Climb Aboard Great Smoky Mountains Railroad for 5 Sensational Seasonal Excursions!

The Great Smoky Mountains Railroad in Bryson City, NC offers 5 sensational excursions to enjoy the autumn season and have holiday fun! Ride the rails through the Smokies – All Aboard!

When you leave the historic Bryson City Depot, you’ll enjoy one of two roundtrip train rides; either along the Nantahala River and into the Gorge to the popular Nantahala Outdoor Center, or along the Tuckasegee River into the western Carolina countryside and to the town of Dillsboro, NC. Choose from a wide variety of seating classes and train cars to fit any budget and preference. The Great Smoky Mountains Railroad is happy to announce the return of their fully restored #1702 Steam Engine!

The Halloween Masquerade Train 
October 29, 2016 @ 8:00 pm
The special “Bootlegger Edition” of the Halloween Train is for guests aged 21 and older and costumes are required. A delicious buffet dinner and drinks make for a spooky fun celebration. Tickets are $104 ++ per person.

The Carolina Shine & Dine Nantahala Gorge Excursion
Through September 29,  2016 @ 10:30 am daily
Through October 30, 2016 @ 9:00 am & 2:00 pm daily
The Carolina Shine First Class train fleet car has been newly renovated to feature copper lined walls along with the history of moonshining  in the mountains of North Carolina. The Great Smoky Mountains Railroad has partnered with Madison County’s Piedmont Distillers to offer a rail trip filled with delightful tastings of modern moonshine flavors paired with an authentic, Southern barbeque dinner. Adults only; tickets are between $99 ++ per person to $116 ++ per person depending on date of trip. For more info, visit Caroline Shine & Dine Excursion Schedule and Tickets.

PEANUTS™ The Great Pumpkin Patch Express
October 1 – 30, 2016
Fridays @ 3:30 pm; Saturdays & Sundays @ 12:00 noon and 3:30 pm
Fun for the entire family! Kids, put on your Halloween costumes and join Charlie Brown, Snoopy and Lucy for an exciting excursion aboard The Great Smoky Mountain Railroad to the Great Pumpkin Patch where you can select your own pumpkin to take home! Everyone will enjoy a reading the Charles M. Schultz classic, “It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.” For more info, visit Pumpkin Patch Express Schedule and Tickets.

Steam Engine No. 1792 Photo Special Train
Saturday, November 5, 2016 @ 7:00 am
This historic train departs from Dillsboro, NC at 8:00 am (recommended you arrive an hour early) for an all-day excursion into the Natahala Gorge and returns by 3:45 pm. Two photo run-bys will give guests the opportunity to deboard and position themselves to capture their best possible photos. Tickets are $129 ++ per persons aged 13 and up, $99 ++ per children aged 2-12 years, $29 ++ per child aged 23 months and under. Includes boxed, deli sandwich lunch.

THE POLAR EXPRESS Train Ride
November 11, 2016 – January 1, 2017
This wildly popular excursion, where guests are transported through the wilderness for a special visit to the North Pole, is set to the sounds of THE POLAR EXPRESS motion picture soundtrack. Sip on warm cocoa, snack on yummy treats and hear the magical story on your journey northward to where the child in all of us is delighted to find Old St. Nick himself awaiting your arrival. He even has a special gift for each child. On the return trip Bryson City Depot have fun singing along to your favorite Christmas carols. For more info, visit THE POLAR EXPRESS Schedule and Tickets.

 Be sure to connect with Great Smoky Mountains Railroad on Facebook!

Take A Hike With The Wildland Trekking Company! Go Outside and Play!

The upcoming cooler days make for the perfect time to get outdoors and enjoy nature, and our friends at The Wildland Trekking Company would love to take you on a guided hike or backpacking trip for the time of your life! They even offer an Inn-Based Smoky Mountain Hiking Tour where guests spend the day on the trail and the night in some of the finest accommodations in the Smoky Mountain region!

With a global reputation for exceptional outdoor adventures, Wildland Trekking’s seasoned guides provide a comprehensive orientation instructing you on all the necessary mountain know-how. Gear heads will love the top-of- the-line equipment used on the trip. Foodies will be amazed at the trail cuisine the expert guides prepare over a campfire.

Great Smoky Mountain National Park lovers will be pleased by the variety of hikes offered by The Wildland Trekking Company. Guides are available for 5 to 12-hour day hikes, 3-day kayaking and backpacking trips, and extended backpacking trips while the pampered hiker will love the Inn-Based Smoky Mountain Hiking Tours. Wildland Trekking’s basecamp in Asheville, NC is the starting point for hikes in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

The Wildland Trekking Company also offers 3 to 5-day Greater Appalachia Circuit Hikes throughout Western North Carolina. Visit all the awesome sites that could not be squeezed into the Smokies. Choose from waterfalls to vistas on their amazing tours which boasts delicious lunches prepared on the trail by your personal guide. After the hike enjoy specialty restaurants and lodging in the Asheville area. Wildland Trekking also offers a fantastic 4-day backpacking trip in the famously beautiful Shining Rock Wilderness in the nearby Pisgah National Forest.

The Wildland Trekking Company’s Mission Statement: To provide exceptional hiking adventures to North America’s most beautiful and wild landscapes, and to contribute significantly to the conservation of these special places.

The Wildland Trekking Company takes pride in its staff enjoying their work every day. By working to enrich the lives of their clients and guests they also find enrichment in their own lives. This is evident by their excellent rating for guided hikes by TripAdvisor. One could say the goal of enriching their own lives and others comes naturally when surrounded by the beauty of the Southern Appalachian mountains. The company works to provide for future generations with donations to the American Hiking Society, The Conservation Alliance and other worthy causes.

The memories created on the trail will last a lifetime and tug at your heart to return to the mountains again and again. Ready for your hike? Visit The Wildland Trekking Company for more information or give them a call at 800-715-HIKE (4453). Be sure to check them out on Facebook!

Pigeon Forge Rotary Club’s 40th Annual Craft Festival October 1 – 29 | You Can’t Miss the Big Tent at Patriot Park!

The Pigeon Forge Rotary Club is proud to present its 40th Annual Craft Festival October 1 through October 29, 2016 at Patriot Park near the Old Mill Square. This annual tradition is the kick-off for holiday shopping for many visitors and locals alike!

You can’t miss the BIG TENT at Patriot Park where members of the Pigeon Forge Rotary Club welcome you to enjoy a memorable shopping experience with local craftsmen as well as artisans from across the country. Admission to the event is free although donations are graciously accepted to benefit local charities.

The Rotary Craft Festival will be open each day from 10:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m.

For more information, please call 865-909-3446 or visit PigeonForgeRotary.org.

Country Music’s Kaitlyn Baker Performs Free Concert at The Island in Pigeon Forge on September 23rd

One of country music’s hottest singer/songwriters, Kaitlyn Baker, is making a name for herself as the “new Coal Miner’s Daughter.” The twenty-one year old is from Pound, Virginia and her music  has been described as a little bit Loretta, a little bit Elvis, with a little bit of The Beatles thrown in for good measure. Baker will perform at the outdoor stage at Ole Smoky Moonshine Barn at The Island in Pigeon Forge on Friday, September 23, 2016 at 8:00 p.m.

This special “Fall to Pieces” concert is sponsored by Ole Smoky Distillery and Pepper Palace. Although the concert is free, donations will be graciously accepted for Mountain Hope Good Shepherd Clinic, a local non-profit.

Kaityn Baker’s new single, “To Pieces” is being released this month. Baker’s song “Coal Train” was featured in the 2015 Academy of Country Music Award’s ZinePak, a 2-CD album that also includes tracks from stars like Luke Bryan, Blake Shelton, Jason Aldean, Miranda Lambert, and others.

Another one of Kaitlyn Baker’s songs “Burn” inspired Pepper Palace to create Kaitlyn Baker’s BURN Sauce two year’s ago. Known as “The Planet’s #1 Hot Shop, the Smoky Mountains-based company has a retail store at The Island in Pigeon Forge. 

For more information, visit Ole Smoky Moonshine Barn at The Island in Pigeon Forge.

All New Fun at the 4th Annual Halloween Carnival at The Island in Pigeon Forge

The Island in Pigeon Forge is brewing up all-new fun at the 4th Annual Halloween Carnival on Saturday, October 29, 2016 from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. The entire oasis will be transformed into a magical carnival with circus acrobats, stilt-walkers, aerialists, and fire performers for a Halloween celebration like none other!

This free event features trick-or-treating throughout the property; just get a Candy Map and visit all the stops! Don’t forget, the annual Costume Contest will begin at 6:30 p.m. on the Ole Smoky Moonshine Stage near the Dancing Fountains. Prizes will be given in several categories.

New this year! Selfie Studio will be available for free professional photos with family and friends so you can share your fabulous costumes with everyone on social media!

And for more fun, costumed guests at the event can purchase half-priced 24-hour unlimited ride passes! For more info on the 4th Annual Halloween Carnival at The Island in Pigeon Forge, call 865-286-0119.