As I have always wanted to go to Dollywood, we decided to go to Pigeon Forge for a few days. So we book this cabin
It looks a lovely cabin doesn't it? And it is. There was one teeny little problem that was never mentioned...........its hanging off the side of a mountain......I mean its hanging there. On the deck there was the hot tub, and underneath the deck, there was well......NOTHING...........I suppose that's not true, eventually there was ground.................but even so. Now this is all well and good for someone who isn't afraid of heights, but I am afraid of heights and just looking out of the window made my stomach churn.
But what a view it was, it was stunning. We got there on the Sunday and it took me to around Wednesday to Thursday to be totally comfortable in sitting on the deck. Now to be fair our cabin wasn't as high up as these ones which we could see from our deck, but this is just to show you where they place these cabins.
We were so high up everytime I went up the mountain to the cabin my ears popped, when I went down the mountain my ears popped. Everywhere we went in Tennessee my ears popped, it was so funny..........well it was until my poor ears were hurting so much I had to go to the doctors at home!!
Anyhow, I have to say we fell in love with Tennessee and would move there tomorrow if the kids would move with us. So one thing we did a lot of was eat out, as there were so many restaurants that we enjoyed. My top pick in Pigeon Forge is The Old Mill Restaurant I can't get enough of their corn fritters with maple butter.......my mouth is watering now just thinking about them.
Needless to say we were feeling a bit stuffed by mid-week, so I say to dh we should walk down the mountain and walk back up to get some exercise. Now lets just say I am allergic to exercise and dh knows this and says "I don't think that's a good idea." So I say, "no I'll be fine."
Well walking down the mountain was fine, despite the fact your toes were all squished into the end of the running shoes because of how steep it was. It was going up when I thought I may die.......you needed to be a mountain goat to walk up that mountain.............or at least someone who is reasonably fit. I did eventually make it back up the mountain under my own steam, but lets just say I didn't walk it again!!!
One of the best things about the Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg area is the Smokey Mountain National Park. One of our biggest surprises was that you didn't have to pay to visit the "attractions." I mean I would have happily paid $10 each to visit Cades Cove, but it was free. I think visiting Cades Cove was the highlight of the vacation, and every time I am in the area I will make a point of visiting it.
One day we decided to take a trip on Newfound Gap Road. The scenery was stunning, but there was one thing we kept on seeing, and it was all these motorcycles? Never thought much about it until we got to Cherokee and the place was over run with motorcycles. So needless to say we turned right round and headed back home........with my ears popping on the way up and down the mountain!!!!!!
So back to the cabin. I am going to assume the reason the Smokey Mountains are named as such is the mist that rises over them, making it look as though there is smoke on them.
So I step onto the deck one morning to take a photo of this, and promptly stood on a huge bug with my bare foot. Now the bug let out a yelp of some sort I screamed blue bloody murder and both our cries echoed through the mountain side, all at just after 6am in the morning...........so if you weren't awake before hand you would be after me and the bug had finished screaming. I have no idea what this bug was, and honestly I didn't hang about to see what's what. So another reason not to go on that deck!!!!
So the reason for visiting Pigeon Forge is to go to Dollywood, not for the rides but the shows. We really enjoyed them, and that is where I was saved...LOL I fell in love with The Kingdom Heirs. I am not a religious person, but the songs they sing just hit the spot. We went again last year and my first port of call was to the Kingdom Heirs show, and if we go this year it's where I will go again. We don't have that type of music up here in Canada.......or at least not that I am aware of. Its so upbeat, as I am Church of England and our hymns tend to be more sedate.
It sounds as though I had a rotten trip, but honestly it was great we both thoroughly enjoyed it. So much so we went again last year and there is a good chance we are going to pop in on our way home this year as well.
The people from Tennessee are so nice and welcoming. Its super clean and we love it.
I will do a post about our trip to Georgia last year, as it has a couple of "it could only happen to us," stories in there..........
UPDATED TO ADD THE POST ON GEORGIA WILL BE PUBLISHED ON THE 9TH (TUESDAY) OF SEPTEMBER
