The Best Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg Itinerary For a Long Weekend

Are you looking for the best 3-day Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg itinerary?

Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge in Tennessee are popular destinations for family travel. And rightfully so!

There is so much to do in the area, including hiking, museums, amusement parks, and other fun activities. It doesn’t matter what you and your family love to do; this area has it.

We had a great time as a family visiting some of the fun tourist spots in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, as well as the beautiful hikes in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It’s honestly one of the best family-friendly hiking destinations on the east coast.

Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg are the perfect destinations for a fall weekend getaway or even spring break.

This guide shares what to do in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge over a long weekend. However, there is so much to do in these towns. You can fill a week and still not have seen everything.

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3 Days in Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg: Day 1

There is so much to do in both Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg. You’ll want to start your first day in Pigeon Forge to see some of the unique and fun attractions in town.

We recommend starting with the Titanic Museum. But, you may want to spend your time visiting WonderWorks, the Hollywood Wax Museum, or the Alcatraz East Crime Museum.

No matter what you choose, we suggest saving time at the end of the day to drive into Gatlinburg for some awesome views and a lot of fun.

The Titanic Museum in Pigeon Forge

Pigeon Forge isn’t the first place when you think about the Titanic, but nevertheless, this museum is incredible.

First, the Titanic Museum on the outside looks like the ship itself. It’s so impressive! And once inside, they assign you a boarding pass along with the history of one of the passengers on the boat. Hopefully, you all survived!

The museum is self-guided using an audio tour device. They even have a tour for kids. The museum has so many artifacts and interactive elements. They also do an excellent job depicting what third class and first class was like on the ship. And the star of the show is the replica grand staircase!

We recommend visiting the Titanic Museum early in the morning. Timed tickets are required ahead of time to control the flow in the museum. Allow yourself about two hours to fully enjoy the museum.

Anakeesta in Gatlinburg

For the second half of your day two, head over to Anakeesta in Gatlinburg! This park has tons to do, and you’ll need enough time to do it all.

First, to get to the top of the mountain, you can take the Chondola, a scenic lift ride, or the Ridge Rambler, a large bus/truck.

If you’re squeamish about heights or traveling with small children, we recommend the Ridge Rambler. The wait to get onto either of these transports can be long, especially on holidays and weekends. Purchasing your tickets ahead of time will save you some time.

At the top of the mountain, there is plenty to do. Included activities like the multiple ropes/obstacle courses and the Treetop Skywalk are fun. There are also paid activities like Dueling Ziplines and Mountain Coaster.

There are several places to eat and shop at the top of Anakeesta. We enjoyed our meal at Cliff Top, the full-service restaurant. Put your name on the list at least one hour before you’ll want to eat, especially if it’s a busy day.

It makes sense to visit Great Smoky Mountains National Park when you are so close. This park has some of the best mountains to hike for students or for other people visiting the area.

Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg Long Weekend Itinerary: Day 2

Great Smoky Mountains is also one of the few National Parks that doesn’t charge an entrance fee. However, starting March 1, 2023, the park will sell parking passes.

The passes are valid for a day, week, or year. You will need to purchase a parking pass if you plan on parking anywhere in Great Smoky Mountains National Park for more than 15 minutes.

Before you drive to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, make sure the roads are open. During the colder months, snow and ice can cause the roads to close. Visit their Twitter page for the most up-to-date information about road closures.

Clingmans Dome in Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Visiting Clingmans Dome is a popular thing to do when visiting Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, and for a good reason.

At 6643 feet, it’s the highest point in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the highest point in Tennessee, and the highest point along the Appalachian Trail.

The drive to the parking lot is about 45 – 60 minutes from Gatlinburg, along the twisty and windy roads of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Make sure you have enough gas before you head out!

The parking lot at Clingmans Dome is large but can fill up pretty quickly. Thankfully, it turns over quickly, so if you can’t find a spot right away, you should be able to after a second loop.

There are primitive bathrooms at the parking lot and a gift shop just a bit up the trail. Stop in to get a souvenir!

The walk to Clingmans Dome is paved, but it is very steep. It’s about .5 miles to the top. There are several benches along the trail for you to rest. It is too steep to push a stroller or wheelchair up the trail comfortably.

As we walked up, we saw cars driving down the path, so they may make accommodations for those who needed it. Visit the gift shop for more information.

Once you’re at the top, the views are worth the effort! You can see for miles. You can even see Gatlinburg to the east.

The road to Clingmans Dome is closed from December through mid-April. Visit the NPS website for exact dates,

Hiking Trails in Great Smoky Mountains National Park

There are tons of hikes in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. If you visit Clingmans Dome first, choosing a hike off Newfound Gap Road would be easiest as you return to Gatlinburg. However, there are some beautiful waterfall hikes off Cherokee Orchard Road.

Hikes in the park range from easy to difficult, short to long. Always make sure to allow yourself enough to complete any hike.

One of the more popular hikes in Great Smoky Mountain National Park is Chimney Tops, a 3.5-mile, difficult trail on Sugarland Mountain. The hike gains 1400 in elevation and is very steep. The trail has several sections of stairs. Allow yourself at least 3 hours to complete the trail.

Other popular trails are Alum Cave Bluffs, Rainbow Falls, and Andrews Bald. There are also several beautiful waterfall hikes in the Smoky Mountains too.

Websites like AllTrails can help narrow down the best hike for you and your family. You could also explore some of the unique history in the Smoky Mountains, like an old cemetery.

Long Weekend in Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg Itinerary: Day 3

Visit Dollywood!

You can’t visit the Smoky Mountains without visiting Dollywood!

Dolly Parton’s namesake park is fun for visitors of all ages. With crazy rollercoasters for the thrill seekers, plenty of rides for the little ones, and shows that rival Broadway for everyone else, the whole family will enjoy their visit to Dollywood.

Depending on the time of year, you can even get wet at Splash Country Water Park.

To maximize your visit, arrive before opening so you can enjoy shorter wait times before the rest crowd arrives. Download the app to check wait times, find dining locations, and keep track of show times. You can set reminders for the shows!

Other Fun Things to Do in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge

Depending on your taste, you might want to do something else over a long weekend in Gatlinburg. Here are some other ideas to add to your Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg itinerary!

Dinner Shows

Pigeon Forge has several dinner shows in town. The Hatfield and McCoy (next door to the Titanic Museum) and Dolly’s Stampede are some of the most popular ones. Each show provides a meal and entertainment.

Ripley’s Attractions

Ripley’s (as in Believe It or Not) has nine different attractions in Gatlinburg! Most are within a short walk of each other. Their aquarium is a big draw for many visitors, as is their Super Fun Park with go-kart racing.

Views for Days

In addition to Anakeesta, there are several places to get amazing views in Gatlinburg. Scenic rides to places like the Sky Bridge or Ober Gatlinburg, both with other things to do, are very popular.

If you’d rather take in the sights without having to ride to the top of a mountain, the Gatlinburg Space Needle is a fun alternative.

Mountain Adventures

One thing about Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, there is no shortage of mountain fun. Several places offer ziplining and mountain coasters. Of course, you can do both at Anakeesta. But you have plenty of other options if you’d like to have fun without paying the fee to access the top of the mountain.

Another fun activity is a Jeep tour of the Smoky Mountains. The all-terrain ride a unique way to see the beauty of the mountains.

Where to Stay Near Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge

Gatlinburg is such a popular tourist destination that you have several options for lodging. If you have a favorite hotel chain, they have a location in Gatlinburg! Many are close to the main road and attractions in Gatlinburg.

We recommend the Bent Creek Golf Village, about 15 minutes down the road, for a quieter escape. The resort rooms offer full kitchens and multiple sleeping spaces. And the resort itself has several amenities, like a basketball court and both indoor and outdoor swimming pools.

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