Top 5 Things To Do In Pigeon Forge During Winter

It’s officially the season of hot apple cider, warm blankets, and pumpkin patches. It’s also the season for fall festivals, and the Smoky Mountain area is full of them!

Here are three festivals you can enjoy while on your Smoky Mountain vacation.

1. Dollywood Harvest Festival

If you love Dollywood and the fall season then you won’t want to miss this event! From early September to late October this annual celebration marks the best weather and some beautiful fall foliage in the Smokies. Stay late into the evening to see beautifully carved pumpkins, lit up and on display. During the day you’ll enjoy fall themed food, and colorful leaves all throughout the park.

2. Gatlinburg Craftsmen’s Fair

In early to mid October the Gatlinburg Craftsmen’s Fair heads into full swing. Artisans from across the country gather to peddle their wares while musicians serenade the crowds. You’ll see everything from woodworking and pottery to handcrafted jewelry and leatherworkings. If you have an appreciation for handmade goods then this event is for you.

3. Wears Valley Fall Festival

The Wears Valley Fall Festival takes place in mid October and is a favorite event for locals. Come experience the hundreds of vendors, melodic live music, and incredible Southern cuisine. If you’re interested in a true rustic, Appalachian festival with plenty to do and see for the whole family, then this one is for you.

No matter the festival you choose you’ll need a place to stay. Choose from one of our many options at Bear Camp Cabin Rentals today!

Winterfest is a two-part season here in the Smokies. The first is tied up in the holidays with Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years. The second is in the months that come after. This is described as the "quiet season" of the Smokies where special events are toned down. We see more snow and colder temperatures provide limits to outside travel and the Ma and Pa stores also close until tourism picks back up come Spring Break.

However, post-holiday Winterfest is actually the BEST time to visit the Smokies if you're into a romantic getaway, a vacation with genuine solitude, peace and quiet and attractions that have much shorter lines wanting to get in. While the aforementioned amusements are closed for the season, a majority of the rest continue to be open year-round. In addition, there is an atmosphere of stillness for much of the season, the stark colors of the mountains combined with snow-covered peaks provide a sense of dignity and crisp air perfect for celebrating Valentine's Day, anniversaries and other romantic interludes.

In this article, we'd like to quickly recommend some things to enjoy a Smoky Mountain post-holiday Winterfest vacation with. Let's look:

1.The Island.

So much to talk about here; it's hard to know where to begin except for the very obvious - the great Smoky Mountain Wheel that lights up the night sky in Pigeon Forge. This incredible wheel is more than just a fancy ferris wheel, it provides an awe-inspiring look at the city and the surrounding mountains from a climate-controlled car.
Other excellent attractions here include:

The Island Show Fountain
The Island Ropes Course
Alcatraz East
Island Mirror Maze
7D Dark Ride Adventure
The Escape Game
Old Time Photo
Thunderdome
Twist N' Shout
And more you can see CLICK HERE

2.Lumberjack Adventure

You may remember this as the Lumberjack Feud here in Pigeon Forge. The same entertainment company that owns Dixie Stampede purchased Lumberjack Feud and it is now Lumberjack Adventure while still featuring what you came to see: an awesome lumberjack sports show with an awesome dinner!

Lumberjack Adventure is located next door to The Island in Pigeon Forge and it's well worth a visit. See more.

3.Ripley's Entertainment

You know of Ripley's in Gatlinburg. The entertainment giant in the Smokies has most, if not all, their attractions open year-round and they can be great fun for young families, and old. Their attractions include:

Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies
Ripley's Believe It or Not! Museum
Ripley's Haunted Adventure
Ripley's Moving Theater 5D
Ripley's Guinness World of Records Museum
Ripley's Mirror Maze
Ripley's Mini Golf
See more information on these activities CLICK HERE

WonderWorks

The imagination center of the Smokies! This wonderful interactive "edutainment" museum offers thrilling, mind-bending exhibits showing off physics, science, technology, history, math and much more through the following attractions:

Tesla Coil
Earthquake Cafe
Hurricane Hole!
Bed of Nails
Bubble Lab
Mindball
Virtual Sports
Rock Climbing
Mercury Capsule
And more you can see CLICK HERE

Breakfast!

Yessir, especially on a cold, wintery day with maybe some snow out (so long as it’s not enough to obscure the roads), nothing beats having a hot breakfast at a pancake restaurant with bacon, eggs, waffles, grits, sausage and more waiting to start your day. Here are some of our favorites for breakfast providers in the area: