All-Girls Trip to Pigeon Forge and Ober Gatlinburg TN

Hey Yall!  Did you check out all we did over the Memorial Day Weekend?  I'm tellin' ya, our trip to Pigeon Forge, and Ober Gatlinburg, TN, was by far one of the best trips we've ever had!


This was an All-Girls trip, just the girls and I, without Mr. M, and I believe that without him there it made the trip a whole lot better.


You see, Mr. M likes to rush things, you know how men don't have patience, and without him, the girls and I got to get the full on experience.


Our trip helped me to relax, leave the negativity of home life behind, closer bonding with my girls, get closer to God and be one with nature.  It has been a trying couple of months, and I needed an escape from it all.


We've been to the Smoky Mountains a couple of times; you can check out those posts here, and here, both times we stayed Wilderness at The Smokies Waterpark Resort.  But this time, I wanted to do things differently.


Since visiting The Smoky Mountains previous times, I wanted to visit Dollywood to see what it's all about and stay at a different location.


Dollywood's ticket prices were inexpensive when you do their 3 Day Pass, which cost me $99 per adult and $82 per child.  So the girls and I got to do Dollywood twice and one time at Dolly's waterpark, Splash Country.


Now, I wanted to stay at Dollywood's resort, but those prices were too expensive for me, so I went on Priceline to see what hotel options I could find.


During my search, I found a resort called Golfview Vacation Rental Resort that had condos for an affordable price.  I much prefer to stay in a place with more space.  The Golfview Resort had good reviews, and the going price was $143 per night, not bad for a vacation rental during the holiday.




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I was a bit nervous driving through mountains alone with the girls. Usually, Mr. M is the driver, and I'm the one directing the way.  I have a fear of heights and thinking the car will roll off the cliff, but it was smooth sailing there.  Skies were clear, much more people on the road due to the holiday weekend; I felt safe.


While driving in The Great Smoky Mountain National Park, there were so many people walking around taking in the scenery of the beautiful landscapes.  I wanted to stop and snap photos, but the parking was so congested.


We arrived at our destination, Golf View Resort a little after 4 pm, the check in desk was closed. However, they had our room key password in an envelope in their dropbox.


Judging by the outside of the grounds, it looks clean, but wish there were more parking option next to the condos so you won't have to walk far to the building, but during our stay, we never had a problem not finding parking.


Our room was located on the top 5th floor overlooking the mountains and the golf course.

When we walked in, I was so surprised how good our condo looked!  It had everything!  Hardwood floors, comfy couches, dining area, full kitchen, laundry room, two bedrooms with two bathrooms, even the master bedroom had a jacuzzi tub!  The decor of all the black bears gave the condo a country home feel.  I seriously fell in love with this condo!

The condo had a peacefulness to it that was rejuvenating and cozy.  I just knew I wanted to stay longer because I was in no rush to leave.  The vibe of the condo was so laid back, which made me want to kick my feet up and do nothing.  But we didn't come to the mountains to sleep all day; we came to explore.

We got settled in, then went to The Island, a place we visited before that has entertainment, attractions, shops, and restaurants.

The girls and I walked around, window shopped, and did some of the activities like bungee jump, bumper cars, got lost several times in the mirror maze, and played a laser game.  Fun!

For dinner, I wanted to try out Paula Deen's restaurant.  I heard mixed reviews, but still want to try it myself to form my own opinion.  But man, that wait time was almost 2 hours!  My girls will not wait that long, so we took a quick walk across the street to Margaritaville.

Margaritaville is a waste of money.  The food was not good; I could've made better food at home, what a disappointment.  I guess if you visit there go for the drinks only.

After our disappointing dinner, we went to the grocery store to pick up breakfast foods and snacks since the condo has a kitchen with all cooking utensils.  Doing some cooking at the condo helped me save money, and also helped eat healthier meals during our trip.




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Since I was so in love with the condo, I extended our stay for a couple of more days.  The resort gave us a good deal of only paying $100 a day!

Today's the day we visited Dollywood!  I was quite shocked to see that the amusement park wasn't crowded, considering it was Memorial Day.  I guess people decided to BBQ at home, or maybe started heading back home.  But hey, that's no problem for me, fewer crowds means no lines!

Walking into Dollywood, it's like a wilderness theme park filled with fast roller coasters, over 40 rides, so many southern style dining to choose from, museums, shows, just so much to do inside!

I have to admit, I hardly know anything about Dolly Parton, but thanks to visiting her park, I got to learn more about her.

I love the fact that she is a Christian, and her amusement park has a Christian based theme as well.   In her museum, it shared her life story, a little country girl with eleven siblings who grew up poor in the Smoky Mountains.

Dolly is a dreamer, and she chased her dreams and turned them into reality.  When she made it big, she made sure to give back to her people, and she wanted to make her family proud by creating her own amusement park.  She made sure to make it an affordable attraction, so families can afford to go.


Dolly is the perfect example of rags to riches story.  If you want to do or be something in life, go for it, the skies the limit!  Also thanks to God for leading the way for her.


The park employees are so friendly and helpful they made sure that you have a joyful experience.  Even the visitors at the park were very friendly too; I just love seeing all the families together having a great time with one another.

The girls favorite part was watching the Bird Show, learning about the different birds that were rescued.  Some of them were hurt and unable to return to the wild, so Dollywood took them in.

My favorite part of the park was walking into a chapel, a replica of one that Dolly use to go to, and I sat down in the pew and watched people walking in and out.  A couple of families came in and started singing together, the father got on the piano, while the mother and children would sing Christian songs.

Such beautiful voices, made me start tearing up.  I felt the spirit of the Lord in that chapel; it was like the Lord was showing me it'll be okay, he is with me.

There was a prayer request book in the chapel with people requesting prayers; I added mine needing prayer for my family and world peace.  Like I said, it has been a trying couple of months for me, and I'm in need of prayers.




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Time to get our swim on!  The girls and I went to Dollywood's Splash Country, Dolly's waterpark.  Boy, was it huge!  Something to do for all ages.

When my girls found the wave pool, they played in it for hours!  I even joined in on the fun too.  Usually, when I take the girls to the pool I would sit out and just watch, but that's boring and too hot sitting, I wanted to get in on the action.


I locked up my phone and camera in the provided lockers, so I don't have many pictures of Splash Country.  It was great to step away from technology and enjoy uninterrupted swim time with my girls.

The swim park closed at 6 pm, and we tried Paula Deen's Restaurant again, this time, the wait was only 15 min!  YES!

Here's the verdict on Paula Deen's.  Was the food good?  Yes, very tasteful and delicious.  Is it expensive?  Yes it is.  The food is served southern-style, think of it as having a big Sunday dinner with the table filled with food, and everyone is passing around the dishes.  It's worth taking a visit there.


After our satisfying dinner, we walked around to walk our food off.  Again, we went window shopping at The Island, and during our stroll, we stop at a Parrot shop.

I couldn't get the girls out of there!  They wanted to stay there and pet all the baby birds.  The employees told us about their other location called Parrot Mountain and Garden of Eden; it has numerous different species of exotic birds the girls can pet, hold, and feed.


I took them up on their offer and paid for Parrot Mountain at the store.  With all trips we take, I like to make sure it's educational, and the girls have a takeaway learning experience.







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Off to Parrot Mountain and Garden of Eden we go!  And they weren't kidding that Parrot Mountain is on a mountain, it's a ride up steep hills, but still doable driving in a car.  I believe if you're too nervous to make the drive up they have a bus you can ride in.


Parrot Mountain is the largest bird park in the southeast.  There, you will find hundreds of tropical birds in a Garden of Eden surrounding.

When we arrived, I loved the beautiful English style cottage, and the grand steps leading to the location.  It's like you're walking into a secret paradise hidden away deep in the mountains, with birds ready to greet you.  I felt a sense of calmness stepping into the tranquil garden.  The atmosphere is welcoming.

I love how we got to get up close and personal with the birds.  And the birds enjoyed our presence there by saying, "Hello!" "Hello, Beautiful!" One even started whistling and waving his feet at us.  Such smart birds, makes you want to take them all home with you.

Taking a stroll down the pathway showcased stunning flowers and plants, along with soothing sounds of waterfalls.

We also got to experience the Prayer Garden.  While walking through the Prayer Garden, we got to see the replica of the manger scene depicting the birth of Christ.  Next, is the replica of the crucifixion of Christ, then the replica of the empty tomb of Christ.  Lastly, at the end of the Prayer Garden, there is a 7 ft. statue of the resurrected Christ.

The girls and I were hands on with the birds by getting to pet them, feed them, and even hold them.  The birds enjoyed getting hand fed by us, and I had a few favorites that loved eating sunflower seeds from me, they didn't want me to leave.

The Parrot Mountain was the perfect place for the girls and me to experience such beautiful scenery.  We got to learn about all different kinds of birds from around the world, biblical inspirations, and we all faced our fears of feeding and handling large birds.  This place is a must add to your travel bucket list, especially if you're a bird lover.

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The girls and I chose to do Dollywood again for our last day of the 3-day pass.


Beautiful sunny skies, but a bit hot, so we caught a show that was indoors when we first got to the park.  The singers and dancer of the 50's style musical did an exceptional job!  We loved it from the beginning to the end!

After the hour long show was over, we stepped outside and went to the restroom.  Next thing we know it, it started to downpour!  We ran for cover to the nearest gift shop to keep dry from the storm.

That storm was scary, big balls of hail, high winds, roaring thunder and lightning, which started a flood in our area.  I was getting so nervous!


The storm let up about an hour later, and everyone, including us, left the park.  The girls and I weren't that disappointed since we already got to experience Dollywood on Memorial Day.  What matter is that we got out of the park safely, and we returned to the condo to relax.  Hopefully, Dollywood didn't experience much damage.





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Time to check out of our condo.  It was hard because I love our condo so much, so roomy, clean, peaceful, that gave me that outdoorsy feel.  Also, I'm going to miss the many different colorful birds that greet us in the mornings on the outdoor patio.

Since the day before was washed out from the storm, I took the girls to Ober Gatlinburg, a place that resembles Germany.

We took a 10-minute ride on the tram that ascends from 1,340 in the valley to 2,675 on the mountain.

Once we got on top of the mountain, you walk into a mall that has a year-round ice skating rink, with numerous shops, and eateries.

Outside, there is a Wildlife exhibit that houses black bears, bobcats, river otters, and step into a Nocturnal House to see all the night time critters.

Gosh, I tell ya, there is so much to do at Ober Gatlinburg!  They have the Alpine Slide, Amaze Maze, Water Raft Rides, an Amusement park for kids, and the girls and my favorite, Scenic Chairlift and Ski Mountain Coaster.

Speaking of Scenic Chairlift, like I said I'm scared of heights, but this trip was about facing our fears, so we got on.  The Scenic Chairlift ride offers one of the best views of the Great Smoky Mountains.  It's a 15-minute ride to the pinnacle of Mt. Harrison.  When we got to the top, a live Bluegrass Band was entertaining everyone who arrived from the ride.

On our way down, we got to see a baby black bear walking around while playing in the trash that people dropped from the chairlift.  I was not happy about this because people need to throw their garbage away, so bears won't be in places where people are at.  And this is why bears attack. However, it was a great sight to see a bear so close in his natural habitat.

At the end of the trip, on our way home, we got to see the Elks again!  It was great seeing them again, awesome way to end our trip.

We can't stop talking about all the things we got to do during our trip.  This getaway showed me that I could do all things through Christ, and continue to keep putting my trust in him, things will be okay.

It's like I've been freed from all my stress, worries, and pain, this trip was a much-needed escape for me and helped me with self-care.  I look forward to our next All-Girls Trip.

Have you ever gone on a All-Girls trip before?

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