Maryville is a city in Blount County, Tennessee, in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains. It is part of the Knoxville Metropolitan Area. Maryville is a good starting point for exploring a number of popular tourist destinations such as the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Gatlinburg, Dollywood and Pigeon Forge. Sam Houston Schoolhouse, today a State Historic Site, located near Maryville, is the oldest schoolhouse in Tennessee. Blount County Historical Museum is great place to learn about Maryville past. Blue Goose Vineyards produce 13 award-winning labels from the muscadine grapes they grow in their vineyard.
1. Bicentennial Greenbelt Park, Maryville, TN
Bicentennial Greenbelt Park in downtown Maryville, Tennessee was developed in order to change the nature of the area once used for light industry and known for heavy pollution. The key to the redevelopment in the area was cleaning of the once polluted Pistol Creek that now runs through the park. The development of Bicentennial Park changed the character of the entire area. Its walkways became the roots of the Maryville Alcoa Greenway and the park became locally known as the Greenbelt. The area around Bicentennial Park started to grow and rejuvenate, Canada geese stopped at Bicentennial Park on migration, and in 1999, the first phase of the Maryville Alcoa Greenway was finished and included the former walkways in Bicentennial Park.
409 N Cusick St, Maryville, TN 37804
2. Blue Goose Farm and Vineyards, Maryville, Tennessee
Blue Goose is a small, family-operated farm and vineyard located in the lovely green valley of the Great Smoky Mountains, just outside Maryville, Tennessee. They grow various berries and apple trees, several different varieties of muscadine grapes, and take care of livestock on their lush pastures. The vineyard has a breathtaking view of the Great Smoky Mountains, and is a perfect venue for weddings and other celebrations. Their winery, located on the property, has a nice tasting room in the old rustic barn and provides wine tastings of their 13 award-winning labels. The tasting room also has a small gift shop that offers a variety of wine accessories and handcrafted items from local and regional artists.
3334 Old Niles Ferry Rd, Maryville, TN 37803, Phone: 865-456-7815
3. Capitol Theatre, Maryville, Tennessee
The Capitol Theatre opened in 1934 and it soon became the major entertainment place in Maryville, Tennessee. The Capitol was the largest movie house in downtown Maryville, seating about 1000 people. The building which housed the theatre went through many incarnations: it was originally built for the WA Dunlap in 1922, then it became a furniture store and undertaking establishment. Later it housed J.C. Penney Company until 1934 when Crescent Amusement Company bought it and converted it into the Capitol Theatre. The theatre closed as a movie theatre in the 1970’s. Today it houses the Heath Claiborne Gallery, and serves as a venue for movies, live performances and other special events in a dinner theatre setting. It has a stage, dance floor, a retractable silver screen, catering kitchen and flexible seating. The theatre is also available for private parties, corporate events and other celebrations.
127 W Broadway Ave, Maryville, TN 37801, Phone: 865-980-1966
4. Sam Houston Historic Schoolhouse
Sam Houston Schoolhouse State Historic Site is a three-acre site around the one-room schoolhouse built in 1794 and made of rough-hewn poplar logs in Maryville, Tennessee, and is typical “field” school of the 1700 and 1800s. Built two years before Tennessee became a State, it is the oldest school in Tennessee. Sam Houston, a renowned statesman, pioneer and teacher, taught at the school as a young man. The school house was originally built by Andrew Kennedy, a Revolutionary War veteran, together with Henry McCulloch and a few other neighbors. The schoolhouse is a Tennessee state historic site and it is open to the public. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
3650 Sam Houston Ln, Maryville, TN 37804, Phone: 865-983-1550
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5. Palace Theater, Maryville, Tennessee
Palace Theater in Maryville, Tennessee, today a retro theater showing movies, presenting children's theater, acoustic concerts and other performances, has a long and interesting history. The building that houses Palace Theater was built in 1868 by Carl Pflanze to house his furniture and casket factory. In 1927, the building became the first site of McCammon Ammons Funeral Parlor. In 1933 the building was damaged by fire and was purchased by The Crescent Amusement Company, which converted it into the Palace Theater. The Theater has been restored in 1934 by Donna Dixon and Steve Kaufman, who brought it back to its original state. The theatre is listed on the Tennessee Trail as a historic tourist attraction.
113 W Broadway Ave, Maryville, TN 37801, Phone: 865-983-3330
- Bicentennial Greenbelt Park, Maryville, TN
- Blue Goose Farm and Vineyards, Maryville, Tennessee
- Capitol Theatre, Maryville, Tennessee
- Sam Houston Historic Schoolhouse
- Palace Theater, Maryville, Tennessee
More Ideas in the Area: Dollywood
Dollywood, in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, is one of the most iconic attractions in the United States. Visitors can easily spend a whole day, or even longer, having good old-fashioned family fun in a safe, friendly, welcoming setting. The park opened in 1961 and has since grown to welcoming over two million visitors annually.
History
It always lives up to its slogan of loving “Every Moment.” It was renamed from Rebel Railroad to honor its creator, the famous Dolly Parton. With a total of 27 different rides, including 8 roller coasters, the parks are meant to please all guests, from the thrill seekers to the relaxed tourists. The Dollywood theme park has won awards for having the friendliest employees, the best food, the best shows, and even the best Christmas event from Amusement Today. The water park has been regularly rated as one of the top ten in the US by Trip Advisor.
Permanent Attractions
The attractions at Dollywood are broken up into a few main locations - a theme park, a water park, and a resort. Below are a few highlights from each of the locations to keep an eye out for! Reservations for all areas can be made online through the Dollywood website.
Theme Park: The theme park is possibly the well-known section of Dollywood. Sitting on 150 acres located in the Great Smoky Mountains foothills, the park offers over 40 different rides, 15 outstanding shows, and five of the largest festivals in the South.
- Dollywood Express: One of the best ways to really take in the beauty and scenery of the park is to ride on the coal powered steam engine, which winds through five miles of the park.
- Lightning Rod: This coaster takes adventurous riders from 0 to 45 miles per hour 20 stories into the air with its lift hill, twisting and turning its way through the sky.
- Mystery Mine: The over 1,800-foot track propels riders through an abandoned mystery coal mine, all underground and in the dark.
- Wild Eagle: The first wing roller coaster in America soars riders far above the Great Smoky mountains.
Water Park: Especially in hot summer months, the water park is a great place to have fun and cool off. With 35 acres of water based attractions, the park is another family favorite.
- Mountain Scream: This water ride lets riders choose between a corkscrew or a quadruple drop water slide.
- Mountain Waves: One of the favorite attractions is the wave pool, with over 25,000 square feet of water!
- River Rush: The first and currently only water roller coaster in the entire state of Tennessee ushers in a new generation of water rides.
Resort: When it comes to relaxing after a long day at either the theme or water park (or both!), the resort is a great place to unwind with family and friends.
- Spa: The Dollywood spa offers a full-service selection of customized treatments for guests, like manicures, pedicures, haircuts, facials, and more.
- Kid’s Activities: Even the smallest guests can have fun at the resort. One of the favorites is Camp DW, a fun and creative environment for kids to have fun while parents can relax.
Special Events
Dollywood hosts many different special events throughout the year, some have which are even award winning!
Festival of Nations: This event focuses on entertainment from all across the globe in an enormous month-long celebration of dance, music, art, and food. Many well-known (and even Grammy nominated and award winning) artists have passed through. Make sure to check out the German stilt walkers, the steel pan band, and the Siberian dance company.
Harvest Festival: September through November brings the Harvest Festival to Dollywood. With fall themed events like professional pumpkin carvers, special music guests, and other entertainment, the festival draws guests from all across the country.
Smoky Mountain Christmas: This award-winning holiday event runs from early November through early January. Part of what makes this festival so great is its abundance of different events, like the live action Wonderful Life, the Parade (of many colors), and a cast performing a medley of holiday favorites. It’s a Christmas tradition for many people!
Dining and Shopping
Dollywood features an impossibly long list of dining and shopping options. From buffets to world-class sit down dining experiences, the grounds cater to every taste level, dietary preference, and budget. It is much the same with shopping. With magic shops, clothing stores and many, many gift options, souvenirs of a visit to Dollywood are easy to come by.
Dollywood Theme Park, 2700 Dollywood Parks Blvd, Pigeon Forge, TN, 37863, Phone: 800-365-5996
More Things to Do in Pigeon Forge
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More Ideas: Dolly Parton’s Dixie Stampede
Dolly Parton’s Dixie Stampede in Pigeon Forge is a dinner theater like no other. Here, guests are treated to a host of outstanding live rodeo performances over a four-course dinner, making for a unique kind of entertainment for the entire family. It is especially known for its beautiful performances during the Christmas season, when the arena is transformed into a magical place filled with snow, elves, and lots of holiday cheer.
The location is close to everything, so it’s a must-see especially for those who are visiting Branson or Pigeon Forge. Family and friends of all ages and sizes will find that Dolly Parton’s Dixie Stampede is one of the best combinations of four-course dining and world-class entertainment out there.
Show Schedule
Dolly Parton’s Dixie Stampede hosts all kinds of performances. The shows’ times and schedules greatly vary depending on the day and the show itself. The shows for the Christmas season, for example, start from the afternoon on weekdays with more scheduled performances on Fridays and even more on Saturdays.
The best way to check for schedules is to go online and check the calendar on the specific website; this is where reservations can be made as well.
Reservations
Reservations are best done online since all the show times are listed and organized via an online calendar. Upon selecting the preferred date and schedule, guests will also be able to choose their seating and confirm any other add-ons available.
Menu
Every show will always feature a four-course family feast with their respective vegan and gluten-free counterparts. Below is an example of a menu for the Branson Christmas shows:
Main Four-Course Feast:
- Whole rotisserie chicken
- Smoked barbecue pork loin
- Dixie Stampede’s original vegetable soup
- Homemade biscuit
- Buttered corn on the cob
- Herb basted potato
- Dixie’s Special Dessert
- Unlimited Pepsi, tea, or coffee
Vegetarian
- Country garden vegetable pasta
- Dixie Stampede’s original vegetable soup
- Homemade biscuit
- Buttered corn on the cob
- Herb basted potato
- Dixie’s Special Dessert
- Unlimited Pepsi, tea, or coffee
Gluten Free
- Whole rotisserie chicken
- Smoked barbecue pork loin
- Buttered corn on the cob
- Herb basted potato
- Gluten-free cookie
- Unlimited Pepsi, tea, or coffee
Upon making reservations, guests should indicate whether they would prefer a vegetarian or gluten-free meal.
Groups
Able to accommodate groups of as many as 1,100 people, Dixie Stampede offers special prices for reservations for parties of 15 or more. This is ideal for those wishing to have a special celebration for their families, business teams, work crews, and other large groups.
Address
3849 Parkway, Pigeon Forge, TN 37863, Phone: 865-453-4400
More Things to Do in Pigeon Forge
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More Ideas: Mountain Valley Winery
Since it opened in 1991, Mountain Valley Winery in Pigeon Forge has been producing and distributing award-winning and popular wine to locals and tourists alike. While Mountain Valley has a preference for French and German varieties, they do serve a good selection of sweet fruit wines as well.
Quite close to the Smoky Mountain vacation area, the Mountain Valley vineyards are located just past Pigeon Forge’s WonderWorks upside-down house and the Titanic Museum. The vineyards are known for their scenic trails, making this a great spot for hiking. Guests who join the tours also get free samples of their wine.
Menu
· Dry Wines: Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon
· Semi Sweet Wines: Mountain Valley White, Mountain Valley Blush
· Sweet Wines: Mountain Peach, Rhubarb, Muscadine, Collier Reserve, Mountain Valley Red, Mountain Berry, Blackberry
· Bubbly: Celebration
· Limited Edition: Winterfest Red, Black Raspberry Rapture, Volunteer Nouveau
Mountain Valley Winery also sells their wine online to have it delivered directly to buyers’ homes. They ship via UPS or FedEx, which means that most orders will arrive in 2-5 business days. Although buyers can order a variety of wines, they must do so in multiples of six (i.e. 6, 12, 18, etc.) Alternatively, buyers can also make pickup orders, in which case the ordered wine must be picked up at the winery.
Wine Trail
Mountain Valley Winery is also known for its Rocky Top Wine Trail, which features a total of six locations, offering a total of 70 different varieties of wine that guests can sample. The trail itself is free to hike; all guests need to do is to go to one of the mentioned wineries/distilleries to pick up a passport. This passport should be presented at each stop to get a stamp. After visiting all six locations, the hiker gets a free gift. On top of that, each stop offers free wine tastings.
The trail itself is easy to navigate alone, but those who wish to make the most of the trip can contact Elite Limo Tours at 865-456-0023 for a better touring experience.
Wine Club
Mountain Valley Winery also offers membership to the Rocky Top Wine Club. Since 2008, Mountain Valley Winery has shipped out six bottles of wine to its most loyal supporters. These members can choose the wine they prefer by selecting which club they wished to be part of (whether sweet, dry, or mixed).
The winemaker creates a signature dry and sweet wine, which is shipped and made exclusively available to the members for 30 days, allowing them to buy the products first before anyone else, and at premium prices.
Events
Mountain Valley Winery also has different events throughout the year, such as hosting breakfast and picnic wine trails on selected months of the year. These events are all listed on their website in advance.
For more information about their wines, shipping, and upcoming events, contact 865-453-6334.
Address
Mountain Valley Winery, 2174 Parkway, Pigeon Forge, TN 37863, Phone: 865-453-6334
