Things to Do in Pigeon Forge: A Family Guide, Rain or Shine

The best things to do in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, with a family are a full day at Dollywood, a free evening at The Island in Pigeon Forge and a walk around The Old Mill, which has been grinding grain beside the Little Pigeon River since about 1830. Below are 12 picks in three groups: headline attractions, rainy-day picks and free picks, each with how long to allow and one practical tip. Pigeon Forge sits in East Tennessee on US 441, between Sevierville and Gatlinburg.

Pigeon Forge gives directions by traffic light. The Pigeon Forge Department of Tourism says that once you know lights 2, 5 and 7 on the Parkway, you can place almost anything in town. Learn three numbers and you'll drive like a local.

What are the headline attractions in Pigeon Forge?

The headline attractions in Pigeon Forge are Dollywood, Dollywood's Splash Country, The Island in Pigeon Forge, Dolly Parton's Stampede and the Rocky Top Mountain Coaster. Most families build the trip around one big Dollywood day and fill the rest from this list.

1. Dollywood

What to do: Spend a day at Dollywood, the theme park at 2700 Dollywood Parks Boulevard in Pigeon Forge. The Pigeon Forge Department of Tourism says the park spans 160 acres in the Great Smoky Mountains. Younger kids head for Wildwood Grove, while thrill-seekers line up for Lightning Rod, Wild Eagle and Big Bear Mountain. Its Smoky Mountain Christmas season, with more than six million lights, typically runs from early November into early January.

How long: A full day.

Tip: Dollywood is typically open from late March through early January, but operating days vary, so check the official calendar first. General parking is typically $25. To skip it, ride the Pigeon Forge trolley's Dollywood route instead.

2. Dollywood's Splash Country

What to do: Cool off at Dollywood's Splash Country, the water park on Dollywood Parks Boulevard. It has the Downbound Float Trip, a 1,500-foot lazy river; Mountain Waves, a 25,000-square-foot wave pool; and RiverRush, which the visitors bureau calls Tennessee's first and only water coaster.

How long: The visitors bureau puts the average visit at five hours.

Tip: Splash Country is a summer park, typically open from mid-May into September. Call ahead to reserve a canopy or riverside retreat for shade.

3. The Island in Pigeon Forge

What to do: Walk The Island in Pigeon Forge, a 23-acre shopping and entertainment district at 131 The Island Drive. Ride the Great Smoky Mountain Wheel, which stands 200 feet tall with climate-controlled glass gondolas seating up to eight. It made its first turn on June 21, 2013. Kids can tackle the three-story Island Ropes Course, and toddlers have a mini course called Sky Tykes.

How long: We'd allow two to three hours, longer if you eat there.

Tip: Admission and parking at The Island are free; you pay only for rides and food. Stay after dark for The Island Show Fountain, a free daily show set to 14 pieces of music, with a center jet that shoots water 60 feet into the air.

4. Dolly Parton's Stampede

What to do: Book a dinner show at Dolly Parton's Stampede, 3849 Parkway in Pigeon Forge. You eat a four-course feast while riders perform horse stunts. A Christmas version of the show typically runs from late October into early January.

How long: Plan a whole evening. The Stampede says you can arrive up to an hour and 15 minutes early for preshow entertainment.

Tip: There's no separate children's menu, so everyone at the table gets the same meal. Book online to see show times for your dates.

5. Rocky Top Mountain Coaster

What to do: Ride the Rocky Top Mountain Coaster at 2940 Veterans Boulevard in Pigeon Forge. The driver controls the speed, up to about 30 miles per hour. The coaster says it was the first in the world with four uplifts, and lights guide night rides.

How long: The ride itself lasts more than nine minutes, plus the line.

Tip: Riders must be at least 3 years old and 38 inches tall. Riding alone takes 56 inches, and a driver with a passenger must be at least 56 inches and 16 years old. The coaster's FAQ says it runs in rain and even snow, but closes for thunderstorms and heavy rain.

What can you do in Pigeon Forge on a rainy day?

On a rainy day in Pigeon Forge, head indoors to the Titanic Museum Attraction, WonderWorks or the Alcatraz East Crime Museum, or put on a raincoat for Parrot Mountain and Gardens. The visitors bureau says July is the rainiest month in Pigeon Forge, with storms typically around early afternoon and again in the early evening.

6. Titanic Museum Attraction

What to do: Tour the Titanic Museum Attraction, a ship-shaped building at 2134 Parkway in Pigeon Forge. You walk the Grand Staircase, touch 28-degree water, see authentic artifacts and learn the fate of an actual Titanic passenger. Kids can shovel coal into a boiler and turn the wheel on the Captain's Bridge.

How long: The museum says the self-guided tour takes about an hour and a half to two hours.

Tip: Book ahead: the museum's FAQ says reservations are required, and children 4 and under get in free but still need a reserved ticket. Some areas are cold, so bring a light jacket.

7. WonderWorks Pigeon Forge

What to do: Spend an afternoon at WonderWorks Pigeon Forge, the upside-down building at 100 Music Road. Inside are more than 100 hands-on exhibits, including a hurricane simulator, an indoor rock wall, a 4D motion theater, laser tag and a glow-in-the-dark ropes course four stories up.

How long: WonderWorks says to allow at least three to four hours.

Tip: It's typically open daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., with the last tickets sold an hour before closing. Outside food isn't allowed. The ropes course has height rules, so check the FAQ if you have small kids.

8. Alcatraz East Crime Museum

What to do: Visit the Alcatraz East Crime Museum at 2757 Parkway in Pigeon Forge, two floors with more than 100 interactive displays on crime scene investigation, prisons and law enforcement. Its cars include John Dillinger's 1933 Essex Terraplane and the white Ford Bronco from the O.J. Simpson chase. Kids can join the Junior Detectives program.

How long: The museum says guests usually take two to three hours.

Tip: The museum says it suits all ages and nothing inside is scary, but some displays are mature, including a gallery on serial killers. Parents of younger children may want to read the FAQ first.

9. Parrot Mountain and Gardens

What to do: Walk the paths at Parrot Mountain and Gardens, 1471 McCarter Hollow Road in Pigeon Forge, set on four acres of landscaped gardens. You can hand-feed seed to parrots, feed nectar to lories from a cup in your hand, and pet baby birds in the nursery.

How long: We'd allow about two hours.

Tip: Parrot Mountain is open daily, rain or shine, and says the birds love the rain. It typically opens for the season in late February. November and December hours are shorter, and in December it won't open if it's very cold or snowing, so call first.

What can you do for free in Pigeon Forge?

Free things to do in Pigeon Forge include exploring The Old Mill, walking the Riverwalk from Patriot Park and seeing the Winterfest lights. All three are near traffic light 7 and the town's free parking.

10. The Old Mill and Old Mill Square

What to do: Visit The Old Mill at 175 Old Mill Avenue. William Love built the gristmill on the Little Pigeon River around 1830. Its stones are still turned by the river, with no electricity, and grind up to 400,000 pounds of corn a year. The mill also housed the town's first post office in 1842. Around it, Old Mill Square has a pottery studio, a candy kitchen and riverside restaurants.

How long: One to two hours, longer with a meal.

Tip: Walking the grounds is free, and the Old Mill FAQ says the pottery studio gives free demonstrations daily and you can watch candy and jelly being made. Guided mill tours run in season. Turn off the Parkway at stoplight 7 and park free in front of the shops and restaurants. The restaurants don't take reservations, so eat early or late.

11. Patriot Park and the Riverwalk

What to do: Start at Patriot Park, 186 Old Mill Avenue, where a half-mile walking trail passes the flags of all 50 states and memorials to Pigeon Forge's veterans. From there, follow the Riverwalk, a paved trail the visitors bureau describes as free, stroller- and pet-friendly, and open daily from sunrise to sunset.

How long: Patriot Park to The Island is 1.5 miles each way.

Tip: The visitors bureau suggests bringing quarters for the bird-feed dispensers near the water. Patriot Park has free parking and restrooms, right by the trolley hub. For more walks, see our outdoors guides.

12. Winterfest lights

What to do: See Winterfest, when Pigeon Forge hangs millions of lights. The Wonders of Light Walking Trail follows the Riverwalk with more than 45 nature-themed displays and is pet- and wheelchair-friendly. There's also a driving tour of lights along the Parkway.

How long: About an hour on the walking trail after dark.

Tip: Winterfest typically runs from early November through January 31. The walking trail starts at the Municipal Parking Lot, 2936 Teaster Lane. Check events for the season's kickoff.

How do you beat the traffic and parking in Pigeon Forge?

Drive before 10 a.m., use the roads parallel to the Parkway, and park once in a free city lot. The Pigeon Forge Department of Tourism and the City of Pigeon Forge give this advice:

• Learn the lights. The Parkway, US 441, runs roughly five miles through town. Light 2 is where Teaster Lane meets the Parkway, light 5 is Jake Thomas Road toward Veterans Boulevard and Dollywood, and light 7 is the Old Mill, Patriot Park and the trolley hub.
• Use the side roads. Teaster Lane and Veterans Boulevard both run parallel to the Parkway.
• Pick your times. On peak days, traffic is easiest before 10 a.m., busiest from late afternoon into early evening, and thins after 9 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday move easier than weekends.
• Park free. Free city lots include Patriot Park at 186 Old Mill Avenue, the Municipal Lot at 2936 Teaster Lane and the Mountain Lot at 2989 Teaster Lane. A free shuttle runs from the Municipal Lot to Patriot Park.
• Ride the trolley. Pigeon Forge Mass Transit fares are typically $1 on most routes, $2.50 to Dollywood and $3 for an all-day pass. Drivers take exact fare only, and children 3 and under ride free.

Before you go: a family checklist for Pigeon Forge

• Check the Dollywood calendar for open days before you book anything else.
• Reserve a Titanic Museum Attraction ticket, even for kids 4 and under.
• Measure the kids: the coaster and the WonderWorks ropes course have height rules.
• Carry small bills for exact trolley fare, or buy a day pass in the transit app.
• Pack a light jacket for the Titanic museum and rain jackets for Parrot Mountain.

Heading into the Smokies? See our Townsend and Gatlinburg area pages, travel and lodging, road trips and the Pigeon Forge area page.

Last verified: November 2026.

Frequently asked questions

What is there to do in Pigeon Forge besides Dollywood?

Besides Dollywood, Pigeon Forge has The Island in Pigeon Forge, the Titanic Museum Attraction, WonderWorks, the Rocky Top Mountain Coaster and Dolly Parton's Stampede dinner show. The Old Mill, which has stood on the Little Pigeon River since about 1830, is free to explore.

What is free to do in Pigeon Forge?

Admission and parking at The Island in Pigeon Forge are free, and so is its daily fountain show. Walking the grounds of The Old Mill, watching its pottery demonstrations, walking the Riverwalk from Patriot Park and the Winterfest Wonders of Light Walking Trail in season are also free.

What can you do in Pigeon Forge when it rains?

On a rainy day in Pigeon Forge, try the Titanic Museum Attraction, WonderWorks Pigeon Forge or the Alcatraz East Crime Museum, all indoors. Parrot Mountain and Gardens stays open rain or shine, and the Rocky Top Mountain Coaster runs in light rain but closes for thunderstorms and heavy rain.

Is parking free in Pigeon Forge?

Yes, the City of Pigeon Forge has free lots at Patriot Park on Old Mill Avenue and the Municipal and Mountain lots on Teaster Lane, and The Island in Pigeon Forge has free parking. Dollywood charges for parking, typically $25 for general parking.

How much does the Pigeon Forge trolley cost?

Pigeon Forge Mass Transit trolley fares are typically $1 on most routes, $2.50 on the Dollywood route and $3 for an all-day pass. Drivers accept exact fare only, and children 3 and under ride free.

When is the worst traffic in Pigeon Forge?

The Pigeon Forge Department of Tourism says Parkway traffic is busiest from late afternoon into early evening, and that Friday afternoons and Saturdays are the liveliest. Driving before 10 a.m. or after 9 p.m., and using Teaster Lane or Veterans Boulevard, avoids the worst of it.