Your Family-Friendly Guide to Pigeon Forge

A true family resort in Pigeon Forge, Dollywood's HeartSong Lodge & Resort is a true family resort in Pigeon Forge featuring a number of gathering places like the unique Cove Event Lawn and stunning four-story stone fireplace in the lobby to special themed family suites with balconies that display the magnificent Great Smoky Mountains, Camp DW for kids of all ages and even an acoustics music room inspired by Dolly Parton.

• Seasonal Highlights: The pristine outdoor seasonal pool and hot tub area are open from April through September, offering cool mountain breezes and beautiful views during the Spring/Summer months.
• Hours of Operation: Front desk open 24/7. Check-in begins at 4:00 PM; check-out is by 11:00 AM.
• Accessibility Options/Features: Offers fully ADA-compliant and hearing-accessible room layouts (including roll-in showers and accessible tubs), an accessible concierge desk in the main lobby, and designated service animal relief areas.
• Booking Site: Book your stay at dollywood.com/heartsong. Before you book, check out the Pigeon Forge vacation packages at HeartSong or DreamMore Resort; you can get discounted room rates as well as discounted park passes.
• Age Restrictions: Heartsong is ideal for families of all ages. Camp DW offers specialized morning, afternoon, and evening children's programming for ages 4 to 9. The primary guest registering must be at least 21 years old.

Another family resort in Pigeon Forge is Dollywood's DreamMore Resort & Spa, featuring Camp DW children's activities, six dining locations, indoor and outdoor pools and a full-service spa are just some of the resort amenities you can enjoy.

• Seasonal Highlights: Features expansive outdoor pool splashes, poolside storytelling, and custom kids' crafts under the sun during the peak Spring/Summer travel season.
• Hours of Operation: Front desk open 24/7. Check-in is at 4:00 PM; check-out is at 11:00 AM.
• Accessibility Options/Features: Equipped with accessible parking spaces, dedicated resort-to-park accessible trams for wheelchairs, step-free common spaces, and rooms outfitted with custom ADA modifications.
• Booking Site: Book your stay at dollywood.com/dreammore. Remember to check out the family package deals for Pigeon Forge attractions like Dollywood when booking.
• Age Restrictions: Ideal for families of all ages, with bunk-bed layouts perfected for children. Minimum check-in age is 21.  

One of the classic places to stay while in Pigeon Forge is in a Great Smoky Mountain cabin. There are many cabins and chalets that can accommodate a wide range of travel party sizes and are the perfect way to get in touch with nature and spend quality family time in your own living space.

• Seasonal Highlights: Cabins are excellent for outdoor deck grilling, morning porch-sitting, and hot tub soaking during warm early June afternoons and clear summer nights.
• Hours of Operation: Available 24/7 via automated keyless check-in; guest services hours vary by individual cabin management companies.
• Accessibility Options/Features: Properties vary by layout; single-level luxury cabins, ramped entryways, and wide-corridor floor plans can be filtered and requested during reservation.  
• Age Restrictions: Ideal for multigenerational families of all ages, from toddlers to grandparents.

If your family loves the outdoors, but wants to come back to a chic place to stay at the end of the day, The Lodge at Camp Margaritaville is for you and your kids. A fun hotel for families, The Lodge has king, double queen and deluxe rooms that sleep up to six people wit ha separate tented room kids will love. Additional hotel features include a lazy river, pickleball courts, kid's playground, hot tub and fire pit, pool with a double loop water slide and kid's zone, a full arcade, duckpin bowling, billiards, outdoor games and live entertainment. 

• Seasonal Highlights: The outdoor lazy river, double-loop water slide, and Tiki Bar are open daily from April 1st through October 31st. A seasonal "Rolling Rita" cart serves free popsicles to kids in the summer.
• Hours of Operation: Front desk open 24/7. Fins Breakfast Buffet runs daily from 7:00 AM to 11:00 AM. Fin City Arcade is open daily from 9:00 AM to 11:00 PM.
• Accessibility Options/Features: Fully wheelchair-accessible main entrance, public restrooms, registration desks, ADA-compliant rooms with roll-in showers, and pool-lift chairs.
• Booking Site: Book your stay at margaritavilleresorts.com
• Age Restrictions: Ideal for all ages. Fin City arcade games are perfect for kids and teens, while quiet hours apply to children under 16 after 10:00 PM.

Among the most unique places to stay in Pigeon Forge TN, Book a stay The Inn at Christmas Place, an all-inclusive stay where Christmas is every day. The family resort in Pigeon Forge includes visits and photos with Santa, daily coffee, cider or lemonade, nightly cookies, a kid-friendly, hotel scavenger hunt, daily breakfast and scheduled activities. Two-room suites include two full-size decorated Christmas trees, a kitchen with full-size appliances and a sleeper sofa in the sitting room. Additional amenities include an indoor pool, a seasonal outdoor pool with a 98-foot figure-eight water slide, gorgeous gardens and The Singing Santa performing live music on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday evenings.

• Seasonal Highlights: Cool off during hot Spring/Summer days with crisp, cold daily lemonade and a ride down the 98-foot outdoor figure-eight water slide.
• Hours of Operation: Front desk open 24/7. Check-in at 4:00 PM; check-out at 11:00 AM.
• Accessibility Options/Features: Property includes elevator access across all floors, accessible paths through the lush gardens, and specialized ADA-accessible guest rooms.
• Booking Site: Book your stay at innatchristmasplace.com
• Age Restrictions: Ideal for all ages, with the hotel scavenger hunts and Santa photo ops acting as big hits for toddlers and school-age children.

Dollywood is Tennessee's No. 1 attraction, one of the best things to do on Pigeon Forge for families, and is chock full of kid-friendly activities from riding thrilling coasters like the new Big Bear Mountain Coaster (the longest coaster at Dollywood) and marveling at award-winning shows to incredible craftspeople sharing their talents of blacksmithing and wood carving and delicious snacks and meals at award-winning restaurants. Be sure to check out The Dolly Parton Experience featuring a number of interactive elements that make you feel as if you're by Dolly's side as you journey through her life and career. 

• Seasonal Highlights: The park bursts with life during the Flower & Food Festival in Spring and the Summer Celebration, which offers extended hours and nightly drone and fireworks displays.
• Hours of Operation: Opening hours vary by season, typically 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM (extended to 9:30 PM in mid-summer). Closed select Tuesdays/Thursdays during shoulder periods—check the official park calendar.
• Accessibility Options/Features: Offers a specialized Ride Accessibility Center for customized boarding passes, daily manual wheelchair and ECV electric scooter rentals, and a dedicated climate-controlled sensory Calming Room.
• Ticketing Site: Buy tickets at dollywood.com/tickets.
• Age Restrictions: Ideal for all ages, featuring gentle attractions for toddlers alongside high-thrill coasters requiring specific height eligibility.
• More Theme Parks: To discover all the other awesome theme parks across Tennessee, read our Complete Guide to Fun & Adventure at Tennessee's Theme Parks. 

The Titanic Museum will amaze you and your family as soon as you board. This immersive experience begins when you receive the name and story of a person who actually sailed on the Titanic in 1912. Throughout the powerful and moving exhibits, which range from approx. 400 Titanic-era artifacts to a pool of 28-degree water where you can feel for yourself how cold the ocean was when the Titanic sank, you will learn what life was like for the ship’s passengers, about their hopes and dreams, and, in the end, whether or not the name you received at the beginning lived or died when the ship sank. 

• Seasonal Highlights: A fully air-conditioned, self-paced historical experience that provides the perfect mid-day shelter from intense summer sun or unexpected spring downpours.
• Hours of Operation: Open daily starting at 9:00 AM; seasonal closing times vary between 6:00 PM and 8:00 PM.
• Accessibility Options/Features: 100% ADA wheelchair accessible across all exhibition levels, equipped with elevators.
• Ticketing Site: You can buy tickets to the Titanic Museum at booking.titanicattraction.com
• Age Restrictions: Ideal for ages 5 and up. Children 4 and under receive free admission and can interact with hands-on steering wheels and ice surfaces.

Another mainstay attraction and one of the top activities in Pigeon Forge is The Island at Pigeon Forge. This massive open-air entertainment venue became an instant classic since it opened, and the Great Smoky Mountain Wheel has become an iconic landmark along the parkway. See incredible views of the mountains by day and the stunning city lights by night. The whole family will enjoy museums and attractions like Gatlin's Mirror Maze, The Flying Horse Carousel, Tree Fall Drop Tower, Arcade City (a top arcade in Pigeon Forge) and SkyFly: Soar America, a flying theater where you experience the feeling of flight as you soar over some of the most iconic locations in the U.S.

• Seasonal Highlights: Ideal for sitting in a complimentary outdoor rocking chair during warm Spring/Summer evenings while enjoying the multi-colored light and music fountain productions.
• Hours of Operation: Complex is open daily from 10:00 AM to 11:00 PM; individual boutique shop and restaurant hours may vary.
• Accessibility Options/Features: Flat, wide, completely step-free brick pathways across the entire complex. The Great Smoky Mountain Wheel features climate-controlled, ADA-compliant, wheelchair-accessible gondolas.
• Ticketing Site: admission to The Island is free, but certain rides require paid tickets.
• Age Restrictions: Ideal for all ages. Infants and toddlers under age 3 ride the observation wheel for free with an adult.

Voted frequently as one of the best Pigeon Forge kids activities, your kids will love the mind-bending attraction WonderWorks full of family things to do like the kid-friendly Imagination Lab, Wonder Art Gallery full of optical illusions and Light & Sound Zone that multiplies your shadow into different colors and patterns. The Space Discovery Zone is where you can take the astronaut training challenge - a two-person gyroscope that spins and rotates in multiple directions. The Extreme Weather Zone features the Earthquake Cafe, Tesla Coils and the Hurricane Shack. Finally, the Physical Challenge Zone where you can lie on a bed of nails, create massive bubbles and so much more.

• Seasonal Highlights: Provides hours of cool indoor science adventures to escape the heat waves and thunderstorms of June, July, and August.
• Hours of Operation: Open daily from 9:00 AM to 10:00 PM. Note that doors lock and the last ticket is sold exactly one hour prior to closing.
• Accessibility Options/Features: The entire upside-down facility is fully wheelchair accessible, with elevator access reaching all upper levels and physical challenge layouts.
• Ticketing Site: Buy tickets to WonderWorks at wonderworksonline.com
• Age Restrictions: Ideal for ages 5 to 14. Children under 13 must be accompanied by an adult. Certain interactive challenges carry height limitations (e.g., 42” to climb the ropes course with an adult).
• Similar extraordinary places: searching for unique places like WonderWorks across Tennessee? Discover 12 Whimsical Places in Tennessee that are unlike anywhere else. 

No matter the weather outside, Pigeon Forge Snow is a great indoor attraction for kids and among the top-rated Pigeon Forge family activities. America's first indoor snow park includes fast slopes and a snow play area where you can build snow forts and snowmen. Tickets are for one hour of snow tubing or 30 minutes of snow play. Buy the combo ticket for both experiences for under $40. Pigeon Forge Snow is a great place to visit rain, shine or snow.

• Seasonal Highlights: This attraction offers an unbelievable winter escape in the middle of a hot Southern summer, keeping the internal environment a crisp 67°F year-round.
• Hours of Operation: Open daily from 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM. Ticket sales wind down 45 minutes before closing.
• Accessibility Options/Features: Wheelchair-accessible step-free main floor, accessible viewing platforms, and a second-floor Overlook Lounge with open viewing lines.
• Ticketing Site: Buy tickets to Pigeon Forge Snow at pigeonforgesnow.com
• Age Restrictions: The Snow Play area has no age or height restrictions and is perfect for toddlers. The Snow Tubing slopes are ideal for ages 3 and up (riders must be at least 38 inches tall).

Looking for more kid-friendly attractions across Tennessee? Check out our comprehensive Kid-Friendly Attractions article. 

Craving Southern classics like fried chicken and biscuits made with flour that has been stone ground with water power since 1830? Then, you and your family should visit The Old Mill Restaurant, The Old Mill Pottery House Cafe & Grille or The Old Mill Creamery, all charming yet hidden things to do in Pigeon Forge. At The Old Mill Restaurant, you'll find family-friendly food favorites for breakfast, lunch and dinner like buttermilk pancakes, vegetable quiche, chicken and dumplings, country fried steak, Deep South chicken pot pie, homemade meatloaf and more. Kids' menus include pancakes and biscuits and sausage gravy for breakfast, and grilled cheese, burgers and fried chicken tenders for lunch and dinner. The Old Mill Pottery House Cafe serves a hearty brunch, sandwiches and salads with a kid's menu that includes the Old Mill corn dog, macaroni and cheese and hamburgers. Get a sweet treat at The Old Mill Creamery which serves hand-scooped ice cream in bowls, sugar cones, whirled in thick shakes and huge sundaes. 

• Seasonal Highlights: Dine right next to the historic, churning waterwheel or stop by the Creamery window for cold, hand-scooped artisan ice cream treats on hot spring and summer days.
• Hours of Operation: Open daily from 8:00 AM to 8:30 PM (extended until 9:00 PM on Fridays and Saturdays).
• Accessibility Options/Features: Main-level dining areas, general stores, and restrooms are fully wheelchair and stroller accessible, featuring wide entries and adjacent handicap parking.
• Reservations: The Old Mill does not take reservations; walk-ins only.
• Age Restrictions: Ideal for diners of all ages, providing large, highly affordable portions and comforting kid-friendly menu selections.

Featuring the first rooftop bar in Pigeon Forge, Azul Cantina is a fun and delicious restaurant serving Tex-Mex entrees in a fun and inviting atmosphere. Start your meal off with fresh made-to-order guacamole and the Esquites beef eggroll. Choose entrees like street tacos (the Al Pastor featuring roasted pork shoulder marinated in a pineapple and chili sauce are stand outs), sizzling fajitas and specialty tacos like Nashville hot tacos along with house specials like the tomahawk pork chop and Mexican diablo shrimp and grits - grilled wild caught shrimp served on queso grits and topped with chorizo, enchilada sauce and cilantro oil. Save room for dessert because Tres Leches, churros dusted in cinnamon and sugar and served with chocolate, caramel and strawberry sauces and cheesecake chimichanga (deep fried, dusted in cinnamon sugar and drizzled with chocolate sauce and caramel sauce) are on the menu. Your kids will be happy, too, with the kid's menu that includes a quesadilla, beef and chicken tacos.

• Seasonal Highlights: Unwind with breezy, open-air rooftop dining and scenic mountain viewing during beautiful spring and summer evenings.
• Hours of Operation: Open Sunday through Thursday from 11:00 AM to 9:00 PM; Friday and Saturday from 11:00 AM to 10:00 PM.
• Accessibility Options/Features: Fully equipped with accessible parking stalls, an accessible main entrance, ADA-compliant restrooms, and dedicated elevator service leading straight to the rooftop deck.
• Booking Site: Reserve a table online or call (865) 409-5852
• Age Restrictions: Ideal for all ages. The rooftop environment is welcoming to families, and the kid's menu covers smaller Tex-Mex favorites.

Chef, restaurateur and Emmy Award-winning TV host, Guy Fieri has brought his culinary talents and taste for great-tasting food to Pigeon Forge with Guy Fieri's Downtown Flavortown, a family-friendly restaurant featuring award-winning food, arcade and duckpin bowling. The laidback menu includes cheeseburger nachos, wood stone pizza, half and full racks of ribs, Cajun chicken pasta and giant sandwiches like the crispy chicken bacon ranch and pulled pork sandwich. The kid-friendly menu includes Mac Daddy Mac-N-Cheese topped with Goldfish, chicken tenders, the kid-sized burger and super melty grilled cheese on Texas toast plus fun games on the menu to pass the wait time like the burger maze, tic-tac-toe and a fun word search.

• Seasonal Highlights: The perfect air-conditioned indoor haven to cool down and escape the intense midday summer heat while keeping kids fully entertained. The restaurant is also right next to Scooby-Doo! Mystery Putt-Putt which makes a fun before or after-meal activity.
• Hours of Operation: Open daily from 11:00 AM to 11:00 PM.
• Accessibility Options/Features: Wide-spaced dining paths, step-free flooring matching the transition from restaurant to arcade, and accessible lanes for duckpin bowling.
• Reservations: Downtown Flavortown does not accept reservations.
• Age Restrictions: Ideal for families and kids of all ages. The built-in interactive arcade and bowling attractions are perfect for ages 5 to 17.

The world's most visited dinner show attraction is Dolly Parton's Stampede. If you're searching for a family fun adventure with a dinner and show in Pigeon forge, you'll love the high-energy show that includes horse riding stunts, friendly competition, music productions, a four-course feast with dessert and a moving aerial performance featuring an original song written and recorded by Dolly Parton. Before the show, take a stroll down the Horse Walk to meet the stars of the show - the 32 amazing horses. While you watch all the action, enjoy creamy vegetable soup, biscuits, whole rotisserie chicken, pulled pork, corn on the cob, herb-roasted potatoes and the signature dessert plus unlimited Coca-Cola, iced tea or coffee.

• Seasonal Highlights: Arrive early during sunny spring and summer afternoons to leisurely walk along the open-air Horse Walk to meet the riders and animals up close.
• Hours of Operation: Main showtimes typically run daily at 3:30 PM, 6:00 PM, and 8:30 PM (schedules expand or shift seasonally; check online).
• Accessibility Options/Features: Fully accessible seating tiers designed for manual and motorized wheelchairs. Wireless, state-of-the-art hearing assistance headsets are available at guest services.
• Ticketing Site: Reserve seats at dpstampede.com
• Age Restrictions: Ideal for all ages. Children under 3 years old receive free admission if they sit on a parent's lap and share from their plate.
• Similar Attractions: Pirates Voyage Dinner & Show as well as Hatfield & McCoy Dinner Feud are two other beloved dinner shows in Pigeon Forge, TN.

Among the best free things to do in Pigeon Forge with kids and located in the heart of The Island in Pigeon Forge, this open-air show fountain features hundreds of jetted fountains dancing in perfect synchronization to music and bright, multi-colored light arrays. 

• Seasonal Highlights: Unwind on warm spring and summer evenings while taking in the free open-air shows.
• Hours of Operation: The fountain show runs automatically every 30 minutes from 10:00 AM until 11:00 PM daily.
• Accessibility Options/Features: Framed by wide, level brick courtyards with plenty of accessible rocking chairs and public restrooms nearby.
• Ticketing Site: The fountain show is completely free (No tickets required).
• Age Restrictions: Ideal for all ages.

The Pigeon Forge Riverwalk Greenway is a beautiful, scenic paved trail system stretching over 6 miles through the heart of town. 

• Seasonal Highlights: Perfect for breezy spring bike rides or shaded summer morning strolls along the riverbank while keeping an eye out for local ducks, geese, and blue herons.
• Hours of Operation: Open daily 24 hours a day.
• Accessibility Options/Features: The entire path is completely flat, wide, and paved with smooth concrete or asphalt. It safely routes entirely under the busy Parkway bridges, features frequent rest benches, and includes accessible public restrooms at major trailheads. Perfect for strollers, bicycles, and wheelchairs.
• Ticketing Site: Entirely free public trail system (No tickets required).
• Age Restrictions: Ideal for all ages, from infants in strollers to kids riding scooters or bikes. Pets on a short leash are also welcome.

Located just a short drive away in neighboring Gatlinburg, this quirky, world-famous Salt & Pepper Shaker Museum houses an unbelievable collection of more than 20,000 pairs of salt and pepper shakers from all over the globe. 

• Seasonal Highlights: A great, quick indoor air-conditioned stop to keep the family entertained during intense mid-day summer heat waves or spring rain showers.
• Hours of Operation: Open Monday through Saturday from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM, and Sunday from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM.
• Accessibility Options/Features: Single-level facility with wide, level pathways between display cases, making it highly accessible for strollers and wheelchairs.
• Ticketing Site: No advanced reservation required, tickets are purchased at the door. Your $3 adult admission applies directly as a credit toward any shaker purchase in the gift shop!
• Age Restrictions: Ideal for all ages. Kids 12 and under are completely free, and adult admission is only $3.

The best time of year to visit Pigeon Forge with kids is during the Spring (April to May) and Summer (June to August) months. This peak period guarantees extended theme park hours, open water parks, and outdoor festival entertainment. Alternatively, visiting from in late-October to early November brings the stunning fall colors and a visit mid-November through December lets families experience the millions of holiday lights during Winterfest.

Whether you're looking for Pigeon Forge events this weekend or are just planning for a future trip, events can be found on the main Pigeon Forge event calendar here. Some of the biggest events throughout the year include Pigeon Forge Winterfest and the Dollywood Festivals like Flower & Food, Harvest, and Smoky Mountain Christmas.