One of the perks of a vacation to Pigeon Forge is the potential affordability you’ll find. Great Smoky Mountains National Park is free to enter, and just $5 to park in, which means your main attraction has very little cost. Still, you’ll need to set a travel budget before you go, and having an idea of what those costs will be is helpful. Here’s a closer look at what you can expect to pay for your trip.
Getting to Pigeon Forge
Putting a price tag on the cost of traveling to Pigeon Forge is difficult, as this cost depends on your location of origin. If you’re flying, you will fly to the McGhee Tyson Airport in Knoxville, most likely. Flights vary but range from around $300 to $600 for round-trip tickets. This means the cost for a family of four would be $1,200 to $2,400, on average. If you drive, you’ll need to budget based on the distance you need to travel.
Travel Costs for Your Pigeon Forge Trip
The cost of your Pigeon Forge Trip will depend largely on how long you stay and how many people travel with you. Below, you will find averages for one person and one family of four, as well as the cost for a weekend versus a week.
Data sourced from Budget Your Trip.
Transportation Costs
Once in Pigeon Forge, you can either rent a car or use ride-share and public transportation options. If you’re staying in the town itself, the trolley system offers a $3 all-day ticket. You can get a ride-share trip to one of the surrounding attractions or cities for $10 to $20. Rental cars average between $75 and $150 a day, depending on the season you arrive. Unless you rent a car, you can budget $40 to $100 for transportation costs for a weekend.
If you’re staying a week in Pigeon Forge, you’ll spend more on gas, car rental, and transportation costs. A good average cost will be $600-$700 for a rental car and gas if you’re renting a car, and $140-$200 for public transportation if you’re relying on ride-share and the trolley system.
For families, travel costs likely won’t increase much. If you drive, the cost will be the same as it would for a single person, but it will depend on how far you travel. Once you arrive, the costs for gas and parking will still be around $40 to $100 for a weekend, and $140-200 for a week. Keep in mind that your public transit costs will increase by four, if you use the trolley system.
Lodging
There are cheap motels in Pigeon Forge that provide bare-bones accommodations for a budget-friendly price. There are also cozy log cabins that provide plenty of comfort and proximity to nature without a high cost. Plan to spend around $50 for a one-star hotel or up to $400 for more luxurious accommodations per night. This makes your lodging cost $150 to $1,200 for three nights.
The longer you stay, the more you’ll pay for lodging. A budget hotel at $50 a night would cost $300 for six nights. Condos and cabins often have discounts for week-long stays. You can find a small one ideal for one person for around $120 a night, depending on the season, making a week-long stay around $720. You can also opt for luxury accommodations at around $400 per night, or $2,800 per week.
With a larger group, renting a condo or cabin is often more comfortable, and sometimes more affordable, than a hotel. You can still find bare bones hotels for around $50 a night, but a quality cabin or condo will range from $120 to $400 a night. This makes the cost for a weekend between $150 and $1,200, or the cost for a week between $300 and $2,400.
Food
Pigeon Forge has many popular restaurants to choose from if you’re not cooking in your condo. Plan to spend $10 to $15 a meal on food. If your weekend lasts three days and you eat three meals a day, that’s between $90 and $135 for food. The cost for food increases with more days, so plan for $210-$315 for your food if you plan to stay for a week. Similarly, if you’re traveling with a family of four, your costs will increase. For a weekend in Pigeon Forge, budget $360 to $540 on food. Plan to spend $840-$1,260 for a full week’s worth of meals.
The restaurant you choose will impact your cost for food. Some popular options include The Old Mill Restaurant and the Five Oaks Kitchen, which both average $10-$20 a person. If you want a more luxurious option, consider Local Goat New American Restaurant, which averages $20-$30 a plate.
Attractions
While the national park is free, other attractions are not. In 2025, the cost for entry to Dollywood, for example, is $92 for one-day tickets for one person during peak season. Other attractions, like mountain coasters and museums, have a smaller cost of between $10 and $20 a person. With this range, you will need $20 to $100 a day or $60 and $300 for the weekend for attractions if you plan to do more than just the national park. Spending more days in Pigeon Forge means more opportunities to enjoy attractions. A good estimate for attraction budgets for a longer time frame is $100-$500, especially if you want to visit Dollywood. If you bring your family to Pigeon Forge, your costs will increase by four. Plan to allocate $400-$2,000 for activities for a week or $240-$400 for a weekend.
Without accounting for the costs of getting to Pigeon Forge, which vary significantly, the average cost once you arrive for one person for a weekend is $400 to $1,735, plus $225 to $450 for a rental car, if needed. Spending a week in Pigeon Forge as an individual can cost between $750, plus the cost of driving there, and $ 1,735 if you stay in a condo or cabin, plus the cost of a rental car or airline tickets. For those who choose luxury accommodations, budget $3800 for everything once you arrive in Pigeon Forge.
If you bring your family and choose to drive to Pigeon Forge, you’ll spend between $800 and $2,300 for a weekend, plus the cost of gas to get there, or $1,700-$5,800 for a week. The cost of airline tickets and a rental car will increase this. Remember, you can spend as little or as much on activities once you arrive. The beauty of the nature surrounding you means plenty of majestic views, even without spending a lot of money, but having an idea about the cost in mind before you leave will help you plan well for your trip.
