• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • About/Hire Me
    • About Me
    • Hire Me
    • Contact
    • Family
    • Faith
    • FAQ
    • My Running Story
    • Recipes
  • Disney
  • Fitness
    • runDisney Information Page
    • Fitness
    • Races
  • Parenting
  • Travel

Through Heather's Looking Glass

  • Disney
  • Fitness
  • Travel
  • family
  • About Me

Fun Things to Do in Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg

July 10, 2019 | Uncategorized

Disclosure: This post may contain sponsored content, however, all opinions are my own.

Recently we went on a trip to Pigeon Forge. There was so much to do that we didn’t even have time to do it all. This posts highlights some of our favorite things, and things we want to go back and do again!

pigeon forge

1.) Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies: On our first full day in Tennessee, we drove into Gatlinburg to visit the Ripley’s Aquarium.

There is a large parking garage next door (minimal hourly charge) and then you walk right up to the window to get tickets. We arrived right at opening, and Emma Kate loved seeing all the fish!

The highlights were the penguins, the moving sidewalk going through the tunnel where the sharks were, the indoor playground, and touching an Octopus. The aquarium had tons of exhibits, and even a food court so you could stop and take a break.

It was the perfect choice for a hot or rainy day in the mountains! However, a word of advice. We noticed the line got REALLY long about an hour after opening, so make sure you arrive right when they open for the smallest crowds.

2.) Dollywood’s Splash Country: I love a good waterpark. I’m not a huge roller coaster person, but I just love water slides. Unfortunately, we didn’t realize it may still be chilly in mid-June, so our day was rainy and cool.

However, that didn’t stop us and Emma Kate loved the lazy river, slides, and wave pool. We definitely would love to come back on a warmer day. There were so many options for the little kids which was nice!

There was so much we missed. We left in the early afternoon after lightning forced the slides to shut down (of course not their fault!) The park was super clean and had beautiful theming and landscaping. Two thumbs up!

3.) Titanic Pigeon Forge: I am a huge history nerd, so I was really excited about visiting the Titanic museum. However, I will say, four was too young. I tried explaining the Titanic to her and what happened, but she got bored and wanted to run from room to room.

I definitely want to come back with just adults, I could have stayed much longer there were so many things to look at. She did enjoy touching the 28-degree water (SO COLD) and seeing if she could stand on the sloped deck as it was just before the Titanic sank.

If you love history, this is definitely not to be missed! Keep in mind on a rainy day like when we visited lines may be long just to get inside.

titanic

4.) St. Somewhere Spa: I had the privilege of having an express facial at the hotel’s spa, and it was glorious! They offer many services such as pedicures, facials, massages, and more.

I had the opportunity to relax in the chill room before and after my facial (which was so nice, my skin was so glow-y after!) and I was never rushed out.

It’s so convenient to take a quick trip over right from the hotel and relax a bit on your vacation. Highly recommended!

To see more photos and videos from all of these experiences, be sure to visit my Instagram profile and click on highlights labeled “Pigeon Forge” and “Pigeon Forge 2”

Like this:

Like Loading...

Sign up for my newsletter

Primary Sidebar

I am Heather Montgomery, a 30 something southern girl living in Knoxville, Tennessee with my husband Bobby, 10-year-old daughter Emma Kate, and our goldendoodles Dolly and Luna. I’m just a regular girl who likes to workout, travel, hang with my family, text, and eat chips and queso. Be sure to check out my “about me” page for more info!
Thank you for visiting, and feel free to contact me with questions, (or for PR inquiries or press trip invites) at Support@HeathersLookingGlass.com.

Please, no guest post requests. 🙂

More about me

Privacy Policy

You can also find me here:

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Recent Posts

  • 5 Reasons to Try a New Way of Travel
  • Experience Superhero-Sized Fun at Gaylord Opryland DC Summer
  • Digital Nomads: Safely Working Remotely While You Roam
  • Tips for Surviving (and Thriving) as a Travel Ball Mom
  • Protecting Your Kids’ Eyes In the Digital Age

 

Search

How to Start a Blog

How to start a blog
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
  • Disney
  • Fitness
  • Travel
  • Family
☀️ Cabin mornings, lakeside afternoons, and a ☀️ Cabin mornings, lakeside afternoons, and a little bit of learning in between… that’s our kind of summer!

I partnered with IXL to help keep Emma Kate’s brain just as active as her body this season — and the IXL Ultimate Summer Workbooks have been a total win. Each one includes fun, colorful activities across math, language arts, science, and social studies, and it only takes 2 pages a day to stay on track. ✏️📚

What makes them even better? You also get access to IXL’s online learning platform, with bonus practice, personalized growth plans, and instant feedback to keep kids motivated — whether you’re at home or on the go. 🙌

No long, boring lessons… just engaging learning that fits into real life.
💡 Grab yours using my 🔗 in bio! 

Let’s make this a summer of fun and growth. 🌲📖💕

#ixllearning #summerlearning #momlife #summerslide #learningonthego #homeschoolmama #ixlpartner #ixl 

Stay sharp this summer, exclusive workbooks in bio!
POV: You’re a busy mom juggling travel, pool day POV: You’re a busy mom juggling travel, pool days, snacks, sports, and sanity… and you finally find the bag that keeps up. 🙌🏼

This Simple Modern Getaway Bag fits everything I need—without tipping over, soaking through, or making a mess. It’s water-resistant, easy to clean, has a removable waterproof pocket (because kids), and comes in multiple sizes for whatever chaos the day brings. 💦🎒

If your summer plans involve going everywhere and doing everything, you need this in your life.

👉🏼 Tap the link in my bio to check it out!

#SimpleModernPartner #GetawayBag #paid @shopsimplemodern
#MomLife #SimpleModern #PoolDayEssentials #TravelWithKids #FlourishAndGlow #EverydayOnTheGo
✨ S U M M E R G I F T I N G ✨ I’ve teamed ✨ S U M M E R  G I F T I N G ✨ 

I’ve teamed up with @best.day.ever.giveaways and some amazing accounts to make this blessing possible for someone. 

I N C L U D E S: 
Luggage set
Simple Modern XL beach bag 
Simple Modern 40 oz tumbler 
Turkish towel
Roe Wellness mineral sunscreen
Summer Fridays lip gloss
Thread crossbody bag
Threat minimalist wallet
$200 cash

👇T O  E N T E R👇

1️⃣ F O L L O W @best.day.ever.giveaways and everyone they  f o l l o w 
2️⃣ L I K E + save this reel 
3️⃣ T A G a friend

⭐️ B O N U S ⭐️ 
1️⃣ C O M M E N T  your favorite item
2️⃣ S H A R E  to your stories and tag @best.day.ever.giveaways 

Ends on 5/31 at 11:59 pm EST.  The randomly chosen recipient will be announced by @best.day.ever.giveaways on 6/2
•
This is not affiliated with Instagram or any of the brands pictured. Must be 18+ to enter. Open USA/Canada.

#travelgirlshub #summertravel #familyvacation #momliferocks
I used to think dairy-free desserts were “just o I used to think dairy-free desserts were “just okay.” Like, fine in a pinch… but never something I craved. 👀

But then this little picnic happened—just me, my girl, and a sweet treat we both loved enough to fight over the last bite. 😅

We’ve been trying to be more mindful with food choices lately (especially with summer travel coming up), and I grabbed these So Delicious treats at Kroger kind of on a whim. The new packaging caught my eye, but it was the taste that totally surprised us. Creamy. Indulgent. No weird aftertaste. And no, we’re not fully dairy-free—and we still loved them.

It’s one of those little swaps that doesn’t feel like giving anything up.

And that? That’s a win for both of us. ✨@So_Delicious

#SoDeliciousDairyFree, #DairyFreeYourMin #SoDeliciousPartner #KrogerFinds #PlantBasedTreats #BackyardMoments
🚨 Homeschool decision!! If you have been aroun 🚨 Homeschool decision!!

If you have been around here since Christmas time, then you know we pulled Emma Kate out of her private school after the first semester and put her in a hybrid homeschool for the spring. The main reason being we wanted more absences than the school allowed. 

What is a hybrid? In our case, she went to a school all day 3 days a week, and we taught her at home two days a week. 

It seemed like the best of both worlds, not having absences count since we were also her teachers, being able to stay home some, sleep in, and travel. 

Well, it wasn’t all rainbows and butterflies. For one, the school we sent her to ended up not being what we thought. We were told being absent wouldn’t be a problem, but it became clear very early on her teacher was not a fan and she was not kind or accommodating to Emma Kate. There’s a lot of other reasons we didn’t blown the school I won’t go into. (If you are local and considering hybrid feel free to dm me and I will share my concerns and grievances.)

Teaching your kid is hard. There were lots of tears and frustrations, and she got bored since Bobby and I also work from home/I’m not a stay at hoke mom. We couldn’t just sit with her all day and teach her with our crazy long hours owning two businesses. 

It was tough to keep a schedule and while getting to travel a lot was great, she didn’t thrive on not having a routine and struggled with the randomness of everything.

She is also a very social only child who missed her friends and also wants to play sports for her school.

 In the end while there were a lot of pros to hybrid homeschool, the cons outweighed them for us so we are returning to her old school in the fall. 

Am I glad we did it? Yes! I always would have wondered otherwise and now we know. We will still be pulling her out of school some to travel in the fall, just not as much. 

If you have any questions feel free to drop them in the comments below and I will be happy to answer the best I can! 🩷

#hybridhomeschool #homeschooler #homeschoolquestions #homeschoolplanning #homeschoolfail #knoxvillelife #knoxvilletn
✨ Staying steps from the magic! ✨ We loved our ✨ Staying steps from the magic! ✨ We loved our visit to Anaheim Majestic Garden Hotel—especially with Disneyland celebrating its 70th anniversary! 

🏰 From the dreamy castle-themed rooms to the lush gardens, on-site dining, and a pool perfect for post-park relaxation… this place has it all. And the free shuttle to the parks? A total game changer! 🎉 

@anaheimmajestic 
#AnaheimMajesticpartner #anaheimmajestic #anaheimmajesticgardenhotel #Disneyland70 #HotelNearDisneyland #CastleRoomVibes #FamilyTravel
If people who believe these are at my table, it’ If people who believe these are at my table, it’s time for me to find a new one.
 (And you are always welcome at mine!) 🩷

#propaganda #momliferocks #momtruths #summer2025

Copyright © 2025 · Through Heather's Looking Glass · Theme by Bella Creative Studio

 

Loading Comments...
 

You must be logged in to post a comment.

    %d