Page 66 - Cityview_Jan_Feb_2014

SMOKIES SPOTLIGHT

there are plenty of opportunities for kids and
not talk your ear off, but they’ll cer-
tainly pose patiently, as will Kristen adults alike to learn about history, science,
and technology—all while having fun!
Stewart and even donald Trump. (It’s
harder to get close to Tom Cruise,

though, since he’s hanging from the
ceiling, Mission Impossible-style.) of

course, you can also rub elbows with
classic stars like Marilyn Monroe, Lu-

cille ball, and John Wayne. In a grue-
some mood? The hall of horrors offers

gore galore.
You can’t miss this museum as you

drive down the Parkway in Pigeon
forge. Just look for a 50-foot-tall King

Kong clinging to the Empire State
building, right next to a re-creation of

Mt. Rushmore featuring the famous
faces of John Wayne, Elvis, Marilyn

Monroe, and Charlie Chaplin. Sharing
the parking lot are the wax museum’s

sister attractions, the Castle of Chaos
action ride and hannah’s Maze of Mir-

rors—also great options for families.
information: 865-428-5228; www. and the Furious film series. favorite Your kids will be right in the middle

hollywoodwaxmuseum.com/pigeonforge
movie cars here include herbie the of all the action with the more than
Love bug and the deLorean from the 100 hands-on exhibits here. They can

HOLLYWOOD STAR CARS
Back to the Future films.
lay on a bed of nails (yes, they’re real,
get ready to roll out the red floor- Each vehicle is displayed in a setting and yes, it’s safe), sit in a diner during

mats, because in this gatlinburg mu- from its movie or TV show, complete a 5.3-magnitiude earthquake, or board
seum, the cars are the stars. here, you with soundtrack. The museum also a train buffeted by 65-mile-per-hour

can glimpse various vehicles that have now offers in-car souvenir photos with hurricane winds. They’ll love the
either been featured prominently in the vast majority of its exhibits, so you rock-climbing wall, the indoor ropes

movies or television shows or that were can actually slide behind the wheel course (50 feet high and billed as a
once owned by celebrities (including yourself and smile for the camera.
space walk), and the specially designed

Elvis, Michael Jackson, Paul McCartney, information: 865-430-2200; www. bikes that make 360-degree loops when
the beach boys, and even dolly Parton).
starcarsmuseum.com
peddled hard enough. Smaller kids

Take a drive down memory lane with will enjoy the bubble Lab, where they
cars from The Munsters, Batman, Char- WONDERWORKS
can create a giant soap bubble to stand

lie’s Angels, and The Beverly Hillbillies The fun begins outside at this interac- inside (and then pop, of course).
television shows or ogle some over-the- tive science museum, which appears to In addition to the science museum,

top cool cars such as a few James bond be suffering from massive damage after the WonderWorks complex also in-
favorites or several cars from The Fast
being dropped on its roof right on the cludes a video arcade, a laser tag attrac-

Parkway. The scene comes to life with tion, the Wonders of Magic show with
sound effects such as hissing steam from master magician Terry Evanswood, and

broken pipes and groaning noises from the Wonders of flight tethered hot-air
still-collapsing rubble. The upside- balloon ride that takes you 400 feet up

down motif continues in the lobby, so in the air for an amazing view.
definitely look up when you enter to see information: 865-868-1800; www.

the floor turned into the ceiling and a wonderworksonline.com
set of no-longer-reachable stairs. You’ll

easily get right-side-up again by walking Katy Koontz, author of Family Fun in the Smokies as well
through the special inversion tunnel as as the Smoky Mountain Travel Guide app for smartphones,

you head for the displays.
writes regularly about the Smokies for Cityview.

64 cityviewmag.com maRcH aPRiL 2014