My Smoky Mountain Vacations

1. Dollywood - Yes, Dollywood has more to offer older children and adults, but I have included it here because Dollywood still offers plenty of things that are appealing to preschoolers. The Country Fair area has several rides exclusively for preschoolers and their parents. The Rockin' Roadway in the '50's section of the park and the giant carousel both appeal to kids of all ages. The newest addition to the park, River Battle, has no minimum height requirement and will appeal to preschoolers. Be aware, however, that Dollywood does have many rides with a minimum height requirement that will prevent most preschoolers from riding. And a few of these rides, such as the flying elephants, may be rides your preschooler wants to try.

If your preschooler isn't afraid of loud noises the steam locomotive is a great way to cool down on a hot day. My children also usually took a nap on the train when they were younger since we always seemed to ride it in the afternoon. Most of the singing will bore younger children after a few minutes, but they will probably enjoy the magic act located at the exit to the train. In addition,  Kidsfest this year lasts from June 13 - August 8 and features the Kratt Brothers from the PBS show Zoboomafoo. Also check out my Top Five Dollywood Tips before you visit.

2. Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies - No preschooler can resist the chance to walk through a tunnel under the water and watch sharks swim above. Although it's relatively small, Ripley's offers plenty to hold the interest of younger children.  Kids can pet a ray or horseshoe crab or play at several interactive displays. 

3. Cades Cove - If you are planning to spend time in the National Park with young kids, Cades Cove is an excellent place to visit. Preschoolers will love exploring the old homesteads and watching the water wheel turn at the mill. Also have children watch as you drive by the fields and through the forest around Cades Cove loop since deers, raccoons, wild turkeys and other wildlife can often be seen.  We often make a game of it to see who can see the most deer, most different kinds of animals, etc. 

4. The Track - Both Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge have plenty of activities along the Parkway but most of them don't have much to offer preschool children. The Track in Pigeon Forge has an area called Kids Country that has several rides that are made for preschoolers including a train ride, carousel, spinning tops, plane ride, ferris wheel, swings and swinging boat. The bonus here is that if you also have older kids The Track has plenty of activities that will also appeal to them, such as go karts, mini golf, bungee jumping and skyflyer skydiving simulation.

5.  Dixie Stampede - I would hesitate to recommend most of the dinner shows or music/variety shows to families with preschoolers, but Dixie Stampede has at least a reasonable chance of holding your preschooler's interest. I have taken my children as young as three years old to Dixie and they were always able to sit through the entire performance and even enjoyed most of it. Of course younger kids tend to get bored sitting for almost two hours anywhere, but the fact that they can eat while they watch the show helps to entertain them. And since the food is brought in courses, there's always something new to try.

Dixie Stampede is an especially good choice if your preschooler loves animals, since there's a wide variety of animals including horses, pigs, chickens, and ostriches. Another positive point is that if you have a younger preschooler who doesn't eat much you don't have to buy a ticket for them. However, if you don't buy a ticket they don't have a seat and must sit in your lap for the entire performance. If you want to try a music/variety/dinner show Dixie Stampede is probably your best choice for keeping younger children entertained so that you can enjoy the show as well.