The island is always a wonderful stop for everyone. My son…read moreloves Dino's and they currently have the dinosaur experience going on. Our big girl was finally big enough for the harness adventure here. Mom and dad got to do a moonshine tasting.

I came to the Island a couple of different times during my vacation and I really enjoyed it…read more First, the parking lot is huge! You can definitely walk to the Island but it's a little bit of a trek. It's probably easier to take the tram, which seems to run pretty frequently. Parking is free. Once you finally arrive, there is tons of stuff to do! Shops, rides, restaurants, and bars are everywhere. It's all very walkable and it's got a good vibe. Overall, I'd definitely recommend that people check out the Island at least once if they're in the area.

The World's Fair Park in downtown Knoxville is a historic and active public space built for the…read more1982 World's Fair. It is home to iconic landmarks like the Sunsphere, a 266-foot gold-domed observation tower, and the Tennessee Amphitheater. Today, the park serves as a hub for major festivals, community gatherings, and recreation. Very welcoming space, lots to enjoy, always busy! The sphere is a focal point, when you go through Knoxville on I-40.

The historic World's Fair Park in Knoxville is lovely in the Spring. Dogwoods and other flowering…read moretrees were in bloom during my visit. The Park was at the center of the 1982 World's Fair. Today, the park is a beautiful green space for residents and visitors. The Sunsphere and the Amphitheater are the only remaining structures from the World's Fair in the park. The Sunsphere is opened to visitors. The Amphitheater was shuttered for the winter and in need of a facelift. Several interesting architectural features (posts and statue) are located throughout the park. A colorful bridge passes over the park and waterway. The Park is filled with accessible walkways, a water feature/fountain. A rail trail passes through the park for walkers and runners. We found free parking at the south side of the park. I did not see restroom facilities. Dogs on leases are allowed everywhere except in the fountain area.

To say we were excited about our trip to Dollywood is an understatement. I am a single mom of four…read morewho doesn't often get to take vacations. I'm also a cancer patient who doesn't know how many vacations that she has left in this lifetime. So, when someone offered us a chance to take this trip, we were over the moon and jumped at the chance. So writing this review is quite painful. I've always heard that Dollywood employees are the best so I was expecting kindness and helpfulness, but I was mostly disappointed. I want to start this review by saying that I could not do what the employees at Dollywood do all day in the blistering heat. They have to deal with people all day long and people can be unpleasant on a good day and vicious on a bad day. I deal with people in my job and it can be difficult. I know and I sympathize. It started when I had to rent a mobility scooter. Trust me, I hated having to rent that blasted thing, but I had a cancer treatment two days before our visit and my treatment can zap the energy right out of me. So, I went to rent a scooter even though I was embarrassed to have to do so. The young lady behind the counter was unfriendly and unprofessional. I was surprised really by her complete lack of kindness. She never once even cracked a smile and her behavior at my questions was rude. I was also disappointed at the employees lack of help when you asked for directions. We only had a day in the park and we had some specific things that we wanted to accomplish. When asked for directions, the employees were short with me and seemed annoyed that we even asked. I ceased asking employees and began asking other park goers. They were kind and helpful. Then there was the candy store near the train depot. The gentleman behind the candy counter was amazing. He was friendly and encouraging. Just when I thought we wouldn't find any employees up to park standards, he showed up and with his sunny disposition really brought a bright spot to our day. Then, my hopes were instantly dissolved when we checked out at the register. The female employee at the register was utterly rude and blatantly disrespectful. I was shocked and wanted to match her energy, but I didn't want to set a bad example for my kids. Also, the kindly gentleman was right next to her and I just didn't want to cause a scene. Also, the employees who deal with people with disabilities on the rides just treated us like we were an imposition. That's just not the way you treat people who are already struggling. Most people who have a disability would do anything to be normal. I know I would have loved to have not known this information about the employees who help people with disabilities. I believe some sensitivity training is in order for all the employees who come in contact with people with disabilities. We already feel like a burden and we HATE it. There were some employees that went above and beyond which is the reason I didn't give a one star review. I've already spoken of the gentleman at the candy store. He needs a raise. There was the sweet young man in the jewelry booth by the Mystery Mine ride. He was an absolute gem and was so helpful. There was a sweet young lady at Miss Lillian's where we ate. Two of my kiddos have severe food allergies. It makes it difficult to find food that won't land us in the ER. This young lady went out of her way to make sure that our food wasn't contaminated by allergens and she even found chips for my son who couldn't have the other side dishes. Bravo to her!!! She deserves a gold star, a crown, and a wand. Also the tram conductors were fabulous They were funny, kind, and helpful. Whoever trained those guys needs to train EVERYONE in the park. The employees involved in the Dollywood Express were another standout. They were kind, hilarious, entertaining, and really did help to make the day memorable especially for my son who has a popular YouTube channel about trains. It wasn't all bad, but there were enough disappointments to prompt me to write this review. I really hated writing something negative. I absolutely adore Dolly Parton. She is one of my heroes. I feel terrible for saying anything negative about something associated with her. I'm hoping this review will encourage some additional training for employees who deal with people with disabilities. Those people sitting in the mobility scooters could be on their last vacation and you could make all the difference.

I love Dollywood. Our favorite restaurant is the all you…read morecan eat southern cafe (forgot the name) My favorite rides personally are Big Bear Mountain, Dragonflier, and Mystery Mine.

We had a great experience renting a peddleboat! We weren't familiar with the area but the staff…read moreprovided great recommendations for coves to check out on the lake. He even recommended some hiking locations close to where we were staying. Very knowledgeable and definitely a highlight of our trip, would love to come back and try the other watercraft options!

We had so much fun kayaking. The owner runs a one-man show. He is super nice! Just park and walk…read moredown to the left side of the marina. He has a little awning to wait under and it may take a while if it is busy but it is worth it. $30 for two hours. Not too bad for Noris lake!

Yes yes yes. This was the best activity for our whole family. Now, we did arrive RIGHT at opening,…read moreso it was not crowded until it was time for us to leave. Which allowed us to ride a lottttt of times. We only did the tubing, but the snow area looked fun! We would 10000000% come back if we came back to the area.

I would give this place 8/10 they only have 3 rides available but I can say the highlight of this…read morepark is the tubbing ride it has a drop had an amazing time . Family friendly .

Goats on the Roof was one of the most fun laid back and unique stops on our trip! We originally…read moreplanned to ride the Alpine Coaster down the street, but the wait was over an hour, so we came here instead, and we're glad we did. The mountain coaster was a lot of fun, had a short wait, and was only about $15. My favorite part, though, was feeding the goats on the roof! You buy goat food inside the gift shop for about $3 a cup, ($1 refill) pour it into a bowl, then pedal a bike that carries the food up a conveyor to the rooftop. The goats are already waiting, and it's hilarious watching them compete for the food. It's a unique experience that's fun for both kids and adults. Definitely worth the stop!

We had fun doing this experience, and it's super cheap. The bike that carries the food to goats…read morewas a little awkward for adults (you can't adjust the seat) but I had laughs. Inside they have touristy souvenirs, and outside there was a couple in a booth by the exit selling "timeshares that aren't timeshares" that felt a a little sketchy to me. My bf got caught in a convo with the man and he was fitting tmi questions in. How often are you here? What's your income back home? What's your job? The goats were cute, esp the babies. It was a nice spot to get hands on with animals.

I visited Ober Mountain in early January of this year and spent 2 days enjoyng activities…read more The first day consisted of participating in the fun pass, which gave us a list of activites we could do on the mountain like going to the zoo, ice skating, ice bumper cars, scenic lifts, etc. As an adult, the pass felt a little underwhelming but I can imagine a kid enjoying their time with this pass. I would recommend that you find a groupon/deal to get it at a cheaper rate rather than the usual $50/ticket they offer it for because I genuinely do not think it is worth the $50. I would definitely NOT recommend the fun pass for adults, but would for children (at the discounted price). Our second day on the mountain, we went snowboarding and that was a very fun time for my group and I. Ober has snow machines, so it is not real snow and instead is icy, artificial snow. I can imagine during the colder season, it may be softer and covered much more. I went in early January for reference. The employees are very nice with helping you strap in boots and understanding how to strap into board as well. I decided to do a lesson, which I would recommend for anyone who has not snowboarded before. Although I enjoyed my time, I do agree that it is fairly pricy, considering the size of the mountain compared to other resorts I have seen. I understand the weather determines which lifts are avaliable but the "snow" was ice, no where near snow texture. I think a day of snowboarding would cost roughly $150+ here for day pass and gear rental. My downsides for Ober are the price, the fun pass, and the snow.

We visited Ober Mountain and had a really fun and memorable experience as a family. We had already…read morepurchased our Fun Pass tickets, and redeeming/printing them at the kiosks was quick and easy. One of the highlights was riding the Gatlinburg Aerial Tramway up and down the mountain--it was truly an experience in itself with amazing views. Once at the top, there was plenty to do. The kids loved the carousel and rode it multiple times every time we passed by. We also enjoyed the ice bumper cars, the wildlife habitat, and visiting Gatlinburg SkyLift Park. One of the most magical moments of the day was when it started snowing during our SkyLift ride--it was absolutely beautiful and something we won't forget. It was definitely very cold, but the scenery made it completely worth it. Unfortunately, the mountain coasters were closed due to the rain turning into snow, but there were still plenty of other activities to enjoy. The only thing I wish we had gotten to do was ice skating--the line and wait time were just too long before we had to leave. Overall, it was a very fun experience that everyone in our family enjoyed. We would definitely visit again!We visited Ober Mountain and had a really fun and memorable experience as a family. We had already purchased our Adventure Pass tickets, and redeeming/printing them at the kiosks was quick and easy. One of the highlights was riding the Gatlinburg Aerial Tramway up and down the mountain--it was truly an experience in itself with amazing views. Once at the top, there was plenty to do. The kids loved the carousel and rode it multiple times every time we passed by. We also enjoyed the ice bumper cars, the wildlife habitat, and visiting Gatlinburg SkyLift Park. One of the most magical moments of the day was when it started snowing during our SkyLift ride--it was absolutely beautiful and something we won't forget. It was definitely very cold, but the scenery made it completely worth it. Unfortunately, the mountain coasters were closed due to the rain turning into snow, but there were still plenty of other activities to enjoy. The only thing I wish we had gotten to do was ice skating--the line and wait time were just too long before we had to leave. Overall, it was a very fun experience that everyone in our family enjoyed. We would definitely visit again!

Wonderful hike. Lucy our guide was Knowledgeable,…read moreinformative and considerate. Would definitely walk with her again.

My daughter and I did the Woodland Wander tour with Andy, which was about 6.5 miles, and it was an…read moreamazing experience from start to finish. It was not only a beautiful hike, but also a great learning experience. Andy was knowledgeable, friendly, and made the tour very enjoyable. We were especially happy that it was just our family on the tour, which made the experience feel more personal and relaxed. It was absolutely worth every penny, and I would highly recommend this tour to anyone looking for a memorable outdoor experience.