To take advantage of this shortcut, turn onto Wears Valley Road at traffic light #3 and follow Wears Valley Road until you arrive at Lyons Spring Road. Lyons Spring Road is a little more than 9 miles from traffic light #3 on the Parkway in Pigeon Forge. Turn left on Lyons Spring Rd, as you follow the road through the mountain scenery, you will come to a National Park sign before you drive into Metcalf Bottoms. At this point you are in the National Park. Metcalf bottoms has bathroom facilities, streams, picnic tables and hiking trails. It is one of the lesser used picnic areas in the park and is great if you don’t want to fight the traffic or have plans that put you back in Pigeon Forge in the evening. It is great to be able to get to the National Park easily and you can have fun without spending most of your day in the car.

From Metcalf Bottoms you can turn right and go to Cades Cove or turn left to go to Elkmont, Sugarlands Visitor Center or Gatlinburg. Again, this allows you to bypass the traffic in Gatlinburg which, during peak season, can take hours to get through or going through Townsend which can also take a while to get to. This is a great “shortcut”, especially if you are looking for a quick way to the park. Also see Driving Tips for Pigeon Forge.

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Pigeon Forge to the National Park – Driving Tip

Planning a winter getaway to Gatlinburg? We’ll we’ve got just site to help you with your stay, what to do once you get there, as well as coupons and discounts available for area attractions.

Our brother website, Inside Gatlinburg, features reviews, tips, discounts, and other information about Gatlinburg, TN. You’ll find articles featuring some great tips for planning a fall visit to catch the leaves in their peak color, or a winter trip to ski at Ober Gatlinburg. If you plan to visit Gatlinburg or The Great Smoky Mountains National Park, be sure to check out the site for the latest tips to make your vacation even better!

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Taking a Gatlinburg Vacation? Get Tips on InsideGatlinburg.com

*Photo provided by Visual Forces Christian Photography

It has definitely been an abnormal year as far as weather goes throughout the Great Smoky Mountains, which has left many people questioning the fall colors and when the leaves will start changing colors in Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, and surrounding areas. The extremely dry & hot conditions throughout the summer are not exactly the right ingredients for a vibrant autumn season. The good news, though, is that the Great Smokey Mountains National Park consists of 100′s of species of deciduous trees in a variety of elevations. What this means is that there will still be an abundant amount of color to see…there is no such thing as a “bad” fall in the Smokies!

The colder weather has finally started to arrive, which accelerates the leaves changing color. This has already begun to happen in higher elevations with a number of tree species. Throughout the middle of October, you’ll see mostly golden yellow colors mixed with some orange. These colors will slide their way down the mountains into the valley as the vibrant reds will slowly follow and mix in. If the cold weather sits in and the weather continues as it is now, the colors will peak in the mountains and valley around the last week of October and into early November.

I’d highly suggest keeping track of the official Great Smoky Mountains National Park website to follow the fall foliage changing color. They even have a page dedicated to fall foliage at: http://www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/fallcolor.htm. Also, take a look at their webcams:

http://www2.nature.nps.gov/air/WebCams/parks/grsmcam/grsmcam.cfm

http://www2.nature.nps.gov/air/WebCams/parks/grsmpkcam/grsmpkcam.cfm

Finally, be sure to check out the Park’s tips for fall hiking and scenic drives: http://www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/fall-suggestions.htm

Once again, the best time to see the fall colors in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge will be the last week of October and into early November. This is my favorite time of the year in the Great Smoky Mountains…I hope you enjoy it as much as the locals do!

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Fall Colors in the Great Smoky Mountains

1. Ride the Trolley – Both Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg, TN have trolley systems that literally run all over both cities. You can get to just about anywhere by riding the trolley. It only costs 50 cents per person and you could ride it all day long….if you wanted…I wouldn’t suggest it, though, because there’s much better things to do in Pigeon Forge!
2. Walk – This may seem like a no-brainer, but when you combine this with riding the trolley you can cover a lot of ground, get some great exercise, see things you might have missed otherwise, and most of all…save money! Don’t limit yourself to simply walking the parkway with the attractions, restaurants, and shops in Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg either. Hit the mountains and find some trails. Cades Cove is a wonderful place to experience the Great Smoky Mountains for practically free!
3. Get the Pigeon Forge Value Card – The official Pigeon Forge Value card offered by the Department of Tourism is a great way to save money as it includes discounts on lodging, restaurants, attractions, shopping, entertainment, and more! Best of all, the cards are FREE! You can get it in one of three ways:
   • Go to www.mypigeonforge.com and order the free travel planner. You’ll receive a free value card with it in approximately 2-3 weeks.
   • Call 1-800-251-9100 to order the free travel planner just as above
   • Or if you’re afraid the travel planner won’t get to you before you leave, you can simply stop by the Pigeon Forge Welcome Center on your way into town at Traffic Light #0 in front of The Miracle Theater.
4. Get a Free Day at Dollywood – When you arrive at Dollywood after 3pm to purchase your tickets, you get to go the entire next day for FREE! This is highly suggested as it is getting increasingly more difficult to do everything that Dollywood has to offer in a single day.
5. Dollywood Coupons – In order to get the best deal at Dollywood, visit their official special offers page. Also, you can call Dollywood at 1-800-365-5996 to see if they have any other offers. They have a military discount of 30% with proper military ID.
6. Dollywood Season Pass – If you plan on visiting Dollywood more than one time during the year, then you’ll want a season pass. Why? Because a season pass is cheaper than going just twice! So if you visit Dollywood only two times throughout the year, you’re going to save money!
7. Pigeon Forge Coupons – There are a ton of coupons for Pigeon Forge online, so how do you know where to find the best ones? Fortunately for you, we’ve done all of the hard work and made a list of the best websites for Pigeon Forge Coupons! Just click the orange link above to see the list.
8. Gatlinburg Coupons – We’ve also compiled a list of the best places to get coupons for Gatlinburg, TN online as well. Let us show you how to save money on restaurants, attractions, lodging, and more!
9. Eat Cheap – Before you book a room somewhere, consider the fact that many places offer free breakfast. This could save a load of money…especially if you have a large family! Another option is the many cabin rentals in Pigeon Forge that have kitchens you can use to make your own meals. If that’s your thing, then you can make a trip to the store when you get into town, load up on meals, and eat in for your entire vacation to save even more money!
10. Theater Combo Tickets – Many of the theaters in Pigeon Forge (the “show” kind of theaters….not movie theaters) offer combo passes where you can see multiple shows for a discounted rate. So if you’re interested in any shows, be sure to call ahead and ask if they have any combo deals.
11. Free Things for Kids To Do – Besides taking your kids to the Great Smokey Mountains National Park, there are plenty of other things to do in Pigeon Forge with kids under 12 that are free!! Quite a few shows allow 1 child under 12 per paying adult in for free! Some of the more popular shows are:
    • Comedy Barn
    • Black Bear Jamboree Dinner Show (yes, the kids get to EAT free too!)
    • The Miracle Theater
    • Magic Beyond Belief
12. Enjoy the Great Smoky Mountains National Park – While you’re in Pigeon Forge, you’ll be in the heart of the most visited National Park in the entire United States. Take advantage of the numerous hiking trails, waterfalls, breathtaking scenic views, unique wildlife and more. If you’re visiting in June then be sure to see the synchronous fireflies at Elkmont. This is one of only two places in the world to see this event! Also, Cades Cove in nearby Townsend offers plenty of free entertainment for the entire family. Make sure you take some time to step into the Smokies and experience the “natural” side of things to do. It’s free, fun, and an amazing experience you won’t get back home.

If you have more ways to save money on your vacation to Pigeon Forge, please share them in the comments section below!

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Save Money on Your Pigeon Forge Vacation

Here are a few tips to help you avoid the flu and other illnesses while on vacation in Pigeon Forge.

1. Avoid buffets of any kind (breakfast, salad, hot-bar, dessert, etc). Touching the same spoons and things as many other people (especially while eating) can increase your risk of getting the “crud” as we call it.
2. Pack hand-sanitizer…a simple, pocket-sized version is a great thing to have!
3. Get PLENTLY of sleep….don’t over-exert yourself on your vacation…plan enough to do, but not too much. You may also want to stay away from the parkway to avoid noise if that affects your sleep.
4. Drink plenty of water…stay hydrated…this helps flush out as much as possible. Avoid alcohol as this can weaken your immune system..and water is cheaper anyway, so there’s a tip to stay healthy and save money all in one…free of charge!
5. Speaking of alcohol, avoid bars and “stuffy” places. You’ll wish you had a hangover if you catch the flu after a night on the town.
6. Avoid attractions and arcades where you handle things such as steering wheels, joysticks, whack-a-mole handles, etc. The less you touch, the better chance you have of not getting sick.
7. Keep your kids out of activities that involve physical interaction with other kids. They may hate you at the time and you may never be thanked, but you’ll thank yourself when you’re not up all night with a crying, screaming child. You know who you are.

Most of all, have a great time! There is plenty of fun to be had even with cutting out certain activities. Just be cautious and conscious of what you and your family are doing and have a wonderful time in Pigeon Forge, TN! If you have suggestions on activities to do that are relatively healthy and safe for the family, please share them in the comment section below!

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Avoid the Flu and other Illness During Your Vacation

Even if you have already entered or do not even plan on entering, you should check out all of the amazing tips that have been posted…there are over 100 tips and people are still posting! People who have “been there, done that” in Pigeon Forge are providing extremely valuable info on what to do, where to stay, where to drive & park, etc! If there was one thing I would suggest someone do before visiting Pigeon Forge, TN it would be to read through this list of tips. These ideas will save you time, money, and headaches during your vacation…so invest a few minutes and you (and your family!) will be extremely pleased that you did!

Get more details and read all of the Pigeon Forge tips

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Best Tips for Pigeon Forge Contest Ending Soon

Here’s a hint to get your foot in the door first…register in our brand new Inside Pigeon Forge Forums. This will give you a head start in entering the contest (as well as more contests in the future). The Insider Forums will be home to a ton of inside information about Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg, and Sevierville and we want to kick it off the right way by giving someone an entertainment package for their Pigeon Forge vacation. That person may as well be you!

*UPDATE*
The contest is now LIVE! Enter the Inside Pigeon Forge Getaway Giveaway!

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Win Free Tickets to Shows in Pigeon Forge

First off…the traffic. Yes, the traffic can get nasty…and when I say nasty, I mean a snail will most likely blow by you as you inch your way to a dinner show. Fortunately, the city is working on solutions to the mess. The biggest relief is the parkway that will connect Dollywood (and the middle of Pigeon Forge) to Highway 66 in Sevierville to allow for quicker ways in and out of town. That road is partially open already and they are working on the last stretch. To make it even better, choose better times to visit. Try to avoid holidays or “major weekends”. Major weekends are next to holidays or car shows in Pigeon Forge…stay far away. Besides…Pigeon Forge isn’t exactly to blame for the frustrations…it’s the other gazillion tourists trying to do the same things that you and your family are waiting to do. Get reservations for shows and dinner…leave early as well…traffic gets thicker on the north end of Pigeon Forge around 6pm since all of the theaters are located on that end and everyone seems to be heading that way at the same time.

Next up is the employees. Have you had a waiter, salesperson, or other employee not exactly sound like “they’re from around here”? The sad fact is that a large portion of the people living and working here aren’t “locals”. Don’t hold that against Pigeon Forge…we don’t go looking for these people! If you come across someone at a restaurant, attraction, shop, etc that shows the southern hospitality that makes your visit enjoyable then share it with the manager or business owner. Spread the word about how you enjoy the southern, down-home personalities. Get the business owners hiring more locals! True locals are becoming an endangered species around Pigeon Forge. I make a point of it to mention locals in the reviews as it definitely impacts visitors’ experiences. Be on the lookout for a top-10 list of restaurants and attractions where you can find entertaining locals.

Get off the parkway! Yeah, there are a ton of attractions to visit, but Pigeon Forge has a lot more to offer. There are places to hike, fish, bike, walk, run, kayak, raft, golf, etc. Get away from the crowds and enjoy God’s country. There are few places on earth as amazing as the Great Smoky Mountains. Don’t limit yourself to the “tourist traps” on the parkway.

Relax. Don’t be in a hurry and try not to be on a schedule. Pigeon Forge is only 5 miles long, but there is a lot to see and do. Try to enjoy every minute…even when you’re in traffic. After all, you’re spending time with your family & friends…make the most of it. It’s not about getting from point A to point B when you’re here. It’s about the memories you leave with. Don’t let the massive amounts of other people take away the reasons you come to Pigeon Forge. Enjoy the getaway and leave the stress for all the other people “stuck” in traffic & lines!

If you have some tips to share or have had great experiences at restaurant, attractions etc then share them with others in the comment area!

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