There isn’t anything subtle about country music icon Dolly Parton — with her larger-than-life blonde hair and bedazzled outfits. There was no doubt (NONE!) that we’d stop at Dolly’s very own theme park Dollywood on our 4 day Tennessee road trip. We spent a full day at the down home park and picked the 5 best rides at Dollywood you won’t want to miss.
Some vintage shots of Dolly, who always seems to look the same!
Is it possible to travel from Nashville to Dollywood?
The direct drive from Nashville to Dollywood takes just 3.5 hours. The scenery gets more and more gorgeous as you head east towards Pigeon Forge, Tenn., in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains. Kevin and I spent a full day in Nashville then drove to Knoxville for the night, a quick and easy 3 hour drive. The next morning, we woke up and drove only 45 minutes with heavy traffic. Check out our full 4 day Tennessee road trip adventure.
Do you have any insider tips on Dollywood?
Oh we have many! First of all, we recommend arriving at the park about 30 minutes before it opens (at 10 AM). It’s only a 45 minute drive from Knoxville. However, the traffic gets really backed up at the park around opening. And our second tip — get the Time Save Pass, which can be purchased inside the park. It’s $40 for the basic pass (including 10 times to skip the lines). You can literally walk right up to the ride without much of a wait.
Standing outside the replica of Dolly’s childhood home and proudly wearing my Time Saver pass.
But enough about tips. How should we prioritize? We tried out every attraction and whittled down the list to the top 5 best rides in the park. And the best food item you can’t miss. Follow our journey.
5. Tennessee Tornado
This steel roller coaster is a force of nature — and not just because it takes you through some great mother nature. The triple spiral-looping coaster will take you down a 128-foot drop through an actual mountain at speeds nearing 70 mph. It might be one of the older rides in the park, but the oldie proved it’s more of a classic.
4. Dolly Parton’s ‘Chasing Rainbows’ Museum
Kevin I’m pretty sure this would look perfect above the fireplace.
Okay, I know! This isn’t really a ride. But no trip here would be complete without learning more about Dolly’s humble roots. With the hope of inspiring others, she created Chasing Rainbows, a museum featuring interactive and behind-the-scenes collections, stories, and memorabilia from Dolly’s life and career. Our personal favorite? Seeing the actual movie costumes from 9 to 5 and Straight Talk, as well as many of her lavishly sequined gowns worn during concerts and award shows. An entire case contains Dolly’s many awards, including Grammy, Country Music Association and People’s Choice Awards, as well as plaques commemorating gold and platinum records.
As you exit the museum, make sure you stop at her old tour bus to get a glimpse into how Dolly traveled in style. You can even go inside.
3. Firechaser Express
Another fun steel roller coaster for the list. The Firechaser Express is perfect for families or big groups. Perched 12 stories above the park’s Wilderness Pass area, Firechaser Express launches twice, blasting riders forward — then backward — on a winding 2,427-foot track. The coaster shoots you from 0 to 16 mph in just 1.1 seconds. So hold on tight! Near the end of the ride, a backward launch zips you from 0 to 20 mph in 2 seconds, hurtling you back into the station. It’s a little tamer than other rides on the list, but worth the the time. Plus, there is a little show midway through involving explosives, adding to the fun for all you pyromaniacs.
2. Wild Eagle Coaster
Dollywood certainly has a lot of steel roller coaster options. Topping the list is the Wild Eagle, the first ride of its kind in the U.S. What makes it so unique? Well, instead of having the train on the track, Wild Eagle seats riders on either side so there is nothing but air above and below the rider! This is one ride where it’s worth waiting for the front car. If you’re squeamish, this might not be the ride for you. On our last and final ride, let’s just say, a fellow rider wasn’t feeling so hot. And things got messy — real fast!
1. Lightning Rod – Fastest Wooden Coaster
No contest – Lightning Rod is easily the best ride in the park. This wooden coaster is tricked-out as a 1950s-era hot rod, launching riders from 0 to 45 mph more than 20 stories straight up a hill. It then races down the 165-foot drop at speeds reaching 73 mph, the fastest speed for a wood coaster in the world. Located in Dollywood’s Jukebox Junction, Lightning Rod weaves through the trees in the hills and valleys surrounding Dollywood. And gives that classic wooden ‘airtime’ effect by throwing riders out of the seats for nearly 20 seconds. Hold on tight!
Last but certainly not least, after you’re done all the rides, you’ll likely be hungry. Look no further than Dollywood’s famed cinnamon bread at the Grist Mill. It’s basically like a gigantic, better tasting Cinnabon. Full disclosure — we love Cinnabon, despite our usual finer tastes in life. Don’t judge!
Don’t leave Dollywood without buying a loaf of the cinnamon bread.
Just don’t think too much about all the calories. Watch as the bakers here churn these puppies out — literally bathing them in butter and cinnamon sugar before lining them up on baking pans. We ended up getting a side of cream icing to dip the bread into. I figured, we were in this deep, might as well go the full caloric blowout. Though, I did put my foot down when Kevin wanted 2 loaves. Now let’s not be too extreme! Though, secretly I definitely wanted another. The shop has been featured on the Hallmark Channel and has quite the local cult following. So expect to wait in line. But it’s near one of the performance stages so you can always swap turns waiting.
The line for the Grist Mill for fresh cinnamon bread.
And there you have it! Our friends were so jealous we got to go here. It’s well worth the detour from Nashville. Planning a trip to Tennessee? Be sure to check out my recommendations on the best things I crammed into 24 hours in Nashville. And if you have more time, peruse our top picks for 1 day in Memphis. For those looking for a birthday celebration or special occasion destination, check out our recommendations on the best birthday travel spots.
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