Our Fall Break Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge Vacation
For fall break we rented a cute cabin via Airbnb in the Smoky Mountains and had a great time rediscovering Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge and exploring with my parents. It was everything we’d hoped it would be! We loved the cabin—so much so that Logan still calls it “our cabin”. It was capacious, clean, and surrounded by beauty. It had a fun theater room complete with comfy recliners AND a hot tub! Lincoln loved rocking on the decks surrounded by trees. Logan was thoroughly disappointed when we told him we had to come back home. He thought we’d moved there. 😂 (LMK if you’d like the details for this rental!)
We started off our first full day in the Smokies by grabbing breakfast at Crockett’s Breakfast Camp in Gatlinburg. We all agreed that it was DELICIOUS!!! Gatlinburg is apparently known for having fantastic breakfast joints, so we had a lot of options. Crockett’s not only had great reviews and yummy-looking dishes, but it also had a virtual queue we could join before we physically got there! That always gets bonus points in my book. I wish more restaurants did that.
The ambience inside was charming and spacious, and the food was just as delectable as we were hoping it would be. We were all STUFFED by the end, though! Their country ham, in particular, was a unique and delicious side. Josh got their giant cinnamon roll for all of us to share, and we had to bring the whole thing back to our Airbnb because none of us had room for another bite. It was still scrumptious when we reheated it the next day.
Just a note… When they say their griddle cakes (definitely not plain ol’ pancakes) are thick, believe them! LOL
The whole reason we went to Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge over fall break was because that area has A LOT of attractions we could get into for free through November (thanks to Lincoln’s Give Kids the World Passport). Even before we went on his wish trip to Florida last year, I was hoping we could take advantage of the passport in Tennessee this year. My plan panned out!
The attraction our boys were most excited about was Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies. The adults weren’t expecting it to be so cool! It was huge, had lots of interactive activities for kids, and had an awesome moving walkway where fish and sharks swam overhead. We especially liked seeing a sawfish up close, which none of us had ever seen in person before. It honestly might be the best aquarium we’ve been to, and we’ve gone to several!
That night we got takeout from the AMAZING Delauder’s BBQ for dinner. “Delicious” doesn’t even come close to how good it was. These pictures aren’t great because it was takeout, but don’t let that fool you. My mom, dad, and I all got their Smoky Mountain Potato, which is a baked potato topped with slow cooked pork, baked beans, nacho cheese, and sour cream. Yuuuuuummmmmy!!! Everything I tried was good—Smoky Mountain Nachos, Fried Mac ‘n Cheese, Green Beans, and Potato Salad.
I read a lot about Bennett’s Pit Bar-B-Que before going on the trip. I hadn’t read about Delauder’s anywhere, but it actually has better (though fewer) reviews. I’m so glad we tried it! Just be aware that—at least when we went—it was cash only.
When my family went for a drive on the beautiful Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail the next morning, they spotted SIX BLACK BEARS!!! The drive was super busy (as it often is at this time of year), but it was worth it.
After the drive we ate at another great restaurant: the New Orleans Sandwich Company. Josh had wanted to get their food the last time we went to Gatlinburg, but we’d wanted takeout, and they don’t (or at least didn’t) do takeout orders. Their food was delicious! I tried several of their sides—including their flavorful crab cakes, and Josh got their gumbo.
After lunch we spent several hours shopping and doing different activities we got into for free (again, with Link’s GKTW passport) along main street. Our favorite was probably Ripley’s Believe It or Not Odditorium. We also went through a mirror maze, and Josh took Logan to the 5D Moving Theater. Logan really wanted to do Ripley’s Haunted Adventure, but we read and were told by the workers that it’d probably be too scary for him.
The next day of our trip was epic. Anyone who knows me well knows that I’m a huge “Titaniac” (a term I learned on this trip that’s short for “Titanic Maniac” 😊). Honestly, the very first thing that made me interested in a trip to Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg was when I learned about Pigeon Forge’s huge Titanic attraction/museum. We didn’t go last time because we were still scared of Covid, but we got to go this time! And it was free!!! And it was AMAZING!!!!!!!
Before you enter the museum, you get a “boarding ticket” with the name and details of an actual passenger on the doomed ocean liner. At the end, you find out whether or not the person on your ticket was one of the lucky survivors. Out of the six of us, only my poor dad in steerage didn’t survive. Josh’s ticket was for Sir Cosmo Duff Gordon! Lincoln’s ticket was for the cute boy spinning his top in the famous photograph.
I was a bit worried that our boys would be bored, but they weren’t at all. The museum has tons of hands-on activities to keep kids interested as well as kid-specific recordings for the self-guided audio tour. Logan was actually fascinated and has talked about it several times since we went, which—of course—makes me happy. LOL
Another thing I loved about the museum is that it was great at spreading awareness for different needs. Since we went in October, they had several pink ribbons in different areas for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. (I’m going to contact someone to see if they’d be willing to do gold ribbons in September for Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. 😊 Join me! If they get enough requests, they might do it!)
They also had an awesome video about the boy who built the World’s Largest Titanic model—a MASSIVE Titanic model built using 56,000 Lego bricks! It’s on display at the museum, and the amount of detail and work that went into it is awe-inspiring. The boy who built it has autism, and the video was about not only his work but also about autism awareness and inclusion. I loved it so much!
After the Titanic Museum, we grabbed lunch at The Old Mill Restaurant. We had about a half hour wait after they put my name on the list, but the time passed quickly. They have a bunch of things you can look at while waiting. They even have speakers outside and in the General Store next door so you can be sure not to miss it when they call your name.
Josh got chicken and dumplings, and I got their meatloaf and green beans. Their hush puppies were REALLY good. In fact, Lincoln couldn’t get enough of them! Not only was all of the food scrummy, but the restaurant had also thought of everything for making their building accessible. They had a big ramp up to the entrance. They also had a wheelchair lift to help us move Lincoln to another level, and they obviously use it all the time because the process was quick and streamlined.
After we ate, we walked around enjoying the other shops. We also had to try the ice cream at the Old Mill Creamery. I’m still drooling over their creamy peanut butter ice cream. 😉 🤤
We spent our last morning in Gatlinburg riding the tram up to Ober Mountain. The pictures do NOT do it justice! The fall colors were breathtaking, and we all had a wonderful time. They had a carousel, a small zoo, an alpine slide, and so much more.
Dollywood was the last attraction we visited before leaving early the next morning. I literally had only one thing on my Dollywood bucket list: eat the famous cinnamon bread. It lived up to the hype! Everything else at Dollywood was great, too.
We knew we simply had to go there—especially because I listened to and really enjoyed Dolly Parton, Songteller: My Life in Lyrics earlier this year. We’re in a bit of an amusement park wasteland here in Utah—and Lagoon knows it. They have the monopoly on the market. They charge more than Dollywood, and it’s not nearly as cool. Ah, well…
We all loved Dollywood! It was so charming. The harvest decorations everywhere were wonderful, and we chose the perfect day—temperature- and crowd-wise—to go. I rode on a few rides, but I’m getting older and less and less adventurous. Our little thrillseeker, Lincoln, on the other hand, was more than happy to accompany Josh on any rollercoaster he was tall enough for! He LOOOOOOVES rollercoasters, and it’s so cute to see how excited he gets. Logan was more like me—more interested in the food. 😂
None of the six of us could pick our favorite part of the trip; the whole thing was wonderful. There’s a reason Gatlinburg attracts a lot of tourists—especially in the fall. I highly recommend you plan a trip there. I know we’re sure to go back ourselves.