Packed with fascinating historical buildings and sitting in the foothills of the magnificent Great Smoky Mountains, finding cheap things to do in Pigeon Forge doesn’t mean missing out on the best this Tennessee city has to offer.

Nature lovers don’t have to travel far outside the city to hike among brightly coloured wildflowers and alongside rushing mountain rivers, and camping is an affordable way to see the flora and fauna up close. City centre, the retro-style trams that rattle through the handsome city streets are free and fun to ride, zipping between the many budget-friendly attractions that Pigeon Forge has to offer.

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    The Great Smoky Mountains National Park

    Wild and beautiful park filled with beautiful flora and fauna

    The Great Smoky Mountains National Park
    • Adventure
    • Budget

    The most visited National Park in the USA, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is an inspiring place to channel your inner explorer. Camping, horseback riding, cycling, and hiking are popular purse-friendly pursuits within the vast park, and wildlife lovers can keep an eye out for elk, black bears, raccoons, and white-tailed deer.

    More easily visible but no less eye-catching are the park’s colourful wildflowers. There are more than 1,500 species of flowering plants here – more than any other National Park in North America. The park is around an hour’s drive from Pigeon Forge, with its main entrances along US Highway 441.


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    Old Mill

    Visit a unique and photo-worthy historic mill

    Old Mill
    • Families
    • Food
    • Photo

    Built in 1830, Old Mill is one of the oldest continually operating grist mills in the USA and ranks high among the many cheap things to do in Pigeon Forge. The city centre attraction is a major draw for photographers, with the enormous wheel making a dramatic sight by the crashing dam waters.

    Today’s visitors will find a host of affordable places to eat and drink, serving hearty Appalachian food like sweet potato casserole and chicken with dumplings as well as traditional hand-made ice cream and fudge. If a meal out isn’t on the agenda, a stroll around Old Mill Square makes for an interesting peek into Pigeon Forge history, as well as excellent photo opportunities.


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    The Island (water fountain shows)

    Dramatic water, lights, and music show in a lively entertainment complex

    The Island (water fountain shows)
    • Budget
    • Families

    Families looking for cheap things to do in Pigeon Forge should be sure to visit The Island in Pigeon Forge. Free to enter, the vast entertainment complex in the touristic heart of the city is famous not only for the 200 ft high Great Smoky Mountain observation wheel but also for an astonishing multi-million dollar show fountain.

    The multi-tiered water feature lights up the skies with choreographed bursts of ‘dancing’ water, music, and lights, all of which can be enjoyed from the comfort of strategically placed rocking chairs. The show is free to attend and makes an entertaining alternative to the many popular paid attractions like games arcades, and adrenaline-pumping rides.

    Location: 186 Old Mill Ave, Pigeon Forge, TN 37863, USA

    Open: Daily from 10 am to 11 pm

    Phone: +1 865-286-0119

    Map
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    Patriot Park

    Family-friendly park dedicated to war veterans

    Patriot Park
    • Budget
    • Families

    A pleasant spot for a picnic or leisurely stroll, Patriot Park should be high on the agenda for budget-conscious visitors to Pigeon Forge. The town’s popular (and free to ride) trolleys make a stop right by the entrance, and dog-friendly walking paths make for pleasant strolls along Little Pigeon River.

    The park is dedicated to local war veterans, and a patriot missile here is a thought-provoking centrepiece. Grassy areas and strategically placed picnic tables make this a good place to enjoy an inexpensive bite to eat before exploring nearby Old Mill Square. It’s also the setting for regular festivals and family-friendly annual events like Easter egg hunts and craft workshops.

    Location: 88 River Rd #101, Gatlinburg, TN 37738, USA

    Open: Hours vary by season

    Phone: +1 865-429-7373

    Map
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    Gatlinburg Trolleys

    Enjoy a fun, free ride around town on colourful trams

    Gatlinburg Trolleys
    • Budget
    • Families

    Cheap things to do in Pigeon Forge don’t get much more fun or convenient than the famous Gatlinburg Trolleys. Part tourist attraction and part public transport, the famous (and free) trams rattle along the main tourist routes in city centre, allowing visitors and locals to save energy as well as cutting out the hassle and cost of finding parking spaces.

    The trolleys run on 3 routes – all of which call at a central hub in front of Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokie – and allow riders to hop on and off at key points of interest around the city. Friendly drivers go out of their way to make the ride entertaining and interesting, and the colourful vehicles make riding the trams feel more like a fun fair ride than a transport system.

    Location: 668 Glades Rd, Gatlinburg, TN 37738, USA

    Open: Hours vary by season

    Phone: +1 865-436-3897

    Map
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    Great Smoky Arts & Crafts Community

    Visit the largest independent artisan organisation in the USA

    Great Smoky Arts & Crafts Community
    • Budget
    • Families
    • Shoppers

    Whether you’re buying or browsing, the Great Smoky Arts & Crafts Community is a top pick among the many cheap things to do in Pigeon Forge. The 8-mile strip of arts and crafts shops brings together talented artisans from across Pigeon Forge, who will happily elaborate on the process of making traditional items like dulcimer string instruments.

    Located a short drive from the town centre and with plenty of parking available, this is a great place to take a stroll, stopping to admire the wares as you go. And if there’s room in the budget for a few keepsakes, there are plenty of opportunities to pick up fairly priced items and directly reward local artists for their talents at the same time.

    Open: Hours vary by season

    Phone: +1 865-436-6921

    Map
  • 7

    Cades Cove

    Explore a valley filled with waterfalls and historic buildings

    Cades Cove
    • Adventure
    • Budget
    • Families

    An exhilarating place to visit without blowing the travel budget, Cades Cove is the most visited spot in the Smoky Mountains and proves that cheap things to do in Pigeon Forge are anything but dull. Around 30 miles from city centre Pigeon Forge, the rugged valley spans 6,800 acres and packs in more historic buildings than anywhere else in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

    European settlers established communities here in the early 1800s, leaving a legacy of mills, cabins, and churches. It’s also famous for hikes out to the crashing Abrams Falls, which falls 20ft to a natural pool, and eagle-eyed visitors might spot animal inhabitants like raccoons, white-tailed deer, or even black bears.

    Location: 1420 Fighting Creek Gap Rd, Gatlinburg, TN 37738, USA

    Map
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    Sugarlands Visitor Centre

    Friendly introduction to the Great Smokies National Park

    Sugarlands Visitor Centre
    • Budget
    • Families

    Whether you want to plan hiking routes, learn about the history of the Great Smokies, or even learn what to do if you come face to face with a bear, Sugarlands Visitor Centre is an essential introduction to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Rangers can answer questions about the park and its flora and fauna, and a bookshop provides background reading on the area.

    Located at the entrance to the park’s north district, it’s a good pit stop for using the public bathrooms and picking up a drink. The scale of the National Park can be intimidating, but the staff at Sugarlands Visitor Centre will make sure you’re well-prepared for your adventures in the great outdoors.

    Location: 461 Brookside Village Way, Gatlinburg, TN 37738, USA

    Open: Daily from 9 am to 4.30 pm

    Phone: +1 865-436-1200

    Map
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    Salt & Pepper Shaker Museum

    Discover a curious museum celebrating all things salt and pepper

    Salt & Pepper Shaker Museum
    • Budget
    • Families
    • History

    A tight travel budget shouldn’t mean missing out on a city’s unique attractions, and the carefully curated Salt & Pepper Shaker Museum is an appealingly offbeat spot that costs very little to visit. The unusual family-run museum opened in 2002 after Belgian archaeologist Andrea Ludden and her family realised her much-loved personal collection of shakers from around the world was large enough to merit its own exhibition space.

    It now counts more than 20,000 pairs of shakers from around the world, the collection takes in everything from weird and wonderful shapes to retro classics and encourages visitors to recall their own memories of family shakers.

    Location: 461 Brookside Village Way, Gatlinburg, TN 37738, USA

    Open: Monday–Saturday from 10 am to 4 pm, Sunday from 10 am to 2 pm

    Phone: +1 865-430-5515

    Map
  • 10

    Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail

    Admire rushing rivers on a drive through wild nature

    Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail
    • Adventure
    • Budget

    One of the most visually dramatic of the cheap things to do in Pigeon Forge, Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail is also one of the most intriguingly named. The unusual moniker comes from a ‘roaring’ mountain stream, which winds its way alongside this dramatic driving route in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

    If time is short or hiking isn’t on the agenda, driving slowly along this 5.5-mile looping road is an appealing way to see the forest and its blooming wildflowers, as well as well-preserved log cabins and grist mills from centuries past. If energy levels allow, nearby walking trails include a short loop out and back to the park’s famous Rainbow Falls waterfalls.