Wyndham Vacation Resorts Great Smokies Lodge

[Whoozr]

Planning a vacation for Spring Break and looking for fun and exciting things to do in and around the resort. Has anyone been to Adrenaline Park, Pigeon Forge Gem Mine, Ripley's Aquarium, or Adventure Forest Indoor Park?

Is 4 days long enough or should we spend an entire week there? I don't want to have to drag the little ones out of the resort screaming for one more day.

Any suggestions of activities and places to eat would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Moomoo]

We are going to be at this resort for Spring Break, too. This will be our first time staying at this resort. We usually stay that Wyndham Smoky Mountains. I would love to hear what other have to say about this resort!
When we go, we usually have to go to the aquarium We also like Dixie Stampede and Comedy Barn. Huck Finn's is a good place to if you like a good country meal!

 

[chadwill]

We are also visiting Spring break. We visit at least once a year. I believe you will truly enjoy the resort and its amenities. The indoor water park and gaming center is first class. You may find the resort amenities keep you at the resort. We liked the Ripleys Aquarium but during Spring break week arrive early if you want to avoid the crowd. You can only utilize the waterpark if you stay at the resort.

 

[MaryBella7]

We got married in Pigeon Forge and go at least every other year - LOVE it there. I haven't stayed at the Great Smokies resort, but have stayed at the other.
We usually eat once at the Old Mill when we go - it is an enormous meal and pretty reasonably priced. My daughter and son-in-law LOVED the indoor skydiving (apparently one of a very few in the country is there) more than anything else. My brother and sister-in-law and their kids had a great time at the Forbidden Caverns - they said it was a huge highlight to a wonderful trip.
We usually hit Dollywood, too, if you like amusement parks. In the park, Aunt Granny's is a good deal for food. We haven't been there for the park opening yet, but at their sister park, Silver Dollar Saloon, they open with the National Anthem and a march of veterans leading it - I would bet Dollywood does something similar - very nice.
We did like the Titanic Museum as well, but it is pricey - look for a groupon or other bargain for that if you want to do it. We also usually drive through Cade's Cove and have seen a baby bear and many deer there. There is also tubing, but we are waiting for our youngest ones to be old enough for that to do it (yes, I have a daughter old enough to be married and children too young for tubing all at once).
The outlets are pretty crowded, and they have the typical stores you would expect. Don't bother with the As Seen on TV stores - they are like indoor yard sales without any hidden gems.
Have fun! If the Great Smokies lodge is all that people say it is, you might have trouble getting your kids out of there! You might want to extend that stay - there is a LOT to do there. We always say that as many times as we have been, we have barely scratched the surface of the things to do there.

 

[Bigrob]

In my opinion, 4 days is not long enough, but unless your spring break is different from most, it's already fully booked. Between the waterpark and Adventure Forest, you have two solid days without ever leaving the resort. Depending upon the age of the kids, you may get pushed for a return trip in summer for the Vortex, and the 4-way race lanes are fun too.

Even though the outdoor waterpark is closed, I believe the outdoor mini-golf will be open, though you'll need to get the clubs/balls from inside in the Adventure Forest (I think).

We've been to Wonderworks (the upside down house) and there's actually quite a bit to do there. We've been to Ripley's Aquarium too - depending upon the age of the kids, they might prefer the variety at Wonderworks. Lots of places to go for food, and there are quite a few "dinner and a show" type places. Ziplines, indoor skydiving, Dollywood, Gatlinburg... yeah, there is a ton to do there.

No matter how long you are there, you won't be able to do everything so you might as well start planning your next trip back now!

 

[JimMIA]

We really enjoyed Wahoo! Ziplines in Sevierville.

They bill themselves as the largest zipline in the US, and they might be right. Six long runs through scenic hills and valleys -- NOTHING like the touristy places along the main parkway through Sevierville. We were on the ziplines for well over an hour. Our guides were both Russian, and they were a hoot! Highly recommended.

We did the Little Pigeon River "whitewater" rafting trip. I forget which outfitter we used, but the whole thing was a yawn. When the guide has to steer the boat into a wave to get you slightly wet, you know you should have been tubing. Our outfitter was fine, but this is a very poor excuse for "whitewater."

The Cades Cove trip in Great Smokys National Park is a MUST DO. Try to arrive very early -- as soon as they open. It's a drive to get there from anywhere, so plan ahead and start early. If you go mid-morning, you will be crawling around the loop road at a snail's pace. We went early and took a Ranger-led hayride tour (at 7:30 AM, I think), which was excellent. Tours are seasonal, so check the Park website at www.nps.gov/grsm a couple of weeks before your trip to get the current schedules.

Lots of other stuff to do in the national park. It's our most-visited national park, with more visitors every year than Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, and Yosemite combined, and there is a LOT to do there if you value nature experiences. Check the link above, especially the link that says "Plan your visit."

We also made the trek across the mountains to Cherokee and attended "Unto These Hills." This is a very good outdoor drama about the Cherokee Indians and the "Trail of Tears." Reasonably priced, historically accurate, and well-done.

As others have said, the Sevierville/Pigeon Forge/Gatlingburg/Great Smokys NP area has tons to offer. You could spend several weeks there and not see everything.