Welcome to East Tennessee
Dolly Parton, East Tennessee's most famous native, loves her home region so much she has made a successful career out of singing about girls who leave the honeysuckle-scented embrace of the Smoky Mountains for the false glitter of the city. They're always sorry.
Top experiences in East Tennessee
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East Tennessee activities
Great Smoky Mountains Waterfall Adventure
Your tour starts at the Greenbrier entrance to Great Smoky Mountains National Park (directions listed in your voucher), where you'll meet your naturalist guide. During your hike to several small waterfalls, you'll be immersed in the natural beauty of the one of the country's most biodiverse parks. Learn about the park's native wildlife, and pause for a snack on a moss-covered rock before crossing a clear mountain stream by hopping along the rocks. This 3-hour moderately strenuous walk (with a couple of difficult spots) is a great way for outdoor lovers to soak up the fresh mountain air and enjoy a small taste of adventure as you traverse narrow ridges. An alternate walk will be offered during periods of wet weather. If you are severely allergic to poison ivy or are not up for an adventurous hike, we have a beautiful alternate tour available.
Brian Hoffman's Remembering Red - A Tribute to Red Skelton
'Remembering Red – A Tribute to Red Skelton' is a heartfelt trip down memory lane. Reminisce with Brian Hoffman as he performs the jokes and routines that made Red Skelton famous. Brian’s expert portrayal of Red Skelton will have you in stitches as he re-creates some of Red’s most well known characters. Laugh with Clem Kadiddlehopper, the dim-witted country bumpkin. Giggle along with Gertrude and Heathcliffe, the two seagulls. Feel the love of Freddy the Freeloader, the hobo who lived in the city dump. A little “Guzzlers Gin,” a couple of pantomimes and the Pledge of Allegiance make this a true tribute to Red Skelton, one of America’s favorite clowns.As an added bonus, come early and take the time to see the Red Skelton artwork and memorabilia. Also enjoy a half hour pre-show video with music, images of celebrities of the silver screen, automobiles, games and toys from the 50's, 60's, and 70's all to help set the mood for this 80 + minute Tribute to Red Skelton.This comedy show is a blast from the past and fun for all ages.
Upper Pigeon River Whitewater Rafting Trip with Guide
Enjoy an exciting 6.5 mile raft trip down Class 3 and Class 4 rapids through the heart of the Smoky Mountains. The certified guides will navigate your raft the entire trip, while sharing their love of splashing through the big waves, maneuvering around rocks, and enjoying the beauty of being in the great outdoors. Big waves, big drops and plenty of surfing will assure that you have the time of your life. On your trip, you'll get to run about 70 rapids ranging from Class 1 to Class 4. Trips go rain or shine! But, never fear, the Big Pigeon River is for the inexperienced and experienced paddlers.
Sights of the Smokies All Day Tour with Lunch
Ride aboard our tour bus to the city of Pigeon Forge. In this area we will be visiting the Old Mill area. You will learn about its history, its heritage, & its people. We will discuss the Old Mill & its multiple uses throughout the years. Built in 1830 & still in operation today, the Old Mill is one of Pigeon Forge's most noted landmarks. Our next stop brings us to Wears Valley. Here we will discuss its name sake, Samuel Wear, a civil war veteran & hero. We will also show you the oldest home in the area which was built in 1818. Among the stops in this area will be Mountain Brothers General Store and Elvira's Cafe where we stop for brunch. Mountain Brothers offers customers a chance to buy local Wears Valley jams, jellies, arts, & music. After an amazing lunch we head on out to the area of Townsend. Here we discuss W.B. Townsend, his little river railroad & lumber company. We will be visiting the Artistic Bean for after brunch coffee, the Little River Railroad & Lumbar Company museum, and the Apple Valley stores. We make our way to the road known as Foothills Parkway West. North Carolina has a road named the Blue Ridge Parkway. Well, our Foothills was suppose to be a similar road on the Tennessee side. Scheduled to be finished by spring 2018 the section known locally as "the missing link" will open up a new area of the Foothills that sat incomplete for more than 2 decades. On our way up we will make 3 stops to get some of the best photos in the entire region. Once we reach the top there will be an optional hike of 1/4 mile to the observatory to get breathtaking 360 views. Heading down the mountain side we go into the national park. Along the way we may watch videos that tell you about the area of Cades Cove. We don't actually go into the cove but we bring you to it to teach you its history. If the cove was a national park it would be the second most visited park in the United States. We will make a restroom stop at the top before heading back down to Little River Road on our trip towards Gatlinburg. Once we get into the Elkmont area hear tails about such locals as Lemuel Ownby, the Sage of the Smokies. You may also hear tails of the Walker Sisters who made their home in the park area known as Little Greenbriar. As we get closer to Gatlinburg we may make a final stop at Sugarlands Visitor Center depending on time. As you enter into the city you will learn the history of Gatlinburg. We will discuss its founding family and its long heritage as the gateway to the Smoky Mountains. On this amazing 8 hour journey your guide will be there to answer all your questions and to entice you with many tales from both historical and personal experiences. This is a fully narrated tour and our guides are encouraged to share their life stories growing up in rural East TN.
RainForest Adventures Zoo Admission
Visit: Rainforest AdventuresHome to hundreds of amazing and unique live animals from around the world, you will be amazed as you turn every corner with well over 100 species of animals. With mostly tropical creatures, crocodiles to giant pythons and a host of other fascinating animals. You might even spot the Australian bearded dragons and frilled lizards.RainForest has the distinct honor of housing two different species of lemurs from Madagascar as well as other species of monkeys from rain forests throughout the world. Spot beautiful and endangered species. Witness species of mammals that most people have never heard of, including the genet and coatimundi. Unique creatures from all of the major tropical and temperate forests of the world are featured at the RainForest.
Titanic Museum Pigeon Forge Admission Ticket
After making your own way to the Titanic Museum, simply exchange your voucher at the box office for your admission ticket. The ticket comes in the form of a boarding pass, which you use to begin your self-guided tour. With your boarding pass, you'll receive a brief biography of one of the Titanic's passengers or crew members, with details about their lives and time aboard the Titanic. At the end of your tour, you'll enter the Memorial Room and discover the fate of your assigned person. The museum is a half-scale model of the Titanic. Upon entering, you'll gain insights into the size and scale of the original ship. Walk through multiple exhibit rooms in cabins, hallways and parlors to learn about the ship and its passengers. Admire the grand staircase, valued at one million dollars, which has been meticulously recreated aboard this model ship. Third-class cabins, first-class suites and other areas have been built to original scale. Also included in the exhibits: a room where you can touch an authentic iceberg and experience the chill of the icy waters where the Titanic sank. Walk along decks that slope at the same angle as the decks when the ship went down. Spend as much time as desired at the museum, gaining insight into one of the most famous shipwrecks of recent history.Between July and Labor Day, The Pigeon Forge Titanic Museum will carry the costumes from the 1997 American epic romance movie Titanic!