Disclosure: I was provided with complimentary tickets to The Great Smoky Mountain Wheel in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. All opinions are strictly my own and those of family members participating in this review.
My family and I went on a week long vacation to the Great Smoky Mountains last week and it was wonderful! Even though we had tons of attractions to visit, our trip was still very relaxing. The reason? The attractions themselves! One of the things we did while there was to ride The Great Smoky Mountain Wheel in the newly opened Island In Pigeon Forge.
Going up in this giant Ferris Wheel and viewing Pigeon Forge and it’s surrounding mountains is extremely relaxing. The Great Smoky Mountain Wheel is 200 feet tall. That’s 20 stories!!! It sits at the foot of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park so you can see everything below along with the mountains.
You ride in 42 Glass Gondolas with Climate Control. So you can make them as cool or as warm as you desire. Each gondola seat up to 8 people. If you have meat on your bones, like we do, you are sitting touching. We all fit comfortable though and were able to turn to see out the windows all around. And you can see out all four sides. 360° view. Everyone can ride. It is a very smooth experience and is great for all ages. This is a really great family experience.
The view is AMAZING! We had bright blue skies with no clouds in sight the day that we went. The day before it was cold and rainy. So we picked the perfect time to visit. I would recommend going on a day that is predicting clear skies so you can really see. And then I recommend going again at night so you can see Pigeon Forge and The Great Smoky Mountain Wheel all lit up. The Wheel itself boasts a 24,000 square feet LED Light Show with 1 Million LED Brilliant Lights!
Prices:
Adults (age 12 & up): $13
Seniors (ages 60 & up): $11
Children (ages 3 – 11): $9
Children (2 & under): FREE
Group Pricing (15 or more, pre-paid only): $11
VIP Ride (per person): $50
Plus tax. *$2 off wheel ticket purchase for military personnel only
If heights aren’t your thing, there is still plenty to do at The Island In Pigeon Forge! It is free to visit The Island In Pigeon Forge. You only pay for what you do once in there. You can park (for free) in the parking lot beside it and ride (for free) the trolley car to the entrance.
While it is still under construction in some places, there are already plenty of things there and more on the way. There are restaurants, shopping and restrooms. Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville and Ole’ Smoky Moonshine and restaurant are coming soon!
There is the prettiest Carousel I’ve ever seen.
There is an arcade with tons of games to play:
And if you just want to sit and watch the passersby, you can do that too. There are rocking chairs throughout the Island In Pigeon Forge. Everything is decorated beautifully. And because we were there during Winterfest kickoff, everything was decorated for Christmas!
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I am a stay-at-home- mom, living in KY with my husband and children. I’m a travel and lifestyle blogger encouraging folks to live their life one adventure at a time while also focusing on beauty, essential oils and health. From time to time I also like to showcase my adorable pets along with my family. Along with Cinnamon Hollow I can be found at The Martin Family Adventure … read more
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