Dollywood’s Splash Country is Dollywood’s seasonal water park in Pigeon Forge, located right next to the main Dollywood theme park in the Smoky Mountains. The park opened in 2001 and signature rides include the Big Bear Plunge whitewater raft ride, Fire Tower Falls drop slides, TailSpin Racer mat slides and the Downbound Float Trip lazy river. Campsite Grill — the main meal spot with burgers, chicken tenders, fries, pizza, hot dogs and sandwiches. Ned’s Bear Paws is one of the signature snack spots at Dollywood’s Splash Country, and it’s best known for its giant “Mountain Fried Dough” treats. These are basically oversized funnel cake fried dough desserts with fruit toppings. Mountain Waves Creamery - soft serve ice cream, sundaes and frozen treats near the wave pool. I ordered the Toffee Turtle Churn - Mayfield soft churned ice cream mixed with toffee pieces, caramel, and candied pecans. Dogs N Taters — hot dogs, loaded fries and other quick snack foods. Can't go wrong with a good ol' hot dog.

Margaritaville in Pigeon Forge is a small world dedicated to Jimmy Buffett, and at the center is a full-service restaurant with: seafood, burgers, sandwiches, and tropical cocktails; a big outdoor deck overlooking the Little Pigeon River; and live music and a lively bar scene. Margaritaville is an escapism lifestyle built around the laidback, beachy world created by Jimmy Buffett. It takes its name from his 1977 hit song Margaritaville, which romanticized an easygoing life of tropical drinks, sandy beaches and not taking things too seriously. Bright tropical decor, neon signage and a steady soundtrack of Jimmy Buffett blares through the space. It’s casual, with guests in flip-flops, drinks front and center, and the experience driven more by atmosphere than the food itself. I ordered the Teriyaki Chicken & Shrimp - Grilled & basted, seasonal vegetables, basmati rice, grilled pineapple, sesame seeds. It may have been a mistake not getting the Cheeseburger in Paradise. The dish was OK. Something crunchy or creamy would have made the dish more well-rounded and exciting. But it is more of a healthier option that still had some flavor - so kudos for that. Grade: C

Downtown Flavortown is one of Guy Fieri's restaurant, named after his signature catchphrase. Located in Pigeon Forge, the restaurant is more like an entertainment complex, which includes a gaming area, gift shop and huge bar. The menu keeps things big and bold with loaded nachos, wings and fries. Plus, plenty of milkshakes and desserts follow suit. I knew I wanted the trash can nachos, because I've seen viral videos of tbe presentation. They’re built and served inside a metal cylinder, which is lifted at the table so the nachos spill out in a stacked tower. What’s underneath is a layered mix — tortilla chips, queso, seasoned meat, beans, crema and jalapeños. It’s messy, heavy and meant for sharing. I did the BBQ pork version, which lends itself to a nice sweet and savory profile. My favorite part, really, is picking around through crunchy bites, sweet notes, refreshing crema and making the perfect mix of flavors. But the draw here is the larger-than-life experience. The food is fine - it's fun - but it's a background character. Have you been? Grade: B

I recently went to Tennessee (Pigeon Forge, specifically) to visit my parents while on vacation. Pigeon Forge is a very tourist-heavy town, so it was tough to scope out restaurants that got to the real culture of the town instead of tourist traps. But we tried.


The Old Mill Creamery - We went here mostly because we had a long wait for our dinner. But there were a dozen or so options in the form of bowls, cones or shakes. I got a two-scoop cone with a peanut butter moose tracks sort of ice cream and another that I can't remember. But overall, pretty tasty!

Grade: A










The Old Mill Restaurant - This is where we chose for dinner my first night there. While our wait was incredibly long, once we finally got in, service was quick. A house salad and some corn fritters were rushed to our table. I ordered the meatloaf, with a side of macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes (which were served family style) and a pecan pie. The price was about $20 all inclusive. It comes in a nice set. And it was also pretty tasty. The meatloaf was ground pretty fine, so it was crumbly. But the top had a nice tomato flavor. The corn fritters, mashed potatoes and macaroni and cheese were all good. Average-ish. The pecan pie was good. Overall, a decent meal. Love comfort food, but the wait was so incredibly long. And nothing was totally mind-blowing.

Grade: B



Alamo Steakhouse - This is one I wanted to go to because I heard really good reviews. In an act of luck, we ended up going for lunch, so it's a good bit cheaper. I ordered the horseradish-crusted sirloin with a side of mushroom risotto and their potatoes. I ordered it medium, and it was definitely overcooked. I saw no pink. BUT flavor was on point. The horseradish-parmesan crust wasn't so much a crust as it was melted cheese with just a tiny tang (don't be scared by the horseradish - not potent). Mushroom risotto was flavorful, and the fried potatoes were average. Overall, though, very good lunch.

Grade: A

Grade: B
Smoky Mountain Brewery - I was anxious to try some local beer, so we stopped at the Smoky Mountain Brewery for a snack. And beer, duh. We ordered their eggrolls, and I have to say I'm disappointed. They were just bland, and the sauce was overpowering. But I was a fan of their beer. So, maybe something else would be better.

Grade: B
Dixie Stampede - I don't have better pictures of this because we weren't allowed to take any. But this is the first time I did a dinner/show combo thing. It was pretty exciting. There's a constant horse show (and a really heavy focus on north vs. south - I thought we were over that). And it's quick! They bend our tickets depending on what kind of drink we want. I went with lemonade. Then in rounds they bring a creamy vegetable soup, a biscuit, an entire rotisserie chicken, pork loin, corn on the cop, a potato and a final pastry. I couldn't even finish the pastry, I was so stuffed. But it was awesome.

Grade: A


So, those are all the main restaurants we visited. BUT we also went to some other cool places, like the Smoky Mountain Opry, the Old Forge Distillery (where I bought chocolate moonshine) and two different candy shops: The Old Mill Candy Kitchen and the Smoky Mountain Candy Makers. Lots of taffy was had. And is still being had.