Blog for Zipline Attraction in the Smoky Mountains
Located in Pigeon Forge, TN and near Gatlinburg and Sevierville.
Educational Attractions Your Kids Will Love
By Ross Bodhi Ogle
Posted on June 12, 2018
Here we are, in the thick of summer vacation season, which means there's a good chance that if you haven't already, you and your family will be venturing out for some fun and play time away from home. We hope that your plans for this year include spending some time in the Great Smoky Mountains, but just because it's summer, that doesn't mean all learning has to cease when you and your kids visit our area. Here in the Smokies, we offer a number of attractions that incorporate educational components into their missions to entertain. With some of this week's suggestions, your kids (and you) can have a lot of fun and also learn a thing or two in the process. It's a summertime win-win situation.
Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies
This one's a no-brainer. Located in the heart of downtown Gatlinburg, this multi-level aquarium attraction is one of the most popular in the nation, known for its multiple galleries of exhibits that are home to creatures from all the world's oceans. The self-guided tour will introduce you to species that range from the small and colorful to the big and powerful. Highlights of the journey include large tanks inhabited by octopi, stingrays that you can actually pet (with aquarium supervision, of course) and an underwater tunnel that runs through Shark Lagoon. Through the tunnel's see-through glass, you'll feel surrounded by multiple species of these ocean predators as they swim by within close view. There are also special areas of the aquarium devoted to younger guests, and it regularly offers programs that allow kids to dive deeper into specific subjects and have fun learning more about the undersea realm. In addition, the gift shop has a lot of ocean-themed merch, and much of it as informative as it is entertaining.
WonderWorks
You'll find this unique attraction in Pigeon Forge, right on the Parkway. In fact, it's kind of hard to miss. Just look for the stately looking institutional structure that appears to have landed upside-down. That sets the theme for the topsy-turvy experience that lies inside as guests make their way through six different Wonder Zones – Natural Disasters, Physical Challenge Zone, Light & Sound Zone, Space Discovery, Imagination Lab and Far Out Art Gallery. Exhibits are super-interactive and let guests really immerse themselves in experiences that both teach and inspire while providing an outlet for fun. Highlights include the Earthquake Café (where you can experience the effects of a 5.3 Richter scale earthquake), a space shuttle simulator and a bubble lab.
Titanic Museum Attraction
Here's another Pigeon Forge attraction that's pretty hard to miss. Located just a few doors down from WonderWorks, this half-scale replica of the infamous ocean liner Titanic lets guests set a course for a journey into the past that is both interesting and informative while also paying tribute to the hundreds of people who lost their lives when the ship sank in the North Atlantic in 1912. It's a history lesson that you definitely won't snooze your way through. And many of the exhibits have interactive components that kids of all ages will enjoy experiencing. If you visit the attraction's website, www.titanicpigeonforge.com, you'll see a tab labeled Education. There's a drop-down menu that includes information on a scavenger hunt and resources for home-school families.
RainForest Adventures Discovery Zoo
Located at the Governor's Crossing development in Sevierville, this animal-themed attraction is home to a wide range of creatures that hail from multiple rainforest climates around the world. You'll see all kinds of reptiles, birds, bugs, amphibians and more, most of which you might have seen on shows on Animal Planet or Discover Channel. The lineup even includes a number of mammalian species like lemurs and mongooses. While most of the residents occupy special habitats, zoo educators will sometimes bring out a snake or some other unique critter for visiting guests to touch and learn about.
We also hope you make time in your itinerary to visit us at Smoky Mountain Ziplines. Our Sevierville zipline attraction delivers hours of pure enjoyment, and if nothing else, you'll definitely learn how gravity works!
