Things to do indoors on a rainy day in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge

Rain can sneak up on you in the Great Smoky Mountains. One minute you’re planning a full day of fun in the sun and then the clouds suddenly dump rain showers. Luckily, the fun isn’t washed away.

Weather doesn’t have to derail your plans. Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg are packed with indoor attractions that are just as entertaining as the outdoor ones, or maybe even better! From moonshine tastings and aquariums to live shows, haunted houses and indoor thrills, there's plenty to do until the sun makes its return.

Here are some fun ways to stay dry and keep the good times going.

Rainy day things to do in Gatlinburg

Hollywood Star Cars Museum

• Hollywood cruises into Gatlinburg thanks to cars from the “Fast and Furious” franchise, “Transformers,” “Back to the Future,” Batmobiles and other famous vehicles. Hollywood Star Cars Museum has over 40 cars from popular movies and TV shows and cars previously owned by celebrities including Dolly Parton, Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. Cars are displayed with recreations from their respective scenes along with history and details about the vehicle.
• Tickets: $19.99 for adults, $10.99 for ages 6-12 and free admission for children 5 and younger
• Hours: 9 a.m.-9 p.m. daily
• Location: 914 Parkway, Gatlinburg

Ice skating at Ober Mountain

Guests can enjoy a variety of indoor activities at Ober Mountain, including ice bumper cars, igloo snow zone, carousel and ice skating.

• Ice skating in the summer? At Ober Mountain adventure park, the indoor ice-skating rink is open year-round and accessible for skaters at all levels. A handrail around the perimeter can help beginners. Other indoor activities at Ober Mountain include ice bumper cars, igloo snow zone, carousel and shopping and dinning spots in the Mountain Mall area.
• Rental skates are available in toddler size 6 through adult size 15.
• Price: Ober Mountain is offering two-day passes for $54-$139 as of July
• Hours: 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Sunday
• Location: 1001 Parkway, Suite 2, Gatlinburg

Mysterious Mansion

• Find your way through secret passageways, winding staircases, and creepy dark corridors at Gatlinburg's “oldest and scariest haunted house.” And watch out for the restless, rotting residents who might be lurking behind you. Mysterious Mansion is a self-guided tour of a classic three-story haunted mansion that is open year-round.
• Tickets: $25 for adults and teens, $17 for kids 7-12
• Hours: Noon-11 p.m. Friday-Sunday, 3-10 p.m. Monday, Tuesday and Thursday
• Location: 424 River Road, Gatlinburg

Ole Smoky Distillery – The Holler

Ole Smoky Holler features a winery and Ole Smoky Tennessee Moonshine. It is one of the top indoor activities in Gatlinburg according to Tripadvisor.

• Tripadvisor ranks Ole Smoky Moonshine as the No. 1 thing to do in Gatlinburg on a rainy day. Ole Smoky Distillery is touted as “America's most visited distillery” with several locations in Tennessee and “The Holler” location is where it all started. Stop by to sample various moonshines and whiskies while listening to a live bluegrass band.
• Hours: 10 a.m.-11 p.m. daily
• Price: $5 regular tasting per Person (includes samples and a $5 off coupon), $8 premium tasting (includes regular tastings plus three additional samples)
• Location: 903 Parkway, Suite 128, Gatlinburg

Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies

• Have an aquatic adventure without getting wet! Ripley’s Aquarium has thousands of aquatic animals, including sharks and sawfish in Shark Lagoon, schooling fish and camouflaged flounders in Ocean Realm and poison dart frogs and piranhas in Tropical Rainforest. You can get up close and even hands on – if you dare – with some of the animals in the aquarium.
• Price: $40 for ages 12 and older, $25 for ages 6-11 and $15 for ages 2-5
• Hours: 9 a.m.-11 p.m. daily
• Location: 88 River Road, Gatlinburg

Wild Bear Falls Water Park

• Get out of the rain and into the water! Wild Bear Falls is an indoor water park accessible even without booking a room at the adjoining Westgate Smoky Mountain Resort. You can float along the lazy river, glide down a giant water slide or explore the interactive treehouse. The heated water and retractable roof make the attraction adaptable to any season.
• Tickets: $35 for ages 14 and older, $25 for ages 4-13 and free for children 3 and younger
• Hours: 11 a.m.-9 p.m.
• Location: 915 Westgate Resorts Road, Gatlinburg

Rainy day activities in Pigeon Forge

Alcatraz East Crime Museum

• If you ever wanted to check out the white Ford Bronco O.J. Simpson drove during the infamous televised car chase or see Ted Bundy’s VW Bug and the typewriter the serial killer used in prison, head to Alcatraz East Crime Museum. The museum offers a unique perspective into American crime history with over 100 artifacts and exhibits.
• Tickets: $31 for adults, $24 for seniors, $17 for kids
• Hours: 10 a.m.-10 p.m. daily
• Location: 2757 Parkway, Pigeon Forge

Comedy Barn Theatre

• The Comedy Barn Theater offers entertainment for the entire family to enjoy. Comedians, jugglers, ventriloquists, barnyard animals, live music and more are featured in this two-hour show. The theater is part of the Dollywood Company.
• Tickets: $35+
• Hours: Shows at 7 p.m. daily, plus 4 p.m. shows some weekends
• Location: 2775 Parkway, Pigeon Forge

Dinner and a show

• Instead of dinner and a movie, how about dinner and a live show on a rainy day? There are several dinner shows in Pigeon Forge. Stampede, Pirates Voyage and Hatfield and McCoy Dinner Feud are all part of the Dollywood Company. Enjoy a multi-course feast while being entertained by horses, acrobats, pirates or even a South Pacific celebration.
• More information about each show is available at Dollywood.com.

Dollywood

• Dolly Parton’s theme park is one of the most popular attractions in East Tennessee and the world. The park has fast roller coasters and fun rides. But the family-friendly park is well-suited for those surprise rain clouds, too. The park has many indoor attractions, musical shows, a Dolly Parton museum, restaurants and stores to enjoy.
• Tickets: $92 for adults and $82 for children and seniors
• Hours: Opens at 10 a.m. until Nov. 1 when it will open at 11 a.m.
• Location: 2700 Dollywood Parks Blvd., Pigeon Forge

The Escape Game

• Be a hero (or the villain) and stop a major international threat or pull off the ultimate museum heist. The Escape Game has eight escape room scenarios for your group. Great for fun on rainy days, the attraction has highly immersive rooms where you crack codes, uncover clues and solve puzzles. The games are collaborative and story-driven.
• Price: $40
• Hours: 8 a.m.-midnight
• Location: 131 Island Drive, Suite 9139, Pigeon Forge

Titanic Museum

• Board the Titanic and experience what it was like to walk the hallways, parlors, cabins and Grand Staircase of the famous luxury liner. The museum has over 400 artifacts and items from the ship and its passengers worth more than $4.5 million. The newest items include a pocket watch found on the body of Isidor Straus after the ship’s sinking. There’s also an exhibit dedicated to the 1997 movie “Titanic” that features the iconic wood panel to which characters Rose and Jack clung at the end of the film. Many of the exhibits are interactive.
• Tickets: $40
• It is recommended to reserve tickets and times at titanicattraction.com.
• Hours: 9 a.m.-9 p.m.
• Location: 2134 Parkway, Pigeon Forge

Truth Traveler

• When it rains, travel back to the time of Adam and Eve and Noah’s Ark. The biblical virtual reality experience is one of the newest Pigeon Forge attractions. With custom 5D animation, guests can explore the Garden of Eden, roam the Tower of Babel, witness the resurrection of Jesus and more. Truth Traveler also features a planetarium, a gift shop and an area for snacks and drinks.
• Tickets: $25+
• Hours: 10 a.m.-10 p.m.
• Location: 2680 Parkway, Pigeon Forge

Other activities in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge to consider

There are many spots and activities in the Gatlinburg-Pigeon Forge area to discover. You might even find a hidden gem to enjoy in any type of weather.

Wonderworks, Hollywood Wax Museum, Beyond the Lens, Rockin' Raceway Arcade, Country Tonite Theatre and other theaters, arcades, museums, axe-throwing places, indoor skydiving and wineries and distilleries could be worth checking out, too.

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Things to do indoors on a rainy day in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge