3 Great Indoor Attractions in Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg

aquarium of the smokies
December 27, 2023

One of the fun things about coming to the Smoky Mountain area is getting outdoors and exploring the natural scenery. If you’re looking for even more things to do though, there are plenty of great indoor attractions in the city! Read on to learn more! Here is a list of 3 great indoor attractions in Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg:

1. Pigeon Forge Snow

Looking for a unique attraction where visitors can have winter fun year-round? Try Pigeon Forge Snow! It is America’s first indoor snow park and has real snow year-round that never melts. Visitors can go tubing and race each other down the slopes. There is also a Snow Play area where you can use the snow to make snowmen friends or gather up snowballs for an epic snowball fight. Enjoy all these activities and leave your winter coat and hat behind, as the park stays at a comfortable 60-70℉!

2. MagiQuest

MagiQuest in Pigeon Forge

Another one of the great indoor attractions in Pigeon Forge is MagiQuest. The main activity is a one-of-a-kind interactive scavenger hunt game. After visitors pick out a colorful magic wand, they will use it along with a clue book to accomplish quests and become a Master Magi! In addition to this game, you’ll also have a great time playing Pirate Golf. It is an 18-hole miniature golf course that goes through a lively pirate village and aboard a pirate ship. If you’re up for yet another challenge, try to find your way through MagiQuest’s black light Odyssey Mirror Maze! Additionally, MagiQuest also has an arcade where you can play your favorite games to win prizes. This attraction has a lot of great activities. Whatever you choose to do, it is sure to be a great time!

3. Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies

In addition to the activities in Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg has many great indoor attractions as well. One of these is Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies. It was voted “Best Aquarium in North America” by USA Today. This is because of its immersive activities, such as the Glass Bottom Boat. When you come aboard, you are separated by just 3 inches of glass from more than 8,500 aquatic animals representing over 75 different species. The aquarium’s staff will be there to answer any questions you may have! While you’re here, be sure to check out the Penguin Playhouse as well. It is regarded as one of the best penguin exhibits in the world. Crawl through the tunnels and watch these adorable creatures as they waddle around and play. Visitors can get tickets to special events like the Penguin Encounter to get an even closer look! Other things to do at Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies include Touch A Ray Bay. Watch the stingrays as they gracefully glide along the water. As the name implies, visitors can reach out and touch their smooth backs. Don’t worry! You won’t get stung!

There are a lot of great indoor attractions in Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg! If you want to learn about even more of them, check out our list of 3 Pigeon Forge museums you need to visit!