Vacation Rentals in Pigeon Forge

If you want to see Dollywood in style, Pigeon Forge offers a huge array of vacation rentals to choose from. Some of the best options are standalone vacation rentals in areas like Mill Creek, which is right next door to the country-music themed amusement park. These multi-bedroom cabin or cottage properties come with balconies, grills, and all the space you and your family could need.

Then again, if you don't need the extra space that a vacation rental provides, Pigeon Forge isn't short of high-quality vacation apartments as well. Many of these properties are clustered around the Little Pigeon River in the heart of the valley, and mix up attractive views with ready access to all of the area's popular attractions.

Set in a beautiful valley, Pigeon Forge is located on the northern fringe of the Great Smoky Mountains, not far from the Tennessee – North Carolina border. The resort is most famous for hosting Dollywood – an amusement park and entertainment venue owned by country music legend Dolly Parton. But there's much more than Dolly to discover here.

While we often refer to Pigeon Forge as a self-contained city, it makes more sense to include Sevierville as well, which is just up the road, and linked to the main attractions via a handy public bus network. As for Pigeon Forge itself, Dollywood dominates its eastern half, but the western part has attractions of its own, such as the rollercoasters along Wears Valley Road.

While Gatlinburg-Pigeon Forge airport is easily the closest entry point for visitors, most people will fly into Knoxville's McGhee Tyson Airport instead. That's no problem, as it's only 50 miles west of the resort.

If you love country music, Pigeon Forge will feel like heaven on earth. Dollywood is dedicated to Dolly Parton, and features nightly bluegrass, folk, and southern gospel performances, as well as star turns from leading country artists.

If music isn't your thing, Pigeon Forge is also crammed with family fun. There's Dollywood's Splash Country to cool off in the summer, and plenty of rides and historical exhibits if you don't fancy getting soaked. And other amusement parks like the Island ensure that families will never be bored.

With the Great Smoky Mountains on the doorstep, Pigeon Forge never lets nature lovers down. From whitewater rafting or horseback riding, to hiking, climbing, and even helicopter rides over the mountains, it's a wonderful part of the world for anyone who loves fresh air and active vacations.

Easily Pigeon Forge's main attraction, Dollywood attracts around 2.5 million visitors every year to enjoy its 40 acres of rides, restaurants, reconstructed log cabins, and musical venues. Regular shows bring timeless stories to the Smokys, while gigs and seasonal spectaculars entertain visitors on a daily basis.

Situated in a two-story building in downtown Pigeon Forge, this wax museum is the largest of its type in the USA, and covers everyone from Clint Eastwood to James Bond.

Pigeon Forge may be a long way from the sea, but this museum makes up for it, with a fascinating collection of artifacts recovered from the Titanic.

This karting center features some of the fastest karts available in the USA, and lets budding Indykart masters show off their skills on winding tracks, with time trials to prove who is the fastest of them all.

For a rush of adrenaline and some of the freshest air around, head to the Big Pigeon River, where outdoor experts will hook you up with rafts and teams for a white-knuckle descent. With 12 class III and 3 class IV rapids, it's a hair-raising course, but totally rewarding.

The most important thing to remember about Pigeon Forge is that, whenever you travel, there will be something to see, do, and hear. While the water parks shut down in winter, nearby ski resorts like Ober Gatlinburg pick up the slack, and the rides and concert halls hardly ever stop entertaining arrivals. So don't worry about being bored.

Having said that, there are some very special events in Pigeon Forge throughout the year, so you may want to time your trip to coincide with them. For example, May's Barbeque and Bluegrass Festival is an excellent spring-time highlight, Tunes & Tales sees musicians take to the streets to tell historical stories in June and July, while the resort's Patriot Festival makes 4th July an occasion to remember.