SMOKY MOUNTAIN ALPINE COASTER - THE ORIGINAL SMOKIES COASTER

     The original Smoky Mountain Alpine Coaster is located on Wears Valley Road in Pigeon Forge, TN. This is also the longest coaster ride in the Smokies which challenges you to "ride the hill and feel the thrill".

     You begin your journey at the bottom of the hill where you load-up on the coaster. You can ride single or double. The coaster rides on steel rails and you are pulled to the top of the hill, then gravity takes over. You can fly down the track or control  your speed with the handbrakes. You will drop over 360 feet and can hit speeds of 27 miles per hour! The track has curves, dips, circles and straight-a-ways to give you a thrilling ride down a mile of track.

     You can ride the Smoky Mountain Alpine Coaster at night too. The track is lit up with colored lights and the night ride has a completely different feel than the daytime ride. You must do both!

     After your ride you can browse the gift shop and purchase your souvenir picture or a hat, T-shirt or other goodies. Find out more about the Smoky Mountain Alpine Coaster and other Smoky Mountain attractions at the Best Read Guide site at www.bestreadguidesmokymountains.com, where you can also get directions and coupons for attractions, restaurants, accommodations, theaters and shopping.

STAY CLOSE TO PIGEON FORGE FUN & ATTRACTIONS AT EAGLE'S RIDGE RESORT

     Pigeon Forge, Tennessee is known as the center of fun in the Smokies and there are plenty of activities to back-up that claim. The last weekend in May brings Memorial Day activities as many of the Smoky Mountain businesses open for the season, especially the outdoor attractions. This year you have the Oak Ridge boys in concert at Country Tonite, a classic car Cruise In at The Diner in Sevierville and Smokies Baseball games in Kodak, right off of I-40.

And its these fun things that bring couples, families and groups to the Great Smoky Mountains. The great weather makes it very enjoyable to enjoy horseback riding, ziplining, whitewater rafting, hiking in the National Park and tubing on the Little River in Townsend. There are always plenty of indoor activities like visiting Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies, playing Laser Tag, testing your wits at MagiQuest or challenging yourself at the many tests of mental and physical skill at WonderWorks.

Staying in a cabin is a lot of fun and a good way for families and groups to connect and spend time together. Eagle's Ridge Resort in Pigeon forge offers cabins of all sizes, a clubhouse and swimming pool, privacy yet quick access to restaurants, shopping, shows and attractions. They offer a Smokies Fun Pass which gives a free ticket for each night booked to a long list of area activities. This includes the Hatfield & McCoy Dinner Feud, Darren Romeo's Magic Beyond Belief, Comedy Barn, the Smith Morning Variety Show, Country Tonite, WonderWorks, Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies, Lazerport, Ripley's Old McDonald's Farm Mini-Golf and Smoky Mountain Opry.

So head for the center of fun in the Smokies, book your cabin with Eagle's Ridge and get coupons and more information at the Best Read Guide site at bestreadguidesmokymountains.com/.