by Alexandra Edwards

Summer is here once again in beautiful East Tennessee where the the lush green mountain scenery, the rippling rivers and bright blue cloudless sky look breathtakingly irresistible. Those fortunate enough to live in East Tennessee will often agree that after returning from an out of town trip, no matter where, no matter how much fun they had, that there is no place quite like home. Tennessee rules!

Now that school is out for summer, many parents will be planning how to spend their vacation time. With gas prices the way they are right now, traveling the highways will be much more of a strain on the wallet than it has been in the past. For this reason it probably makes sense to stay closer to home. An excellent choice would be to take the kids for some good wholesome family fun in Pigeon Forge. The trip takes just a couple of hours from Cleveland and you can easily get there and back on a tank of gas. Whether you go for the day or stay over, there are numerous attractions, shows, and events at Pigeon Forge for all the family to enjoy. Like every other vacation resort during the summer, it's not going to be cheap, especially if you have a large family, however, due to the rising cost at the gas pump, many of the Pigeon Forge attractions and hotels are offering some attractive discounts,

coupons, and hotel deals.

There are more than 40 attractions located along the Pigeon Forge Parkway alone that you could just park the car and walk to, maybe even walk from the hotel.  With this convenience you will already be saving dollars that can be used for entertainment. All along the stretch of Parkway you will find anything and everything from miniature golf, go-carts, bumper boats to waterslides, laser games, helicopter rides, even an indoor skydiving simulator. Also to be

found along the Parkway are entertaining and educational Museums that include; Carbo's Police Museum, Elvis Museum, Veterans Memorial Museum, the Smoky Mountain Car Museum and the Dinosaur Walk Museum where you can see the world's largest collection of more than 60 life-sized dinosaurs and over 20 reptile exhibits featuring some of the world's most venomous snakes.

You can help the kids make their own teddy bear or have breakfast with the bears at Boyd's Bear Country, said to be the world's most humongous teddy bear store. "The Track" a family recreation center, is offering some real cool discounts on their many attractions like Go-Kart tracks for every age level, exiting Miniature Golf where you will encounter jungle animals, walk through dark tunnels, and play through beautiful waterfalls. There are Blaster Boats

equipped with water cannons where you can splash around and get soaked on a hot day, Bumper Cars, Kids Country, featuring rides and kiddie Go-Kart tracks for the little ones, and for the older kids, if they are brave or crazy enough, there are the "thrill" rides like the Bungee Jump and the Skyflyer which gives you the thrill of skydiving. Just watching these rides can be enough to make most people nauseous but there are always those that like to put their adrenaline to the test.

And of course there is the Dollywood Theme Park which adds even more excitement to the mix of Pigeon Forge attractions. Musical shows, authentic craft demonstrations as well as some exiting and thrilling rides all packaged for the family. This year's KidFest will begin June 16 through August 5. Entertainment lineups feature "Big Cats & Magic" where Majestic cats

are the stars of the show with grand illusions that make you believe your eyes are playing tricks on you. Also, Clifford the Big Red Dog live stage show, SpongeBob SquarePants turbo action ride, Mad Science Movie Magic is the Science Behind the Movies featuring the movies of MGM including Pink Panther, and Agent Cody Banks. Dolly's Imagination Playhouse where classic children's books including The Little Engine that Could--come to life right

before your eyes. ASA Extreme Sports will be there and entertainment by Trapper & Bear.

Look out for special discounts to Dollywood's  "Splash Country," a 25-acre water park with waterfalls, winding streams and whitewater adventure. If cooling off and getting wet is what you like, Dollywood have some new attractions this year including "Timber Tower." Dollywood theme park unveils its new $6.5 million Timber Tower, the first and only ride of its kind in North America. Another attraction for keeping cool is "Beaver Creek," where little loggers-in-training can wade into the ripples of Beaver Creek and soak their toes in the little stream filled with big fun and maybe a "beaver" or two!.

Also, "Beaver Creek Boat Float" The mischievous beavers decided to dam up one side of the log pond. The competition begins as a "leaf" is dropped into the water where it begins its journey to the finish line. It's a race to the finish where everyone is a winner and you'll definitely get wet.

Other new attractions are the "Lumberjack Lift" where two 30 foot tall towers await passengers who can pull the ropes, lifting the cars as high as 25 feet in the air. And for children 48 inches and under a new interactive play area called Lil'Loggers Landing.

Vacation time though is not just for kids, parents also need their own kind of entertainment. Pigeon Forge offers several good theaters "dedicated to presenting wholesome family entertainment," which will include amazing horsemanship, a variety of different music from country, bluegrass gospel to rock and pop. They also boast on having "the greatest Elvis impersonator this side of Memphis." Also performing will be jugglers, fire eaters, mind-reading pigs and racing ostriches.

Many of us wait all year to get away and spend a few precious days with the family. We live in the most beautiful part of the country, a region where every year people travel for miles across the United States to vacation. So, why leave home?

For more information on Pigeon Forge Attractions and valuable online coupons and discounts go to

mypigeonforge.com/attractions.asp

or call 1-800-251-9100, 865-453-8574 or 865-429-7444.
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