Winterfest is a two-part season here in the Smokies. The first is tied up in the holidays with Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years. The second is in the months that come after. This is described as the "quiet season" of the Smokies where special events are toned down. We see more snow and colder temperatures provide limits to outside travel and the Ma and Pa stores also close until tourism picks back up come Spring Break.
However, post-holiday Winterfest is actually the BEST time to visit the Smokies if you're into a romantic getaway, a vacation with genuine solitude, peace and quiet and attractions that have much shorter lines wanting to get in. While the aforementioned amusements are closed for the season, a majority of the rest continue to be open year-round. In addition, there is an atmosphere of stillness for much of the season, the stark colors of the mountains combined with snow-covered peaks provide a sense of dignity and crisp air perfect for celebrating Valentine's Day, anniversaries and other romantic interludes.
In this article, we'd like to quickly recommend some things to enjoy a Smoky Mountain post-holiday Winterfest vacation with. Let's look:
1.The Island.
So much to talk about here; it's hard to know where to begin except for the very obvious – the great Smoky Mountain Wheel that lights up the night sky in Pigeon Forge. This incredible wheel is more than just a fancy ferris wheel, it provides an awe-inspiring look at the city and the surrounding mountains from a climate-controlled car.
Other excellent attractions here include:
- The Island Show Fountain
- The Island Ropes Course
- Alcatraz East
- Island Mirror Maze
- 7D Dark Ride Adventure
- The Escape Game
- Old Time Photo
- Thunderdome
- Twist N' Shout
- And more you can see CLICK HERE
2.Lumberjack Adventure
You may remember this as the Lumberjack Feud here in Pigeon Forge. The same entertainment company that owns Dixie Stampede purchased Lumberjack Feud and it is now Lumberjack Adventure while still featuring what you came to see: an awesome lumberjack sports show with an awesome dinner!
Lumberjack Adventure is located next door to The Island in Pigeon Forge and it's well worth a visit. See more.
3.Ripley's Entertainment
You know of Ripley's in Gatlinburg. The entertainment giant in the Smokies has most, if not all, their attractions open year-round and they can be great fun for young families, and old. Their attractions include:
- Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies
- Ripley's Believe It or Not! Museum
- Ripley's Haunted Adventure
- Ripley's Moving Theater 5D
- Ripley's Guinness World of Records Museum
- Ripley's Mirror Maze
- Ripley's Mini Golf
- See more information on these activities CLICK HERE
WonderWorks
The imagination center of the Smokies! This wonderful interactive "edutainment" museum offers thrilling, mind-bending exhibits showing off physics, science, technology, history, math and much more through the following attractions:
- Tesla Coil
- Earthquake Cafe
- Hurricane Hole!
- Bed of Nails
- Bubble Lab
- Mindball
- Virtual Sports
- Rock Climbing
- Mercury Capsule
- And more you can see CLICK HERE
Breakfast!
Yessir, especially on a cold, wintery day with maybe some snow out (so long as it’s not enough to obscure the roads), nothing beats having a hot breakfast at a pancake restaurant with bacon, eggs, waffles, grits, sausage and more waiting to start your day. Here are some of our favorites for breakfast providers in the area:
Pancake Pantry
628 Parkway, Gatlinburg, TN 37738
pancakepantry.com
(865) 436-4724
Reagan's House of Pancakes
2820 Parkway, Pigeon Forge, TN 37863
reaganshouseofpancakes.com
(865) 428-0652
Reagan's Broken Egg Pancake House
3516 Parkway, Pigeon Forge, TN 37863
(865) 453-4600
Sawyer's Farmhouse Breakfast
2831 Parkway, Pigeon Forge, TN 37863
sawyersbreakfast.com
(865) 366-1090
Red Rooster Pancake House
3215 Parkway, Pigeon Forge, TN 37863
dininginthesmokies.com
(865) 428-3322
Flapjacks Pancake Cabin
(Multiple Locations)
flapjackspancakes.com
(865) 908-6115
Smoky Mountain Pancake House
4160 Parkway, Pigeon Forge, TN 37863
(865) 453-1947
