Drive the Parkway through Pigeon Forge and you can’t help but notice the billboards: pirates, cowboys, feuding mountain families and Dolly herself, all promising dinner and a show. Pigeon Forge has more than ten dinner shows, and picking one can be the hardest decision of the trip.

They all work the same way. You buy a ticket, arrive early for a pre-show, and a big Southern meal is served at your seat while the show goes on in front of you. There’s no separate kids’ menu: everyone gets the same feast, and each show offers vegetarian and gluten-free meals if you ask when you book.

Here’s a quick look at three of the most popular, and who each one suits best.

Dolly Parton’s Stampede

If there’s one dinner show everyone in Pigeon Forge seems to recommend, it’s Dolly Parton’s Stampede. It’s part dinner, part rodeo, part Broadway-sized spectacle, set in a huge indoor arena right on the Parkway. We went with our daughter on a summer trip.

Your seats are tiered rows of long tables that wrap around a dirt-floor arena, so everyone has a view of the action. Each section cheers for its own side in a friendly competition between the riders.

The show is built around horses: about 32 of them, with trick riders, races and wagons charging around the arena. The big moment for our family was the riders leaping through rings of fire, which our photos only half capture. Before the show, you can walk past the stables to see the horses and catch live music in the saloon.

Dinner is a four-course Southern feast, including a whole rotisserie chicken. In the holiday season, the show becomes a Christmas version with skaters on ice and a live Nativity.

Best for: horse lovers, and families who want the classic Pigeon Forge dinner show. The arena is big and the action is fast, so it holds kids’ attention from start to finish.

Pirates Voyage

Pirates Voyage takes the same idea to the high seas. There are Pirates Voyage shows around the country, and we’ve been to several. The one in Pigeon Forge is much smaller than the others, and it focuses mostly on acrobatics and dives into the water around an indoor lagoon.

The audience splits into the Crimson and Sapphire crews, and everyone really gets into rooting for their side. The highlight of the show is Salty the sea lion, who steals every scene he’s in.

Doors open an hour before showtime, with pirate trivia, a chance to see the sea lions, and optional pirate or mermaid makeovers for the kids. The show runs about 90 minutes, with a four-course feast served as the action begins.

Best for: families with younger kids, especially anyone who loves pirates or animals. The dives, the sea lion and the crew rivalry keep little ones cheering.

Hatfield & McCoy Dinner Feud

The Hatfield & McCoy Dinner Feud is the comedy pick. Two mountain families try to settle their famous feud with singing and dancing contests, stunts and feats of strength, with plenty of bluegrass, clogging and slapstick along the way. There’s plenty of audience participation. You can buy cowbells for cheering on your family (they cost extra), and our kids loved ringing them all night. If you sit in the front row, you may end up in the splash zone when the stage turns into a swimming hole.

Dinner is all-you-can-eat and served family-style, with Southern favorites like fried chicken and pulled pork barbecue.

Best for: groups who like to laugh, and families with kids who enjoy silly, physical comedy. It’s a good choice for a mixed group, from grandparents to teenagers.

Tips for any dinner show

1. Book ahead. Shows sell out, especially on summer weekends and around the holidays.
2. Leave early. Traffic on the Parkway can back up during the busy season, so give yourself extra time to get there.
3. Arrive early. Each show has a pre-show, and seating starts well before showtime.
4. Ask about dietary options when you book if anyone in your group has allergies or dietary needs.
5. Leave the stroller in the car. Strollers and car seats aren’t allowed in the theaters, and kids 2 and under can usually sit on a lap for free.
6. Plan for extras, or at least a request from the kids. Each show walks you through the gift shop on the way in or out, and the little ones always want a souvenir. Budget for it, or set the rules before you go.
7. Check for seasonal shows. The holidays bring Christmas versions of several shows.

Where to stay

All three shows are on or near the Parkway in Pigeon Forge, an easy drive from Firefly Hollow Cabin in Sevierville with no steep mountain roads. After the show, head back for the hot tub or a game of ping-pong in the game room. The cabin sleeps 11, and every bedroom has its own en-suite bathroom. See the cabin, or check your dates below.