Pigeon Forge and Dolly Have New Offers

By Kathleen Walls Travel Writer AmericanRoads.net

Besides being a fantastic singer and songwriter, Dolly Parton is a smart businesswoman. Since Dollywood ranked #1 in the Travelers’ Choice Top 25 Amusement Parks in the United States and #8 on their Top 25 Worldwide Amusement Parks for 2022, it’s not surprising she opened a new resort in Pigeon Forge. HeartSong Lodge & Resort just opened Nov 3, 2023 and I got to visit and take a tour of this fantastic resort.

HeartSong

A massive stone fireplace commands your attention when you enter the lobby. The fireplace’s sculptured doors created by Kevin Stone shows Dolly as a young girl perched on a curving branch sitting under a tree with one of her favorite creatures, a butterfly. Our guide, Jenn Webb, led us through the resort. She explained that the resort captures the beauty of the Smokies that Dolly calls home and loves. It’s based on Dolly’s 1994 “HeartSong” telling of her memories of growing up in her Smoky Mountain home.

When you head to the reception desk, there’s a room-sized screen showing changing Smoky Mountain scenes. A proud elk with huge antlers gazes out at you then the screen shows a mama bear with her cubs rambling across it.

Dolly describes HeartSong as a “high-fashion rustic lodge.” The multi-story lobby has high ceilings with lantern inspired windows. Since you are just a short distance from the Great Smoky Mountains, you can see the mountain scenery. The plush, smoky blue velvet sofas and carpets designed to look like tree rings and fireflies contribute the luxury part to complement the rustic mountain scenery.

Step around behind the fireplace and you are in the Acoustic Lobby, a pink-andpurple event space with a sparkling guitar chandelier that can be used for private dining. When it’s not being used for an event, it’s open to all guests. It’s decorated with a large painting of Dolly and some of her instruments and costumes and other Dolly memorabilia that will rotate so you may see something new each time you visit.

Wander outside and there is an outdoor pool with a waterfall and splash pad. There’s a playground area with one of Dolly’s Imagination Books free libraries set by a circle of stones where kids can sit and enjoy a good book.

There’s a giant gas operated communal fire pit for family gatherings called The Outdoor Cove. For couples or smaller families, there are individual fire pits. At night they host marshmallow roasts.

There’s an indoor pool and a hot tub also. HeartSong is perfect for family getaways compared to Dollywood’s Dreammore Resort and Spa which has a more feminine feel.

The lodge has 302 rooms and suites ranging from standard guest rooms decorated with Smokey Mountain scene murals to themed suites; some of the family suites have bunk rooms for the youngsters. Some are decorated with a daytime Smoky Mountain mural and some a darker nighttime one. Beds range from king to two queens per room.

All the rooms have complimentary wireless high-speed Internet access, 42” flat screen TV, Cable channels. Mini-refrigerator, safe, coffee maker with coffee or tea, clock radio with alarm, hair dryer, iron. and ironing board. Portable cribs are available upon request. Most of the rooms have balconies.

Guests have multiple dining options. Ember and Elm offer upscale dining for breakfast and dinner. Highnote is their bar with a more casual style dining with craft cocktails or beer and wine choices. Songbird Market lets you choose a grab and go lunch including pizzas, sandwiches, ice creams, and drinks. Or if you choose, you can have meals delivered to your door at the resort.

Honeysuckle & Pine Storied Goods Mercantile is the on-site shop for lots of Dollywood items like sweatshirts, bags, mugs, jewelry, or unique souvenirs.

Resort guests get some extra perks as well. You have a complimentary Trolley Service for door-to-door transportation to Dollywood Parks & Resorts. When you purchase an item over $25 at Dollywood, there is complimentary package delivery to your room. On Saturday there’s an early park entry to Dollywood Parks and special prices for Pirates Voyage Dinner & Show, Dolly Parton’s Stampede Dinner Attraction and several other shows. If you are a ticket or season passholder, there are complimentary Dollywood TimeSaver Passes with priority access plus complimentary parking, and an onsite ticket planning center at the resort.

Pigeon Forge

If you haven’t visited in a few years, Pigeon Forge has some new attractions for you to enjoy along with Dollywood, Titanic Museum, the dinner shows, Old Mill District, and the older attractions.

The Sky Pirates of Mermaid Bay

Sky Pirates of Mermaid Bay will be opening soon. It’s a mini-golf course with indoor and outdoor courses. The courses are themed telling the story about Captain Thunderbeard and his Sky Pirates trying to capture the treasure of the Mermaid Folks. You pick whether you want to join the mermaids or the pirates.

Pink Jeep Tours

Pink Jeep Tours started in Pigeon Forge in 2019. Our driver gave us a guided tour through Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. We followed the winding, 5.5-mile-long, one-way, loop road through an oldgrowth forest. We stopped at several historic log cabins including The Ephraim and Minerva Bales’ farmstead where they raised nine children in a tiny log cabin and the farm of Noah “Bud” Ogle. Just outside the park, we explored the Old Ely Mill built in 1920 on 30 acres in the Smokies by a former Yale graduate who grew tired of civilization after his wife died. Pink Jeep’s newest tour is to Elkmont, known as the “Lost Town of the Smokies.”

Pigeon Forge Snow

Pigeon Forge Snow opened in 2018. We visited and experienced sliding down the snowy slope in an inner tube. It’s the first indoor snow complex in the country that has a 200-foot-long snow slide. No need to worry about the cold since it’s always about 60% to 70% here even though they have real snow created daily. For younger guests or those who are less adventurous, there’s a snow play area where you can build snowmen and play in the snow. There’s a snack bar with chips, crackerjack, candy, or soft drinks.

Azul Cantina

Azul Cantina opened the first rooftop bar in Pigeon forge in 2022. It combines Tex-Mex dining with woodfire grilling methods. We ate in the Dolly Room, named for its wall covered in a mural of Dolly. After a tasty treat of guacamole with Azul Special Chips and Matcho Wings, mesquite smoked chicken wings tossed in a spicy salsa dressing and served with jicama and avocado dressing, we went up to see the view from the rooftop bar. You can see all over the city from it. They serve craft cocktails like Lone Star Libre with two kinds of rum, lime, demerara syrup, Coke Cola in a salt rimmed glass and Rhinestone Cowboy made with tequila, elderberry liqueur, agave syrup and mint.

Country Roads Axe Co. featuring West by God Coal Fired Pizza. For something new and unusual in dining, try Country Roads Ax House is where you’ll enjoy West by God Coal-Fired Pizza while you toss axes at digitally designed targets. Ben Boggess, Co-Founder of West by God Coal Fired Pizza and obviously a West Virginia native, told us why his pizza is different and better. They make their pizza the way Italian Immigrants to New York area made pizza and then cook it in the 700-degree coal fired oven. We tried several and must agree they are delicious.

New or old, Pigeon Forge has attractions that are hard to beat.