Blog for Zipline Attraction in the Smoky Mountains
Located in Pigeon Forge, TN and near Gatlinburg and Sevierville.
Maximum Shopping, Minimum Travel
By Ross Bodhi Ogle
Posted on October 17, 2017
Most folks know that the Smoky Mountain communities of Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge and Sevierville are retail Meccas, places where you can shop for just about any type of merchandise imaginable. That may come in handy if you're planning to do some Christmas shopping in the area in the next month or so. But these towns occupy a large area (an entire county, actually), so if you only have a limited amount of time to devote to a shopping excursion, how do you go about choosing which places to visit?
One suggestion that those of us here at Smoky Mountain Ziplines can offer is to aim for efficiency – namely, planning to visit destinations where you can find multiple retail stops in one concentrated area. That way, you get to spend most of your available time actually in the stores rather than traveling to and between stores. This week, we'll give you some of our recommendations for retail-dense locations, so that you can zip line Pigeon Forge, TN, and have plenty of time left over to shop there as well.
Tanger Outlet Center
Located in Sevierville, not far from the Pigeon Forge border, this large outlet mall center boasts nearly 200 individual shops, all packed into one development just off the main Parkway. There are lots of clothing and footwear stores, but you'll also find shops carrying merchandise like bath products, luggage, perfume, jewelry, toys, candles and more. Since these are outlet stores, they carry a wide selection of products by name-brand manufacturers, and you'll usually find prices marked down significantly compared to traditional retail stores. If you get hungry for a meal, snack or dessert while you're on site, there are several eateries to be discovered as well.
Great Smokies Flea Market
One thing you can say about flea markets is that they carry a little bit of everything, and that's exactly what you're likely to find at this long-time flea market venue located right off Interstate 40 at Exit 407 in Sevierville. Its sprawling indoor and outdoor square footage accommodates hundreds of individual vendors offering everything from home décor, antiques and tools to sporting goods, automotive products, toys, and arts and crafts. They claim to have the largest selection of items in the Smokies, and like outlet malls, they can also offer significant savings on regular retail prices. The selection is constantly changing, and even if you don't buy anything, simply browsing the grounds and the main building is fun. Look for a couple of restaurant venues on the property, or pick up fresh produce from their farmer's market.
The Island
You'll find a collection of unique shops at this multipurpose development, just off the Parkway in Pigeon Forge. In addition to all kinds of attractions and restaurants, The Island is home to some 60 retailers, including The Paula Deen Store, Build-A-Bear Workshop, Beef Jerky Outlet, Bodacious Bags, Doc's Magic Shop, Emery's 5 & 10, Heads Up Sports, Island Tiki General Store, Puzzled, Pepper Palace and many more. This is a fun place to find those unique and one-of-a-kind items that you can't find at most general retailers. In addition to having multiple shops in one handy location, The Island also makes it convenient to transition immediately into eating or fun mode thanks to restaurants like Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville restaurant and The Great Smoky Mountain Wheel, a giant gondola Ferris Wheel ride.
The Village
In the heart of downtown Gatlinburg, you'll find this enclave of specialty shops, which is located right on the Parkway. But thanks to its Old World architecture and its secluded feel, you'll swear you're far away from the hustle and bustle of the city. As you wander the cobblestone streets of this European-style village, you'll see a collection of nearly 30 quaint stores, including clothiers, galleries, eateries and specialty shops. The shops are interesting, the shopkeepers friendly, and accents like fountains, seasonal decorations and abundant beautiful landscaping make The Village a must see shopping destination.
