Our little family of three recently took a weekend trip to Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge in East Tennessee so Mr. Handsome could attend a conference. We did several touristy things, as it is a popular vacation area and has tons of attractions. Friends of ours invited us to stay with them, which made the trip very cheap.
On the first day, Little Buddy and I visited Parrot Mountain while Mr. H was at the conference. Located at the top of a huge hill, Parrot Mountain is home to hundreds of tropical birds. As you walk through the gardens (which are very hilly, making pushing the stroller a great workout) you pass by all the birds. Some are in large cages, while others are just on perches.
I absolutely adore birds because I had two as pets growing up. Our budgie was beautiful and brought lots of joy to our home with his constant singing, but he wasn’t trained and wouldn’t allow us to hold him. Our cockatiel, on the other hand, loved human interaction and would even allow us to stroke her head.
Our current lifestyle is not one that would allow us to have a pet bird, so visiting Parrot Mountain fed my soul. There are two locations in the gardens where visitors are able to hold birds, and I was thrilled to be able to convince a cockatiel to step up on my hand.
Little Buddy had a great time at Parrot Mountain and even laughed at some of the birds when they chirped. A couple of the smaller ones took an interest in him and came over to get a closer look. But don’t worry, I made sure they maintained a safe distance, and I didn’t allow him anywhere near the larger birds. I honestly am not a huge fan of the bigger birds, like macaws, African greys, and cockatoos. They are fun to look at, but their beaks are just too large and sharp for my liking. I much prefer the cockatiels, lorikeets, Quaker parrots, and love birds.
I am curious to hear if any of you have ever had a pet bird? It seems like most people prefer dogs and cats, although I don’t know that I could see myself with either because I never had any growing up. Would you enjoy visiting a place like Parrot Mountain?
