Great Tips for Visiting Pigeon Forge TN

The Inside Pigeon Forge Getaway Giveaway contest is fully underway and people are flooding the forums with tons of great tips and ideas for visiting Pigeon Forge! Here are a few highlights so far (in no particular order):

  • When we plan a Pigeon Forge vacation, we like to include all our family and friends. We rent the largest mountain cabin and everyone splits the cost; we usually spend $15 per night…that’s a great deal!
    Kelly Logan
  • We always go to Dollywood first thing. We have season passes, but if you don’t, the best bet is to go after 3:00pm. The next day is free! You can spend the first evening looking around, maybe take in a show or two, and plan your next day’s attack. It’s a great deal.
    BradMac
  • We like to visit the welcome center on the North end of town for all sorts of info. and they are super friendly and helpful. From there we choose where we will eat and if we will visit any shows.
    angelfire
  • The best way in from I 40E is to exit at Lenoir City and follow the signs. We use 321. Then we turn left onto what will become Wears Valley Road. The traffic is not a problem and the scenery is wonderful.
    Claudette
  • We come in from I75 S Get off on the Old Broadway exit. This is also 441 S. You will come into the north end of Pigeon Forge. Miss alot of traffic even on Friday.
    sissy
  • Dont get talked into the timeshares, hours away from your time there on vacation they say only 45 mins- but more like 3-4 hours!!!
    dandk1172
  • There are so many different (hiking) trails, with various difficulty levels. I recommend you go by the park Visitors Center and pick up a book that tells about all the trails so you can pick out the best one for you.
    lisa.hbgs
  • We drive up 441 from Georgia so we come across the mountain and over the years, I have learned to call the Park Service before hand to make sure the road is open. I also make sure to check the weather. Our weather is generally similiar, but the forethought to check the web prevents any surprises.
    LaVenia

As someone who grew up in Pigeon Forge, it’s amazing to see all of the things that people out-of-town know about this area! There are so many great ideas and tips contributed so far and I can’t wait to see what else other people come up with! Jump in the forums if you haven’t already to browse through the posts…then contribute a tip of your own to be entered into the contest!

Smoking Ban in Pigeon Forge TN

A statewide smoking ban in tn starting July 1, 2007 will affect all enclosed public areas, which means restaurants will no longer allow people to smoke inside. Some of the exceptions are:

  • Private Clubs
  • Bars that only allow 21 and over at all times
  • Accomodations (there will still be smoking rooms that you can stay in)
  • Tobacco stores
  • Businesses with less than 3 employees

Another exception is possibly any open-aired patios at restaurants. If you’re a smoker and plan on visiting Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg, or any other city in Tennessee then you may want to find restaurants with outdoor seating. If it’s winter time…well, I guess you have to figure out how bad you need a puff!

Pigeon Forge Forums Now Open

Do you have a question about where to stay, eat, shop, or what to do in Pigeon Forge, TN? Maybe you have some tips, advice, reviews you would like to share? You’re in luck, because the Inside Pigeon Forge Forums is now open for you to share your voice as well as get inside info from the locals! Various local folks from Pigeon Forge drop in to offer advice on how to make the most out of your visit. I guess you could call it eSouthern Hospitality! The fact is, we want you to visit Pigeon Forge with a smile on your face and having a great time with your family and friends…after all, it just means you’ll be less irritable when you’re around us in our town!

Drop into the Inside Pigeon Forge Forums right away to get in front of everyone else. The locals will provide feedback in the order that the posts come in…or whichever is friendlier! See you there!

History of Pigeon Forge

Check it out: Inside Pigeon Forge shares some of the best pronunciations and spellings of popular areas like Pigeon Forge and Sevierville TN.

Pigeon Forge welcome signPeople have come from all over the world to visit Pigeon Forge, Tennessee and the surrounding areas. When you visit, you’ll notice that everyone in the area has a love for the Smokies and the Pigeon Forge area, so you’ll fit right in. But do you know that many people don’t pronounce “Pigeon Forge” correctly? How do you say it?

Here’s a few of the different pronunciations we’ve heard:

  • Piggin’ Forge
  • Piggin’ Forg
  • Pig eon Forge
  • Pig Eon Forgie

Really, pronouncing Pigeon Forge is actually quite simple. Pigeon is like the bird, and Forge is like an iron forge (that’s actually where the name Pigeon Forge came from, too!)

Many people often spell it weird as well. Here are some popular misspellings you may have seen:

  • Pidgeon Forge
  • Pidgeon Forg
  • Pidgin Forge
  • Pidgin Forg
  • Pigin Forge
  • Pigin Forg
  • Pidgen Forge
  • Pidgen Forg

So where did this odd name for a city come from? Here’s what we know:

In 1820, Isaac Love established a furnace and iron forge, the community’s first business. The name Pigeon Forge is a combination of the iron works and the Little Pigeon River that flows through the town.

In the 1700s and early 1800s, the river’s banks were lined with beech trees. Beechnuts were a mainstay in the diet of Passenger Pigeons, which made the river a natural stopping point for huge flocks of the now-extinct species.

So to make a long story short, the Little Pigeon River was named after the pigeons (or maybe just one little pigeon?) that flocked to its banks. The town was established around the river and an iron forge became the trademark of the area…hence the name “Pigeon Forge.”

But wait! There’s more! The city of Pigeon Forge is located in Sevier County. Far too many people mispronounce Sevier and Sevierville (the city beside Pigeon Forge) as well! I often hear people call it “Seever” when it actually sounds like “Severe.” It is named after John Sevier, the first governor of Tennessee, who happened to be from this area.

So there you have it. You now know how to pronounce Pigeon Forge, Sevier County, and Sevierville! Now you’re an expert at pronouncing those names and you’ll fit right in with the locals when you visit!

When you’re looking for fun things to do in the area when you visit, don’t forget to check out all of our information on the best attractions in Pigeon Forge!