Each year over 40 million people visit the Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg area in Tennessee. The wintertime is not excluded, boasting some fun wintertime amenities for the entire family. The town of Gatlinburg is located at the entrance of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Pigeon Forge is the next town over and between the two towns, the area is bustling year round with travelers and locals alike.
If you live or are visiting the Gatlinburg, Tennessee area anytime from now until January, you may wish to try taking a tour of the town on the Gatlinburg trolley. Every Christmas season the trolley service hosts an event called "Gatlinburg Winter Magic Trolley Ride of Lights", allowing you to visit some of the town's impressive light displays.
What a great idea! You step onto a trolley with your group and enjoy the twinkling light displays that are set up throughout the town. The lights have been provided by the town of Gatlinburg for all to enjoy for the past 23 years. The night becomes magical as you are whisked away in the trolley to enjoy the displays. There is no need to worry about driving yourself through town to see them, risking missing anything while you are trying to concentrate on the road. You can leave that to your trolley driver!
Gatlinburg has replaced its display with LED lights, allowing the town to save money on electricity, and also allowing them to have more lights than ever! The route runs from Route 321, and along Parkway and River Road in the downtown area. The displays this year include an animal theme featuring animals from the Great Smoky Mountain National Park area. Search the lights for fox, squirrel, rabbits and deer!
The older displays have all been converted to the LED light display, and there are a bunch of newer displays that have recently joined the line up. These include fountains, snowmen, a silver rocking horse and an international display of children enjoying their holiday. The town has spent $1.6 million dollars in upgrading the light system for your viewing pleasure for years to come.
When departing, the trolley will run at a leisurely pace, allowing you to soak in the sights and sounds of the Gatlinburg area during the holiday season. This is a great way to get into the holiday spirit and to enjoy time with friends and loved ones. It is a kid-friendly tour, that will leave your children inspired and filled with awe.
Each trolley has a driver that doubles as your tour-guide. You will learn some informative information regarding the history of the Gatlinburg area while viewing some of the area's most impressive displays of light.
To be a part of these festivities, you can purchase tickets online or you can buy them from the departure site. The trolley will start and end its journey at the Mass Transit Center at traffic light #5 next to Ripley's Aquarium. The ride runs three times every night, 6:30pm, 7:30pm and 8:30pm from now until January 25, 2015. There is no service on the first Friday in December, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve or New Year's Day. In January service will run on Saturdays only. The cost is only $5 per person and the ride lasts approximately 45 minutes.
The Gatlinburg Trolley runs year round, boasting over 100 different routes. It is usually a low price of just 50 cents a ride, or $2 for the day. It allows you to be able to visit the entire area without having to drive. You can leisurely site-see at an expensive price, knowing that the trolley will be able to bring you back to your beginning location when you are ready. With so many trolley stops in the area, the trolley makes maneuvering throughout the area a breeze. There are stops in nearby Pigeon Forge, as well, making the towns join together in the sharing of travelers.
The Winter Magic on The Gatlinburg Trolley Ride of Lights is an extra amenity that the trolley service offers to allow visitors to revel in the work that the town of Gatlinburg does each year. It is an anticipated event and ticket sales run out quickly, so it is recommended to make your reservations in advance if you have a particular date that you would like to ride. Should you wish to reserve a trolley for a large group, please specify when you call that you would like your group to be seated together so the seats can be saved.
Gather up the family and head to the Ripley's Aquarium area to join in with this exciting event! Grab some dinner in town, maybe visit the aquarium, and then jump on the trolley for a holiday experience like no other! You will not believe the number of lights that you will be able to see on the tour! Some displays are very large, with twinkling lights and moving displays to enjoy.
Townspeople like to join in on the fun and put up their own displays on their house fronts, adding to the spectacular light show. Search for your old favorites and enjoy the new additions of the year. Bring the kids out on the town for a night to enjoy as a family, to be remembered for years to come. Sit together enjoying the displays while singing some carols as you ride! The holiday season comes and goes so very fast, that this is a great way to enjoy it together! If you are a history enthusiast, enjoy some of the facts that the trolley drivers know about the town and the light display itself. You will not be sorry that you took the time to enjoy this holiday event! It only happens once a year, so make sure to get in on the action before the holiday season is over!
No comments:
Post a Comment