Tuckaleechee Caverns vs. Forbidden Caverns

Tuckaleechee Caverns vs. Forbidden Caverns:  Helping you choose the best for your Smoky Mountain vacation.

 The winner:  Tuckaleechee Caverns!  Why - the natural formations are much more impressive.  On a rainy day, a cave tour of either cave will be a hit with your family.  Approximately 58 degrees year round, a tour can also serve as a cool break in the heat of the summer. 

Formations:  Tuckaleechee is Different
Tuckaleechee Caverns has Silver Falls, an amazing 200 ft. waterfall. Walk inside the  Big Room, a vast room discovered in 1954 - 400 ft. long, 300 ft. across, 150 ft. deep (Mammoth cave max ceiling height =120 ft).  Inside the Big Room see the "totem pole", a 12 foot stalagmite.  Both caves have a stream, but Tuckaleechee even allows you to stop, dip your hands, and take a drink in the pure water.  You do need to prepare for stairs, significant walking, and a tour that could last over one hour.

Location:  Similar
Tuckaleechee Caverns is a hidden gem.  It's in Townsend, TN (825 Cavern Rd), the peaceful side of the Smokies.

Forbidden Caverns has more commercial advertising with billboards and location in Sevierville, TN (455 Blowing Cave Rd).

Both caves are within 30 miles of Lightning Bug Lodge, Tuckaleechee slightly further (26 vs. 21 miles), but slightly faster in time due to less traffic.

2014 Price: Similar
Tuckaleechee Caverns:  Adults $16, child under 11 $7, child under 4 free
Forbidden Caverns:  Adults $14, child under 13 $8, child under 5 years free
Look for small discount coupons in local flyers.

Timing:  Tuckaleechee Open Year Round
Tuckaleechee:  Open 7 days a week 10AM-6PM

Forbidden:  Mon.-Sat. (closed Sun.), April - Nov. (closed Dec.-March), 10AM, 5PM last tour
 

Formations:  Forbidden Cave
Forbidden Caves claims the largest wall of rare cave onyx or dripstones known to exist.  Compared to Tuckaleechee, the tour feels more commercial including an ice cream cone joke, changing color lights, and a Greek story film projected on the ceiling.  Moonshiners used the cave from the early 20's to 1943 as a hidden place to produce moonshine.  Tours last approx. 55 minutes.

You'll enjoy either tour you take.  Be sure to dress appropriately, especially shoes.  Cave floors can be slippery.

Dollywood Step by Step #3: Old Flames Candles

One of the unique aspects of Dollywood as an amusement park is it's Craftsman's Valley, celebrating the arts and crafts of the Smoky Mountains.  For many years, candles served as a major source of light.  Candlemaking began to decline after the light bulb introduction in 1879.  However, not every home immediately had electricity.  My grandfather told stories of being the first one to install electricity in Quad Cities, Iowa.


Enter Old Flames Candles store for a candle making experience.  Named after Dolly's song "Old Flames Can't Hold a Candle To You", this store allows you to dip your own candle for a fee.  Thanks to my sister-in-law for treating my kids.  My kids enjoyed picking their own molded candle and choosing the wax colors.  Caution!  Wax is hot!

It's an opportunity to use creativity and bring home a truly customized gift.  Today we consider candle purchases as discretionary; candles now serve different purposes.  Sales increased in the 1990s as candles became popular home decorations and air-fresheners.  It's an estimated over $2 billion industry.  While the US has large players like SC Johnson & Sons and Yankee Candle, there's still smaller manufacturers throughout the US.  In fact, The Candle Cottage began in 1976 in the Smoky Mountain foothills and now has a 40,000 square foot facility in nearby Sevierville, TN.

Throughout the ages, candles represent joy and life-giving power.  No wonder candles continue in our religious ceremonies and alter candles get lit weekly.

If you want to watch other people make candles, visit Lorelei Candles factory (331 Glades Road, Gatlinburg), crafting since 1979.

Whether your family runs from ride to ride at Dollywood or you have an opportunity to slow down and smell the candle wax, may you have a joyful vacation day and light up someone's life.

Adventure in the Smokies - Tubing All Day

Water sports - one of the best things about choosing summer for your Smoky Mountain vacation!
Townsend, "the quiet side of the Smokies" (unless your kids scream with joy on the river), has two river routes.

The Lower Section gets described as the family friendly float.  Just gentle, relaxing rapids for age 2 and up.

The Upper Section, dubbed the adventure float because of the class 2 rapids and swimming holes, is appropriate for age 6 and up.

My kids wanted the adventure.  They also wanted their own raft.  This meant mom sometimes connected the tubes with rope and then used a lot of arm muscle keeping us together.  So worth it.  The ride switched between quiet scenic floats to a bit of small rapid excitement.  The kids squealed with delight and then jumped up and down to go again...and again.  When the sun beats down, but you feel cool in the water - it's the perfect combination.

We may have paid a bit more for River Rat outing ($15 adult, $12 children), but we felt we got our money's worth.  Other nearby operations claim lower costs (River Rage $10, Cowboy Tubin' $10, and Tube Junction $8).  Most places begin at 10AM and provide unlimited rides til closing (5:30 or 6PM).

River Rat earned the TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence.  I'd give River Rat a positive rating too; it offered nice facility with restrooms and a friendly shuttle driver.  At the end, River Rat doesn't even make you drag your tube back.  They have a tube return (pictured in photo below).

Dollywood Step by Step #2: Country Fair High

Sometimes height matters, like when you want to soar like an eagle and see below you. 

Photo:  Sky Rider ride

At Dollywood's Country Fair, height usually doesn't matter.  Most rides have no minimum height.  Some rides you must reach a certain height to ride alone (Shooting Star 42", Amazing Elephant & Sky Rider 48"). 

Who wants to ride alone anyway?  It's so much more fun to hop on the ride with your kid and hear them squeal nearby.

When we had toddlers and visited Dollywood, we'd go on the little rides close to the ground. See prior article Dollywood Step by Step #1 for photos.  When my kids got older, we still returned to the Country Fair.  The favorite rides simply changed.  My daughter's favorite became Sky Rider, an elevating spinning ride rising 70 feet into the air.  As co-pilots, you can control the rudders or move the wings.  I always volunteered to join her.  I admit to liking the feeling of flight and getting perspective up high.

The Country Fair was designed to be like a day at the County Fair.  It includes the traditional ferris wheel called the "Wonder Wheel".  I wonder what ride becomes your kids favorite.  Share your story.  Leave a comment.

Dollywood Step by Step #1: Country Fair Cute

They are only little for a little time.  So take them to the Country Fair at Dollywood amusement park.  Dollywood has entertainment for kids at every age.  If you have little ones, you might want a strategy to visit the shows and museum first or you could be going in circles all day (-:
Photo:  Piggy Parade ride

So bring your camera and capture the precious moments.  I can't believe the employees let my husband and I ride the tiny rides.  My goodness we hardly fit and we gave observers a good laugh.  All for fun.                                                                                   Photo:  Lucky Ducky

 Photo:  Busy Bees ride

Country Fair has nine other rides:  1) Amazing Flying Elephants, 2) Dizzy Disk, 3) Demolition Derby bumper cars, 4) Lemon twist tea cups, 5) Scrambler, 6) Shooting Star drop tower, 7) Slideshow Spin roller coaster, 8) Sky Rider, and 9) Wonder Wheel.

Time with your little ones.  I felt like the lucky duck.  May the little rides give you big joy.

Dollywood Review #2: Family Friendly Edutainment

I don't believe "edutainment" is a recognized word in the dictionary; I use it as a combination of education and entertainment.  Why not making learning fun?  And an amusement park may be the last place you think of enriching your child's mind.  At Dollywood, it's possible.

Certainly your kids will love the traditional rides, the carnival rides like the skyrider and waltzing swinger, and squeal with delight as they get wet on the Daredevil Falls and Smoky Mountain River Rampage.  The park smartly mixes educational exhibits between the thrill rides, helping children learn about the Smoky Mountain life including:
1) demonstrations of hand making crafts:  glass painter, blacksmith, candle making, wood carving, glass blowing
2) explanations of conservation programs:  Eagle Mountain Sanctuary show including birds soaring above the audience, it's the country's largest presentation of non-releasable bald eagles

3) celebrations of mountain music:  live concerts, we even heard Dolly Parton's relatives sing country songs

4) ride while learning about trains:  an authentic steam train ride

Take time to attend the service in the Robert F. Thomas Chapel.  Besides fun new songs, who could forget the lesson about the importance of carving your life (shaping your life with purpose) instead of widdlin' it away (acting randomly without an end product).

It's a bigger park than you would expect; plenty to do all day long.  The Adventure Mountain ropes course covers 2 acres alone.  The quality makes it recognized as award winning in the industry.  In 2010 Dolly Parton accepted the Applause Award for Dollywood, the most prestigious award within the amusement and theme park industry.

Certainly Disney makes magical memories.  However, if you are looking for a place to return year after year with edutainment and a value, consider Dollywood.  Tip:  Save $10 on season passes up to Feb. 25th 2011. A season pass for Dollywood ($81 adult, $68 kids) costs less than a one day pass at Disney World ($87, $78)!  After Feb. 25th, season pass tickets go up $10 and you can purchase a daily pass ($57, $46).