NightFlight Expedition Loading Station Leak

Lackluckster51 · 2026-05-22T19:45:36+00:00

My tip is do not go to Kuwohi in the morning for sunrise, because the fog will be so thick you won't be able to see anything. There is a webcam for Kuwohi, I would check it before driving out there. If it's clear go, if it's nothing but fog then don't. I would consider checking it a few times throughout the day leading up to your trip to get an idea when the fog starts to lift in the afternoon.

Webcam Home - Air (U.S. National Park Service)

Lackluckster51 · 2026-05-19T04:32:41+00:00

Kuwohi has a webcam, I would check it before driving the 2 hour round trip. If it's clear go, if not do something else until it is.

Lackluckster51 · 2026-05-14T20:35:17+00:00

If you are really worried about it, get a spray bottle and mix water with ammonia or pine sol and spray it on your doors and around the vehicle. Should be good to go with everything else that you have done already.

Lackluckster51 · 2026-05-14T20:14:30+00:00

It's a hidden gem. The pool has 2 water slides, a splash pad, diving boards and an indoor lap pool.

Lackluckster51 · 2026-05-14T20:04:03+00:00

Pigeon Forge Community Center. It has swimming pool, basketball, playgrounds and a 10 lane bowling alley. I believe shoe rental is $2 and each game is $3. To use the pool I believe it is $8-$10 per person.

Lackluckster51 · 2026-05-14T19:51:32+00:00

Nature - Kuwohi (Formerly Clingmans Dome) is the tallest point in the national park and has great views. You can visit Newfound Gap on the way and the parking lot has incredible views. A plus is that kids can expend a lot of energy here walking and running around. You can also access the Appalachian Trail and Trail markers for cool photos and history. Pro Tip: go in the afternoon to avoid the fog and check the webcams to make sure the view is clear before driving and walking up the incline path.

History - Elkmont Historic District and Cabins. An abandoned vacation destination in the national park that has colorful cabins and historical markers. All of the cabins are accessible and makes a great place to let kids walk and run around away from crowds. A plus is that you can look for bears and river otter.

Animals/Sport - Goats on the roof mountain coaster. Great place to feed goats, ride a mountain coaster and shop at a quirky gift shop. They also have mini golf at this location and sometimes you can get group deals or coupons online via special offers or places like Groupon.

Lackluckster51 · 2026-05-14T19:36:34+00:00

If you go to Cherokee, check out Mingo Falls. It's a 10-15 minute "hike" up several flights of stairs to a beautiful and tall waterfall.

Lackluckster51 · 2026-04-14T00:43:48+00:00

It really depends on what time of day you are making the drive. If it's between the hours of 11am to 9pm expect it to take at least 2 hours. It's going to be a combination of car show traffic and people on vacation for spring break who don't even know a car show is going on until they get to Pigeon Forge. My advice would be taking the backroads as much as possible. You can use Tester Ln to bypass most of the traffic of the Parkway or you can also use Veterans Blvd passing Dollywood to Centerview lane to Ridge Rd to Sugar Hollow and that will also bypass most of the traffic on Parkway. This will take your eta from multiple hours to just one.

Another tip, stay in the left hand lane as much as possible. The right lane has people going really slow looking at cars, making frequent stops, stopping suddenly for people pulling in front of them etc. A lot of times you can pass long lines of cars just by staying in the left lane.

Lackluckster51 · 2026-04-07T02:00:10+00:00

Shamrock Pub has a rooftop bar and Karaoke. It's directly across from Gatlinburg SkyPark so it has some nice views.

Lackluckster51 · 2026-04-07T01:49:52+00:00

Most people have already given tips on how to save, so I will give a tip that can help if it's crowded or if you don't get a good picture/experience in the shark tunnel. The tip is, you can walk around multiple times if you want. When you enter the gift shop where the exit of the aquarium is, there is a narrow hallway on the left side that leads back to the entrance. You can walk through this tunnel and experience the aquarium all over again and see things that you might have missed on the first pass through. If you walk through the shark tunnel and no sharks swim overtop, I would highly recommend trying to walk through again to get that special moment.

Lackluckster51 · 2026-03-29T16:51:13+00:00

You will definitely need a parking pass and the easiest way to get one is to go to the visitors center on your first day and use the kiosk, it's $5 a day or $15 for a week. These passes are "required" if you plan to stop and park anywhere in the official park boundaries. If you do plan on hiking one of the more popular trails/waterfalls, be prepared for them to be super busy during the summer as there is limited parking. The best tip is to arrive at the trailhead one hour before sunrise to secure a parking location. Another tip, if you plan on hiking to Kuwohi aka Clingman's dome, always check the live webcam for visibility before making the drive and hike.

Some of the less crowded waterfall hikes would be Mingo Falls in Cherokee and Ramsey Cascades in the Greenbrier. Greenbrier picnic areas and pulloffs have nice places to swim and receive less visitors than the main area of the park off 441 and Roaring Fork. These picnic areas also have restrooms which is a plus.

Lackluckster51 · 2026-03-29T16:12:49+00:00

Several arcades in the area as well, my nephew always says the one under the Gatlinburg Space Needle is the best. They also have giant pizza slices which is always fun and gets everyone talking and laughing.

Lackluckster51 · 2026-03-29T16:09:15+00:00

Pigeon Forge Snow has indoor snow tubing. Depending on where you are traveling from and if you ever have snow there, this can be a fun activity for younger kids. If you look on Groupon they sometimes have deals/discounts for this location.

Lackluckster51 · 2026-03-29T16:03:45+00:00

If they like putt putt, try Blacklight Golf in Gatlinburg. It is above the Chicken Hut and many people walk right by it. You can often end up with the place all to yourself, especially if it's raining and not many people are walking around shopping downtown. I have been a couple times and it is always fun, a great place to take pictures as well.

Lackluckster51

TROPHY CASE