Dollywood is gearing up for a great 2011 season!  The park will open on Saturday March 26, 2011 which will also kick off their annual Festival of Nations.  This is a month long celebration of music, dance, food and art from around the world.  You’re sure to enjoy the most captivating entertainment from around the world when visiting Dollywood’s Festival of Nations from March 26 – May 2, 2011.  Start planning your Pigeon Forge vacation today!

I am always looking for fun things to do with my girls.  Something that keeps them talking. The Titanic Museum in Pigeon Forge has been on my radar for some time. You see, in my 32 years, I have seen numerous attractions not all of them so fantastic or believable. I fancy myself an Attractions Connoisseur.  I had heard so many amazing reviews from friends and visitors that I just had to check the Titanic out.

So President’s Day showed up on my calendar and I took the day off – a rare occurrence in my world. My girls were thrilled. I even invited my mom as well as I knew she would love it.  The four of us boarded the ship ready for an adventure. We were met by a welcoming crew dressed in period costume and were each given a boarding pass with the name of a real passenger on it.  (I was Edith  – I had real hope for this 1^st class passenger). In addition, the girls were given a scavenger hunt. We set off.

Everything I heard was true. The exhibits were phenomenal.  My mom was moved by the original pictures, postcards, letters and other artifacts told the story of passengers, their journey and their tragedy.  Each display was a tribute to that passenger who boarded the Titanic for that fateful voyage. The girls loved the interactive displays and activities. We raced around looking for answers to the scavenger hunt. However, the highlight was the giant iceberg and 28 degree water. They could not imagine being in that freezing water in the dead of night!  The museum was immaculate. It was clean and fresh – Everything was just as it was on the day it opened. 

Our visit was enjoyed by all from ages 4 to 64.  We left with a greater understanding of what the Titanic stood for, the lives of its passengers and crew and most important its legacy. When you plan your visit to the Smoky Mountains, make sure the Titanic is top on your list. It a visit not to be missed.

Oh by the way, Edith perished.

jbd

The entire month of March the Titanic Pigeon Forge is hosting an Irish Celebration.  The museum will honor the Irish – the spirited, irrepressible, hardworking men and women from the Emerald Isle.   There were hardworking, skilled Irish laborers that worked on building the Titanic in Belfast.  There were also many Irish men and women that served as crew on the Titanic’s maiden voyage.  Also, as a passenger group, the Irish outnumbered all other nationalities on board.  So to celebrate these men and women who were such a huge part of the Titanic’s history, visit the Titanic Pigeon Forge and you will be entertained with the music, song and folklore that accompanied these courageous souls on their voyage to America.  T’is a grand time you and your family will be havin’ here at Titanic. Be sure to be wearin’ somethin’ green.

• Titanic was built in Belfast, Ireland
• 159 Irish Passengers & Crew aboard Titanic
• Mayo County, Ireland had 14 Irish traveling on Titanic

Looking for a fun last minute Spring Break trip?  The Smoky Mountains are the perfect place! There are plenty of places to stay and more than enough fun activities to have a fun filled Spring Break and we have all the resources to help you plan!

Looking for a place to stay?  A cabin tucked away in the mountains for a large group is the best way to go.  You’ll have plenty of space for everyone and don’t have to worry about finding a number of hotel rooms for everyone.  Traveling with a smaller group?  A hotel on the parkway would be perfect, close to all the fun and just the right size for your small party.  Looking for a unique experience?  Check out the Inn at Christmas Place was just named a top hotel by TripAdvisor and you’re sure to have a very special experience. 

Now for the fun part, what are you going to do?  There are so many fun activities in Pigeon Forge!  Choose from the Titanic, ziplining, dinner shows and great restaurants.  You might not have time for it all!  Be sure to look through all your options and plan accordingly so you don’t miss out on anything.  Don’t forget to spend time in the mountains.  Hiking the Smokies or driving through Cades Cove are great ways to relax and enjoy these beautiful mountains!

The official Pigeon Forge Springfest kicks off March 11 and there are plenty of fun events going on around town throughout the month of March.  Be sure to check the Calendar of Events to see what’s happening when you will be in town.

Always calling the Park’s information line to get road condition updates and weather information?  Now visitors to The Great Smoky Mountains National Park can sign up to receive status updates about the park’s most frequently used roads via text message or on Twitter.

Previously travelers had to place phone calls to the Park to determine the status of the roads, which change frequently with changing weather conditions. The Park’s recorded information line receives over 1,000 calls per day during severe winter weather about road conditions. When all of the incoming lines are in-use, the calls rollover to the park’s Communications Center staff, often resulting in more than 600 calls to be answered.

Those who wish to be notified of the status of the Park’s four most popular roads —Newfound Gap (U.S. 441), Little River Road, Laurel Creek Road, and Cades Cove Loop Road — can opt to get text messages to their cell phones by texting follow smokiesroadsnps to 40404. The public can get that same information via the Internet by going to: twitter.com/smokiesroadsnps to read recent road notification postings. If you have a twitter account, be sure to follow and you will automatically see the updates in your newsfeed.  

In addition to notifications of winter road conditions, park officials plan to notify travelers throughout the year of road openings and closings due to rock slides, fallen trees, and accidents. Anytime the status of one of the listed roads changes, a message will be sent. Get more information about Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and a link to the Twitter site.  Information on all of the roads in the Park as well as other Park information may be obtained by calling the park’s information line at (865) 436-1200 and following the prompts.