4 Fun Things To Do in Dollywood This Fall
If you’re planning on coming to the Smoky Mountains this fall, you have to spend at least one day exploring the South’s best theme park, Dollywood. While this park is a blast no matter what time of year you visit, it’s hard to beat Dollywood in autumn when it’s hosting its Harvest Festival. Here are 4 fun things to do in Dollywood this fall:
1. Stay Late to See the Great Pumpkin LumiNights
During fall in Dollywood, the real fun happens when the sun goes down! Stay into the evening and check out the thousands of carved pumpkins that are lit up all throughout the park. These pumpkins are carved into everything from frogs to Dolly Parton’s guitar. You can even stroll through Hoot Owl Hollow, which is home to a giant carved owl and his friends. The Great Pumpkin LumiNights is a Dollywood tradition that brings visitors back year after year! As the park is lit up in an orange glow, make sure to snap a few family pictures!
2. Sample Some Fall Favorite Foods
Dollywood already has the best theme park food in the country, but once summer changes to fall, the menu gets taken up a notch. From warm soups to down-home comfort foods, you’ll find every fall craving you have, all within the park. Try fall dishes like Pumpkin-Spiced Smoked Ribs and the Apple Cranberry Sweet Potato! End your meal on a sweet note with one of the seasonal desserts, like the Toffee Ice Cream Belgium Waffle or the Caramel Apple Funnel Cake. We recommend visiting park restaurants like Front Porch Cafe or the award-winning Aunt Granny’s. It’s no surprise that treating yourself to these delicious fall delicacies is one of the best things to do in Dollywood!
3. Enjoy Harvest Festival Events
From late September till the end of October, Dollywood hosts their annual Harvest Festival. Voted America’s #1 Fall Family Event by USA Today Readers, Dollywood’s Harvest Festival is a can’t-miss time at the park. Enjoy some bluegrass while snacking on apple and pumpkin treats or attend any of the awesome seasonal shows! There is so much to do during the Harvest Festival, you may have to come back for a second day!
4. Take in the Autumn Colors
There is nothing quite like the Smoky Mountains in the fall! With the trees adorned in bright colors like orange, red and yellow, it is quite the sight to see! With the Great Smoky Mountains as a backdrop, Dollywood is especially beautiful during autumn. If you ride any roller coasters like The Wild Eagle, Tennessee Tornado or Lightning Rod®, you’ll get a front-row seat to the Smokies from the sky. If you’re up for a thrill, ride Drop Line®, which will lift you more than 20 stories above Dollywood for the best scenery of the park and the fall foliage! The views from the tops of these rides are unbeatable if you’re brave enough to get on!
More Things to Do in the Smoky Mountains in the Fall
Now that you know about all of the fun things to do in Dollywood during the fall season, you can begin booking your tickets to see the Harvest Festival for yourself. Looking for other Smoky Mountain activities for your fall vacation? Check out these other exciting Smoky Mountain fall festivals.
