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.