Destination Vacations, Golf, Water Slides, Shopping, and Mountain Hiking! Oh My, So Much Fun!
When you have a family, and you want to keep everyone happy, this is an excellent choice for family fun!
Over the years our children wanted to go to a water park hotel, but we never really made it to one until a few years ago.
The Wyndham family has a few resorts to choose from in the Pigeon Forge, TN area. My husband and our two children have had the opportunity to stay at all three of them. They have Margaritaville Island Hotel Smoky Mountains on the Island, Wyndham Great Smokies Lodge, and Wyndham Smoky Mountains.
Pigeon Forge has much to offer, plus it is 20 minutes away from Gatlinburg, TN, home of Anakeesta Theme Park and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. So when I say it’s an area for everyone, it pretty much is, minus the ocean, but you can surf at the water park!
Starting with the Margaritaville Island Hotel. We have stayed there one time, and we really enjoyed it. We had a hotel room with two beds, a fireplace, and they even have a ‘Margaritaville’ margarita blender machine, their own exclusive brand.
They have a coffee shop in the lobby with some baked goods and other lite foods. They also have a bar with a lounge that you can sit inside or outside by the firepit.
They have TVs too; it’s a great hang out spot, especially at the firepit to roast marshmallows for smores or just to hang out and have something to drink. They do have appetizers at Happy Hour, or you can order from the menu.
They have a rooftop pool and a chill bar that you can look out over the Island and watch a colorful fountain show and see the Island’s Ferris Wheel; it’s a very cool view! They have a full restaurant right across the sidewalk too!
When we stayed at the other resorts in the area, we still were able to enjoy Margaritaville Hotel and the Island when I went with my family and a girlfriends’ getaway weekend.
We have stayed at their Wyndham Smoky Mountains in the past years, which was a great resort! It was perfect for when I had a girls weekend, there were five of us, and we all were more than comfortable with lots of room in our two bedroom condo. We were able to cook our breakfast and had a few happy hours of our own in the condo!
This resort has two pools including one outdoor pool facing the beautiful mountains and one indoor pool with two miniature golf courses. They have a game room with a pool table and lots of other activities for the whole family! This resort is centrally located to many of the events around in Pigeon Forge and close to the highway that takes you to Gatlinburg, TN.
So now I want to talk about the resort that has a water park and golf course! It is called Wyndham Great Smokies Lodge or The Wilderness Lodge in Pigeon Forge. It has incredible water activities for older children and an area for younger children too!
Our kids had a great time all three times we went to this resort. They were in their teens then; now they’re a little older, and they still enjoy it!
The condos are extra roomy, with plenty of space for a break, or you can gather in the living room or on the balcony and make some memories!
We didn’t golf, but this past fall we stayed in a building on the golf course side of the resort, and it looked gorgeous; we were told it is as beautiful to play a round of golf on as it is to look at.
18 Hole Golf Course Great Smokies Lodge
They have an indoor and outdoor water park, with a large game room, miniature golf, and indoor/outdoor hot tubs, an indoor and outdoor pool, two restaurants, gift shop, and an adventure forest indoor park.
So if you are looking to get away and chill or have everyone entertained, then this can be the place to go! Let me know if you have been to any of these resorts or to the area and what you like about it.
We have stayed at the Grand Smokies Lodge (Wyndham side) multiple times. It was an annual tradition with a few other families over Christmas break for a number of years. Everyone had a blast – we really love that resort. As the kids got older it was fun to let them play around the ropes area, putt-putt, etc. while we adults enjoyed the duckpin bowling. We are in a season where we can’t get away over break anymore (dang school sports), but have so many fond memories and will resume those trips as soon as possible!
That’s a great idea to go with multiple families. One cool thing is some of the parents could have some date time out when others are in charge of the children and then switch. Win-win for both the kids and adults.
Wow!! What an amazing place!! I am definitely going to add this to my travel list, my girls would love it!!
Children usually do, I’m sure they would enjoy too.
My husband works for Wyndham. We had no idea there was one in the Smokey’s. We love love love Gatlinburg and the mountains, even in the summer! Thank you for sharing. We are going to have to check this one out soon!
There are three choices to stay in that area. Definitely check it out.
What a fabulous resort…so much to do without even leaving…adding this to my lodging options.
Great choice and much to do rain or shine.
This place looks amazing! I wish I lived closer so I could go!
There’s always trains, planes, and automobiles to get there.
We just got back from Margaritaville Hotel in Pensacola, FL and loved it. This lodge looks like fun. My hubby would have a field day on the golf range.
So you enjoyed the one in Pensacola, I will have to check that one out myself.
Whoa! This place really does have it all. I love the wave pool, well, maybe just to watch!! This looks so fun!
Fun place for families for sure. I just watch our son on the wave too!
Wow, this looks great. I have heard such great things about the area. I may need to plan a road trip. It looks great.
It’s a great area to visit, with a lot to do or you can go to the mountains and have some peace and quite.
I was interested at Margaritas and then I was sold with the surfing. Awesome place.
Both are great places, the nice thing if you stay at the Wilderness Resort then you still can go to the Island and enjoy many of the activities at Margaritaville also.
Looks like a great place for kids! Will have to keep it in mind for the grandchildren!
Grandchildren would love you even more than they already do if you took them here.
Pigeon Forge has been on my list for a long time. This is by far the most comprehensive resort I’ve seen there. I love the water park for kids. Sometimes you just need a day to relax at the hotel… brilliant!
It is definitely one of those resorts with a lot of entertainment, plus you are not far from other places if you want to get out even for a few hours. It’s great if it rains too because so much is indoors.
What great resorts and way to keep kids entertained. Plus the heat Smokey mountains nearby that’s awesome. I will check out these places as our next road trip maybe Tennessee.
Yes, this is a great place for families for sure! Tennessee is full of so much to do! Enjoy your family trip!
Great views of the mountains all around. Boy, has this area grown. We enjoyed the ferris wheel for a lovely sunset view a couple years ago -highly recommended!! There are still some places off the beaten track to discover some little “old” shops for interesting finds.
-Anna
Yes, a place to find lots of artisans is heading towards Gatlinburg. The area is called ‘the Loop Arts and Crafts’ they have a Yellow Trolley you can take to see over 100 artist and craftsmen or you can drive your own vehicle.
Thanks for sharing. My kids would love the Wyndham with the water park! The condo looks so nice and roomy too! I will definitely add it to our list.
Yes, a great Wyndham resort to stay at and so many other things to do out there!