2022 April 26-29, Trip to Knoxville, Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg, TN

 Travel to Knoxville stopping at Baxter's Botanical Gardens, which is only open to the public during April as part of the Dogwood Arts Festival in Knoxville. 

Baxter's Azalea Garden

In the garden, we visited The White Garden, the Maze, The Bluebird Garden, the Lotus Pond, the Dogwood Rambol, the Gazebo, the Azalea Garden, the Iris Garden the Asian Garden, The Ellipse Garden, the Fuji Garden, the Balustiade Garden, the Hannah Garden and the Birds of Baxter's Garden. 

We spent about 30 to 45 minutes here. 

We then traveled to Pigeon Forge and checked in at Margaritaville's The Island Inn.

We walked around the Island and stopped at Mellowmushroom for dinner. 

Mellow Mushroom at the Island Pigeon Forge, TN

We ordered a Hawaiian Pizza with a drink and spent $30.57.

Day 2 Wednesday, April 27

Ate scrambled eggs, 2 slices of bacon, fried potatoes, biscuits with strawberry jelly, and cranberry juice for breakfast at the hotel.

We rode to the Trolley Center at 186 Old Mill Ave beside Patriot Park where we bought tickets to take the trolley to Dollywood for the day. The cost for all day was $3 each.

We bought senior tickets at Dollywood cost $166.10 for the day. 

All through the park we saw flowers designed in character form. We saw Busy, Busy Bees, Ring-tailed Rascals(Raccoons), Family Times (bear family), Round as a Peacock, Turtle, frogs, butterflies, Coat of many colors, Colorful umbrellas, Duck days, The Dolly wood Tree, Fines Farm, Doctor I. B. Painless Dentist, and Topsy Turvy.

Wildwood Grove at Dollywood 

We rode the train and carousel. 

We bought cinnamon bread with coke at Dollywood Grist Mill and spent $15

We ate supper at Huck Finn o green beans, catfish, creamed potatoes, and shrimp.

We stopped at the Margaritaville Store where we bought 2 tee shirts. 

Coat of Many Colors Flowers

Day 3, Thursday, April 28

Today we ate breakfast at the hotel Muffins, sausage, & potatoes.

We rode to Old Mill Park where we saw pigeons, geese, and mallard ducks.

We rode to Parrot Mountain and paid $53.11 for tickets where we saw and fed many exotic birds. 

Parrot Mountain

Some of the birds we saw were the red-billed Tucan, Swanson Tucan, Keel-Billed Tucan, Kookaburra, Scarlett McCaw, Catalina McCow, African Pied Crow, Von Der Dickens Hornbill, Green-wing McCaw, Sun Conure, Mustache Parakeet, Golden Conure, just to name a few. 

We ate lunch at Firehouse Sub where we ordered a small Steak and Cheese meal and a Medium Italian Sub meal. $21.75

We rode back to the Trolley Center at 186 Old Mill Ave to buy tickets to ride the trolley to the Gatlinburg Trolley Center.

At the Gatlinburg Trolley Center, we rode the trolley to Gatlinburg. We had a very entertaining driver which made the ride enjoyable. 

Ankeesta and Black Bear 

We bought tickets for Ankeesta where we rode the sky-lift up the mountain. $58.08 We bought a lemonade and walked around then we took the Treetop Skywalk beautiful view. 

We rode the sky-lift back down the mountain and walked around Gatlinburg stopping at Bubba Gumps for supper. There we ordered Forrest Seafood Feast which we split. Which included shrimp, fish, fries, and Cole slaw. 

Forrest Seafood Feast at Bubba Gumps

We took the trolley back to Gatlinburg Trolley Center and from there to Pigeon Forge Trolley Center.

At the Old Mill, we bought Relish and a self-rising Corn Meal. $12.91

Day 4, Friday, April 29

We ate breakfast in the hotel bacon, eggs, biscuits, jelly, fried potatoes, and cranberry juice.

We traveled home stopping in Athens for Gas.

2018 Feb 19-22, President's Special The Inn at Christmas Place Pigeon Forge, Tennessee

Presidents Day, Monday, February 19
For breakfast, I cooked bacon, eggs, and toast.
Hubby and I rode to Athens to leave the Chrysler Van for repairs.
Filled up with gas at Murphy’s in Athens.

We rode to Madison to look at an old Fireo.
We stopped at Dollar General for snacks meat skins and drinks.
We rode through Jasper, South Pittsburg, White Side, Chattanooga, and Trenton stopping at Richville Rest Area where I took pictures of Pushing Forward Knoxville Union Army on the Move.

We traveled US 72 through Huntsville crossing into Tennessee near South Pittsburg taking I-24 through Chattanooga to I-75 N to Knoxville I-40 Knoxville to Kodak taking 66 to Sevierville, and 441 into Pigeon Forge.

We went to Huck Finn’s for dinner for we had skipped lunch.
Hubby ordered the small catfish plate with creamed potato and fixings.
I ordered the Cajun Grilled Trout with creamed potato and fixings. (white beans, Coleslaw, onions, pickles, and hush puppies.

Huck Finn's 

We took several pictures at Huck Finn's.
We checked into The Inn at Christmas Place at 4:38 PM for two nights.
We took our luggage to the room and returned up front in time to listen to the Christmas Bells Chime.
We rode through Pigeon Forge to  Gatlinburg where we saw many Christmas Lights, for Winter Fest.
We saw Johnny Rockets, Bubba Gumps, Dicks Last Resort, Dude’s Daiquiris, Texas Roadhouse, Calhoun's, Hollywood Star Cars, and Cooters’.
We came back to Pigeon Forge where we saw a building covered in Greenlight.
We saw a sign that read Dollywood loves every moment turn here.
We saw a storefront with alligators, sharks, and bear statues.
We rode through the archway at the Old Mill, it was covered in Christmas Lights of red, and white.
Hubby took my picture in front of a picture of people skating at the Old Mill.
We bought a  bag of yellow stone-ground cornmeal and apple fritter mix.
We rode to Patriot Park stopping to take several pictures and videos. Stayed on the sidewalk because the ground in the park was still full of water from all the rain.
As we were riding through Pigeon Forge we saw Arcade lit up in neon lights and a new place called Alcatraz East Prison.

We rode through The Island where we saw the carousel, fairs wheel, Margaritaville, and Paula Deans's Family kitchen.
We stopped to take several pictures of Dolly Parton’s Smoky Mountain Adventures covered in Christmas Lights it was closed for the season.
We also saw the Magic Quest on our way back to The Inn at Christmas Place.
At 7:30 PM we sat on the balcony at the Inn eating oatmeal raisin, Chocolate, and Sugar cookies served with hot apple cider.
It was a clear and warm night as we watched the flow of traffic and all the Christmas lights that surrounded the Inn.
We retired for the night for it had been a very tiring day.

February 20, Tuesday
Took showers, dressed, and walked downstairs to the dining room for breakfast.
I got three sausage links and watched the cook prepare my made-to-order omelet.
I chose mushrooms, spinach, peppers, ham, and cheese.
The cook said he loved to cook and I told him that my middle son loved to cook.
I said you have to have a knack for flipping omelets but he said it takes a good pan.

It was still a little foggy outside and too early for stores to open up so we went back to our room, hubby watched TV and I wrote in my journal.
Last night before we went out we talked to the bellman of the Inn. He said his daughter was the manager at the front desk and he was a retired Sheriff of 25 years. He still worked part-time to get his 30 years of service. He said that he loved working at the INN.
At 10 AM we rode to Gloria Vanderbilt and Lees where we bought hubby a shirt.
We went to the Tanger outlet where I bought a shirt from Under Armer and a black and white shirt from Nike. (I had only brought long sleeves tops and it was 77 degrees outside) It is too hot for long sleeves.
We rode to Bass Pro in Kodak where we bought hubby a couple shirts.
We ate dinner at Uncle Bucks which is inside the Bass Pro Shops. We had all-you-can-eat shrimp for $9.99.

Uncle Buck's All you can eat Shrimp

We rode to the Douglas Dam and park stopping to take several pictures.
We filled up with gas at Murphy’s.
We rode by the Apple Bar where we saw two geese waddling near Little Pigeon River.
We stopped at the upside-down Museum, Hatfield & McCoys, Hard Rock Cafe, and Titanic to take pictures.
We stopped at Dixie Stampede to take pictures of the horses.
We parked at The Island walked around, stopped for Ice Cream, and finally sat down to watch the fountain dance to music.

Hatfield & McCoys 

The Island 

Watching Fountains Dance with the Sunset

Margaretville

We walked to Margaretville Hotel, a gift shop, and a restaurant to take pictures.
We rode back to the Inn around 7 PM.
From 8-9PM, we listened to Santa sing Christmas Carols and religious and Country Songs.
After the performance, we enjoyed milk, cider, and cookies.

Wednesday, February 21
Hubby and I enjoyed a nice hot breakfast, packed and checked out of the Inn, and started for home.
We stopped at the Rest Area in Jasper TN and Richville.
Hubby dropped me off in Athens to pick up the van.
Hubby rode to Madison to buy that Fireo we had looked at before we went on our trip. It had to be towed home. Hubby bought the Fireo parts for his Fireo.
Today is my grandson’s twenty-seventh birthday so we are meeting him, his wife, dad, and sister at Logan’s Roadhouse for dinner.
Hubby and I ate hot rolls and fried mushrooms.
I gave my grandson a birthday card with money inside for his birthday. He said they were taking their camper to Fort Wilderness Campground and going to Universal Studios Theme Park for the weekend.

🚗2009 Nov 17-20, Trip to Pigeon Forge, Chattanooga and Nashville , Tennessee

Day 1:Tuesday, November 17, 2009

We left home at 8 A.M. and rode to Chattanooga, TN. We stopped in the old part of town and walked up to the historic bridge but it was raining and too cold to cross. We went inside the Subway and bought cookies and a drink. 

We rode through Chattanooga on our way to the mountains. 

We stopped at a rest area just outside Chattanooga to use the restroom.

The rest area was alongside the Tennessee River so I took many pictures.

We rode to Pigeon Forge, stopping along the way to take pictures of historic markers and other interesting things. 

We made many stops so I could take pictures of historical markers along the side of the highway.

Historic Bridge in Chattanooga

Historic Bridge in Chattanooga

Rest Area at Tennessee River the Nick Jack Reservoir

We made many stops so I could take pictures of historical markers along the side of the highway,

Dumplin Creek Treaty
About 2 mi. E., at the mouth of Dumplin Creek, was Henry's Station, founded by Maj. Hugh Henry. Here, the state of Franklin, represented by John Sevier, and the Cherokee Nation, represented by Ancoo, Chief of Chota, signed, on June 10, 1785, the treaty opening a large area south of the French Broad and Holston Rivers to settlement.
John Porter McCown,
Born 1/4 mi. SE, Aug. 19, 1815. Graduate USMA, 1840. Brevetted captain at Cerro Gordo, Mexican War. Resigned in 1861 for the Confederacy; rose to the rank of major general. Commanded at New Madrid, Madrid Bend, Island No. 10, and later East Tennessee. Dept Commanded division at Murfreesboro. After the war, teacher and surveyor in Sevier Co. Died at Little Rock, Ark., Jan.2,1879.
 Isaac Dockery
A native of Sevier County, Isaac Dockery, an African-American brick maker, and mason, established brick kilns near Sevierville. After the Civil War, he built or made bricks for many buildings in Sevierville including the Masonic Lodge (1893), New Salem Baptist Church (1886), and the Sevier County Courthouse(1896). A talented master builder, he taught several generations of local brick masons.
Nancy Academy,
Founded on this site in 1806, this school was named for Nancy Rogers, the first white child born south of French Broad River. The first trustees were James Reagan Hopkins Lacey, Thomas Hill, Allen Bryant, and Isaac Love. The Legislature authorized a lottery to support it in 1813; it burned in 1816 and was later rebuilt. It closed in 1890.
The McHanah Indian Mount,
This Mississippian substructure, Ft 16  high and Ft 240 in circumference, built during the Dallas phase (1200-1500), was first excavated in 1881, with artifacts being sent to the Smithsonian. Later excavations exposed nearby villages of the Woodland Indians dating from 200 A.D. to the Cherokee who roamed this valley when pioneers settled in the late 1700s.

We stopped in Sevierville hoping to get some discount tickets, but we ended up buying a temporary time-share. 

We stopped in downtown Sevierville, and I took several pictures of the Sevier County Courthouse and the statue of Dolly Pardon that was standing in front of the courthouse.

Statue of Dolly Pardon 

Sevier County Courthouse 

Shiloh Church 

In 1802 Methodist Bishop Francis Asbury preached in the home of Mitchel Porter, Revolutionary Veteran, who lived 2 miles north of Sevier County and preached in the newly built log chapel, 400 yards west of here. Shiloh Cemetery grew up around this chapel

We stopped at the Motor Harley Davidson Cycles to look at Motorcycles.

We checked in at the Inn at Christmas Hotel at 4 P.M. 

It was dark outside and the city was decorated for the Christmas holidays so we decided to ride around looking at the Christmas lights.

We went to the Black Bear Jamboree show and had a meal.

Come with us and enjoy Christmas at the Black Bear Jamboree where you can discover the true meaning of Christmas. 

The cast was dressed in extravagant costumes with vibrant sets and millions of Christmas, lights and they took us on an adventure to Santa's Workshop to the festive streets of New York City at Macy’s department store, and finally a Nativity scene with baby Jesus, Mary, Joseph, the wise men and angels in the sky above. 

We were served Southern-style chicken hickory pit barbecue ribs, buttery corn on the cob, vegetables, potatoes, baked bread, creamy soup, and dessert with tea, coke, or coffee. 

Some of the songs they sang during the show were, I’ll Be Home With Bells on, Mary Did You Know, Santa Claus Is Coming to Town, Most Wonderful Time of the Year (at Macy’s) Sleight Ride. 

After dinner, we rode around town looking at the Christmas lights, back to the hotel for a good night's sleep in our luxury room at The Inn at Christmas Place a favorite place to stay in Pigeon Forge, TN 

Motor Harley-Davidson Cycles

Motor Harley-Davidson Cycles

Motor Harley-Davidson Cycles

Incredible Christmas Store

Incredible Christmas Store

Incredible Christmas Store

Incredible Christmas Store

The Inn at Christmas Place

 Black Bear Jamboree 

 Black Bear Jamboree 

 Black Bear Jamboree 

The Inn at Christmas Place

the lobby at The Inn at Christmas Place

The display is from a Christmas Story 

The Inn at Christmas Place, Santa, and Tree 

Apple-barnCider Mill & General Store

Apple-barnCider Mill & General Store

Apple-barnCider Mill & General Store

Little Pigeon River 

Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World

Christmas Tree at Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World

Setting next to the fireplace base Pro Shops Outdoor World

The waterfall at Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World

Brown bear at the Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World

Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World

Dixie Stampede

Day 2: Wednesday, November 18, 2009 

Early that morning we spent four hours listening to a talk about time-share, which we bought.

We rode to the Apple Barn for lunch. 

The Apple Barn is located in Pigeon Forge with unsurpassed natural beauty with a flowing creek right in front and a hillside of apple trees in the back. It has the best apple butter, and corn relish you can buy anywhere. Their restaurant serves the best apple fritters and apple butter anywhere. It was worth stopping and we ate at both places. 

The Apple Barn complex is home to two of the most popular restaurants in the area. The Applewood Farmhouse Restaurant is the original favorite. Built in the 1920s the farmhouse was converted to a restaurant and opened in 1986. It specializes in family meals and good country cookin'.

The Applewood Farmhouse Grill was opened because of the enormous popularity of the original restaurant. The Grill serves many of the favorites from the Farmhouse, with a few updates and some lighter selections. It is nestled in a beautiful location right in the apple orchard. We drove over to Kodac TN to the Bass Pro Shop large store decorated for the holidays and many stuffed animals. 

We rode over to Kodac, TN to the Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World, Welcome to the Smoky Mountain's Great Outdoor Store by Reputation. At the Bass Pro Shop, there are departments for hunting, fishing, camping, hiking, or birdwatching. They have an aquarium full of fish that they feed, there is a restaurant called Uncle Buck's Grill and Uncle Buck's Coffee Shop and you can get you're fishing or hunting licenses right there on the spot.

For dinner and a show, we went to the Dixie Stampede.

They took our pictures before we went inside to eat.

The spirit of the season appears before your very eyes. The live nativity scene comes down from the ceiling it is dramatic and spectacular. The true meaning of Christmas comes alive as three kings riding atop camels on their way to Bethlehem. 

The beauty of angels from above is amazing. The holiday festivities get playful as Elves from the North Pole and the South Pole will compete in a friendly rivalry while serving up a festive four-course feast! 

We were served whole rotisserie chicken, creamy vegetable soup, homemade biscuits, corn on the cob, herb-basted potato, dessert, and unlimited drinks.

At the Dixie Stampede, cheering for your favorite Elves is all part of the excitement since the audience is always part of the show! Be ready to stomp your feet and get loud! That is all part of the thrill! From amazing stunt riders and the ring of fire to live horse races, there is something for everyone at the Dixie Stampede!

 Babes in Toyland,

Christmas in the Country

I will be home for Christmas

Dollywood Christmas Parade

Dollywood Express passengers & freight-line departure for the mountains

Day 3: Thursday, November 19, 2009

We bought season tickets to Dolly Wood and spent the entire day there.

We watched several shows and we stayed until the park closed at 9 P.M. 

We watched Christmas in the Smokies, O’ Holy Night, Dolly Wood’s Babe in Toyland, The Polar Express, and Santa’s Workshop.

Knoxville County Courthouse

Rest area in Cartage, TN

 John Harlan Willis Marker,

The Lord's Prayer at James K Polks Memorial Gardens in Columbia 

St John's Church 

Ancestral Home of James KK.Polk 

Maury County Courthouse in Columbia, TN

Day 4: Friday, November 20, 2009 

We checked out of the hotel at 9 A.M. 

As we were leaving Sevierville and driving into Knox County,  I took pictures of Knoxville, Sevierville Eastern Railways KS & E, The Great Indian War Trail, Knox County, Sevier County, Fort Dickerson, and Stanley.

In Knoxville, we rode by the Courthouse so I could take a picture of it.

Between Knoxville and Nashville, we stopped at the Rest area in Cartage, to use the restrooms and I took pictures of the Blue star marker, In memory of the Tennessee Department of Transportation Employees who lost their lives marker, US Senator Albert Gore Sr Tennessee and a Marking Time Preston Farabow artist.

In Nashville we stopped at Opry Mills Mall Shopped did not stay long.

We rode down the Saturn Parkway stopping to take pictures of Polk's Boyhood Home, and Sam Davis.

We rode through Columbia Tn stopping to take pictures of the John Harlan Willis Marker, Columbia Courthouse, Veterans markers at the courthouse, James Polk Rise to the Whitehouse, James Knox Polk Marker, James K. Polk House, Hood and Schofield Historic Marker, Forest, and Capron, James K. Polk statue, the stone-carved Lord's Pray in the nearby cemetery, Delaying Forrest, St John's, Battle and Snap Plantation.

Our last stops were on Highway 43, where I took pictures of  McMillan's Stand and Pleasant Garden.