Like millions of other people, you might find yourself within the Great Smoky Mountain area for a great family vacation. You have high hopes to see the beloved mountains and take in a couple of hikes for the day, but when you wake up, you find the weather is dreary. Raining on your parade, your dreams of the Smokies are dashed with the weather... but not all is lost. There are plenty of great things to do in the area, and when it rains we know just the thing to save the day: Arcade City.

You don’t need to have grown up in the '80s to have a deep appreciation for arcades.

As advanced as we have gotten in the 21st century, there remains no substitute for the feeling that a room full of arcade cabinets can provoke.

If you happen to be staying in Pigeon Forge or Gatlinburg, you are in luck because that is where you will find both Arcade City locations!

In Gatlinburg, you can find it right on the main downtown strip called the Parkway. It is right next to Ripley’s Aquarium which is another great rainy-day option. The Pigeon Forge location is found in The Island, a popular mecca for entertainment that's filled with shopping, restaurants, and The Great Smoky Mountain Wheel. So it is safe to say both places are surrounded by a plethora of activities to keep you busy!

Inside Arcade City, you will be greeted by thousands of flashing lights, electronic screens vying for your attention, the familiar sound of ski balls rolling, and buttons being mashed. Every time I see this wonderful sight, the inner child in me is screaming to get out like a toddler that has had way too much sugar. It’s nostalgic -- and that feeling never gets old.

As alluded to earlier, things have changed since the 1980s.

Instead of showing up to the arcade with a large sack of quarters like a poorly planned bank robber, you can purchase a card and it will track all of the money you put on it. So no need to place a quarter next to the screen to secure your place for the next game; instead, wait your turn and then step into the magical world of video games.

This truly is a great place to bring your family. You can team up and shoot hoards of zombies together or go head to head to compete for the high score. Either way, you are sure to have a great time as a family.

Arcade City is also a great place to earn big prizes. Play games that give you tickets and earn stuffed animals taller than you, or even home consoles to take the video games home. You might walk away with the top shelf prize -- or nothing at all -- but you will always be leaving with a great memory.

These two arcades in Tennessee will save the day when you find yourself waking up to inclement weather in the Smokies. For more information and to score discounts on play cards, please visit the Arcade City website.

Also located in The Island is a one-of-a-kind ride that you have to try: SkyFly is a wild ride across the country's most iconic and natural locations from a wonky steampunk flying machine!