How to Get There
Directions
Directions
Driving
Detroit to Pigeon Forge takes about 8 1/2 hours (aka 1 bathroom break- Mark). It's a straight shot down I-75 for most of the way.
Detroit to Pigeon Forge takes about 8 1/2 hours (aka 1 bathroom break- Mark). It's a straight shot down I-75 for most of the way.
Flying
Knoxville
The Knoxville Airport (TYS) is the closest airport to Pigeon Forge, taking about one hour to get from the airport to the venue.
Knoxville is a medium-sized airport with car rental available on-site. If you are flying from Detroit, there is typically a direct flight straight to Knoxville.
We will be hanging out in Knoxville on Thursday if you'd like to join us.
Knoxville
The Knoxville Airport (TYS) is the closest airport to Pigeon Forge, taking about one hour to get from the airport to the venue.
Knoxville is a medium-sized airport with car rental available on-site. If you are flying from Detroit, there is typically a direct flight straight to Knoxville.
We will be hanging out in Knoxville on Thursday if you'd like to join us.
Directions
Asheville
Asheville is another great option, the airport (AVL) is about 2 hours away from Pigeon Forge, and the town of Asheville is an amazing.
If you are planning to bundle a vacation with the wedding, Asheville has a lot to offer with great restaurants, hiking, and the Biltmore. (It's also where Mark's Parents live ❤)
The drive from Asheville to Pigeon Forge takes you through the mountains, which is either a plus or minus depending on who you are.
Asheville is another great option, the airport (AVL) is about 2 hours away from Pigeon Forge, and the town of Asheville is an amazing.
If you are planning to bundle a vacation with the wedding, Asheville has a lot to offer with great restaurants, hiking, and the Biltmore. (It's also where Mark's Parents live ❤)
The drive from Asheville to Pigeon Forge takes you through the mountains, which is either a plus or minus depending on who you are.
Directions
Other Airports
Some of the larger and cheaper airports to fly into, especially when doing international travel include:
Greenville Spartanburg (GSP) - 2 hours and 45 Minutes
Nashville (BNA) - 3 Hours and 30 Minutes
Charlotte (CLT) - 3 Hours and 30 Minutes
Atlanta (ATL) - 4 Hours
Some of the larger and cheaper airports to fly into, especially when doing international travel include:
Greenville Spartanburg (GSP) - 2 hours and 45 Minutes
Nashville (BNA) - 3 Hours and 30 Minutes
Charlotte (CLT) - 3 Hours and 30 Minutes
Atlanta (ATL) - 4 Hours
Where to Stay
Hotels
Tru by Hilton
If you are looking to stay in a hotel, this is our top recommendation. Tru by Hilton is a relatively new hotel with great amenities including free breakfast, an indoor pool, a fitness center, a business center, adjoining rooms, and more. It is also off the main strip, making it a bit easier to get around without heavy traffic, and a little quieter and less bright at night. We plan(*hopefully) to have a shuttle pick up and drop off from this location. As of writing this, it costs about $200 a night, though we have seen it for lower.
Website
Tru by Hilton
If you are looking to stay in a hotel, this is our top recommendation. Tru by Hilton is a relatively new hotel with great amenities including free breakfast, an indoor pool, a fitness center, a business center, adjoining rooms, and more. It is also off the main strip, making it a bit easier to get around without heavy traffic, and a little quieter and less bright at night. We plan(*hopefully) to have a shuttle pick up and drop off from this location. As of writing this, it costs about $200 a night, though we have seen it for lower.
Website
The Inn on the River
Our second recommendation is The Inn on the River. It is located on the main strip, right next to Puckett's Restaurant, where the rehearsal dinner will be. It was recently renovated and has rooms with private balconies, an indoor pool, and free breakfast. This option is the most affordable price, at about $130 per night
Website
Our second recommendation is The Inn on the River. It is located on the main strip, right next to Puckett's Restaurant, where the rehearsal dinner will be. It was recently renovated and has rooms with private balconies, an indoor pool, and free breakfast. This option is the most affordable price, at about $130 per night
Website
DreamMore Resort & Spa
Our final recommendation is Dollywood DreamMore Resort & Spa. This is a 4-star resort located off the main strip with a huge indoor pool, in-house spa and so much more. If you're willing to overlook (or are excited by) the Dollywood theme this would be our top choice. This hotel regularly comes in at just over $200 a night and may be a good option, especially if you had kids to entertain.
Website
Our final recommendation is Dollywood DreamMore Resort & Spa. This is a 4-star resort located off the main strip with a huge indoor pool, in-house spa and so much more. If you're willing to overlook (or are excited by) the Dollywood theme this would be our top choice. This hotel regularly comes in at just over $200 a night and may be a good option, especially if you had kids to entertain.
Website
Cabins
If you want to stay in the mountains, we recommend getting a cabin. There are many options from small cabins perfect for a couple to large 8-bedroom cabins if you want to go in for it as a group.
Below are some options for cabin resorts. ** Please note that some cabin rentals have 3-night stay minimums
Sherwood Forest Resorts
Parkside Resort
If you want to stay in the mountains, we recommend getting a cabin. There are many options from small cabins perfect for a couple to large 8-bedroom cabins if you want to go in for it as a group.
Below are some options for cabin resorts. ** Please note that some cabin rentals have 3-night stay minimums
Sherwood Forest Resorts
Parkside Resort
Or find your own!
These are only our recommendations, there are TONS of places to stay in and around Pigeon Forge! Pick what is right for you!
If you are looking for more recommendations, here are the places our venue sent to us: link
These are only our recommendations, there are TONS of places to stay in and around Pigeon Forge! Pick what is right for you!
If you are looking for more recommendations, here are the places our venue sent to us: link
Things to Do
Wondering what to do when you are not celebrating with us? Looking to stay a few extra days and make this a vacation? Here are some things to do in the area:
Hiking - The smoky mountains are home to hundreds of beautiful trails. All Trails has lots of good options. Here's their top 10 near Gatlinburg. Speaking of Gatlinburg...
https://www.alltrails.com/us/tennessee/gatlinburg
Explore Gatlinburg - This town is just down the road from Pigeon Forge and has lots of attractions for people to check out. It kind of feels like a Frankenmuth, if you've ever been there.
https://www.gatlinburg.com/things-to-do/
Skiing/Snow Tubing - In Gatlinburg they have both skiing and snow tubing at Ober Gatlinburg. This place actually has a lot of fun activities including, ice skating, ice bumper cars, and a scenic chair lift.
https://obergatlinburg.com/
Visit the Aquarium - Love looking at all the fish under the sea? Well, Gatlinburg is home to Ripley's Aquarium. More info can be found here.
https://www.ripleyaquariums.com/gatlinburg/
Helicopter Rides - This was an activity Mark and I did when we went down to check out the venue. It was a lot of fun, the sites were just beautiful. They have trips of varying lengths and prices. Here's the company we went with, but there are others. Please call ahead to reserve your spot, as hours vary during the winter.
https://scenichelicoptertours.com/
Ziplining - We are using the Smokey Mountains Zipleline for parking, but you can enjoy their 2-hour-long tour through the trees in the mountains. Please call ahead to reserve your spot, as hours vary during the winter.
https://smokymountainziplines.com/
Minigolf, Go Karts, Escape Rooms & More - There are lots of family-friendly activities like these along the main parkway. We even spotted a place where you can pretend to be a wizard and go through a D&D-like quest, called MagiQuest... though this one seems to be more for the kids.
See a show - There are a number of large dinner theaters in Pigeon Forge, all with various themes. Here's a list of 4 of the popular ones.
https://www.visitmysmokies.com/blog/attractions-pigeon-forge/pigeon-forge-shows-february/
Hiking - The smoky mountains are home to hundreds of beautiful trails. All Trails has lots of good options. Here's their top 10 near Gatlinburg. Speaking of Gatlinburg...
https://www.alltrails.com/us/tennessee/gatlinburg
Explore Gatlinburg - This town is just down the road from Pigeon Forge and has lots of attractions for people to check out. It kind of feels like a Frankenmuth, if you've ever been there.
https://www.gatlinburg.com/things-to-do/
Skiing/Snow Tubing - In Gatlinburg they have both skiing and snow tubing at Ober Gatlinburg. This place actually has a lot of fun activities including, ice skating, ice bumper cars, and a scenic chair lift.
https://obergatlinburg.com/
Visit the Aquarium - Love looking at all the fish under the sea? Well, Gatlinburg is home to Ripley's Aquarium. More info can be found here.
https://www.ripleyaquariums.com/gatlinburg/
Helicopter Rides - This was an activity Mark and I did when we went down to check out the venue. It was a lot of fun, the sites were just beautiful. They have trips of varying lengths and prices. Here's the company we went with, but there are others. Please call ahead to reserve your spot, as hours vary during the winter.
https://scenichelicoptertours.com/
Ziplining - We are using the Smokey Mountains Zipleline for parking, but you can enjoy their 2-hour-long tour through the trees in the mountains. Please call ahead to reserve your spot, as hours vary during the winter.
https://smokymountainziplines.com/
Minigolf, Go Karts, Escape Rooms & More - There are lots of family-friendly activities like these along the main parkway. We even spotted a place where you can pretend to be a wizard and go through a D&D-like quest, called MagiQuest... though this one seems to be more for the kids.
See a show - There are a number of large dinner theaters in Pigeon Forge, all with various themes. Here's a list of 4 of the popular ones.
https://www.visitmysmokies.com/blog/attractions-pigeon-forge/pigeon-forge-shows-february/
Venue
We will be getting married at the beautiful Magnolia Wedding Venue in Pigeon Forge. The property is perched on the edge of a mountain, offering breathtaking views of the smokies, but also requiring some expert driving skills to get up the steep hill. Since there is limited parking at the venue as well, we will be providing a shuttle to get you to and from the venue (more on this in the "Parking" section).
The ceremony will be held outside, weather permitting, on the Ceremony Patio with heaters. If it is raining or heavily snowing, the ceremony will be held in the Grand Hall, right next door. Please bring a coat, or dress appropriately for the weather. Before the ceremony, feel free to visit the warm-up bar in the covered patio for a coffee or tea to sip on during the ceremony.
Cocktail Hour will be under the covered patio, about 100 feet away from the ceremony site, and will be heated as well. This is also where the bathrooms are located. The bridal suite is in the same building as the bathrooms, attached to the covered patio. During the reception, it will be converted into a nursing room.
The reception will be in the Grand Hall, right next to the ceremony patio. The Grand Hall is an indoor venue with vaulted ceilings, a chandelier, and floor-to-ceiling windows.
The ceremony will be held outside, weather permitting, on the Ceremony Patio with heaters. If it is raining or heavily snowing, the ceremony will be held in the Grand Hall, right next door. Please bring a coat, or dress appropriately for the weather. Before the ceremony, feel free to visit the warm-up bar in the covered patio for a coffee or tea to sip on during the ceremony.
Cocktail Hour will be under the covered patio, about 100 feet away from the ceremony site, and will be heated as well. This is also where the bathrooms are located. The bridal suite is in the same building as the bathrooms, attached to the covered patio. During the reception, it will be converted into a nursing room.
The reception will be in the Grand Hall, right next to the ceremony patio. The Grand Hall is an indoor venue with vaulted ceilings, a chandelier, and floor-to-ceiling windows.
Parking
Parking for the wedding will be at the Smoky Mountain Ziplines, located at 509 Mill Creek Road, in Pigeon Forge. The shuttle will pick people up from that parking lot and take you up the large hill to the venue, and bring you back down at the end of the night.
We are also planning to have the shuttle pick up from tru by Hilton, if several of our guests are staying there. A shuttle schedule will be posted closer to the wedding date when we find out where everyone is staying.
We are also planning to have the shuttle pick up from tru by Hilton, if several of our guests are staying there. A shuttle schedule will be posted closer to the wedding date when we find out where everyone is staying.