One of my favorite park areas was the Dolly Parton Experience, where I learned all about Parton and her life through a range of exhibits and displays.

In the park, I was also able to step onto one of Parton's old tour buses and view many of her glamorous outfits and jewelry pieces.

As many theme-park foodies know, Dollywood and cinnamon bread are synonymous.

Since the treat is so popular, I worried I might have to wait in long lines to order it or get up early to track it down before it sold out. Fortunately, it was even easier to find than I expected.

Plenty of it was available at Grist Mill and Spotlight Bakery inside the park. Plus, the bread could be purchased at Dollywood resorts DreamMore and HeartSong — or even ordered using room service.

Throughout the park, I found all kinds of impressive entertainment, including performances from a country string band and a Southern gospel singing group.

The park even had an educational show featuring birds of prey.

One show I especially loved was "Heidi Parton's Kin and Friends," where Parton's niece, Heidi, and a crew of talented performers sang songs across a range of genres.

The rides at the park are quite varied, from attractions for preschool-aged kids to high-speed roller coasters that thrill seekers would love.

One area that surprised me was the Country Fair, where kid-friendly attractions are all clustered together. This setup makes it easy for families with little kids to hang out in one spot and enjoy multiple attractions.

Country Fair also features carnival games, a picnic pavilion that looks like a classic red barn, and a splash pad.

The park hosts five different festivals throughout the year, and each has a different theme. Similar to Disney parks, Dollywood has exclusive entertainment and special foods during each of its festivals.

I visited during the park's first festival of the season, the I Will Always Love You music festival, which runs through mid-April.

Other festivals at Dollywood include the Flower and Food Festival in spring, the Smoky Mountain Summer Celebration through the summer, the Harvest Festival in fall, and Smoky Mountain Christmas during the holiday season.

Parking at any theme park can be pricey. At Dollywood, standard parking costs $25, and preferred is $50.

Much to my surprise, I'd recommend paying more for the latter. It was a surprisingly good value. With preferred parking, I got to keep my car in the closest lot to the park and access an exclusive security line and entrance.

When I arrived, the park's main entrance had a big line out front and a wait time of about 45 minutes to get inside. At the preferred-parking entrance, I only waited about 10 minutes.

I love that my upgrade allowed me to spend more time in the park instead of waiting in line outside of it.

I love just how many photo opportunities I found at Dollywood, especially in its Showstreet area.

The main entry area of the park features a giant Dollywood sign that's a perfect backdrop for family photos. Plus, I found tons of cute art installations that are swapped out throughout the year.

While I was at Dollywood, big shimmering sequins hung over part of Showstreet, and a fun "LOVE" sign was displayed at the end of the road — both nodding to the current festival theme.

Dean was driving by in his pickup truck when he saw Dolly Parton and "hollered" at her, she told The New York Times in 1976. She declined his request for a date but invited him over while she was babysitting her nephew the following day.

"He came up every day that week and we sat out on the porch. I wouldn't even take him in the house," she said. "Then my aunt got a day off, and she could keep the kid and that was my first chance to go anywhere with Carl and he drove me straight to his folks' house and introduced me to his mother and daddy. 'Cause he said he knew right the minute he saw me that that's the one he wanted."

At the time, Parton was 18 and Dean was 21.

Parton's record label asked her to wait a year before getting married for the sake of her career, but she and Dean couldn't wait. They went to Georgia so that the event wouldn't be reported in the Tennessee press.

"It was just my mother and Carl and me," she told CMT in 2016. "We went across the state line to Ringgold, Georgia. My mother made me a little white dress and a little bouquet and a little Bible. But I said, 'I can't get married in a courthouse because I'll never feel married.' So we found a little Baptist church in town, and went up to Pastor Don Duvall and said, 'Would you marry us?' We got pictures on the steps right outside the church."

Parton received her first songwriting award at 20 years old for "Put It Off Until Tomorrow" recorded by Bill Phillips, winning BMI's Song of the Year. She and Dean walked the red carpet and attended the dinner and award ceremony, but it wasn't Dean's style.

"After the dinner, we walked back out, and they brought us our car — I don't even remember what we were driving then — and we got in it and headed for home," Parton told audiences at the Marty Stuart Jam in 2011, The Boot reported. "Carl turned to me and said, 'Dolly, I want you to have everything you want, and I'm happy for you, but don't you ever ask me to go to another one of them dang things again!'"

"My Blue Ridge Mountain Boy" reached No. 6 on the US Top Country Albums charts.

Beyond this image, there are few public photos of the couple.

"She got this terrible crush on my husband," Parton told NPR in 2008. "And he just loved going to the bank because she paid him so much attention. It was kinda like a running joke between us — when I was saying, 'Hell, you're spending a lot of time at the bank. I don't believe we've got that kind of money.' So it's really an innocent song all around, but sounds like a dreadful one."

The auction benefited the Dr. Robert F. Thomas Foundation, which expands access to quality healthcare in Sevier County. The foundation is named for the physician who delivered Parton, and she serves as its honorary chairperson.

"I got all dressed up in the most beautiful gown you've ever seen and dressed that husband of mine up. He looked like a handsome dude out of Hollywood," she told Rolling Stone in 2016. "We had a few family and friends around. We didn't plan anything big at all because we didn't want any kind of strain, any kind of tension, any kind of commotion, so we planned it cleverly and carefully. We just had a simple little ceremony at our chapel at our place."

In his first public statement in honor of their 50th anniversary, Dean also expressed his love for Parton.

"My first thought was, 'I'm gonna marry that girl,'" Dean said in a statement of the moment they met, Entertainment Tonight reported. "My second thought was, 'Lord she's good lookin'.' And that was the day my life began. I wouldn't trade the last 50 years for nothing on this earth."

"I was just trying to think about all the different colors of love through the years," Parton told Rolling Stone. "I thought, 'Well I'm going to write about mine and Carl's relationship. It's just a pure and simple relationship,' so it started with that and then I thought, 'Well why don't I just write a whole album of love songs?'"

Parton and Aniston worked together on the Netflix movie "Dumplin,'" with Parton writing six original songs for the soundtrack.

"I love her to death," she said of Aniston. "My husband is crazy about her. And he was more excited that I was gonna do a movie with her than he was that I got the chance to write all this music."

Parton confirmed that Dean, a retired businessman, is a real person, despite rumors of him being imaginary.

"A lot of people have thought that through the years, because he does not want to be in the spotlight at all," Parton told Entertainment Tonight. "It's just not who he is. He's like, a quiet, reserved person and he figured if he ever got out there in that, he'd never get a minute's peace and he's right about that."

Parton said that they each value their independence, and that Dean values his privacy and has no interest in fame.

"I've always respected and appreciated that in him and I've always tried to keep him out of the limelight as much as I can," she said. "He said, 'I didn't choose this world, I chose you, and you chose that world. But we can keep our lives separate and together.' And we do and we have. We've been together 56 years, married 54."

Parton shared a video of herself on Instagram in a black bustier and pink-and-white collar with a bow tie. 

"Hey!" Parton said in the video. "You're probably wondering why I'm dressed like this. Well, it's for my husband's birthday."

She said that Dean had always loved her original Playboy cover, so to "make him happy" on his birthday, she decided to get a duplicate outfit and set up her own photo shoot. 

"He still thinks I'm a hot chick after 57 years," she said. "And I'm not gonna try and talk him out of that."

In the interview, Parton discussed her time working with country star and duet partner Porter Wagoner.

"My husband and I don't argue, but Porter and I did nothing but fight. It was a love-hate relationship," she told W magazine's Lynn Hirschberg.

The vintage photo appeared to have been edited to show Dean wearing a shirt from Parton's line of merchandise available on her website.

"Find you a partner who will support you like my Carl Dean does!" Parton captioned the post.

"You can't go wrong with fried chicken," Parton told Business Insider's Anneta Konstantinides. "I think everybody should really know how to make good fried chicken. No matter where people come from, they love good fried chicken. So you need to make good fried chicken!" 

Parton said she also makes him pork chops with green peas and mashed potatoes, biscuits and gravy, or chicken and dumplings — her specialty. 

"A lot of people like my chicken and dumplings," she said. "I'm pretty famous for that. Carl likes all my cooking. But he, like the rest of them, especially likes the chicken and dumplings." 

In March 2022, Parton was one of 17 artists shortlisted and one of seven first-time nominees.

"Even though I am extremely flattered and grateful to be nominated for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, I don't feel that I have earned that right," she said in a statement. "I really do not want votes to be split because of me, so I must respectfully bow out."

She added, "This has, however, inspired me to put out a hopefully great rock 'n' roll album at some point in the future, which I have always wanted to do! My husband is a total rock 'n' roll freak, and has always encouraged me to do one."

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame declined Parton's request to be removed from the ballot, saying in a statement, in part, "In addition to her incredible talent as an artist, her humility is another reason Dolly is a beloved icon by millions of fans around the world."

In April, she changed her tune and said she would accept the honor, if she was voted in.

"I'll accept gracefully. I'll just say 'Thanks' and I will accept it because the fans vote," she told NPR's "Morning Edition."

In May 2022, it was announced she had indeed been voted in.

In a red-carpet interview with E! News at her induction ceremony, Parton said that her upcoming album would feature some of Dean's favorite rock songs.

"We have a lot of favorite songs," she said. "He loves rock 'n' roll, he loves Led Zeppelin and he loves 'Stairway to Heaven.' So I'm going to do a lot of things like that for him."

The album featured duets with artists including Sting, Stevie Nicks, Steven Tyler, and Joan Jett. "Rockstar" reached No. 1 on Billboard's Top Album Sales chart and became her best-selling album since Luminate began tracking sales in 1991.

Dean's death was announced in a post on Parton's social media on March 3.

"Carl and I spent many wonderful years together," Parton wrote in the post. "Words can't do justice to the love we shared for over 60 years. Thank you for your prayers and sympathy."

The post shared that Dean would be "laid to rest in a private ceremony with immediate family attending."

Before showtime, we walked around the venue's large merchandise shop. I'd heard about the dinner show's famous soup, so I couldn't resist purchasing an at-home mix and branded soup bowl.

Before heading into the theater, we also passed a bar selling alcoholic beverages, like moonshine cocktails.

After we checked in, we were seated in the theater. The seating was stadium-style, meaning you could have a great view of the stage from just about any vantage point.

We were immediately greeted by our server, who offered unlimited Coca-Cola, tea, or coffee, included in the cost of the experience. Dinner was promptly served after.

I couldn't wait to try the show's famous starter, which is simply called the original creamy soup.

It was deliciously rich and savory without being too heavy.

The main course was a homestyle Southern meal featuring bread, coleslaw, mashed potatoes, buttered corn on the cob, fried chicken, and pulled pork. I couldn't believe how large the portions were.

Dairy-free, vegan, and gluten-free meals were also available by request.

I enjoyed everything but was especially impressed by the fried chicken, which was crisped to perfection with a juicy interior.

It ended up being my favorite of the main course, along with the extra creamy and garlicky mashed potatoes.

The elaborate stage was impressive, featuring water and fire elements, as well as a 24-foot-deep diving pool.

The show, which featured dozens of talented performers, was engaging and funny. It also had pyrotechnics, stunts, dancing, and live music.

At the time of booking, diners choose which side they'd like to be seated on, either Hatfield or McCoy. So, the audience was split and encouraged to root for their respective side.

Overall, the content felt family-friendly, making it perfect for audience members of any age.

By the time we got to dessert, I was pretty full.

Still, the pudding and whipped cream were refreshingly light, which was perfect after a heavy meal.

I've dined at Parton's other shows, including Pirates Voyage and Dolly Parton's Stampede, but the Hatfield & McCoy Dinner Feud show is now my favorite.

From the delicious food — especially that fried chicken — to the engaging entertainment, I thought it was worth the $165 price tag for two tickets.

I definitely recommend checking it out if you're in Pigeon Forge.

During our interview, Parton told me she loves adding fried apples to her mac and cheese for a "great taste combination."

She sticks to a more traditional recipe for Thanksgiving mac and cheese but still adds some fun ingredients.

To make Parton's mac and cheese at home, you'll need:

• 2 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 2 ½ cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 1 (8-ounce) block of Velveeta, cubed
• 2 cups elbow macaroni
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup whole milk, room temperature
• ½ cup sour cream
• 2 tablespoons butter melted, plus more for greasing
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon mustard powder
• 1 teaspoon salt

When I made "Next Level Chef" star Tineke "Tini" Younger's uber-viral mac and cheese recipe (it racked up over 92 million views), she instructed that you should never use pre-shredded cheese.

I have never forgotten that lesson, so I decided to shred both the cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses for Dolly's recipe. But if you're in a crunch for time this Thanksgiving, I wouldn't worry too much about using pre-shredded!

Per Parton's recipe, I saved ¼ cup of shredded cheddar and ¼ cup of shredded Monterey Jack for the top of the mac and cheese.

Then, I preheated the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and greased a 9-inch by 13-inch baking pan with butter.

I also placed a large saucepan filled with water over medium heat, adding a teaspoon of salt. Parton says to cook the macaroni for two to three minutes less than indicated on the package.

"Don't overcook and don't rinse," she adds. "Drain the macaroni well in a colander, return it to the pot, and add the olive oil. Gently stir to coat so the macaroni doesn't stick together."

Parton's mac and cheese is extremely quick and easy because you don't need to worry about making a roux on the stove.

I just added the beaten eggs, milk, sour cream, melted butter, and mustard powder to a large bowl and gave everything a good mix.

I threw in the cubed Velveeta, as well as the remaining shredded cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses, and stirred everything together.

I mixed everything together until the macaroni was nicely coated.

Parton says to bake your mac and cheese for 20 to 25 minutes. You'll know it's ready when "the cheeses are bubbly," she adds.

I served Parton's mac and cheese to my boyfriend and friends as we tested some of her Thanksgiving recipes, and the mac and cheese was the clear favorite.

We all loved the delicious combination of the three cheeses, although my boyfriend thought there was just a tad too much Velveeta. The sour cream also added a lovely tang and satisfying creaminess to the overall taste and texture, and the mac and cheese still tasted just as good the next day when we ate our leftovers.

If you're looking for a delicious mac and cheese to celebrate this Thanksgiving, you can't go wrong with Dolly's.

"When the holiday season arrives, why not dress up your mashed potatoes! That's what we do," the sisters write in their cookbook. "All it takes is some cream cheese, sour cream, a little garlic, and your mixer!"

To make the Parton sisters' holiday potatoes at home, you'll need:

• 5 pounds russet potatoes
• 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) butter, room temperature
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• ½ cup sour cream
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley for garnish
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt

I washed, peeled, and quartered the potatoes, per Parton's instructions.

Parton says to wash the potatoes "until the water runs clear." I'm not totally sure why this step was necessary, as the potatoes had already been washed and peeled. The water was immediately clear.

So, unless your potatoes are really dirty, I think you can skip this step!

Parton says to cover the potatoes by two inches, then add one teaspoon of salt.

I brought the pot to a boil and then lowered the heat to medium. I allowed my potatoes to cook for 20 minutes until they were fork-tender.

I threw in the butter, cream cheese, sour cream, ½ cup of milk, and ½ teaspoon of salt.

I blended the potatoes on medium speed as I mixed everything together.

Then, I added the remaining half cup of milk and mixed the potatoes on high speed until they became fluffy, which took a few minutes.

I served these holiday potatoes alongside Dolly's recipes for mac and cheese and cornbread stuffing, and it was my favorite dish of the three.

The holiday potatoes are deliciously rich and luscious with the addition of cream cheese and sour cream, while the chopped parsley adds a nice pop of color. They also had a lovely smooth and whipped texture, which paired well with the other Thanksgiving-inspired dishes on the table.

If you're looking for a last-minute addition to your Thanksgiving menu, the Parton sisters' holiday potatoes will definitely impress the whole family.

To make Parton and her sister's sweet potato casserole at home, you'll need:

• 5 large sweet potatoes, peeled and quartered
• 2 cups miniature marshmallows
• ½ cup chopped raw pecans
• ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
• ½ cup (1 stick) butter at room temperature, plus more for greasing
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

I set the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and buttered a 9-inch by 13-inch pan, per Parton's instructions.

I also washed, peeled, and quartered my sweet potatoes.

I brought the pot to a boil over high heat, then lowered the heat to maintain a low boil for 20 minutes while the potatoes cooked.

Parton said you'll know the potatoes are ready when they're "fork tender."

I threw in the brown sugar, vanilla, salt, cinnamon, and butter, adding the latter in knobs so it'd be easy to mix.

Parton recommends using a potato masher to mix the ingredients until they're "well combined," but I don't own one, so I simply used a big wooden fork. It worked like a charm.

I sprinkled the pecans before evenly covering the casserole with my miniature marshmallows.

Parton says you should bake your sweet potato casserole for 20 minutes.

Parton says your marshmallows should be "golden brown" once the five minutes are up. My marshmallows were still white as snow, so I turned on the broiler and baked the casserole for two additional minutes to give them some color.

I was slightly disappointed when the sweet potato casserole came out of the oven. The marshmallows got a little overcooked by the broiler and now only covered half of the casserole. Next time, I think I'll skip Parton's aluminum foil trick and just let the marshmallows cook uncovered the entire time.

But unphotogenic marshmallows aside, the flavor of this sweet potato casserole was delicious. The crunch of the pecans was a delightful twist, and the combination of the brown sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon was well-balanced. The texture was satisfyingly creamy, and the dish smelled delicious.

I brought this for a recent Friendsgiving, and the pan was empty within minutes — despite having a lot of competition!

So, with one little tweak, I think the Parton sisters' sweet potato casserole will be a hit on your holiday menu.

Dolly Parton wrote her first song at age 5 and played her first show at Nashville's Grand Ole Opry at 13. She released her debut album, "Hello I'm Dolly," in 1967.

Parton has released over 50 studio albums and achieved 26 No.1 hits on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart. She has also lent her songwriting talents to other artists, such as Whitney Houston's megahit "I Will Always Love You."

When her contract with Combine Music expired in 1966, Parton founded her own publishing company with her uncle and then-manager Bill Owens, according to her official website.

This has allowed her to maintain the publishing rights to almost all of her music and receive a publishing fee whenever one of her songs is played on the radio or used in film or TV, Forbes reported in 2021.

Her music catalog earns her between $6 million and $8 million in royalties every year.

In 1986, Parton partnered with the existing Silver Dollar City theme park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, to remodel and rebrand it as Dollywood. She grew up less than 10 miles away, in Sevierville, Tennessee.

"I always thought that if I made it big or got successful at what I had started out to do, that I wanted to come back to my part of the country and do something great, something that would bring a lot of jobs into this area," Parton told the Associated Press in 2010. "Sure enough, I was lucky, and God was good to me and things happened good. We started the park and 25 years later, we're still at it."

The park spans 160 acres in the Great Smoky Mountains.

Dollywood remains the top tourist attraction in Tennessee with around 3 million visitors each year, according to CBS affiliate WVLT. A one-day adult ticket costs $92.

Opened in 2001, the 35-acre water park is located next to Dollywood. It operates seasonally, from May to September.

The 20-acre hotel in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, features a shuttle to and from Dollywood and pieces of Dolly Parton memorabilia.

A chestnut "Dream Box" displayed in a glass case on the hotel's lower level contains a recording of "My Place In History," a song Parton wrote to be released on her 100th birthday in 2046.

In 2023, Parton opened her second hotel in Pigeon Forge, the HeartSong Lodge and Resort.

Parton's colorful collection of cookware and home decor is available at stores like Kohl's and JCPenney.

Her "Doggy Parton" pet gear, including bandanas, wigs, and toys, is available on Amazon, and a portion of sales support Willa B. Farms animal rescue.

After releasing two Duncan Hines cake mixes in 2022, the singer expanded the line to include mixes for corn bread, brownies, and biscuits along with her coconut- and banana-pudding cakes.

The grounds of the 3,324-square-foot home include a tennis court, swimming pool, garden, and barns for livestock, the Daily Express reported.

In an interview published in the 2017 book "Dolly on Dolly," Parton said that she and Dean would take pictures of Southern mansions in Mississippi on their annual anniversary trip and note features they wanted to incorporate into their eventual dream home.

"I knew that house before it was built and I built it long before we could afford it 'cause I knew we'd be able to — someday," she wrote, according to an excerpt published in The New York Post. "I scouted all over Tennessee for a piece of land with hills in front and a stream around it. It's got a bitty bridge, and I made sure it's just narrow enough so's no tour bus can git over it. Carl and me can walk around stark naked there and nobody'd see. We have chickens and cows and a vegetable garden. It's a quiet, homey place for me and the special people in my life."

It's a far cry from her roots: Parton grew up in a two-room log cabin with her parents and 11 siblings in Sevierville. The cabin had no electricity or running water, but Parton remembered her years there fondly in her 1973 song "My Tennessee Mountain Home."

Dollywood features a replica of her childhood home built by her brother, Bobby, and furnished by her mother, Avie Lee.

In a 2020 appearance on the Scandinavian talk show "Skavlan," Parton said she buys most of her clothes off the rack and doesn't splurge on designer items.

"I really like to earn money, but I love to spend it, too. But I spend it on things that I feel like that's needed," she said. "I'm not the kind of person that will go out and spend like three or four thousand dollars on a coat or one outfit."

She added that the steep price tags on expensive items make her think of her parents, who "could have fed a family of 12 on what I would pay for a coat." 

"I just give from my heart," she said in a speech while accepting the Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy in 2022. "I never know what I'm going to do or why I'm gonna do it. I just see a need and if I can fill it, then I will."

Parton founded her Imagination Library in 1995, inspired by her father's struggles with literacy. The nonprofit sends free books to children from birth through age 5 each month.

"This actually started because my father could not read and write and I saw how crippling that could be," she told the Associated Press in 2022. "My dad was a very smart man. And I often wondered what he could have done had he been able to read and write."

LeConte Medical Center opened in 2010 with the help of Parton's philanthropy and fundraising. She also funded its Dolly Parton Center for Women's Services and Dolly Parton Birthing Unit.

The Dollywood Foundation offers $15,000 scholarships to five high school seniors in Sevier County, Tennessee, and covers college tuition and books for its theme-park employees, CBS News reported.

A report in the New England Journal of Medicine on the development of the Moderna coronavirus vaccine acknowledged the Dolly Parton COVID-19 Research Fund among supporters of the research.

Parton qualified to get the vaccine she helped fund in Tennessee in early February 2021, but she said she wanted to wait "until some more people" got theirs.

"I don't want it to look like I'm jumping the line just because I donated money," she told the Associated Press. "I'm very funny about that."

In a video of her getting the vaccine in March 2021, Parton sang a rendition of her hit song "Jolene," changing the lyrics to "vaccine, vaccine," and encouraging everyone to get vaccinated as soon as possible.

Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida as a Category 4 storm on September 26, flooding neighborhoods and leaving over 1 million homes and businesses without power.

At an October 4 press conference in Newport, Tennessee, Parton announced that she planned to donate $1 million from her personal fortune to help those impacted by Hurricane Helene and an additional $1 million through her businesses such as Dollywood and Dolly Parton's Stampede.

"I can't stand to see anyone hurting, so I wanted to do what I could to help after these terrible floods," she said.

She continued, "I hope we can all be a little bit of light in the world for our friends, our neighbors — even strangers — during this dark time they are experiencing."