Coordinates: 35.80983415, -83.576888746422
Distance from Baton Rouge to The Inn at Christmas Place: 681 miles
Flying Time: 3 hours, 10 minutes
Driving Time: 10 hours, 2 minutes
Why The Inn at Christmas Place? Pigeon Forge, Tennessee has so much to offer during the holiday season, including a special place for Christmas fanatics. Nestled in the heart of the Smoky Mountains is an award-winning, unique, Bavarian-style hotel that celebrates Christmas year-round. The festivities are endless at The Inn at Christmas Place. You can visit Mr. and Mrs. Clause, have cookies at bedtime, and sleep in rooms decked with Christmas cheer. Then, step out of the hotel and into the mountains to explore all that Pigeon Forge has to offer this Christmas. 

Where to Stay
Right off of Highway 441 is where you will lodge in a winter wonderland. The Inn at Christmas Place has rooms with an array of accommodations to ensure your stay is warm and welcoming. You can rent a double-queen room, a king mini suite, a two-room suite, or a Santa suite, all of which include free WiFi, flat-screen TVs, a mini fridge, and at least one full-sized decorated Christmas tree. Enjoy your complimentary hot breakfast, the fitness room, the heated indoor pool and family-sized hot tub, along with a seasonal outdoor pool that has a 95-foot figure-eight water slide.

Where to Eat
The Old Mill Restaurant
Get a true taste of southern food and hospitality at The Old Mill Restaurant. Here you can dig in to some true comfort foods while looking out at the Little Pigeon River. Indulge in the Cinnamon Raisin Pecan French Toast for breakfast, some Southern Country Fried Steak for lunch, or the Old Mill Chicken and Dumplings for dinner.

Mel’s Diner
Located in the heart of Pigeon Forge, Mel’s Diner offers a vintage 50s diner experience. You can order some golden-brown pancakes or some favorite egg dishes at any time from their all-day breakfast menu. If you prefer lunch or dinner, Mel’s has that, too! For something with a little kick, order the Rimmy’s Cajun Cheeseburger, or you can stick to the basics with the Bette Davis B.L.T. When you’re finished, don’t forget to order a classic malt or banana split for dessert.

Lil’ Black Bear Cafe
This quaint and homey place offers fresh made-to-order breakfast and lunch and freshly brewed coffee. You can sip on your coffee and enjoy some huge, fluffy pancakes or the egg and veggies omelette for breakfast, but the menu doesn’t stop there. For lunch, there are plenty of homemade recipes like the chicken salad sandwich or the favorite Grizzly Bear sandwich stuffed with ham, roast beef, turkey, and cheese.

What to Do
Only five miles away from your stay is the beautiful mountain oasis and incredible theme park that is Dollywood Parks & Resorts. Continue the Christmas festivities with Dollywood’s Smoky Mountain Christmas festival and its five million brilliant lights, giant fireworks, heartwarming shows, and delicious food.

Meeting Hollywood icons may be only a dream for most, but not at Pigeon Forge’s Hollywood Wax Museum. Here you can pose, sing, and walk the red carpet with lifelike wax figures of some of Hollywood’s favorites. After that, the fun continues with the Castle of Chaos’s 5D adventure, Hannah’s Maze of Mirrors, and Outbreak, a zombie attraction.

Explore the Titanic Museum at Pigeon Forge. Step on board and back in time as you hear the stories of the 2,000 passengers and crew members. There are also hundreds of artifacts and pictures from the Titanic on display, including the famous, 1.7 million-dollar violin Wallace Hartley played as the ship sank.

Exercise your mind at WonderWorks Pigeon Forge, an indoor amusement park with over 35,000 square feet of educational entertainment. When you enter, everything is upside down! But, don’t worry; once you have been properly aligned for the adventure, you can journey through the epic Wonder Zones, glow-in-the-dark ropes course, black-light laser tag arena, and 4D XD Simulator Ride.

If you’re looking for dinner and a show, the Hatfield & McCoy Dinner Feud includes singin’, dancin’, fightin’, and laughin’, complete with Granny’s country cookin’! Become a part of a long-running family feud as you help the Hatfields and McCoys settle their differences with crazy stunts and laugh-out-loud comedy.

Take the family to exhilarating new heights in the Smoky Mountain Ziplines. Here you can zip 150 feet in the air and 800 feet across the Smoky forest. Or, if you’d rather explore with your feet on the ground, venture to the breathtaking Great Smoky Mountains National Park where there are 800 miles of trails for explorers. ■