Day 5: Trolleys, Penquins, and Knowing When to Head Back

 We headed out around 11-ish today — yes, another slow start for us, but by now that’s clearly our vacation rhythm. We stopped at a Dunkin because I just needed another cup of coffee!

Instead of driving, we made a very smart decision and took Mass Transit, hopping on the trolley for $3 each to head into Gatlinburg. And let me just say — good thing we did. Traffic was so bad that I am confident if Michael had been driving, we would have turned around and come straight back to the condo. Michael and Cilla took in the sights and I captured them in a couple of pictures.

We took the Pigeon Forge trolley up to the Gatlinburg Visitors Center and then switched to the Gatlinburg trolley to take us on into town. By the time we arrived… well, at least I was starving.

Y’all — there were so many people. Whew. But we spotted Blue Moose Burgers & Wings again, and the wait was only about 20 minutes, so that sealed the deal. We ate there (no regrets), watched Iowa take down Vanderbilt, and when we left, Duke and Arizona State were tied 14–14. UVA and Virginia Tech basketball was also on, and I think it may have been tied around 36–36 — if I’m wrong, please give me grace. I was keeping up with a lot of games at that point.

I’ll say it again — I really wish we had Blue Moose in Fredericksburg. I like it much better than Buffalo Wild Wings.

After lunch, we headed over to Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies. 

Cilla spent some time in the play area before we wandered through the exhibits. We saw all kinds of fish and sharks, and I managed to catch a picture of what I now call the “Cilla Fish” — she stood right in the middle of the tank and blended right in.

"Cilla Fish"

Eventually, we found what I had been waiting for — the penguins. And they did not disappoint, although we sadly missed their afternoon walk. Still, totally worth it.

From there, we headed over to Ripley’s Super Fun Zone, where they have indoor miniature golf and laser tag. We played a round of mini golf inside, which was a nice break from the crowds and the cold outside.

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Several holes you had to spin a wheel to see how you were to golf and Cilla had to do it on her knees...well one time it told me to do that and guess what...NOPE I didn't do it that way.  

Final score Pops was the winner! But to be fair none of did very well. 

Proof that on Hole 9 I got a hole in one!

By then, it was time to start heading back toward the trolley. The crowds were growing fast as people came up for the ball drop, and we knew better than to plan on staying that late.

Anakeesta is a mountaintop park overlooking Gatlinburg, reached by gondola or chairlift, with scenic views, walking paths, and attractions — and from below, it can look a little scary before it starts looking fun.  We had planned to visit Anakeesta, a mountaintop adventure park high above Gatlinburg, but from the ground it looked a bit intimidating and Cilla declined… until later, when it suddenly looked like a great idea and now it was too late. But really if we had done that we wouldn't have seen all those fish, sharks and penquins and no mini golf either.  So in the end it all worked out.

The Smoky Mountains gave us a sunset we won’t soon forget — quiet, glowing, and absolutely beautiful.

The trip back down to Pigeon Forge was quick, and once we made it back to the condo, I took one look at the traffic and made an executive decision: Uber Eats was feeding us tonight from Dairy Queen. We just ran out of steam to go anywhere else in the traffic.  

Tomorrow is our last full day here, and we already have a plan — getting up and out early for pancakes. According to Cilla, pancakes are very important, and we aim to respect that and start 2026 right! 

Stay tuned… one more full day to go.

—  💙🥞🐧

Day 4: Another Lazy Morning, Comfort Food, and Ribs That Fixed Everything

 Today started exactly the way yesterday did — slow and a little lazy.

Michael and Cilla were already dressed and ready while I was still in the process, when a surprise visit from the resort office brought a bag of goodies to our door. A very kind gesture… but it definitely delayed my getting-ready timeline. By the time we were all finally out the door, everyone was starving.

Our first plan was The Old Mill, but when we heard the wait was about an hour, we walked across the street to the Old Mill Pottery Café. This place was also recommended to us by the couple we met at the airport in DC.   Turns out, the wait there was about the same — but at that point we were committed. While waiting, we passed the time doing what one should always do in Pigeon Forge: browsing the candy store.

Eventually, it was time to eat.

Michael ordered fried chicken livers as an appetizer, which immediately caught Cilla’s attention. Michael and I both went with soup and a half sandwich. I ordered tomato basil soup with grilled cheese — a shocking choice, I know. (If it’s on the menu anywhere, I will find it.) Michael had stuffed pepper soup with a half club sandwich.

Cilla ordered a plain cheeseburger and declared that it had too much pepper mixed into the meat. She loved the fries, though, and even sampled one of the chicken livers. She didn’t spit it out, which we counted as a win. Her official review: she wouldn’t order it, but it “wasn’t too bad.”

Chicken Livers with "Come Back" sauce

Tomato Basil with Grilled Cheese

Plain Cheeseburger and Fries

Stuffed Pepper Soup with a Club Sandwich

After lunch, we wandered through the General Store and did a bit of shopping before attempting to go to Beyond the Lens & The Fly Ride. Unfortunately, the pilot was “off duty” today, so we’ll try again tomorrow. And don’t panic — it’s a simulated ride, very much like Soarin’ at Disney, which for those who know me… I love Soarin’.

Back at the condo, we finally located the indoor pool, and Cilla and I headed down so she could swim. Michael stayed behind to do laundry.

And y’all… this man loves doing laundry. I don’t know if it’s the sense of accomplishment, the hum of the machines, or just the joy of freshly folded towels — but he was living his best life down there.

Cilla swam, played with a few other children, and then announced she was ready to head back to the condo and didn’t want to go out again. She showered, got cozy, and settled in — until Pops returned from the laundry room and casually mentioned that he wanted ribs. That changed everything.

She immediately got un-cozy (very happily), because this girl loves ribs. Off we went to Bennett’s Pit Bar-B-Que in Pigeon Forge. Dinner was wonderful, desserts were even better, and everyone left happy.

Brisket, Baked Potato and Coleslaw

Full Rack of Ribs, Greens and Baked Potato

Kid's portion of Ribs and Mac n Cheese

Cilla wanted Banana Pudding and said it was very good.

Michael and I both had the Blackberry Cobbler and Vanilla Ice Cream

Yes we brought back leftovers for Michael as he is the only one that will eat leftovers. 

On the way back to the condo, we grabbed a few pictures of the Christmas lights still glowing around town but for some reason I only have 1 of them on my phone I think Cilla got the rest of them— a perfect ending to the day. 

This one was a Drum Line! The lights move so it really looks like they are drumming but I snapped a picture not a video. 

Maybe tomorrow we’ll finally make it to Gatlinburg… or maybe we’ll see what the coffee conversation brings in the morning.

Either way, we’re right where we need to be in front of this fire! 😉 It has been very cold the last two days looking for warmer temps to finish our last few days here.

Day 3: A Relaxed Morning, Culver’s Smiles, and a Stampede Surprise

We started this morning exactly the way a vacation morning should begin — slow and relaxed.

Michael made coffee for the two of us, and before long Cilla wandered out to join us. She had some mini muffins, we all sat around chatting, and no one was in a hurry to be anywhere. Those quiet mornings are some of my favorite parts of traveling and having a recliner makes me very happy too. 

As we talked, we decided we’d go to the Dolly Parton Stampede for the 3:30 show. (Old habits die hard — I still want to call it Dixie Stampede.) With that plan in place, we remembered seeing a Culver’s sign the day before, and that sealed the deal for lunch.

We headed out around 11 and enjoyed a very happy lunch at Culver’s. It made my heart smile — we really loved Culver’s during our Nebraska trip. In fact, our friends Susan and Mark, along with Michael and me, have been planning a trip to North Carolina specifically to visit Culver’s.  So yes… I had to confess that we went without them and make sure we were still friends. Thankfully, all friendships remain intact.. I think. 😉

I ordered my kids’ meal (of course) and happily collected my free ice cream like the seasoned professional I am. 

After lunch, we headed to Walmart, thinking we’d grab a few things. Turns out, we found ourselves in a Walmart Neighborhood Market, which we’d never seen before. It was more grocery store than superstore, but we grabbed what we could. The cashier was incredibly kind and pointed us in the direction of the nearest Super Walmart.

Off we went again — Cilla needed earbuds that worked with her phone and fit in her ears and since there’s supposedly an indoor pool at the condo, we also picked up a pair of shorts and a shirt for her… just in case we manage to find it one day.

By then, it was time to head toward the Stampede, since we could enter at 2:30. Today we woke up to a cold and windy day, so we were thankful the line moved quickly. We also splurged on the souvenir boot mugs, which came with a slushy-type drink. They weren’t expensive, and honestly, they’re pretty cute. None of us drank much of the slushy, but now Cilla has little boot mugs to take home to remember the day.  Cilla also grabbed a bucket of popcorn during the pre-show, and then it was time to head inside.

Cilla had been a bit unsure about this experience. She thought it might be boring. That opinion changed quickly.

She got completely involved — cheering, answering questions, videoing, taking pictures, and fully soaking it all in. Watching her reactions was half the fun. At one point during the ice-skating portion, she leaned over and said, “That was epic.” That alone made it worth it. Here are a few pictures that Michael and I took she is saving her pictures and videos for when she gets home to share.

We paid a child price for Cilla and she received every bit as much food as we did. Michael, however, will be enjoying leftover chicken sandwiches for days — the gift that keeps on giving.

Here are a few pictures from our show.

By the time the show ended, we were simply tired. The first two days had been packed, and today, while wonderful, finished us off in the best way. We came back to the condo climbed the stairs to the third floor and declares ourselves ready to relax and everything felt just right. 

Tomorrow, we’re thinking we might venture toward Gatlinburg… but we’ll see how the morning coffee conversation goes. 

For now, we’re content right where we are. Stay tuned — ☕🥾❄️