So you’ve been wanting to take a Pigeon Forge vacation, but are having a difficult time figuring out how to get the most out of your budget. Fortunately for you, Pigeon Forge TN has a lot of ways to save you quite a bit of money during your vacation! We’re going to show you some of the most popular ways to save money! So put away the credit card and don’t beg your family and friends for money just yet! Find out how you can visit Pigeon Forge and save plenty of money with our helpful tips:
- 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!
- 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 free!
- Get a Free Day at Dollywood – When you arrive at Dollywood after 3 p.m. 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.
- 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!
- Pigeon Forge Coupons – There are a ton of coupons for Pigeon Forge online, so how do you know where to find the best ones? We’ve made it easy! Just CLICK HERE.
- Save Money on Breakfast – 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!
- Theater Combo Tickets – Many of the theaters in Pigeon Forge 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.
- 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!
If you visit the week of July 4th, there is the midnight parade and firworks display. They are both free!! We went last year, and the kids really enjoyed it!
There are tons of ways to save money in the Smokies. Using coupons and packing lunches are just a couple of ways. We like taking packed lunches on our days to the mountains. It saves us tons by not eating out!
The Pigeon Forge Value Card is no longer available. I just called this morning (1/30/13) to see why a card wasn’t sent with my planner. I was told 2012 was the last year they offered the cards. Now when you receive your travel planner it includes a book of coupons instead. But I was told that some people will get better values using the coupons then they would have by just using the card.
Ride the trolley!! If going to TN from the South, call & see if 441 is open. We went on 15-17 March, 2013. There was a landslide on 441 from Cherokee to Gatlinburg. DO NOT ASK the locals for directions!! They are the worst people in the world! They sent us on a wild goose chase to WalMart, which is in Sevierville–take 441 North out of Gatlinburg. Thankfully I stopped 5 times to ask directions. Plan to do one or two things while there. It was any where from $20-$40 for 2 people to do anything. Go early in the day of you want to do something. Those little cities (Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg, Sevierville) close up at 10: unlike most tourist towns which close around 2 or 3 AM!
The scenery was nice! There are coupon books on every wall in every store & every attraction there, so don’t worry about not getting a good deal.
Eat local if you can: the chain stores’ prices are triple in those towns than every where else or bring your own food ((best choice)). Bring bottled water!!!!!!! The water is horrible which makes the tea & sodas dreadful!!! The water smells funky too!
So that is all my advise for a trip to Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge & Sevierville, TN! :) have a good trip!
If you visit during the summer months, take a day trip to nearby Townsend. With a coupon from one of the multitude of coupon books, you can spend $7 per adult (@ River Rats), to be driven by bus/van up the creek as many time as you’d like, to go tubing. It is the most fun we have ever had! Pack a lunch, and it’s the cheapest day trip you’ll ever take! We all loved it!