Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee, USA overlooking the Newfound Pass in autumn.
This sprawling resort is in a great location in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. If you love mother nature and enjoy theme parks, this is a great vacation destination.
Video by LADY STAR TV
Day One Travel & Arrival at Diamond Resorts Sunrise Ridge Resort
This resort is easy to get to and a nice break from your every day. This is another trip where I feel like I am cheating because I am just transferring from another resort to this one, which saves me a ton of driving.
This resort is North of Gatlinburg and Northwest of the last resort I stayed at. So the commute was only about a 30-minute drive. Any commute around here is enjoyable because of the scenery. The mountain and valley views from the roads are too much of a, really. You have to fight your desire to just look and focus on the road. If you are playing co-pilot on the drive, try not to call your driver’s attention away from the road.
Checking in was easy thanks to Tzort, and my accommodations were a great setup. They have many 1-2 bedroom options here that all offer full kitchens and washers and dyers in the units. They offer many units in the main buildings and others that are like separate cabins. I chose a one-bedroom in one of the larger buildings since it was just me on this trip.
The views on site are breathtaking of the mountains and rolling hills around the resort. There is also a nice indoor pool and hot tub for year-round water fun. I also like the way they have set up the outdoor fire pits and BBQs. With these outdoor views and this setting, it would be fun to do a cookout with the family here.
Recent Reviews
It’s our first time here, and we love it! From the easy check-in to our accommodations. A beautiful view of the mountains and our spacious condo is everything we could want. Two bedrooms with king beds in both, and the master bedroom has a jacuzzi tub and a walk-in shower, with two vanities. The living room has a gas fireplace. 3 pools, too. A beautiful, quiet place to relax!
Great location. The view of the mountains is spectacular! Very friendly and very helpful staff. You can see Dollywood fireworks every night!! Overall Wonderful experience, the suite we were in is huge, has everything you need. New appliances. Nothing bad to say. Very, very happy with our stay.
The place was awesome… close to being perfect. It definitely was well over our expectations… clean rooms… great people working at the office very helpful. Our pull-out couch mattress was uncomfortable for the kids who called the office and they replaced within a few hours. Amazing views any time of the day. pools / hot tubs were very well maintained and heated!! Taking the ride to the National park def worth it, especially for the 1.3-mile hike to the falls!!! This is the place that I would definitely go back to with my family… the price was great and worth every penny… make sure u get up to parrot mountain!!!! As Arnold would say, I’ll be back!!!
Had an amazing time at this resort. The room was beautiful, and very clean, and the service was quick and easy. We will definitely be back! Thank you for making our trip enjoyable.
Our room was newly remodeled and very comfortable. They literally thought of everything to make you feel at home. We’ve already booked again. Can’t wait to go back.
Rented two two-bedroom units here and were completely satisfied. Very attractive decor. Great view of mountains. Service was superior. They came to replace some light bulbs within an hour of calling. Great hot tubs in the master bath. The kitchen is fully stocked with pots, pans, and utensils. Nice place.
My two cents so far are that the villas are large and well laid out. I think they are still updating some units and mine was likely just updated. I usually do not care about the decoration if everything works and is very clean. This was both and you could tell they are investing in updates for the resort, as mentioned in one of the reviews above.
Villa Amenities
- Balcony/Porch
- Blender
- Cable TV
- Coffee Maker
- Dishwasher
- Ice Maker
- In-Room Safe
- Microwave
- Oven
- Refrigerator
- Stove/Range
Then the resort itself offers all of these options.
Resort Amenities
- Free WiFi
- Outdoor Pools
- Fitness Center
Day Two Pigeon Forge, Tennessee
This area seems like a mini version of Branson. The surrounding countryside is nicer to look at here, but they have many of the same types of shows and entertainment. So, folks who have been to Branson and enjoyed it will probably fall in love with Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.
The resort is very close to Dollywood. I am so impressed with everything that Dolly Parton is involved with. You may not be aware, but she runs several charities and likely gives back more than most in music or Hollywood these days. One of her charities provides millions of books for children every year. It is a simple thing to do but very impactful for children who can not afford their own books.
Both Dollywood and Dollywood Splash Park are so close you could walk to them if you had to. But save the walking for inside the parks. Tomorrow I will be going to Dollywood for the day and it is large enough to go for several days. Today, however, I wanted to see more of Pigeon Forge and to go see a local show.
The shows are similar here to Branson in that many are high quality tribute shows. There is also a magic show or two based on the season. Today I had arranged to go on a moonshine tour. Basically, these are fun excuses to drink for 3-4 hours and learn about local history and the art of moonshine. The tours for this are about $80 per person and include several distilleries and even some wineries in the area.
You depart from a local parking lot at 155 E Wears Valley Rd, Pigeon Forge, TN 37863. They return you there later. Since it was just me, I took an Uber to and from the lot for safety. That way, I could unwind and drink what I wanted without worrying about it.
You visit 3 wineries and 3 distilleries. With some drinks included in each. I also purchased some wine and then some booze from another location. Why not? Since I drove into town, it makes it easier to take some home.
After all of that, it was time to eat, so I was not dragging tomorrow when going through Dollywood.
I had purchased some ready meals from a local grocery store and felt my head enough from the wine and goodies to stay in and eat my meal after a quick warm-up in the microwave.
I had been planning to go to a show but the day drinking had me calling an audible on that idea.
Day Three Dollywood
Dollywood is a great amusement park. I do not say that just because I am a fan of Dolly Parton’s charity work or giving back. It is just a great theme park.
Trip Advisor ranks Dollywood as the #1 theme park in the Nation. For good reason, it offers great value and wholesome entertainment for the family. Now the tickets are about average for the size of a theme park at $74 a person. That is a $ 10-a-day ticket discount when buying online versus at the park gate itself. They also have 2-day tickets which take the cost per person down to $52 a day, which is a wonderful value. There is certainly enough here for 2 days of fun.
With large roller coaster rides, two smaller rides, shows, and attractions, there is a great deal to do and see here.
The entire park is what you might expect if you know that this is your dream child of Dolly herself. So things are themed around her life, country living, and local history. On those hot summer days, there are also several water rides where you may get a little wet, which work like a poor man’s AC as your clothes dry afterward.
One thing that people love about Dollywood is the food. Let’s face it, we love to eat in the USA. This theme park has some of the best snacks and meals for any theme park. I think it is the secret to it being voted the number one theme park in the nation.
Even with all the walking, you do in a theme park, expect to gain weight if you eat one site. They have tons of food spots and more snack spots with treats. There are too many to list here, so check out the website here yourself.
I do not ride large rides typically. But I rode almost everything here. I avoided a few of the roller coasters because they are not my thing, but everything smaller that could hold me I tried and had a blast. I do not remember riding that much before. Even the last time I came to Dollywood, I was not that adventurous.
Video by Coaster Studios
If you want a wonderful family vacation, some see Dollywood, and some shows in town. Just stay at this great resort and save with Tzort.
