National Girlfriends’ Day is August 1, and whether you and your girls love going out, love unwinding spa-style, or love getting a little dirty exploring the great outdoors, you can do all this and more in one weekend in a Pigeon Forge, Tennessee Cabin. Make it a budget-friendly trip or go all out in a luxury cabin. What is most important is wrangling all your friends into the car to the cabin and spending some much-needed quality time together.
No matter how young you are or seasoned your friendship has gotten, your group of girls have a unique way of breathing life into your soul when you didn’t know they were exactly what you needed. Well, here is the perfect excuse to plan a girls getaway trip! Use these 10 fun girls getaway ideas to get your ladies into a Pigeon Forge cabin together for a life-giving National Girlfriends’ Day in the Great Smoky Mountains.
1) Laid-Back Day on the Wine Trail
Southern wine country boasts a wide variety of award-winning styles in addition to their robust, sweet, locally sourced muscadine grapes. Unlike an expensive day in California wine country, your tour is filled with free tastings, free winery tours, and flexible ways to take your tour. Designate a driver for the day or take a Sweetheart Limousine for only $10 per person per hour! You can start and end at any of the 6 locations included in the Rocky Top Wine Trail, but after you’ve visited 3 and gotten your “passport” stamped (the wineries provide), you receive a free souvenir glass. A couple of our favs are the charming Mountain Valley Winery and Mill Bridge Winery where you can relax on their patio with your wine while enjoying views of the Old Mill and Little Pigeon River.
2) Spa Day in the Cabin
You can DIY this one, easy, with bath bombs, homemade soaps from the Great Smoky Arts and Crafts Community, unique essential oil mixtures, and freshly made facemasks with some tactful shopping in Pigeon Forge. Hit up the fantastic locally owned shop at The Island in Pigeon Forge, Blossom, where you can grab organic body and beauty care products that you can trust and adore the additional aromatherapy included. Want some affordable, high-end spa treatments? The Island in Pigeon Forge is also home to the St. Somewhere Spa, offering a Volcano Hot Stone Massage, Lost Shaker and Salt Glow, and other spa treatments set in a luxurious, peaceful atmosphere.
3) Hike to Jaw-Dropping Views
My best friend and I love to take new hikes for one another’s birthdays and then treat the birthday girl to a rewarding dinner afterwards. It’s great: we feel accomplished from the exercise, inspired by the beauty of nature, and then eat our hearts out. The Smokies are filled with great day hikes with a variety of views and ranging in difficulty. I would suggest a moderate hike if you and your friends are feeling up to it. Rainbow Falls, Abrams Falls, and Alum Cave are all hikes under or around 10 miles roundtrip and offer up some of the best waterfalls and mountain views.
4) Night Out Dancing
The Smoky Mountains are great for families, but that doesn’t mean there is 0% nightlife. In Gatlinburg, Blake Shelton just opened his second Ole Red location! There’s live music, full bars, and dining if you work up an appetite. Dance late into the night at Hogg’s Upstairs Tavern and enjoy the lovely views of downtown Gatlinburg from the balcony overlooking the Parkway. Lounge around an outdoor fire pit on Margaritaville’s upstairs patio for a more laid-back evening of drinks and live music. All perfect for girls getaway trips!
5) Live Music and Moonshine
Get into some old Smoky Mountain culture at the incredibly fun Sugarlands Distillery! Every Saturday night in August you are in for a real treat because the Sugarlands’ Spirit Stage hosts quality up-and-coming country artists. Sultry country twang pairs really well with their hand-crafted mixed drinks from the Cocktail Kitchen. The City of Gatlinburg requires local distilleries to charge $5 for sampling, but Sugarlands then gives you a $5 voucher for their Trading Post, so it’s sorta still free! But their unique moonshine flavors paired with fresh ingredients will make you want to share at the next dinner party. Perfect, because they also give you tasting notes and cocktail ideas to take home!
6) Lazy Day River Tubing
Another one of my favorite outdoor activities is river tubing. I’m enjoying river and forest views while lazily drifting along in cool waters and soaking up some sun. How does it get better? Pigeon Forge River Rage Tubing is your best bet. They offer 3 routes, unlimited shuttle rides per person with one ticket purchase, and on-site, homestyle BBQ!
7) Explore Prime Shopping
Pigeon Forge, Sevierville, and Gatlinburg offer TONS of shopping: fashion name brands, artisan handmade goods, and a shop for seemingly every niche. From the Tanger Outlets in Sevierville to The Island in Pigeon Forge to The Village in Gatlinburg, skip driving your personal vehicle and use the Fun Time Trolley and Gatlinburg Trolley to get everywhere you need to go for as little as $.50 a ride or $2 for unlimited rides! How’s that for cheap girls getaway weekend ideas?!
8) Murder, Mystery, & Laughs
If you have never experienced a murder mystery dinner, this attraction in Pigeon Forge is a great place to start because they don’t take themselves too seriously. Seriously. You are going to find yourselves cracking up at all the ridiculousness in between bites of your hearty Southern cuisine. The Great Smoky Mountain Murder Mystery Show offers multiple performances and a Super Sleuth Award to the table who solves the mystery! Work together with your girls, if you can focus among the hillbilly mishaps and laughter, to become the night’s Super Sleuths for an incredibly fun time.
9) In-Cabin, Chef-Prepared Dinner
You do enough cooking at home. Even if you do have a great fully loaded kitchen, it’s nice to be catered to sometimes. So get catered to – literally! Executive Chef Jeremy and the staff of Savory Solutions will come to your cabin and prepare you a meal you will all be talking about for years to come.
10) Pool Days in the Mountains
Many of our cabins are located within communities like Sherwood Forest and Bear Creek Crossing that offer outdoor pool access just a short walk from your cabin. You don’t need a beach to soak up some sun, cool off in the pool, and enjoy stunning views. Other Pigeon Forge, Tennessee Cabins boast private indoor pools! Imagine, walking out of your bedroom, downstairs, and you have poolside seating and hot tubs, no hassle.
Can’t make it out for National Girlfriends’ Day? That doesn’t mean you can’t suggest some quality girl time another weekend. Coordinate your schedules and escape to the mountains for some soul-stirring views and life-giving moments with your squad of awesome ladies in a luxury, pet-friendly, or budget-friendly Pigeon Forge, Tennessee Cabin!
