Island Creamery

The shop makes its own ice cream and serves it in cones, cups and sundaes. Visitors mention the hand-dipped chocolate waffle cone, banana splits and smoothies. The flavor list is long, so scan the case before you order, and ask for a taste if the line allows it.

This is a counter-order stop. You pay, take your treat and keep walking, which is how the shop fits into an evening at The Island. There is no table service and no reservation, and the shop is not the place to sit down for a meal.

The Island is a walkable complex with restaurants, shops, a Ferris wheel and a nightly fountain show. Families tend to arrive in the late afternoon and stay until after dark, so the ice cream shop gets busy as the sun goes down. If you want to skip the line, go in the early afternoon, or grab a cone before dinner rather than after.

For a full evening, pair it with a dinner at one of the sit-down restaurants at The Island and treat the creamery as dessert. The complex's website lists its restaurants and current events.

Parking is available on the property, though busy summer and holiday evenings fill the lots. The Pigeon Forge Fun Time Trolley stops at The Island for $1 a ride, which spares you a parking search. Check the city's trolley page for current routes.

• Call or check the complex's site for hours before you go, since seasonal schedules shift with the weather and the holiday season.
• If you have kids, order smaller sizes. The portions run generous, and the afternoon heat shortens the time a cone lasts.
• Watch for lines around fountain show times. If the show is about to start, the shop is usually crowded.
• For a cold-weather option, ask whether they offer smoothies or hot drinks; the menu changes with the season.

Island Creamery is not a destination meal, and it does not pretend to be. It is a scoop shop in the right place, made for a short stop on a long evening, and it does that job well. The reward is homemade ice cream and a seat on the plaza to watch the fountains.