This is the most fun and unique place to visit in the Smoky Mountains. Come and see what Goats on the Roof is all about.
As if you couldn't tell by the name of our attraction, we happen to be partial to goats. We think they're pretty cool critters - so much so that we have a bunch of them hanging around on our rooftop (weather permitting). They graze, they chill out, they interact with all the folks who stop by to say hello throughout the year. So in honor of these bearded beasts, we thought we'd devote an entire blog post to celebrating the amazing goat. And we'll do that by sharing a few facts about them, many of which you may not have known. By the time you're done, you'll be a bona fide goat expert!
There's no doubt about it: Miniature golf is a must-do activity when you're on vacation. And it seems like no matter which vacation spot in the country you visit, there's always a mini golf course nearby. You'll find them in big cities, and you'll find them in some of the most remote, podunk places you can imagine.
You can feel it in the air; summer is starting to slip away, and the days are starting to feel cooler and less oppressively humid - just in time for the official arrival of autumn this week. Here in the Great Smoky Mountains, we don't take such transitions lightly. In fact, fall is one of the most celebrated seasons in the Smokies, and if you read on, you'll get a 30,000-foot overview of how each of our communities - Sevierville, Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg - is celebrating Smoky Mountain Harvest Festival.
In our most recent blog post, we introduced you to a number of Smoky Mountain venues where live music performances are either the main focus or they play a vital role in the day-to-day offerings. Destinations like Hard Rock Café, The Listening Room Café, Ober Mountain, The Island and Anakeesta all feature shows where you can catch up-and-coming artists and songwriters live and in person.
Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg and Sevierville have a reputation for their live music shows. The area's community of music theaters has been going strong for more than 30 years now. In years past, performers such as Lee Greenwood and Louise Mandrell starred in their own shows in Pigeon Forge. Such venues typically offer a variety of music and other forms of entertainment on a fairly large scale. Some theaters seat as many as 2,000 guests, and many also offer a dinner component as part of the entertainment. Examples include places like Country Tonite Theatre, Memories Theatre and the Grand Majestic Theater. Of course, Dollywood theme park itself is home to a variety of different theaters and music venues.
Podcasts are having a moment these days. They've been around for some 20 years, but instead of fading into the background like so many obsolete technologies and media have, podcasts have actually enjoyed a surge in popularity in recent years.
It's an unwritten law of vacationing: When you take a trip, you have to buy souvenirs. Well, you don't HAVE to, but it's kind of a thing that people do. Whether it's a keepsake you're purchasing as a way to remember a trip or a gift you're taking home to friends and family members who got left behind, souvenirs are always tangible evidence of a remarkable traveling experiences.
As human beings, we seem to have a natural affinity with bodies of water. That would explain why so many of us head to the ocean for summer vacations or why we can spend days and days on the lake, enjoying recreational fun like water skiing, tubing, jet skiing and more.
Ideally, your summer trip to the Smokies this year is a full week-long extravaganza, giving you plenty of time to do a lot of cool things - everything from an adventure in Great Smoky Mountains National Park to full days at multiple major attractions. And that would still leave enough time to fill in with shopping, shows, special events and dining out.
Memorial Day weekend was the unofficial kickoff to the summer vacation season. Most schools are out, and it's the time of year when families are making their big annual getaways. We certainly hope your travel plans this year include a trip to Pigeon Forge and the Great Smoky Mountains. We're excited about what the next few months have in store for us at Goats on the Roof.
We have to admit that Goats on the Roof is an unusual attraction. There's only one other place in the country that has live goats living on its roof, and that's the original GOTR in Wisconsin. We're pretty proud of that. There's something to be said for being unique.
Ask five different people and you'll probably get five different definitions of what qualifies as camping. For some, it's not truly a camping trip unless a tent is involved. For others, motoring about in a 40-foot RV with all the amenities is also considered camping.
We don't call ourselves Goats on the Roof for nothing. In the tradition of the original Goats on the Roof attraction, which has been a mainstay on the Wisconsin tourist scene for decades, we feature live goats on the roof our main building. This time of year is prime goat season, because it's warm enough for our friends to relax and graze up on the roof, but it's not too hot for them to be outside.
Now that spring is in full swing, more and more folks are heading outdoors to take advantage of these warmer days and, when they're fortunate, abundant sunshine and blue skies. Weather like this is made for outside play, especially when visiting the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. So next time you're in our area, consider either of both of our recommendations for Smoky Mountain attractions where the good times can be enjoyed during what is arguably one of the most pleasant and beautiful seasons of the year.
Did you know that Great Smoky Mountains National Park received some 12 million visitors in 2022? That's the second highest total in park history, cementing its claim on being the most visited national park in the country.