Dollywood in the Fall

I’ve been a huge Dolly Parton fan for as long as I can remember. Ever since I found out about her theme park, Dollywood, it has been on my bucket list to go. In October 2017, I finally crossed it off my list as our first vacation as a family of 3 after I had my daughter.

I’m always partial to theme parks at Christmas time, but we went during the fall, and they had so much to offer during the fall/Halloween season. The city and the Smoky Mountains were gorgeous with the fall colors and changing leaves on the trees. We had so much fun, and I definitely would love to visit again.

Dollywood has so much to offer! They have the main Dollywood Theme Park; Splash Country (water park); DreamMore (resort & spa); and Smoky Mountain Cabins. Initially, when planning our trip, I wanted to stay at the DreamMore Resort, but they were completely booked. We ended up staying at a generic hotel in Pigeon Forge about 5 miles from Dollywood.

A little tip for booking your stay through Dollywood:

If you want to stay at the Dollywood resort or one of their cabins make sure you book it far in advance. I called a couple weeks ahead to stay at their DreamMore resort and they were completely booked.

They can also be a bit pricey so make sure to save up ahead of time and ask for any discounts they may have (i.e. military, AARP, etc). Also shop around to verify prices through online sites like hotels.com, etc. Sometimes you can get a better deal through another site.

I was pleasantly surprised by how much Pigeon Forge had to offer aside from Dollywood. Prior to visiting, I thought the only thing in the town was Dollywood. Boy, was I wrong! Pigeon Forge has so many shops, restaurants, and fun activities all along the main strip (73/71/441 Parkway).

We road-tripped from Virginia to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, for our Dollywood vacation. My daughter was 5 months old at the time. She did great on the trip, and we arrived in town around dinner time the first night. Our hotel was on the main parkway. After checking in, we walked along the main strip, ate, and did some shopping.

They have so many cute southern shops and family activities. There are so many Dolly Parton and country-themed stores. My favorite shop was “Lid’l Dolly’s“. They have the cutest handmade frilly southern dresses for little girls, among other cute items. I bought my daughter’s Christmas dress there that year.

On our first day at Dollywood, it was a bit rainy. Thankfully, we had an umbrella, and my daughter was little enough that she was still in her car seat in a stroller, so we were able to keep her pretty well covered. Dollywood has an amazing fall theme called “Great Pumpkin LumiNights,” and just being real, they have the BEST fall decorations. So many pumpkins and fall-themed fun at the park. Honestly, I felt like they had more fall decorations than Disney (and Disney is my FAVE).

A little tip on packing for Dollywood:

Dollywood is in the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee so make sure you are prepared for weather. They have all four seasons. Bring umbrellas, ponchos, etc in case of rain. Bring jackets and warm clothes for cooler weather if you go during the colder seasons. And bring sunscreen, water bottles, hats, etc for the warmer months.

Day 1

Because our first day in Pigeon Forge rained all day, we had to rearrange our plans a bit. Initially, we planned to just go to the park all day that first day, but due to the rain, we waited longer and shopped around in town a bit before going, hoping the rain would stop. It slowed but kept raining, so we decided to just go to Dollywood anyway. We found online that they had a special going on at the time for tickets: if you went after a certain time, you could get the whole next day free too. So we went with that. The park wasn’t busy at all, so we got to see and do so much.

A little tip for booking tickets to Dollywood:

Before buying tickets to Dollywood, make sure to check out any ticket specials they may have online. They may have military discounts, park hopper tickets at a cheaper price or another special. Also, check on the season pass prices. Depending on how many days you’re going or if you think you’ll visit again within a year it may be better to just buy a season pass.

When we went they had a special that if you bought a ticket after a crtain time (I think it was 1 or 2pm) you would get a free ticket for the next day. So we did that. Spent a shorter day the first day and then went for the whole next day too.

We strolled through the Great Pumpkin LumiNights section first. This was located in Timber Canyon. All the pumpkin and fall decorations were amazing! There were so many great spots for photo ops.

In Craftsman’s Valley, we walked through Eagle Mountain Sanctuary, which Lacey Belle and Robbie loved. I’m not a bird person, so I was happy they were all behind fenced-in areas. The Eagles were pretty cool to see up close, though. This area actually houses the country’s largest population of non-releasable bald eagles.

We saw the little white Robert F. Thomas Chapel, which is just gorgeous. It is a one-room country church named after the doctor who delivered Dolly. They actually hold Sunday services there as well.

I was most excited to see the replica of Dolly’s childhood cabin she calls “Tennessee Mountain Home,” and it did not disappoint. It’s so hard to imagine all 11 kids in this little 2-room cabin. It is so quaint and awesome to see.

Lacey Belle was in good spirits, and after the rain let up, she enjoyed some time in the baby carrier. We went into Chasing Rainbows, which is basically a museum of Dolly Parton’s life and career. It was amazing! It has so many of her outfits, Grammys, movie props, etc. There is so much to see, and you can spend so much time in there. I took so many photos.

Dolly’s Home on Wheels tour bus was closed due to the rain, so we walked back through the Great Pumpkin LumiNights again once it got dark to see everything all lit up.

Day 2

We went back the next day to Dollywood, and thankfully there was no rain that day. We did a lot more walking and took advantage of no rain by taking more photos, especially by all the signs and flowers.

We took the tour of Dolly’s Home on Wheels tour bus, which was so cool. It is located in Adventures in Imagination. There are so many cool details and features on the bus. It was designed by Dolly’s longtime manager, bus driver, and friend Don Warden and his wife Ann. It has a dining area and kitchen, 3 bunks, a bathroom, and Dolly’s quarters. Dolly’s quarters have a bedroom, a private bath, and a make-up area. The private bath even features a bathtub because Dolly wanted to be able to take a bubble bath on the road.

We hopped on the Dollywood Express for a ride out of The Village. The Dollywood Express is an old coal-fired steam train. The ride takes you 5 miles through the park and foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains. I was worried about the sound with a 5-month-old, but she did great! We covered her ears whenever the horn went off, but overall she loved it. We got to see some gorgeous fall trees and mountain views on the train. I definitely recommend taking a ride on the train when you visit.

Next, we walked around some of the Village and Country Fair areas. There are a lot of rides and fun things for the kids in these areas. Lacey Belle was too little to ride any of the rides, but we walked around to see everything.

A little tip for bringing babies to Dollywood:

If you’re visiting Dollywood with an infant or young child they do have infant/mommy rooms at the park. We went when my daughter was only 5-months-old and still nursing. On the first day I just found a quiet spot, covered up and nursed her. But on the 2nd day I discovered they had a mommy/baby nursing room at the front of the park. What a game changer! It was inside, in a quiet room and had rocking chairs. There was also a nice changing area too. Ask an attendant where the closest nursing rooms are located and take full advantage of it!

My favorite food was the fresh-baked cinnamon bread from The Grist Mill. Located in Craftsman’s Valley, you can watch as the bread and cookies are made. It smells heavenly and just draws you in right away, and it does not disappoint! I wish I could take a bunch home with me and have it be just as fresh and yummy. The Grist Mill is a must-do!

Another of our favorites from Dollywood was the Mountain Blown Glass. You can watch the craftsman create unique blown glass creations in Rivertown Junction. It is really fascinating to watch. Robbie and Lacey Belle got to help blow glass and make our own little pumpkin ornament, which was so cool! We got to pick the colors of the glass used, too. It was so much fun, and we love our little keepsake ornament.

On the way out, we shopped at some gift stores for souvenirs. We also had to drive by the DreamMore Resort just to at least see it. It was huge and gorgeous! It was nighttime when we drove by, so we didn’t go inside or get the best photos, but they have a huge water fountain out front with guitars and butterfly statues. They were all lit up, and it was beautiful! I definitely plan to go back and see it in the daylight one day.

Dollywood is a lot of fun for the whole family! They have fun activities for everyone and awesome shows. We saw one of the country singing shows, which was so fun. We didn’t ride any of the rides because we had an infant, but there is a lot to choose from. Rollercoasters and rides for the adults/older kids, and plenty of rides for the little ones too.

There is so much to see and do that you can easily stay occupied and busy all day. It’s big but not too big where you can’t see everything. Both days we went, we were able to do a lap around the whole park.

Going in the fall was a blast because they had so many cute fall decorations and the weather wasn’t too cold yet. I think it would be a blast to go during Christmas time. Regardless of the season, I would definitely recommend visiting! Even give yourself some down days to explore what all the city of Pigeon Forge has to offer. I wish we had spent more time just doing stuff along the main Parkway. 

All in all, Dollywood is a great destination for families or anyone wanting a nice, quiet getaway. If you love mountain views or country music, this is the place for you. If you want theme park fun or water park splashes, you can find it all here. If you’re looking for your next adventure, look no further than Dollywood!

Fall Bucket List Activities

This season I’ve seen so many posts about Fall Bucket Lists. This is essentially a to-do list of fall activities. I’ve never heard of this being a thing before this year, but I think it is such a cool idea! In fact, I think I’m going to make it a thing for every season with my family.

Are you in need of some fall activity ideas for your family? I have compiled this list of fun fall activities to add to your Fall Bucket List!

Go Apple Picking

I did this for the first time last year when my son was an infant. I was living with my parents temporarily after Hurricane Florence and looking for fun activities to do to get out of the house. We found an apple orchard and went. It was so fun! I can’t wait to take my kids again now that they’re older and can actually pick the apples.

Go to the Pumpkin Patch

We love going to the pumpkin patch for all the fun activities they have for kids and to pick out our pumpkins for the year. It is also a great photo op place for festive fall pictures.

Visit a Sunflower Field

This year we actually went to sunflower fields in July. Our area planted them late due to Hurricane Florence from last year. I have heard of a bunch of fields that bloom around September, but always check around because they may have them at different times depending on your area and the weather. They can bloom anywhere from late summer to early fall.

Make a Fall Craft

Craft time is always a great activity to do something new. Growing up, I loved doing different seasonal crafts. My kids are still a little young, but I plan to do some crafts with them this year.

Carve a Pumpkin

In our house, I usually pick out a design, and my hubby is the one who does the actual carving. But it is still a fun activity to spend time together as a family and get cute fall decor afterward.

Do a Corn Maze

We did a corn maze when my daughter was an infant, and I can’t wait to do another one this year! Where we live, our pumpkin patch does a corn maze as well, so we get to do both at the same time. Win/win! I also love taking photos in the giant stalks of corn – they are so cute.

Go on a Hayride

Most pumpkin patches give a hayride to the pumpkin fields for picking. If yours doesn’t, just do a quick Google search for local hayrides. My kids love going on hayrides.

Pick Halloween Costumes

This is one of my faves! I love doing family group themes for costumes. I take full advantage of this young age where my kids are happy to be whatever I pick and aren’t wanting to choose their own costumes yet.

Watch Fall-Themed Movies

Now’s the time to enjoy those fall and Halloween-themed flicks! I personally love the Hallmark Harvest movies and family-friendly Halloween flicks like Hocus Pocus, Twitches, and Halloweentown.

Make a Fall Treat

For those who love pumpkin-flavored items, this is your season! For those, like me, who aren’t pumpkin fans, there are so many other options out there to make a tasty fall-themed treat. My personal favorite is mixing candy corn with dry roasted peanuts. I make a big bowl of it every year.

Go to a Fall Festival

Most places do some sort of festival during fall time. For our local area, they do the county fair in September and a mum festival in October every year. This year we went to both for the first time, and it was a blast! We also went to a Seafood festival near us in October. If your exact city doesn’t do anything, look around to bigger cities near you.

Go to a Football Game

Football was huge in my house growing up. We loved watching it on TV and in person. I don’t follow football anymore, but my husband still loves to try and go to local games. This is a fun fall family outing.

Play in Leaves

One of my favorite childhood pastimes is raking a big pile of leaves and then jumping/playing in it. If you live where the leaves change colors and fall from the trees, take full advantage and give this a go. It’s such a fun activity for kids.

Build a Bonfire

With fall comes cooler weather (in most places). What better way to stay warm than by building a bonfire? You can cozy up, hang out with friends, sing songs, tell stories, and make food by the fire. Roasting marshmallows and making S’mores are a favorite bonfire pastime. So grab your family and some friends and have a nice evening outside.

Make Thanksgiving Crafts

I’m so excited to make some Thanksgiving/turkey-themed crafts this year with my kids. This was a huge holiday for my family growing up, and we always made handprint turkeys or other decorations to hang on the wall.

My favorites and yearly go-tos are the pumpkin patch and Halloween costumes. It’s so fun crossing items off of bucket lists. I’m planning on getting most of them checked off for this year soon. Let me know your family's favorite activities for fall in the comments below. Happy Fall Y’all!

Relieving the Pressure of Perfect Family Photos

With all the holidays coming up and Christmas card season right around the corner, family photo time is upon us. If you have young kids, taking family photos can be a very stressful time. And rightfully so. I mean, who doesn’t want to capture that perfect, all happy and smiling photo of everyone in one shot?

Whether it is realistic or not, this was always my goal whenever getting professional photos done. Now with two kids ages 2 and under, I’ve learned you have to roll with the punches and not expect perfection. Going into family photos with lower expectations can help you be happier with the results. Here are some ways to help you relieve the pressure of capturing the perfect photo so that you can just enjoy your time together as a family while you take photos instead.

Don’t take it too seriously

This is the biggest adjustment I have made to how I approach photos. I used to take them so seriously, determined to get the perfect shot. Being too serious can ruin it for everyone. You want the environment to be fun and for your kids to enjoy it. So lighten up, joke around, make things more fun, and everyone’s moods will follow suit.

You can’t afford to be picky

This is all too true with young kids! The attention of kids can only be held for so long. You need to make sure all adults and older children are on their A-game so that you can try to capture that great photo of everyone happy at once. However, you also need to be prepared for the fact that that may not happen. Kids’ attention can only be held for so long. They get bored and over it easily. You can’t afford to be picky with family photos, or you will always be disappointed.

Candids can be some of the best photos

I’ve always been a fan of candids when it comes to others, but it took me some time to appreciate them of myself. Keep things normal for your kids as best as you can. Talk to them, play with them, make them laugh, run around- you catch my drift. Just interacting with your kids creates that more natural look and feel. Candid photos really are some of the cutest photos, and you will be creating real memories of those moments to last forever.

Make it fun for the kids

Keeping your kids happy and entertained will help to keep them engaged. Just as I mentioned, keeping things real for them will help make it fun for them. Play a game, race with them, dance with them, etc. Do what they love and make it fun for them. When the kids are happy, the parents are happy, and thus the photographer is happy, and you can get some great shots.

Take what you can get

Not being picky will help a lot with this one. Sometimes your kids just aren’t having it. Try to remember that you don’t always have a great, happy day, and neither do your kids. Even if you don’t get exactly what you want with photos, you ultimately have to take what you can get. Embrace all the candids and serious photos. Even the grumpy or crying ones. Make the most of the photos you get.

Instead of stressing and being disappointed with the not-as-perfect-as-you-imagined photos, try being present and enjoying your photos for a change. They won’t be as bad as you think. And even if they are, you’ll have a great story to go along with them. Make some new family memories while you take your photos and have fun!

10 Subtle Fall Decorating Ideas

If you’re anything like me, you like being festive without going overboard when it comes to fall. With so many people going above and beyond with pumpkin everything, how do you keep up? In my opinion, less can definitely be more when it comes to fall decor. Here are 10 subtle ways to make your home fall festive while still keeping it simple.

1. Fall Wreath on Your Door

This is an easy one that is sometimes the only one I do for the fall season. I made a simple but beautiful wreath with fake fall leaves and a burlap bow, and I hang it on our door every fall.

2. Fake Leaves on the Mantle

One of my favorite things to do for Christmas is drape lights across our fireplace mantle and put them on top of my kitchen cabinets. It adds extra light and is so festive. So why not do the same for fall? Pick up some strings of fake fall leaves and drape them along. It adds a pop of color and gives you all the warm fall feels.

3. Fall-Themed Hand Towels

This is a simple one you can do with every season. Pick up some fall-themed hand towels at Walmart or another local store and use those for drying your dishes and hands at the sink. It’s the perfect touch for some fall decor.

4. Pumpkins on the Table

Add some cute little pumpkins to your table as a centerpiece for decor. It gives your dining room a new little makeover, and it gives you the fall vibes without being in your face with the pumpkins.

5. Sunflowers in a Vase

Replace those spring flowers in your vase with some fall-themed flowers: sunflowers. I personally have some fake Stargazer Lilies (my favorite) on my dining room table most year-round. Swapping them out for some sunflowers adds a nice fall look.

6. Thankful Quote Decor

These are huge right now! You can find generic thanks/blessed/grateful home decor items at pretty much any store right now. I know I’ve seen them often at Walmart or craft stores like Hobby Lobby. The thankful theme is very reminiscent of Thanksgiving, which gives it a nice fall tone, but being generic gives you the option to keep it up year-round too.

7. Pumpkin as a Vase for Plants

I came across this idea on Pinterest the other day and loved it! I’m not personally a plant lady, but succulents are so pretty, and putting them inside a pumpkin gives you that fall theme. Win/win.

8. Candles with Corn Seeds in Jars

Do you have candles lying around your house or light them up often? Try putting a candle inside a bigger jar and filling the space inside between the jar and candle with corn seeds. What a cute little fall touch to your everyday items.

9. Welcome Fall Doormat

I’ve seen so many cute fall-themed doormats lately! Simply get one and place it outside your front door. What better way to have a cute, welcoming fall touch right away when someone visits you?

10. Create Fall Crafts with Your Kids & Hang Them

I’m all about the crafts and creating! I love making cute things with my kids. So why not include a fall theme in the crafting? Pinterest away for fall-themed craft ideas, create them, and then hang them up for display. This adds such a cute personal fall touch to your home.

Try a couple of these options and watch as your home is transformed with decorative fall vibes. What is your go-to for fall decorating? Let me know in the comments.