Parrots, Posies and Pictures – Pigeon Forge's Parrot Mountain

You’ll probably have a new appreciation for birds after visiting Parrot Mountain and Gardens. It’s not your typical family vacation destination. There are no cotton candy vendors, no roller coasters whizzing by, and no water rides. However, what you will find is a world of birds you never knew existed. Nestled on four acres of landscaped gardens, the scenery is nothing short of stunning. You’ve probably seen footage like this in movies before – now you can see it live.

The Grounds

The grounds are home to hundreds of birds that fly freely on open perches. When you pull up to the place, there is a 200 foot wall of dry stacked stone serving as a fence, a replica of Thomas Kinkade’s stairway to paradise, and seemingly endless landscaped and paved pathways for you to enjoy.

Parrot Mountain is not just a home for the birds already here. They take in abused and abandoned birds too. So, even after you’ve left, odds are that you’ll see something new the next time you visit.

There’s a deli that makes delicious home-style food, an English cottage gift shop, a secret garden where you can see Toucans, Horn bills, and Magpies. Many of the pathways are lined with trees, shrubs, flowers, and lights – which pretty much makes this the most amazing back yard you’ve ever seen in your life.

The Birds

There are more colors here than in a rainbow – at least it seems that way. This place is home to hundreds upon hundreds of tropical birds from all over the world. They’re housed outside in English-style cottages where they bathe in the sunshine, rain, and get a lot of fresh air. They sing, dance, fly, and hop around all day long. It’s quite a show.

With most places, you expect to see the birds up close but they’re usually in cages or houses that you can’t enter. They’re usually not very friendly. Not here. You can walk right up to them and touch them, let them sit on your lap, fly around you, and sit next to you. They’re friendly too – allowing you to feed them right out of your hand.

You can even visit a nursery on the grounds and see the new baby parrots once they’ve hatched. While you can’t feed them yourself, you can watch them being fed by the staff that works here.

Food

When you get hungry, there’s plenty to eat – and not that fried food you typically find at amusement parks. You can get a grilled Angus hamburger, hand-cut fries, chicken tenders, and even gourmet sandwiches if you want. The deli will make pretty much whatever you want, within reason.

Admission

If you’re going to the gardens, consider checking out Pigeon Forge hotels – there are a lot of them near the grounds. Admission to the park is fairly priced. For adults, it’s $16.95 and for children aged 2-11, it’s $8.95. Seniors pay just $13.95. If you’re going as a group of at least 10 people, rates are discounted – $9.95 for adults, and $6.95 for children.

Needless to say, it pays to gather up a bunch of your friends, and have a multi-family gathering.

By Chris McMahon

 

 

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