Tips for Traveling with Pets to Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge

Dollywood

Daredevil Falls

Dollywood features a variety of rides, including thrill, water, family and children's rides. This is a picture of Daredevil Falls, a thrill ride and boat expedition ending with a 60-foot drop.

Leaving your beloved dog or cat behind to fly off on vacation can be a traumatic experience for both you and your pet. Fortunately, taking Rover, Fido or Kitty along for the ride doesn't have to be a chore if you do a little bit of research in advance.

Pet-Friendly Lodging in Gatlinburg - Pigeon Forge

• You might be pleasantly surprised to find out that there are several "pet-friendly" lodgings in the area. The Bon Air Lodge is a short walk from the Gatlinburg Convention Center, as well as some of the best restaurants in Gatlinburg. The Holiday Inn SunSpree Resort, also in Gatlinburg, is located right next to the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. Both the lodge and the resort offer amenities that accommodate pet owners. In nearby Sevierville is Best Western Dumplin Valley Inn, which gladly welcomes families with small pets.

Dollywood's Doggywood Pet Boarding

• When you want to spend the day at the amusement park, you will want to be sure that there's a nearby boarding facility to accommodate your dog or cat for several hours while you're gone. Dollywood has some unique doggy accommodations located right outside of its front gates, aptly named Doggywood! It's a surprisingly affordable way to board your pet while you catch the local attractions. Your Doggywood Host can even provide you with a pager or cell phone number so that you can check in on your favorite fur-person whenever you want to.

Pets at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park

• You'll want your pet to stay active during your trip. While cats are content to sprint the length of a hotel suite for their exercise -- and mostly in the pitch black of night -- dogs, especially larger ones, really need to stretch their legs and go for a good run. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the perfect place to turn Fido loose!

Veternarians in Gatlinburg - Pigeon Forge

• For your pet's general well being, it's always a good idea to take note of the nearest veterinary clinics, on the slim chance that Rex or accident-prone Fido might need medical assistance. You'll find two facilities in Sevierville, within 5 miles of Pigeon Forge. They are Parkway Animal Hospital on South Boulevard and Sevier County Animal Clinic on Mize Lane.