When your pre-teen continues to ask, even after hitting the teenage mark, to make at least an annual stop to this popular Tennessee spot, you know you’ve found a can’t-miss family getaway. Having the convenience of everything you need within reach to enjoy a well-rounded stay makes the trip to Margaritaville Island Hotel in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, even better.
This property offers Southern Appalachian hospitality with a tropical island twist and features rooms with serene colors of mountains and the ocean as the backdrop, stone fireplaces and private balconies.
Your young one and the young at heart will enjoy the hotel’s location in The Island entertainment complex, where you can dine and shop—from boutiques to gift shops—plus ride the 200-foot-high Smoky Mountain Wheel. From all-glass gondolas that seat up to eight people, you can take in a view of the Smoky Mountains—a view that’s made even more spectacular at sunset. After some fun and games at The Island, including an arcade, a ropes course with two zip lines, an escape room, bumper cars and more, wind down in an Adirondack chair while taking in the Island Show Fountain presentation of water and light choreographed to 14 pieces of music.
If more relaxation plus a bit of self-care is in order, check out Margaritaville’s St. Somewhere Spa. There, you can choose from manicures, pedicures, full-service hair salon services, massages and facials.
When you’re ready for more action, take a drive over to Dollywood theme park. If this mom can survive getting on one wild ride after another (ones I’d never dare to otherwise) because your adventurous one can’t get enough, you can, too! Our list of stops, thanks to the now teen, included Blazing Fury, FireChaser Express and the Great Tree Swing.
Can’t get enough of roller coaster fun? The Rocky Top Mountain Coaster is within a 10-minute drive of Margaritaville Island Hotel and offers a view of the mountain with you controlling the speed (up to 30 miles per hour) of this roughly 9-minute ride. The ride is even more exciting at dark!
From island fun to food to some of the best views around, what more could you ask for in a getaway? The answer: more time, as there’s so much to take in, you’ll find it hard to do it all in one visit. Considering that reality, it seems the teen was onto something: This is one place worth having on repeat.
Margaritaville Island Hotel is located at 131 The Island Drive, Pigeon Forge, TN 37863. For more information, call 865.774.2300 or visit the following websites: MargaritavilleIslandHotel.com, IslandinPigeonForge.com, Dollywood.com and RockyTopCoaster.com.