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When you think of family vacations, one of the most exciting is a trip to the Smoky Mountains. Located in East Tennessee, it hosts a variety of activities that are fun for the entire family. Pigeon Forge, located about four miles from the park, is a haven for the young. Entertainment abounds in the many Go-Kart tracks, mini-golf courses, laser tag facilities, and arcades galore! Water slides are the rage when seeking a way to keep cool during the hot summer days. The fearless and dare seekers can find bunji jumping at just about every corner. Pigeon Forge is noted for the famous theme park, DollyWood and also its water park companion Splash Country. Dinner theaters that are fun for the entire family are located throughout Pigeon Forge. The Dixie Stampede, The Bears Jamboree, and Elvis are just a few of the excellent shows that can be enjoyed over a delicious meal. Museums, arts and crafts, and hundreds of souvenir shops dot the streets of Pigeon Forge.

Gatlinburg, located at the foothills of the Smokies, is a charming little town that boasts a myriad of a thousand dreams. From the peaks of Ober-Gatlinburg, the entire family can enjoy skiing and bob sledding in winter or they can participate in ice skating that is housed within the enormous lodge. Here you can also find arcade games for both the young and the old.
The Knoxville Aquarium is also located in Gatlinburg. It is one of the largest aquariums in the United States. It features a shark tunnel which allows the viewer to see the sharks up close and personal. Children can learn the history of pirating, see live coral in its many splendor of colors, and delight in the holding tank where they can pet the rays.
Gatlinburg is also noted for its houses of wax, The Guinness Book of World Records and Ripleys Believe It or Not museums. Both museums house and incredible display of paraphernalia that will baffle the most logical of minds. Other attractions that draw a crowd at Gatlinburg are the Haunted House and the Motion theaters. From roller coasters to log rides, these motion enactments can take you on an unbelievable journey.
Shopping in Gatlinburg is one of the many dreams that can be fulfilled. Everything you can imagine can be found within the specialty shops that hug the streets like skins of leopards. You can purchase old fashion taffy as you watch it made, stretched and pulled or indulge in the best fudge this side of the Appalachians.
If you tire of the city life, take a drive into Smoky Mountain National Park. The many streams flow through the land make it one of the most beautiful drives in the United States. You can stop along the way and hike the many trails that are marked throughout the park. Some lead to cascading waterfalls where you can cool off in the pools below. Some of the most famous spots in the park are Chimney Tops, Clingman's Dome, and Laurel Falls. Continue your relaxing drive into Cades Cove, an eleven mile loop that leads through an old community that once populated over 700 people. You can see their mud-mortared log cabins, kneel within the confines of their churches which were built by the members and see first hand a water powered mill that grinds corn into meal.
Whatever you decide to do on vacation, The Smoky Mountains, Pigeon Forge, and Gatlinburg offer a variety of activities that is hard to resist.

Learn more about this author, Teresa Fonseca.
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