"Mom, This is the best vacation we've ever had!" That pretty much sums up how our family feels about Dollywood and the Smoky Mountains.We chose the Pigeon Forge area for last July's vacation because it had the rides, Nascar tracks and Mini Golf areas for our three children. Mom and Dad loved hiking to the waterfalls and swimming holes in the National Park.

Dollywood wasn't crowded the weekday we went. It was very clean, the workers were extremely friendly and the food very good. But what impressed us the most was how family friendly the park was. High quality southern gospel, fifties, and hillbilly music filled the air at every turn. Craftsmen also demonstrated Smoky Mountain traditions like glass blowing, blacksmithing, cooking, and soap making. It was a wonderful history lesson for the kids.

It is a wonderful place to take families with children between the ages of 5 and 16. (It may be a long day for toddlers.)

If you go, bring comfortable shoes because you will be walking a lot. I'd also recommend bottled water to stay hydrated, as that southern sun can be tough. Make sure to ride the Tennessee Tornado, and bring your camera and plenty of film. You'll want to capture every moment for posterity.





Recommended: Yes