My Fall Break Adventures Part I: Dollywood/Pigeon Forge
I am finally in my last semester of nursing school. It has been a grueling 2 years, and this last semester has proven to be the worst. Naturally, I have been in a dire need of a break. Thankfully, my fall break was from October 11 to October 15, 2018. I managed to take full advantage of this time 😊
After getting to sleep in late (for the first time in months), my husband and I finished packing the car and headed to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. The Pigeon Forge/Sevierville/Gatlinburg area consists of three little tourist towns in the heart of the beautiful Smoky Mountains that have just about everything you would ever want while on vacation. Located in Pigeon Forge is an amusement park called Dollywood. We bought season passes back in July and this was our fourth visit since.
Right now, Dollywood (named after its founder Dolly Parton), is in full swing with its Harvest Festival. There are artisans from all over the area doing demonstrations and selling their wares. Also, there is a gospel festival going on throughout the park (for those who are interested in that sort of stuff). At night, they have what is called the Great Pumpkin Luminights.
Since it had rained in the park earlier that day, there were very few patrons roaming about. I believe they said they had about 7,000 guests show up instead of the projected 20,000; we were able to explore the park with ease. Once night fell, we were able to venture through the section of the park with all the pumpkin decorations without too much trouble. It was awesome! Once we made it through the decorations, we headed to one of the many moonshine distilleries in the area to enjoy some free samples before heading to our hotel. It was the perfect way to start our vacation!
After enjoying a hot breakfast at the hotel, we headed out to “the strip” in Pigeon Forge. Here we hit up the Christmas Place. My husband has fond childhood memories visiting it with his parents, and I had never been. To our surprise, we discovered a beautiful pond behind the store full of geese and ducks. We ended up hanging out there for over an hour enjoying the sun and feeding the fowl.
Once we went through all the buildings at the Christmas Shop, we grabbed a bite of lunch and headed back to Dollywood. When we got there we were greeted by droves of people. It was the busiest I had ever seen the park and we ended up having to park in the overflow parking (a first for me). Being an anxious person, crowds are just not my thing. I decided to suck it up and try to make the best of it.
We ventured around the park trying to find areas with the least amount of people. This proved to be a daunting task. However, we were able to visit with several of the artisans and watched their demonstrations. We even ended up buying some goodies.
The closer it got to nightfall, the busier the park became. In the end, we decided to leave early and hit “the strip” again. This time we went to The Mill. There we enjoyed some more free moonshine tastings, and even bought a jar
howdy from Texas still-i-rise! hey that sounds like such a nice getaway and break from your schooling and congratulations by the way, on being near to completing your nursing school!
We need good nurses so good for you.
The park I've never been to but have heard alot about and it looks marvelous. What's the best time of year to go there? Do you think it was so crowded because of Halloween and the decorations?
Thank you so much! I am very excited to finally be finishing up with school.
The best time of the year to go is during one of their many festivals. It may be busier, but it is worth it in the end. We have found that Wednesdays seem to be the least crowded day with Thursday a close second. I made the mistake of not looking at the Sevier county school schedule, so I did not realize they let out for fall break on the 12th. I have learned my lesson: never go when the kids are on break. With that being said, we did go in the summer and Wednesdays were not too bad. We plan on going in December right before the kids get out for Christmas break.
Thank you for taking the time to check my post out and drop me a comment ♥
howdy again still-i-rise! Thanks for the recommendations about Dollywood and all the information and I wish you much success in your last semester of school.
I have been to that area and loved it. The mountains are so pretty. I was mostly in Sevierville and remember a lot of touristy things like go-carting.
My one trip to Dollywood made my very proud of that lady. She did a great job with that park. The people I know from there said it really helped the economy when it opened.
You 3rd photo looks a bit steemiean :)
Best of luck with the rest of your schooling. I am sure you will knock it out of the park!
Yes, the mountains are gorgeous! We actually usually stay in Sevierville, it tends to be cheaper and less crowded. They do have a lot to do, and most everything up there is quality and not tourist traps.
She has been an integral part of building up the economy there. I appreciate that she never forgot where she came from. I especially love what she has done with her Imagination Library. Plus, she almost single-handedly rebuilt the economy after the fires in 2016.
I did not even notice the symbol in the pumpkins until @appalachain pointed it out. I think that is pretty cooll indeed 😊
Thank you so much! Only 53 days left now 🎓
I was there a long time ago - maybe 1991 I think. I pretty sure she had just opened. I did not know that about the fires, but I remember they were near there. Good for her to step in - I'm sure the help was needed.
I think the pumpkins are a sign and you will soon be a happy graduate wondering what to do with all your spare time!
I do not know about spare time. Ha! Well... I do plan on taking the last two weeks of December off. Then, I have to study for NCLEX (the test to obtain my RN licence). Hopefully, I will be able to start a residency program in February.
so much funny all on one post :) I want to come stay with you all !!
If you ever come across the pond, you're more than welcome to come stay with us :)
sounds great! i wish my wife would let me take a solo trip and meet all the cool people i have found here, would make for some great content creation and a lot of fun,, will see if i can make that happen next year :)
What a cool idea! I would love to hear/see that content. You could always bring her along 😊
Dollywood seems to be a great form of cultural expression. It is quite interesting to analyze how important it is for us to have these kinds of traditions, and to be able to enjoy a time of recreation in wonderful places like those you show us in the photos.
It really is! They even have a Festival of Nations at the beginning of the season that celebrates cultures from all around the world. They have music, food, dance, and art. We are looking forward to attending this next year when the park opens back up in March 😊
That's not far from where I live. Me and my wife spent a week out there for our anniversary a year or two ago. you could spend a month and not see everything though. lol. Lots of fun every time we go. Got some pictures from Rod run up there too. See if you can catch it next year if you like cars.
That is so true! That is part of why we love it so much. Plus, if you shop around and buy early you can find some affordable hotel rooms. I have heard of rod run, but have never went. One of my mom's neighbors actually sells
up there during that week (they own a repair shop). We will for sure have to check it our sometime ♥
Chattanooga is a beautiful area too! Just came through there on my way back to Johnson City from where I was working in Georgia. Hadn't been through there in a long time. Forgot how beautiful it was. We were thinking about taking a trip down there sometime.
We've lived down here eight years and just love it. If y'all end up coming down for a visit let me know and I can give you some pointers. There are a lot of beautiful places to go off the beaten path. They have done a lot of work with the downtown, and there is a lot to do and see there and outside the city.
Alright! Thanks!
What a great way to relieve all the stress you've had to deal with while in school. Thankfully, you are in your final year!😊
Oh, I do love Dollywood and the pumpkin stuff going on all over the place. Is this the decoration they have all year round, or are they ready for Halloween already? Well, whichever on it is, its actually a beautiful decor, especially the Luminights (the one with the purple lights and the orange lights underneath). Definitely, a delight to watch.
Oh, that gospel festival you talked about, what's it all about?
Looks like those fowls there are having a good time, lol! And oh, that gores their looks amazing too...😻
That was a fun adventure you guys had, you must have enough energy now to deal with the new semester.
It really was. I am now 54 days away from graduation 🎓!!! I was able to recharge and am ready to finish the rest of the semester strong.
Right now they have the Harvest Festival going on so that is where all the pumpkin decorations are coming from. They do about 6 different festivals a year. We have been able to attend two so far. We will be going back in December for their Smokey Mountain Christmas festival. I will for sure do a post on that experience 😄
The Gospel portion consists of different gospel music groups performing in different areas around the park. In total, there are around 500 concerts during the 6 week festival.
Thank you for taking the time to comment on my post ♥
Oh, you are counting days now? Lol! You sure can't wait to get done with that, it's great that you've been able to recharge. Wishing you all the best!!
Smokey Mountain Christmas! That sounds like fun, I will love to read about that experience as well. Looking forward to that!
500 concerts within 6days? Oh, it's weeks. Lol! My eyes were seeing a different thing and my brain was telling me a different thing. Lol😂😂😀 well, it does look like a cool one... 500 is still a lot within 6weeks though😀
It's a pleasure...❤🤗
Wait a sec..... Is that the Steemit logo?! Haha!
That is too funny! I did not even notice that, but I think your right 😆 There was talk that she was one of many musicians that accepted Monero payment for her concerts during the 2017 holiday season. I would love to see her integrate crypto in more of her properties. She would be a great ambassador for it.
Really?! I hadn't heard that.... That would be awesome! I'd love to hear somebody ask her about it in an interview or something. See what she says.
I love to watch her do interviews. I think she is just a lovely lady and she seems so down to earth. Hopefully one day we'll run into her at Dollywood ♥ Here are a couple of articles where I read about her and Monero.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/laurashin/2017/12/05/cryptocurrency-monero-to-be-accepted-by-musicians-such-as-mariah-carey-g-eazy-sia-for-holidays/#548d563f60eb
https://www.mysanantonio.com/business/moneytips/article/The-Number-One-Reason-Monero-is-a-Cryptocurrency-12620997.php
I'm glad that you managed to take some rest from school. It's important to recharge the batteries from time to time.
Dollywood looks like a great place! I'm also not that fond of too many people around me and struggle with such places as well. But if it's worth it, I give it a try. If I start feeling anxious I just leave..
That spider made from pumpkins is such a great idea! We have pumpkin festivals in November each year in Switzerland. It is so amazing. It is held in certain villages and the people living there must turn off all their lights in the evening during the festival. There are hundreds of carved pumpkins on the streets and it is all so pretty. You can also get some pumpkin products, such as cakes, soups, spreads, even spirits. You reminded me of that and I'm glad as I totally forgot that it's going to be in a couple of weeks :)
It looks like you had a great time. Thank you for sharing and I wish you a lot of strength to finish the last semester!
Yes! I was starting to feel burned-out. This is just what I needed to refresh. Now I am only 54 days away from graduation 👩🎓
Yeah, anxiety sucks. I have dealt with it for years and am working on new coping mechanisms to try and manage it better.
Switzerland is on my list of places to visit before I die. It sounds like I need to come in November. I love the idea that the villages turn off their lights. It sounds like a really good way to bring the community together. Maybe you can share some pictures and stories when you attend it in a couple of weeks! ♥
54 days will fly by very quickly :) You should come as soon as possible. Switzerland is beautiful.
I will definitely share some photos from the 'Kurbisfest'. This is how they call it here :)
I am very excited about doing some traveling. I need to work about year after graduation so I can earn vacation time. After that my husband and I plan on doing some major traveling. I cannot wait to see the Alps!
I look forward to seeing you post about the 'Kurbisfest'! I'm now following you so I don't miss it when you post it 😊
That is kind of you to follow me :) I'll make sure to post about the Kurbisfest. I hope you'll get to travel very soon :) I love to travel and I do it as much as I can :)
Fourth visit. It must be really a good vacation destination then. From the photos alone, it looks like there are indeed many attractions. And you were lucky enough not to have so many patrons around. I agree, it is very tiring to roam around when there are a lot of people.
Does Dolly Parton perform at Dollywood? Something like on a "regular" basis maybe?
It is a really awesome place to vacation. The great thing is we bought season passes so we can go anytime during the 2018 season (it ends January 5). Unfortunately, we did not buy it until July so we did not get to participate in all the festivals. We plan on purchasing them again next year so we can attend all 6 of them beginning in March. 😊
Sadly, she does not perform on a regular basis. However, she does at the beginning of each season, when a new ride opens, and when a new park opens. She has even been known to show up spontaneously. They are actually opening up a new park next year so I hope we are able to go when she is there. There are several attractions centered around her including a museum with all her memorabilia and a life-like hologram of her (it's pretty awesome!)
Six festivals in a year. So I take that as every two months, is it? You bought passes so you can go anytime but you can not participate until July. How is that, like your passes are valid anytime but until January only? Is there are option to buy just one pass that will be valid for the entire season?
It sounds pretty exciting to catch Dolly's live performance in there. That's gonna be a free concert already. 😊 Is her hologram interactive?
The pass covers one season which lasts from March to the first week of January. They close down for about 8 weeks a year. No matter when you buy the pass it is only good for one season. We did not buy it until July so we only have until January to use it (the close of the season). However, we plan on buying next year's pass so we can go on day one!
Her hologram is not interactive but it is a really cool experience. It is life size so it is like she is there talking to you. My husband got to see her perform there when he was a kid. This year was my first time ever at the park and his first time back as an adult.
I see, now I got it why you are not able to attend all festivals. Yap, it sounds exciting to join at day one. It usually is the grandest of most festival celebrations. May you have the chance to shake hands with Dolly. 😊
Thank you for sharing all of these details of your vacation. It is somehow like having a virtual vacation and getting a feel of the place. 😊
I really appreciate that! ♥
😊
Hi still-i-rise,
Visit curiesteem.com or join the Curie Discord community to learn more.