We made an end of summer trip to the Smokey Mountains visiting Cherokee, NC for some whitewater tubing and a trip to Santa’s Land Fun Park & Zoo. In Georgia our kids started school August 1st which is crazy! Santa’s Land is sincerely both an amusement park and zoo that’s full of charm for kids and families. You can relax and ride all day for one low price with cheap eats under a beautiful tree canopy in the Smokey Mountains. We visited on a Saturday afternoon in summer and there were no wait times for anything even though the park felt like it was buzzing with activity. There’s not much here for adrenaline junkies, but tons of uniqueness and nostalgia that’s headlined by the amazing Rudicaoster, a “one of a kind” family roller coaster by Zamperla.

It’s not uncommon to have a playground type area at a theme park consisting of slides and suspension bridges. There are some huge outdoor play areas like Elmo’s Treehouse Trek at Busch Gardens, but Dollywood is in a league of their own with a massive indoor play area in the Wildwood Grove area of the park called Hidden Hollow. However, “Hidden Hollow” is a very appropriate name as the building it’s in is very nondescript and without obvious signage, so you could easily pass it by thinking it was a shop, restroom or something else. The indoor space is well air conditioned with seating for parents and is a great place for families to refresh on a hot day, get out of the rain or cold or just give kids something to do with zero wait.

Do you enjoy playing games when you visit a theme park? You’ll see people carrying giant stuffed animals around the park, so people do win, but did you ever wonder what the odds were or strategies to win? The good thing is that at a place like Busch Gardens you can at least be sure the games aren’t a 100% scam like some carnivals. However, not all games are created equal, so it’s best to be educated before you play to know your real odds and the best strategies.