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Herschend is a privately owned themed-entertainment company that operates several theme parks and tourist attractions within the United States, and as of 2021, one of its aquariums in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Founded by Hugo, Mary, Jack and Pete Herschend of Branson, Missouri, in its early years HFE was simply known as Herschend Enterprises. In the 1980s the name was changed to Silver Dollar City Inc., and in 2003, the company gained the current name. HFE is currently headquartered in Peachtree Corners, Georgia. The company says its mission is to "Create Memories Worth Repeating" in a manner "consistent with Christian values and ethics."
In 1969, Silver Dollar City drew national attention when producer Paul Henning brought the cast and crew of the popular Beverly Hillbillies television show to the park to film five episodes.
In 2010, Herschend Family Entertainment was featured on an episode of the reality TV series Undercover Boss.
The company also co-owns and co-operates with partners Dolly Parton and her company The Dollywood Company, the dinner and theatre company Pirates Voyage Dinner and Show in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and Dolly Parton's Stampede (formerly Dixie Stampede).
In April 2021, Herschend announced its purchase of the Vancouver Aquarium following the latter's severe economic losses during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In March 2025, Herschend announced its purchase of Palace Entertainment from Parques Reunidos, bringing parks like Kennywood and Lake Compounce into the chain, along with many other properties.
In 1986, singer and actress Dolly Parton, who grew up near Pigeon Forge, became a co-owner, and the park's name was changed to Dollywood, reflecting her involvement. At this point, the Pigeon Forge park was branched off into a separate division of HFE called The Dollywood Company, which oversees all the properties that Dolly Parton has interest in.
Along with the Herschend family, Dolly Parton co-owns the Dolly Parton's Stampede (formerly Dixie Stampede) dinner attraction chain, which has locations in Pigeon Forge (opened 1988), Myrtle Beach (1992), and Branson (1995). A location in Orlando opened in 2003 and closed in early 2008.
In 2001 a new water park was opened adjacent to the Dollywood theme park called Dollywood's Splash Country.
Doyle resigned effective July 8, 2019 after four years on the job to return to Herschend. He continued as a trustee of the Ida Cason Callaway Foundation and assisted in the search for a new president.
Herschend began managing Callaway Gardens in 2020. Two years later, they purchased most of the assets, including The Lodge & Spa, Golf: Lake View Course & Mountain View Course and conference center. Herschend will lease and manage the Ida Cason Callaway Foundation's Virginia Hand Callaway Discovery Center, Cecil B. Day Butterfly Center, Ida Cason Memorial Chapel and the gardens. Callaway had about 500 employees.
The 4,000 seat Grand Palace Theatre opened in 1992 by the Herschends. The theatre was co-owned by singer Kenny Rogers. Along with Rogers headliners were Glen Campbell, Louise Mandrell and Barbara Mandrell. In 1994 HFE entered into a ten-year contract with Radio City Entertainment. The Grand Palace Theatre would be the first to host the Radio City Christmas Spectacular starring the The Rockettes outside of New York City’s Radio City Music Hall. The shows were successful and led to Radio City Entertainment launching tours of their shows in other cities throughout the United States.
HFE built the $10 million Grand Village Shops with Kenny Rogers adjacent to The Grand Palace Theatre in 1993. Ozark wares and English bone china filled the twenty six New Orleans themed shops. HFE later bought out entertainer Kenny Rogers and sold The Grand Palace in 1996 and The Grand Village in 2005.
American Adventures, a children's theme park opened alongside White Water Atlanta. The park was sold to Six Flags in 1999.
In 1994, The Dollywood Company constructed a large music theatre in Pigeon Forge called Music Mansion. Headlined by James Rogers, the highly successful theatre was operated by HFE until 2001, when it was sold to Anita Bryant. In 2005 the theatre was sold again and converted to a WonderWorks location. A Music Mansion Theatre was planned for Myrtle Beach, but never materialized.
In 2003 the Dollywood Company opened a new Dixie Stampede location in Orlando, Florida along Interstate 4. The location operated until early 2008, when the property was sold to Simon Property Group for an undisclosed amount. The building was torn down, and an extension of the Orlando Vineland Premium Outlets was built on the land. HFE has plans to build another Dixie Stampede in the region at some point, though specific plans have not been disclosed. Orlando Premium Outlets' owner buys Dixie Stampede - OrlandoSentinel.com
In 2004 HFE purchased the Hawaiian Falls water parks located in Dallas, Garland and The Colony, Texas. In 2006 all three parks were sold.
In 2004 HFE purchased Ride the Ducks. In 2017, HFE sold Ride the Ducks to Ripley Entertainment who shut the operations down in 2018 after the deadly sinking in Branson.
Celebration City in Branson was acquired by them in 2002 and closed on October 25, 2008.
Herschend also briefly operated Six Flags Darien Lake from 2012 to 2014.
Current properties
Amusement parks
Owned/operated
Dollywood Pigeon Forge, Tennessee 1961 1976 Sold stake to Dolly Parton in 1986 Kentucky Kingdom Louisville, Kentucky 1987 2021 Owned by the Kentucky State Fair Board but operated by HFE Silver Dollar City Branson, Missouri 1960 Wild Adventures Valdosta, Georgia 1996 2007 Purchased for $34.5 million ($ in dollars) Adventureland Altoona, Iowa 1974 2025 Acquired from Parques Reunidos acquisition. Castle Park Riverside, California 1976 2025 Dutch Wonderland Lancaster, Pennsylvania 1963 2025 Idlewild and Soak Zone Ligonier, Pennsylvania 1887 2025 Kennywood West Mifflin, Pennsylvania 1899 2025 Lake Compounce Bristol, Connecticut 1846 2025 Story Land Glen, New Hampshire 1954 2025
Water parks
Dollywood's Splash Country Pigeon Forge, Tennessee 2001 Kentucky Kingdom Louisville, Kentucky 1992 2021 Included with admission to Kentucky Kingdom Adventure Bay Altoona, Iowa 2008 2025 Included with admission to Adventureland Splash Island Valdosta, Georgia 2003 2007 Included with admission to Wild Adventures White Water Branson Branson, Missouri 1980 Noah's Ark Water Park Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin 1979 2025 Acquired from Parques Reunidos acquisition. Raging Waters San Dimas, Los Angeles County, California 1983 2025 Sandcastle Waterpark West Homestead, Pennsylvania 1989 2025 Splish Splash Riverhead, New York 1989 2025 Water Country Portsmouth, New Hampshire 1984 2025 Wet'n Wild Emerald Pointe Greensboro, North Carolina 1984 2025
Aquariums and Zoos
Adventure Aquarium Camden, New Jersey 1992 2007 Newport Aquarium Newport, Kentucky 1999 2007 Vancouver Aquarium Vancouver, British Columbia 1956 2021 Living Shores Aquarium Glen, New Hampshire 2019 2025 Acquired from Parques Reunidos acquisition. Sea Life Park Waimanalo Beach, Hawaii 1964 2025
Attractions
Talking Rocks Cavern Stone County, Missouri 1969 Callaway Gardens Pine Mountain, Georgia 1952 2022 Leased from Ida Cason Callaway Foundation Boomers! Palm Springs Palm Springs, California 1998 2025 Acquired from Parques Reunidos acquisition. Boomers! Vista Vista, California 1998 2025 Malibu Grand Prix Norcross, Georgia 2002 2025 Mountasia Marietta, Georgia 2002 2025
Dinner shows
Dolly Parton's Stampede Pigeon Forge & Branson 1988 & 1995 Chain of , Formerly in Myrtle Beach & Orlando Pirates Voyage Myrtle Beach & Pigeon Forge 1992 & 2019 Dinner Theatre first opened as a Dolly Parton's Dixie Stampede but converted to Pirates Voyage in 2011. Pigeon Forge location opened in 2019. Hatfield and McCoys Pigeon Forge 2010 Dinner theatre Showboat Branson Belle Table Rock Lake in Branson, Missouri 1995 A dinner, show and cruise originally known as Kenny Rogers Showboat Branson Belle.
Lodging
Dollywood Cabins Pigeon Forge 2010 Cabin style lodging in the Great Smoky Mountains Dollywood's DreamMore Resort Pigeon Forge 2015 Full Service resort and spa Dollywood's Heartsong Lodge and Resort Pigeon Forge 2023 Full Service resort and convention center Silver Dollar City campground Branson Log cabins and campground The Lodge & Spa at Callaway Gardens Pine Mountain 2006 2022 Full Service resort and spa, conference & golf Adventureland Campground Altoona, Iowa 2025 Acquired from Parques Reunidos acquisition. Cartoon Network Hotel Lancaster, Pennsylvania 2020 2025 Acquired from Parques Reunidos acquisition. Flamingo Motel & Suites Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin 2025 Acquired from Parques Reunidos acquisition. Lake Compounce Bristol, Connecticut 2010 2025 Acquired from Parques Reunidos acquisition. Dutch Wonderland Lancaster, Pennsylvania 2001 2025 Acquired from Parques Reunidos acquisition.
Sports Entertainment Franchise
Harlem Globetrotters International Inc. Peachtree Corners, GA 1926 2013 Exhibition basketball team
The Dollywood Company
The Herschends extended their brand in 1976 upon purchasing a small tourist attraction in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, called Goldrush Junction. The following year the attraction was renamed Silver Dollar City Tennessee as part of a development plan to transform the property into a theme park patterned after the original Silver Dollar City in Branson. For the Pigeon Forge park, the Ozark Mountains theme of the original Silver Dollar City was slightly reworked to represent the Great Smoky Mountains and Appalachia instead, fitting the location in the foothills of the Smokies.
Callaway Gardens
Former Herschend employee William R. "Bill" Doyle, III was hired as the President & CEO of Callaway Gardens in June, 2015.
Past properties
HFE built several water parks in the 1980s which have since sold to other companies such as Wet 'n Wild, and White Water Bay. White Water Branson, built in 1980, was the forerunner and is still owned by HFE; while the White Water parks in Oklahoma City (1981), Grand Prairie, Texas (1982), Garland, Texas (1982) and Atlanta (1983) have been sold.
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