Blount Partnership Townsend Visitors Center — Attraction in Pigeon Forge

30 years ago my wife and I honeymooned in Townsend we loved our stay at that time it was in the Valley View Lodge. We returned this year on or 30th anniversary. It was great to return to Townsend Tennessee the people were awesome I love this little town if you love nature and want to still enjoy it in its mostly natural form this is the place to go in the Smokies. Walking trails locally owned restaurants and No tourist attractions. They offer e bikes for riding and plenty of shops to shop in. Still the quiet side of the Smokies after 30 years. The restaurants were great we ate at atleast 3, every one provided quality food and great service for a small town. The staff made us feel welcomed and even like we were regulars. I hope we don't make it 30 years before we go back and I hope they continue to make it the quiet side of the Smokies because it's a beautiful city and a wonderful bunch of people. We had such a good time remembering a wonderful time...

First time visiting this venue for the Great Smoky Mountains Hot Air Balloon Festival, and it was nice! The event was well staffed: everyone was friendly, helpful, and worked efficiently. The grounds were clean and well maintained.

We purchased our tickets online before noon the same day, which helped us save a few dollars on top of also using the lot across the street for parking. We didn’t purchase balloon ride tickets, but they seemed very popular. If that’s on your list, I’d recommend buying in advance because the lines were very long.

There were plenty of other activities for children, plus lots of local vendors with handmade items. We especially enjoyed trying some local beers and the fried twisted potatoes; absolutely delicious!

Overall, a well-run event and...

Cleanest bathrooms in Townsend (I'm local, trust me)! Water bowl out front for pets (all year, but full in warmer months), while you take an easy breather in a rocking chair on the spacious porch - large field area out back for pet breaks (just wish they had some doggie-doo bags, but most folks do bring their own), and covered picnic pavilion, with lovely views. Lots of fun Smoky Mtn items for sale (shirts, ornaments, car coasters, mugs, etc), many times they hold local artist/vendor shows in large room near bathrooms and, of course, East TN friendly staff that love swapping howdy's and helping you plan your trip...