Dollywood
Dollywood is a theme park jointly owned by Herschend and Dolly Parton Productions.
A theme park inside Pigeon Forge
Open March - January
Dollywood is a seasonal theme park: open March - January. Check its calendar for the days and hours. When to go ↓
One of the most looked-up attractions in the U.S.
About 438K people a year read its Wikipedia article, more than for 99% of the 7,799 attractions we track.
You can stay in Pigeon Forge
Dollywood is inside Pigeon Forge, which has 358 places to stay, so you won’t need a base farther out. Where to stay ↓
Best months: Apr, May, Sep and Oct
April, May, September and October are the mild months, with highs of 72–83°. When to go ↓
Open since 1986
Dollywood opened in 1986, 40 years ago. About ↓
Written from NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Overture places to stay, Census town figures, Wikidata and Wikipedia.
Open March - January
Typical highs and lows in Pigeon Forge. Gray months it’s closed. Green months are open and mild.
Dollywood
Dollywood is a theme park jointly owned by Herschend and Dolly Parton Productions. Opened in 1986, the park is located in the Knoxville metropolitan area of Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, near the gateway to the Great Smoky Mountains. Nearly four million guests visit Dollywood each year from mid-March through the Christmas and holiday season, making it the biggest ticketed tourist attraction in Tennessee.
In addition to amusement park thrill rides, Dollywood features traditional crafts, food, and Smoky Mountain themed music. The park hosts a number of concerts and musical events each year, which has included past appearances by Dolly Parton, as well as other national and local musical acts.
- Type
- Theme park
- Season
- March - January
- Opened
- 1986
- Owner
- Dolly Parton Productions (50%) Herschend (50%)
- Opened
- 1961
- Wikipedia readers
- 438K a year
Where to stay near Dollywood
The closest towns with hotels, motels or campgrounds are Pigeon Forge (358) and Gatlinburg (352).
Compare 8 towns
| Town | From Dollywood | Drive | Places to stay | People | Typical home | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pigeon Forge | in town | — | 358 140 hotels · 8 motels · 10 inns & B&Bs · 171 lodges & cabins · 20 campgrounds · 9 RV parks | 6,598 | $292K | D− |
| Gatlinburg 34% vacation homes | 5 mi southeast | 10 min | 352 105 hotels · 11 motels · 14 inns & B&Bs · 216 lodges & cabins · 1 hostel · 4 campgrounds · 1 RV park | 3,715 | $332K | D |
| Sevierville | 7 mi northwest | 10 min | 95 49 hotels · 4 motels · 4 inns & B&Bs · 28 lodges & cabins · 4 campgrounds · 6 RV parks | 19,010 | $290K | D |
| Pittman Center 20% vacation homes | 8 mi east | 15 min | 67 11 hotels · 3 inns & B&Bs · 52 lodges & cabins · 1 campground | 462 | $432K | — |
| Townsend 29% vacation homes | 15 mi southwest | 20 min | 58 13 hotels · 2 motels · 6 inns & B&Bs · 22 lodges & cabins · 14 campgrounds · 1 RV park | 640 | $371K | — |
| Knoxville | 26 mi northwest | 40 min | 134 114 hotels · 8 motels · 4 inns & B&Bs · 6 lodges & cabins · 2 campgrounds | 202,021 | $240K | D |
| Cosby | 16 mi east | 25 min | 33 4 hotels · 1 motel · 17 lodges & cabins · 11 campgrounds | 779 | — | — |
| Cherokee | 25 mi southeast | 40 min | 59 17 hotels · 13 motels · 2 inns & B&Bs · 12 lodges & cabins · 15 campgrounds | 2,059 | $190K | — |
Getting there
Nearest airports with airline service
Also near Dollywood
Other well-known places within 31 miles. Numbered ones are on the map above.
Big draw114 mi National ParkGreat Smoky Mountains National Park11.5M visitors a year
Big draw216 mi MountainKuwohi
Big draw325 mi Stadium & arenaNeyland Stadium
42 mi MuseumAlcatraz East
511 mi MountainMount Le Conte
63 mi MuseumTitanic Museum30 mi Theme parkGhost Town in the Sky
725 mi LookoutSunspherePhoto credits
Great Smoky Mountains National Park: Scott Basford, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Kuwohi: C. Kenneth Dodd, Jr., Public domain · Neyland Stadium: Neomrbungle, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Alcatraz East: EricaLewHouse, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Mount Le Conte: No machine-readable author provided. Blinutne assumed (based on copyright claims, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Titanic Museum: Doug Coldwell, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Sunsphere: Ɱ, CC BY-SA 4.0
Visiting Dollywood
When is Dollywood open?
March - January. Check its calendar for the days and hours, which change through the season.
Is Dollywood in Pigeon Forge?
Yes. It’s inside Pigeon Forge, TN.
When is the best time to visit Dollywood?
April, May, September and October, with highs of 72–83°.
How many people visit Dollywood each year?
3,144,000 in 2024, according to Wikidata.
What is the closest airport to Dollywood?
McGhee Tyson (TYS), about 26 miles away.
How many roller coasters does Dollywood have?
11 (including 3 water rides).
Where should I stay near Dollywood?
Pigeon Forge (in town, 358 places to stay), Gatlinburg (5 mi, 352 places to stay) and Sevierville (7 mi, 95 places to stay).
Tips from people in Pigeon Forge
No tips yet. Ask, or answer, in Pigeon Forge’s Town Square.
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · NOAA climate normals · U.S. Census.