The kids have started their next school year and they are already bummed out with the end of summer vacation. The “back-to-school blues” are officially too real for the whole family to deal. With Labor Day Weekend fast approaching, however, there is a chance to give the kids (and you) one last “hoorah!” before the school schedule really gets into full-swing!
A cabin trip is relaxing, but with a Pigeon Forge, Tennessee Cabin in the Smoky Mountains, there are tons of ways to have some kid-inspired fun for the young and young-at-heart. Surprise the kids or let them help plan their Smoky Mountain dream vacation with our awesome list of 25 favorite kids’ activities in Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg!
- Biking Through Cades Cove
Rent bikes at the Cades Cove Trading Company store and tour one of the most beautiful areas of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park while the road is closed to cars every Wednesday and Saturday before 10 a.m. Check out more bike trails here as well! - Tubing (or Whitewater Rafting!) on the Pigeon River
Summer may be over, but the heat is still around and what better way to cool off than a day on the river? Enjoy the gorgeous scenery while floating lazily down the river on an inflatable tube or get your thrills on with the whole family (kids 7 and up) with a rafting trip down the class III and IV rapids on the Upper Pigeon River! - An Afternoon at Wonderworks
Get those little brains moving while having tons of fun in the multiple interactive exhibits in Wonderworks…parents may just learn a thing or two, as well, in this cool state-of-the-art attraction! - Nature Scavenger Hunts
While parents are all about the beautiful scenery and lovely mountain views, the kids may be a bit less entertained with a hike. Make it fun with a scavenger hunt involving the hundreds of unique species of birds, trees, and bugs found in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park along shorter trails like Andrews Bald (which leads to incredible views of the Smokies in a wildflower-filled mountain prairie)! - Go-Kart Racing at LazerPort Fun Center
Race the kids along the indoor and outdoor go-kart tracks found at this huge facility dedicated to fun! Squeeze in a few games of laser tag and blacklight miniature golf, too! - Pet Deer, Zebras, and More!
Just down the road in Sevierville, Tennessee, rests the unique Deer Farm and Exotic Animal Zoo the kids are going to love where little hands can pet and feed all kinds of exotic animals and a few farm animals they recognize, too! - Gem Mining and Goats on A Roof!
Sift through the dirt to find hidden treasure with the kids before buying some food to feed the hilarious goats found on the roof using a pulley system the little ones are sure to get a kick out of. - Game Night in the Cabin
After numerous adventures and excursions throughout the Smoky Mountains, slow down a bit (but keep the good times rolling) with all their favorite games from home while seated around the living room coffee table. Pop some popcorn and let curfews run a little late while the laughs keep filling the cabin. - Rollercoaster on the Mountainside
Smoky Mountain Alpine Coaster is not your average roller coaster! Race down the mountainside in a 2-person cart along the winding tracks with your little one as your screams and laughs fill the forests you fly through! - Horseback Riding through Waldens Creek
Tour the gorgeous Smoky Mountain terrain on horseback with Waldens Creek Riding Stables where the littlest members of your family (20-40 lbs) can even join the tour on a doubled-up ride. - Carnival Fun at Fanny Farkle’s
Play all your favorite throwback arcade games at Fanny Farkle’s for a carnival-esque day of fun and funnel cakes in the heart of downtown Gatlinburg! - Outdoor Games at the Cabin
Many of our cabins boast large, spacious decks or landscaped yards where the family can host a Labor Day cookout along with all your favorite outdoor games surrounded by the beauty of the Smoky Mountains! - Kid’s Obstacle Course at Foxfire Mountain
Foxfire Mountain Adventure Park has something for the whole family from ziplining to a Kid’s Rope Course! No matter the age of your children, they are sure to be impressed by the country’s longest suspension bridge, the Bridge to Prosperity, that hangs 70 feet above the river! - Meet Hundreds of Colorful Exotic Birds
Parrot Mountain and the Garden of Eden is an incredible botanical garden filled with hundreds of brightly colored birds the kids can meet and feed! - Play with Penguins at Ripley’s Aquarium
Throughout 9 exhibits, this impressive aquarium in the heart of downtown Gatlinburg also offers extra encounters with animals your kids never dreamed of interacting with, like Painting with Penguins and Touch-a-Ray Bay! - Dream Day in Dollywood
This impressive theme park is well-known in the South, but it could not be a kid-inspired list without including the Tennessee country music star Dolly Parton’s incredible coaster, music, and treat-filled wonderland! - Fight Dragons and Wave Wands in Magiquest
This live-action role play game is a unique experience where the kids can be the heroes of their fantastical story as they wield their wand and save the kingdoms! - A Train Ride Through the Smokies
Your little ones will love riding the steam and diesel-powered train engines like in the Western movies while parents can sit back and enjoy the beautiful views. - Brand-New Lumberjack Adventures
With an all-new look and a revamped lumberjack competition, the whole family is totally going to dig this attraction, and there’s even an intermission that could include one of your own kids in one of the lumberjack competitions! - Family Friendly Comedy Barn Show
As one of the longest-running shows in Pigeon Forge, enjoy watching the hilarious mishaps and fumbles of these Smoky Mountain characters in a show the whole family will love! - Magic, Views, and Arcade Games
There may be more to the Gatlinburg Space Needle than you knew. While each ticket lends 2 rides in the glass elevator to the viewing deck over Gatlinburg, standing over 400’ above the streets, there is also a giant arcade, magic shows, and more at the base of the giant needle! - Snow Tubing in Shorts
Pigeon Forge Snow is the first attraction of its kind…in the country! Enjoy watching the kids speed down the snowy lanes and build snowmen in the snow play area while wearing shorts in the 60- to 70-degree temperatures of this awesome facility. - A Giant Trampoline Playground
Top Jump in Pigeon Forge is over 5,000 square feet of trampolines, dodgeball arenas, obstacle courses, and so much more! With all this exercise, you are sure to get some quiet time while the kids nap back at the cabin. - Magical Candyland Mini-Golf
As one of the newest miniature golf attractions in downtown Pigeon Forge, Candyland Golf has become one of the coolest courses with 36 holes of play and an awesome milkshake bar to enjoy a cold treat afterwards! - Sweet Fanny Adams Theater
This unique show offers family-friendly comedy and an intimate interaction between the audience and the actors of this 1890s style theatrical experience. Little ones and teens will be tickled when mom or dad end up dragged onto the stage…
So there you have it! There are TONS of ways to have fun with the whole family while staying in a Pigeon Forge, Tennessee Cabins Smoky Mountain abode and many of these ideas listed are budget-friendly…just like many of our cabins! Fight the back-to-school blues with a fun trip the whole family can help plan, starting today.
