the road. Be aware that there are black bears in the area and to stay cautious.

Since we didn’t arrive in Pigeon Forge until the afternoon we took the day to get settled into our cabin, picked up groceries, and dinner at the cabin.

It was nice to relax after the long road trip and to get ready for our busy days ahead.

Day 2

Breakfast was at our cabin before we headed to Gatlinburg for our first big attraction of the trip. We had reservations to spend the morning at Anakeesta. Anakessta is an adventure park located in downtown Gatlinburg. It is a really cool place to visit for the whole family.

There are play areas, scenic overlooks, and treetop walkways. If you can visit at night they offer a special lighted experience.

After Anakeesta we headed over to the Titanic Museum. One of the first things we saw as we drove into Pigeon Forge was the huge Titanic replica. The Titanic Museum is a self-guided walk through of the story of the Titanic.

I wasn’t sure if this would be a great fit for my kids but they were really interested. They even had a special tour guide for kids.

As you enter everyone is given their own portable speaker that will guide your through the exhibit. There is an adult and child one. 

You are also given a card with a profile of a person that was aboard the Titanic. As you go through the exhibit you see if your person survived or perished on their journey. 

The Titanic Museum does not allow video or photos through the museum. They have a collection of artifacts and even pieces that were on the ship.

I didn’t realize how emotional we would all feel as we learned more about what it was like to be on the Titanic. It was powerful and I was happy we visited to learn more. 

After the museum we headed next door to the Hatfield & McCoy’s Dinner Feud. I was a bit hesitant heading into this. I didn’t know what to expect and wasn’t sure we would enjoy it. 

I have to say we were pleasantly surprised. The show is based on the “historical feud of Hatfield and McCoy”. It is highly entertaining with dancing and all the kids are invited to the stage to do a bit of dancing.

The food was served family style and fast, but we all enjoyed it. It was fried chicken, corn on the cob, coleslaw, rolls, and dessert. The food is served before the start of the show and it moves quickly.

Day 3

As I’m writing this I can’t believe how much we packed into this day. We had planned to sleep in but everyone woke up early so we decided to take a drive up the mountains to Clingman’s Dome.

Clingman’s Dome is not in Pigeon Forge. It is located about an hour away and is worth the drive.

As you climb the mountains you see breathtaking views and it is a must do. You will park at the top and make your way up the .5 mile(very steep) hike up the mountains. 

Clingman’s Dome is the third highest point east of the Mississippi. It is a bit tough but most people can climb it and I would consider it one of the kid-friendly hikes.

There are benches along the way if you need a break. My kids needed a few breaks but they were so happy and proud they made it to the top.  Read all the details of our visit: What to Know When You Visit Clingman’s Dome.

After our morning hike we headed to Frizzle Chicken Farmhouse Cafe. Frizzle Chicken’s has a hot breakfast and singing chickens. Every 10 minutes the chickens “cluck” a familiar song and the kids thought it was so funny. 

This was so entertaining for the kids and they loved seeing the names of the chickens. Some of our favorites were Michael JordHEN, J.K. FOWLing, Cluck Kent, HEN Solo, and so many more.

With a full stomach we went to WonderWorks. WonderWorks is an indoor amusement park that has hands on exhibits, a 3D show, and interactive activities.

It is best to arrive first thing in the morning to avoid large crowds-we arrived mid-afternoon and it was really crowded.

Our favorite spot at WonderWorks is the bubble room. The kids made gigantic bubbles and had a lot of fun in this area. Being a Dr. Seuss fan, I really enjoyed the small art area dedicated to Dr. Seuss creations. 

After WonderWorks we headed back to the cabin to relax for the afternoon. I loved having space in the cabin to relax after our busy days. The views from the balcony were amazing!

For dinner we headed over to Big Daddy’s Pizzeria. There is something special about ordering a pizza at a restaurant. Typically pizza is for take-out in our house. We ordered the meatball pizza.

After dinner we drove over to Crave for some mini-golf. Crave is an indoor and outdoor mini-golf course themed to sweets. They have gumdrop and chocolate holes, and you can also purchase candy and sweet treats.

We started with the outdoor course. Each of our tickets included a bottle of water.

I really appreciated this because Tennessee in August is hot! Our goal was to do both courses. We did make it through the indoor and outdoor but the kids were tired at the end and one course would have been best.

Day 4

From the minute we drove down the main road in Pigeon Forge my youngest has been asking to go to MagiQuest. We had experienced it before at a Great Wolf Lodge and they loved it, so we were excited to do it again.

We arrived about 10 minutes before opening because we knew it was much easier to play the challenges when there are less people. MagiQuest is an interactive wand game. You solve riddles and challenges to unlock new adventures.

The challenges can be a bit complicated for young kids and it is best to work as a team to solve them. Even a few of the clues were difficult for my husband and I, thankfully there are people around to help you if you get stuck. 

At MagiQuest you purchase time of play. We played for 60 minutes and that seemed like a good amount of time for the kids. After MagiQuest we headed downstairs to do the other activities in the building.

The building says MagiQuest on the outside but inside there are 4 different family activities you can play. There is a laser maze, Pirate indoor glow mini-golf, a mirror maze, and upstairs is the MagiQuest area.

We attempted to do the laser maze but it was really tough for the bigger kids…my husband and I! The smaller your size the better! Then we went over to mini-golf and ended our morning with the Mirror Maze.

I haven’t done a mirror maze since I was little and it was definitely a bit disorienting. They give you gloves to keep the mirrors clean and you find your way through it. Honestly I wasn’t sure if the kids would like it but they ended up really enjoying it. 

After that we went to the Old Mill area for lunch and to walk around. The lunch is delicious and the sweet bread they give you at the start of your meal is the BEST!!

After lunch we stopped at the Candy Shop for some taffy and sweets to bring back to the cabin.

At this point it was getting really hot out and we went back to the cabin to relax and cool off before our reservations at Dolly Parton’s Stampede.

Dolly Parton’s Stampede is a dinner show that has 32 horses and a variety of other animals. As well as trick performers and a lot of audience participation. 

The show is very entertaining and we were all so impressed with the talent of the performers. I would have to say the best part is when my daughter got picked to go on stage. 

During one of the acts there was a chicken race. Four kids from the audience got to be part of the show. It was really fun and at the end my daughter received a book and a note from Dolly Parton.

The note was so sweet. It said “Congratulations on being so brave and coming on stage.” I thought this was an awesome little detail that really meant a lot to my daughter.

The show ended close to 10:00pm and even though we were all exhausted we headed over to The Island in Pigeon Forge to see The Island Fountain Show. This was on the top of my list and I couldn’t wait to see it. 

The fountains have rocking chairs lined up all around and we all relaxed and were mesmerized by the show. It was one of my favorite moments of the trip. To sit and enjoy the show with my family was an awesome memory I will always cherish.

Day 5

It was our last full day in Pigeon Forge and we really wanted to see everything so we packed a lot into our Pigeon Forge day.

Our first stop was at The Track. The Track is a family fun center that has an arcade, small rides, go-kart, bumper boats, and mini-golf. We started at the Go-Karts.

They had a few different levels of Go-Kart tracks, which was really nice for accommodating families. All of the kids had an option to enjoy the go-karts. The best was when all five of us could ride the track together. 

After Go-Karts we headed over to the bumper boats. The kids loved this. After we headed to the arcade to play a few games and win a few prizes. 

Continuing on our adventurous day we went to Pigeon Forge Snow. Pigeon Forge Snow is an indoor sledding facility that also has a giant snow pit to play in. 

We have gone sledding many times but this was a different level. The lift takes you up to the top and you get to experience sledding without the freezing cold temps. Definitely one of our favorite places. 

After a filling lunch at Huck Finn’s Catfish we headed over to our last stop of the day. Our final adventure brought us to the Interactive 7D Adventure located at The Island.

This is a shooting simulator ride that offers shows that are fun for everyone. We did the Robot show because it was family friendly. It was a lot of fun!! 

After the show we walked around The Island a bit more. The Island has a Giant Wheel that gives you amazing views but we have a few height fears and decided to pass on this visit. 

Day 4 was amazing but it was time to head back to the cabin to pack and get ready for our drive tomorrow.

Day 6

We spent the evening enjoying our cabin hot tub on the balcony with amazing views, having a family movie night, and dinner at the cabin. I love having moments during vacation where we can slow down from the busy day and enjoy being together.

What I’m Including on Our Next Pigeon Forge Trip

As I mentioned earlier there are so many things to do in Pigeon Forge and we are in the process of planning our next visit back.

One of the most popular places we missed was Dollywood. We wish we went but in the moment it was the best choice for us.

My youngest was not yet tall enough for most of the roller coasters that my older children could ride, we decided it would be best to skip it this visit and return when we could all ride together. I am really hoping to get back for the 2026 season.

More places I want to check out in Pigeon Forge. I will add to this as I do my research for our next trip.

• Burgers & Shakes Cookie Dough Monsters
• SkyFly: Soar America
• Dollywood
• The Incredible Christmas Place
• Pirate Voyage Dinner Show
• The Great Smoky Mountain Wheel
• Paula Deen’s Lumberjack Feud
• Outdoor Gravity Park
• Alcatraz East Crime Museum
• Ripley’s Aquarium (Gatlinburg)
• Cades Cove Loop Road (Great Smoky Mountain National Park)
• Skybridge (Gatlinburg: longest pedestrian bridge in North America)
• Ober Gatlinburg Aerial Tramway (2.1 mile ride offering panoramic views of Great Smoky Mountains)
• Gatlinburg Space Needle (Observation tower)
• Ripley’s Believe It or Not (Gatlinburg)
• Rafting in the Smokies
• Laurel Falls (2.6 mile walk on a paved trail, one of the most photographed spots in the Smokies.)
• Jurassic Jungle Boat Ride is a themed dinosaur boat ride that is more “bragging rights” for riding than actually great. It is on the pricey side for what it is but it is popular amongst the theme park community.

My Final Thoughts

I couldn’t believe all the things to do in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Our Pigeon Forge family vacation was a surprising hit! It was different than most vacations we take and I loved exploring a different place.

What we loved about our visit to Pigeon Forge was that it has the family fun attractions we love, but was in close proximity to The Great Smoky Mountains. We got to balance our vacation with outdoor activities and family attractions.

You may not be able to see and do everything from our itinerary but I hope this helps you pick the activities that work best for your family.

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