There are few places you can go where there is truly something for all ages. Thankfully, on our family trip to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee last week, we found just one of those places when we discovered The Island in Pigeon Forge. The Island in Pigeon Forge is a 23-acre entertainment destination featuring shopping, restaurants, an arcade, carnival rides, various attractions, a fountain show and even a hotel.
You can't miss it - all you have to do is look for the giant Great Smoky Mountain Wheel! The 200-foot-high observation wheel has enclosed air-conditioned gondolas that hold up to 8 people and give you a perfect bird's eye view of the entire Island and more. Make sure to take a ride at night - all the lights make everything so pretty!
Little ones will love all the carnival-type rides available to them, including The Flying Horse Carousel, the Spinning Parrots Coaster, the Happy Swing, and our personal favorite, Reverse Time, to name just a few. You can pay per ride or take advantage of the Island Unlimited Pass (for only $35). The pass includes all 8 rides, plus unlimited rides on the Great Smoky Mountain Wheel. For an additional $10, you can add a one-time trip on The Island Ropes Course. (Rides requiring parental supervision for children under 42" are free for one chaperone - payment required for The Wheel and the Island Ropes Course). Being that my family has a large age gap in my children (14 and 8), this ended up being a great set-up for us. I could take my daughter on all of the rides and my husband took my older son to explore the Alcatraz East Crime Museum. Then we met up afterwards for daiquiris at Dude's Daiquiris (virgin ones for the kids, of course!)
Have you ever been someplace and one day was not enough time to explore it all? The Island is one of those places, and lucky for us, the Island Unlimited Pass is valid for 48 hours (consecutively). So, after getting rained out the first night, we were able to come back and enjoy a second night of fun.
The Island Ropes Course was a big hit for my family. Journey up 3 stories featuring 30 different elements including rope bridges, swinging planks and mini zip lines. It was a little nerve wracking for me when we were up on the 3rd story, but we were all in harnesses and attached to a sling line and carabiners, so I knew we were safe. The course is open to anyone 42" and above, and a Sky Tykes course is a mini-rope course that is perfect for kids 48" and below. There is no time limit, and at the end you have the option of either walking back down the stairs or being hooked to a bungee cord and braving the Quick Jump / Free Fall from the 3rd floor. Sharing a proud mama moment here - my daughter, who is scared of heights, was determined to do the jump and (as you can see in the video clip above) she did it like a BOSS - she had absolutely NO problem walking right off the ledge! I was so proud of her! Me, on the other hand, took a little bit more convincing (and, no, I am not sharing that video clip - LOL!)
Another experience I highly recommend is SkyFly: Soar America. Experience the feeling of being in flight as you soar over many of USA's most iconic locations - from the Grand Canyon to Niagra Falls to Yosemite National Park and more in this 6-minute journey. It's a fully immersive experience with all the sights, sounds and special effects that makes you feel like you are actually soaring through the clouds or racing in the Daytona 500. This is a great way to experience the beauty and nature of America without even leaving Pigeon Forge. Guests must be 40″ to ride.
Once you are done playing, you have a variety of restaurants to choose from, including Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville restaurant, Paula Deen's Family Kitchen and Dick's Last Resort, to name a few. I had heard about Dick's Last Resort from some friends, and it sounded fun - the big twist is that the staff insults you and you can insult the staff, all in good fun of course. The kids loved it, and everyone ends up with paper hats with a funny insult on it at the end of the night. Warning: If you are easily offended, I would not recommend going here. But if you are up for a good time, it's a great experience and the food was tasty too!
Another fun option my husband and I enjoyed was visiting Ole Smoky Moonshine. Not only do they have an outdoor stage set up with rocking chairs in front of it where you can sit to enjoy live bluegrass music, but for $5 a person, you can join in on the moonshine taste testing! Needless to say, we left with a few jars!
Market Street features over 40 shops and charming boutiques featuring clothes, candy, cookies, toys, jewelry, footwear, and all sorts of trinkets. Everyone is sure to be able to find something that they can't resist! We took shelter from a rainstorm at Puzzled and ended up staying long after the rain let up trying to figure out a brain buster puzzle.
After riding the rides, getting a full belly and shopping the shops, end your night with a front row seat in one of the many rocking chairs to enjoy the Fountain Show, a multi-million-dollar show featuring a 60-foot fountain of water choreographed to music and light. The show performs every 30 minutes starting at the top of the hour.
The Island in Pigeon Forge is a definite stop on your next trip to Tennessee! There is SO much to do and even though we spent the better part of two days here, we still did not get to do everything we wanted to do! With the wide range of restaurants, shops, rides and activities, it is a guaranteed favorite spot for all ages.
For more information on The Island in Pigeon Forge, go HERE.
* I received free tickets for the purpose of this review. All opinions stated are my own.
