So even though school just started, it’s never too early to start planning your family’s vacation during fall break. This is especially true if you’re hoping to bring your family to the Smokies! Our recommendation? Book as early as you can! Check out our list of 1-2 bedroom cabins in Pigeon Forge, and choose the one with the right mix of amenities for you. See our list below for some ideas on what amenities are perfect for the fall!
Once your cabin’s squared away, it’s time to plan for fun family adventures in Pigeon Forge. But here’s the great news: you don’t have to spend a lot of money or even make the drive to downtown to have a great time in the Smokies. And to prove it, we’ve put together 15 ideas for fall family fun without leaving the driveway of your Pigeon Forge cabin!
1. Before you get to your Pigeon Forge cabin, make a pit stop at a family-owned apple orchard in Cosby, Tennessee: Carver’s Applehouse & Orchard. There, you can pick up some of the freshest apples in the state and then head to the cabin for some fresh-baked family fun. Yeah, you guessed it—make a homemade apple pie! (Or fresh apple cider or applesauce or apple butter …) Your fully equipped kitchen will make cooking easy, and your kids will love their true farm-to-table experience!
2. Have any unused apples from Carver’s? If so, find a large pail (or bring one from home) and plan for an afternoon of bobbing for apples! You can also stop by The Apple Barn in town for fresh apples! This classic fall activity is fun for the kids and can even be used to inspire some friendly competition—first person to get the apple gets the largest piece of homemade pie!
3. Here’s a simple one: go outside and jump in the leaves—you know, because not every family activity requires a lot of planning to be loads of fun!
4. If it’s fall, then you know what’s right around the corner: Halloween! Why not spend some time getting a jumpstart on the holiday by using your cabin’s free Wi-Fi to research homemade costumes? I smell a DIY project coming on, don’t you?
5. Does your family have a favorite Halloween movie? If so, choose a cabin with a private theater room, pop some popcorn, and turn your family movie night into a full-out movie theater experience! We also have cabins with a big screen TVs mounted over stone-set fireplaces—plan to snuggle up on the couch and enjoy time as a family!
6. Keep the Halloween theme going and buy a variety of your kids’ favorite candies, some microwave popcorn, and some melting chocolate. You’ll have all the ingredients you need for an addictive sweet-and-salty treat! Other ideas include letting them decorate a sundae or some homemade Halloween-shaped cookies. Whatever you make, they’ll love their time in the kitchen with you—and, oh yes, the candy!
7. Feeling crafty? Use your cabin’s dining room table to spread out everything you’ll need for a fall family craft. Check out Pinterest for tons of cute ideas like painting pinecones, making handprint turkeys, making garland out of fall leaves, and making leaf presses and/or tracings.
8. One cabin amenity that’s absolutely classic for a fall getaway is an outdoor fire pit (although a wood-burning fireplace can be a great alternative). Get ready to roast hot dogs and marshmallows beneath the stars—but don’t forget the graham crackers and chocolate!
9. When the weather turns chilly, use your cabin’s kitchen to make a big pot of Mom’s special chili! And for the first time in a while (maybe ever) turn the TV off and eat a meal around the table as a family. You might be surprised by how easy the conversation is and how much your kids have to say!
10. Before you get to the cabin, stop by the local grocery store and pick up some fresh corn on the cob. Teach your kids how to shuck the husks, and then use your cabin’s outdoor grill for a delicious midday snack.
11. While you’re at the store, grab a large pumpkin or two. Everyone can work together to carve an award-winning Jack O’ Lantern, or you can turn it into a Smith family pumpkin-carving contest! (Then be sure to roast the seeds for a yummy late-night, movie-watching treat.)
12. Choose a cabin with a nice flat yard, and plan for a fall family picnic on a cool day. You can also plan ahead and bring some yard games like Hillbilly Golf (try it—it’s so fun!) or cornhole. Or keep things simple by digging out that old football for an afternoon of outdoor fun.
13. Some of our cabins have their own private trails and access to nearby creeks or woods. If you stay at one of these, then plan for a nature scavenger hunt in the great outdoors! Have your kids search for certain colored leaves, specially shaped rocks, acorns, fall flowers, and more.
14. Make easy trail mix in the cabin with candy corn and roasted nuts. Then pack it into little baggies, and head to the trails inside the Great Smoky Mountains National Park!
15. On your last day in Pigeon Forge, let the kids sleep in and surprise them with pumpkin pancakes in bed! Another (healthier) breakfast option includes fall-inspired oatmeal with crushed walnuts and apples. Yum!
