Highlights include the TailSpin Racer, a six-lane mat-racer slide, and RiverRush, Tennessee’s first water coaster. Kids go wild for the place, which features Mountain Waves, a 25,000-square-foot wave pool, a family raft ride, a lazy river, an interactive children's area, multi-person tube rides, two 'extreme' body slides, shaded lounge areas and a restaurant. This water park opened in May 2001 and is situated on 25 acres on Middle Creek Road.

The Christmas at Dollywood festival is a big deal, with more than five million lights, Christmas-themed entertainment and special holiday meals. In addition, Dollywood hosts several of the South’s largest festivals and concerts. Daily demonstrations by more than a dozen master craftsmen offer a glimpse into the authentic artistry of the area’s heritage, and Southern-style food is offered throughout the park. Geared to younger kids, the 6-acre Wildwood Grove opened in 2019 with 11 new experiences.ĭollywood has received many awards for its live entertainment, which showcases country, bluegrass, Southern gospel, classic rock ‘n’ roll and Appalachian music. Adrenaline junkies will enjoy the fastest wooden rollercoaster in the world, Lightning Rod, as well as the steel thriller Mystery Mine, the forward and backward launch FireChaser Express, and Wild Eagle, the country’s first wing coaster. Visitors to Dollywood Theme Park can enjoy over 50 rides, as well as attractions, shows and crafters that are authentic to the East Tennessee region. The wave pool is always popular at Dollywood's Splash Country © Dollywood Parks & Resorts What to do at Dollywood Dollywood Theme Park Since then, the theme park has become Tennessee's most-visited tourist attraction and welcomes over two million visitors annually. It was renamed Dollywood when singer-songwriter Dolly Parton partnered with Herschend Family Enterprises to jointly own the park in 1986, and it doubled in size to 150 acres between then and 2010.Ī new area, Rivertown Junction, was added for Dollywood's first season, and the water park, Dollywood's Splash Country, opened in 2001.

Jack and Pete Herschend bought the park in 1976, renaming it Goldrush initially and then changing it to Silver Dollar City Tennessee. It was bought by Art Modell in 1970 and renamed Goldrush Junction, and a campground, several children's rides, an outdoor theater, a log flume ride and the Robert F. Owned by the Robbins brothers from North Carolina, it centered on a coal-fired steam engine named Klondike Katie, and had a general store, blacksmith shop and saloon. The park that would become Dollywood opened in early 1961 as a small tourist attraction called Rebel Railroad, with a theme inspired by the centennial anniversary of the Civil War. The theme park has 50 thrilling rides © Dollywood Parks & Resorts History

Dollywood log flume ride