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For someone whose first dance at their wedding was to 9 to 5, and whose son was born while Islands in the Stream played, you could say I’m a bit of a Dolly Parton fan.
So, when the time came to tick Dollywood off my bucket list, my excitement levels were as high as the Tennessee Great Smoky Mountains, where the theme park owned by the country singing legend resides.
I’d expected chintzy fun, served up with Dolly lookalikes walking around, greeting guests with a twanging guitar and a Southern welcome of “Howdy, y’all”.
Boy, was I wrong!
The 165-acre theme park isn’t chintzy or tacky in the slightest… and there wasn’t a big-boobed, big-haired impersonator in sight.
Just like Dolly isn’t your average country singer, Dollywood isn’t your average theme park. Yes, it’s got white-knuckle rides, music performances and gift shops, but it’s also got charm, festivals that change with the seasons and warm, squishy cinnamon bread that’ll make your dentist baulk and your tastebuds sing.
A park has operated here since 1961, varyingly called Rebel Railroad, Goldrush Junction and Silver Dollar City, but opened as Dollywood on 3 May 1986. On that day, a queue of cars stretched for six miles and the park has since welcomed more than 40 million visitors.
Dolly would love to add the royals to her visitor list, and has extended an invite to Prince William, Princess Kate and their children. “I’d give Kate my mashed potatoes,” she’s said.
The Dolly Parton Experience (which opened at Dollywood in May 2024) walks you through the icon’s modest beginnings, rise to fame, huge success, her faith and family, sprinkling her famous Dollyisms – such as ‘It costs a lot of money to look this cheap’ – throughout.
The ‘Behind the Seams’ exhibition showcases her glitzy outfits and bouffant wigs she’s worn in movies, concerts and TV shows through the decades. Rhinestone-a-rama!
Dolly likes to surprise her guests, so you never know when she’ll make an appearance. She does typically visit for the grand opening in March every year (Dollywood is open from March to early January), though you’re unlikely to spot her riding any of the ten rollercoasters.
“If I get on that thing, you’ll find one of my wigs in the top of a tree,” she joked about riding the park’s newest coaster, Big Bear Mountain.
Dolly now lives just outside Nashville but she grew up in a two-room wooden cabin with her parents and 11 siblings in Locust Ridge, about 13 miles from Dollywood. While this is inaccessible to the public, a replica of the humble home – built by Dolly’s brother Bobby and furnished by her mother Avie Lee – sits inside the park.
Family is important to Dolly. Her niece performs at Dollywood in the Heidi Parton’s Kin & Friends show, where she tells the audience that Dolly and her share the ‘Parton dimples’. Although, she laughs, her nipped/tucked aunt says hers are now behind her ears!
Dollywood has received more awards for its live entertainment than any other theme park, and gets visitors’ toes tapping to country, bluegrass, Americana, rock ’n’ roll, pop and Appalachian music.
Gospel also rings out from the Robert F Thomas Chapel, named after the doctor who delivered Dolly.
Another sound that reverberates around the park is the toot toot of the Dollywood Express steam train, which takes passengers on a beautiful five-mile journey through the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains.
To up the wow factor, visit during ‘fall’, when the leaves have transformed into vibrant reds, oranges, yellows and russets.
The closest airport to Dollywood is McGhee Tyson Airport in Knoxville, which is about an hour’s drive away.
A one-day ticket costs $92 (£71) plus tax; a two-day ticket costs $122 (£94) plus tax; a three-day ticket costs $132 (£102) plus tax. There’s a $10 discount if you’re aged over 62.
The park’s ‘official’ accommodation is Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort & Spa, and Dollywood’s HeartSong Lodge & Resort. For a chic stay, try The Historic Central Hotel in downtown Sevierville.
The Great Smoky Mountain National Park is the most visited national park in the US. And for good reason. It’s stunning. Explore the Smokies – which Dolly says are “part of her DNA” – on foot via the 850 miles of hiking trails, or by car on a scenic drive (the Cades Cove Loop is a popular choice). Keep your eyes peeled for one of the 1,900 bears that live in the area.
The mountain towns of Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge and Sevierville surround Dollywood, each with its own unique appeal and attractions. For scenic views and high, wobbly bridges, head to Gatlinburg’s Anakeesta during the daytime and SkyPark at dusk.
If you really can’t stand to be away from the Dolly vibe for too long, gallop over to Dolly Parton’s Stampede Dinner Attraction just up the road. Then head to one of the shops nearby to buy a cowboy hat and boots. You’ll want to look the part next time you’re in town.
Try the 12-night self-drive Music & Rhythms of the South, that follows the roots of country, blues and jazz, with the chance to visit Dollywood, Graceland and the Grand Ole Opry.
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