Located in the heart of Tennessee, Sevierville is a popular hub for exploring the spectacular Smoky Mountains National Park.
Surrounded by outdoor scenery, Sevierville is a destination for nature lovers, but there’s a lot do in the city itself.
From statues of Dolly Parton to the Museum of Aviation, let’s take a look at the 25 best things to do in Sevierville!
Interactive Map of 25 Things to Do in Sevierville (TN)
1. Dolly Parton Statue
The small city of Sevierville is the birthplace of one of country music’s biggest stars, Dolly Parton. To commemorate the city’s most famous daughter, a statue of Dolly was built in Downtown Sevierville in 1987.
Today, it’s an iconic landmark and a top selfie spot for anyone visiting Sevierville. Take a photo with the famous country singer, as you take in the local history and the city’s love for all things Dolly Parton!
2. Dollywood
Dolly Parton fans will love Sevierville, and you can’t visit the city without visiting Dollywood.
This unique amusement park is, of course, dedicated to Dolly Parton. Spread over 150 acres of Tennessee countryside, Dollywood boasts 50 rides and attractions, including nine roller coasters.
There are traditional rollercoasters, steam train rides, and museums and exhibitions dedicated to country music. Dollywood hosts a whole range of music festivals and cultural events throughout the year, so watch out for these too.
It gets busy, with over 3 million visitors every year, but it’s well worth braving the crowds if you’re a country music fan.
3. Tennessee Museum of Aviation
Packed with historic fighter jets and rare aircraft, the Tennessee Museum of Aviation will take you on an exciting journey through the history of human flight. This mammoth, 50,000 square foot facility is home to some incredible aircraft, including the Wright Brothers’ Glider.
Explore the 35,000 square foot hangar, where you can find a variety of planes, including the Republic P-47D, North American T-28, Douglas A-1H, and many more on display.
If you’re lucky, you might even catch a vintage aircraft taking off or landing along the museum’s airstrip. If you plan ahead, you can try and schedule your trip to Sevierville to coincide with an airshow or a flight demonstration.
4. Alcatraz East Museum
One of the newest museums in Sevierville is dedicated to true crime. Inspired by the infamous Alcatraz Prison, the museum is spread over two floors, covering 24,000 square meters.
Inside, you can find over 20 different themed exhibits detailing the true stories of criminals such as Al Capone or John Dillinger. You can find more than a few dark displays in the galleries, including Ted Bundy’s Volkswagen Beetle and OJ Simpson’s White Bronco.
It’s a dark but fascinating insight into the history of American crime, American criminals, and the law and order units that have tried to stop the most notorious criminals in US history.
5. Double Decker Bus Tour
That’s right, Sevierville has its very own, dedicated Hop on Hop off Bus Tour that takes you around the city’s best tourist attractions.
The double-decker bus has 14 stops in total, including stops in Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg, and the center of Sevierville. You can jump off the bus at Alcatraz East, at the Tanger Outlet Mall, the Apple Barn, and many more fantastic destinations.
Tickets can be purchased on an unlimited basis for a whole day of sightseeing or just for single rides if you need to get from one point to the next quickly.
6. Smoky Mountain Deer Farm and Exotic Petting Zoo
The Smoky Mountain Deer Farm and Exotic Petting Zoo is a great day out for all the family. The main attraction here is the petting zoo, where the kids can pet the elk and deer.
As well as being home to plenty of deer, there are animals from across the world. You can see kangaroos from Australia, camels from Arabia, and zebras from Africa.
May and July is a particularly great time to visit when you can see the baby deer and elk right after they are born on the farm.
7. Tennessee Legend Distillery
Tennessee is famous for its love of Moonshine, a fierce alcoholic beverage that’s known for its strength and fiery composition. At the local Tennessee Legend Distillery, you can sample some authentic Moonshine fresh from the barrel.
You can see how Moonshine is distilled at the factory and learn about the history of this powerful liquor, before trying unique flavors such as Apple Pie Moonshine, Coffee Moonshine, or Fiery Mango Margarita Moonshine.
8. Sevier Distilling Company
Sevier Distilling Company has been distilling local spirits and liquors since the first European settlers arrived in the Smoky Mountains hundreds of years ago.
They proudly use the same recipes passed down from generation to generation, and they are happy to give visitors a tour of the distillery.
Learn about this unique piece of local distilling history, before sampling the local brews. On offer is the classic Sevier Distilling Company Moonshine brew, as well as Vodkas and Rums.
9. Forbidden Caverns
One of the most popular local attractions to visit is the Forbidden Caverns. Beneath your feet, there are thousands of caves and caverns hidden below ground. In fact, it’s estimated that Tennessee has over 8000 accessible caves across the state.
You’ll be taken on a one-hour underground tour by a local guide who’ll give you all the stats and history of the caverns. You’ll see unique rock formations, stalactites and stalagmites, and a special light show that vibrantly illuminates the rocks.
The Forbidden Caverns are naturally kept at a cool 58 degrees Fahrenheit all through the year, making this a great escape from the Tennessee heat in summer!
10. Foxfire Mountain Adventure Park
Foxfire Mountain Adventure Park is packed full of adrenaline-inducing activities. Located in the heart of the Smoky Mountains, you can spend the day riding ATVs along off road trails, you can hike through the wilderness, or you can zipline between the trees.
The highlight of a trip here is a visit to the Swinging Bridge. This suspension bridge crosses the Foxfire Gorge, and at 335 feet in length, it’s one of the longest swinging bridges in Tennessee.
11. Harrisburg Covered Bridge
Built in 1875, the Harrisburg Covered Bridge is one of the most historical tourist destinations in Sevierville County. At 64 feet in length, the bridge spans the Little Pigeon River and is one of the few examples left of a covered bridge in the state (there are only four left in Tennessee).
While the bridge was once an important route over the river, it’s now more of a tourist attraction. The bridge was strengthened to allow cars to cross underneath it, making this a road trip worthy attraction to visit.
12. Floyd Garrett’s Muscle Car Museum
Muscle cars are a classic American vehicle, known for their souped-up engines and sleek bodywork.
These cars are usually highly customized and, of course, highly prized, and at the Floyd Garrett’s Muscle Car Museum, you can find 8 million dollars worth of muscle cars on display.
There are up to 90 muscle cars on display at any one time, and some of the models in the museum date back as far as the 1950s, when muscle cars were first introduced to the American market.
The displays are often changing, too, as the owners find new or rare muscle cars to showcase at the museum.
13. NASCAR Speedpark
At Sevierville’s NASCAR Speedpark, you can don your racing gear and helmets for an adrenaline-inducing ride on the go-kart tracks.
There are tracks and events for all ages and abilities. You can race go-karts on the Qualifier track if it’s your first time, while families can take to the dedicated family track.
The Smoky Mountain Speedway Track is a high-speed track, where you can race miniature versions of NASCAR racers around the asphalt.
14. Adventure Park Ziplines
Adventure Park Ziplines is home to 70 acres of outdoor nature, where you can find seven individual ziplines reaching up to 2000 feet in length each.
The best way to experience the adventure park is on a zipline tour, where you’ll experience a thrill on all of the ziplines in the park. You’ll have fantastic views over the surrounding forest and over the Smoky Mountains while you hurtle through the trees.
As well as ziplining, you can also enjoy a more laid back horse riding tour of the park, or you can simply relax and enjoy nature with a pleasant stroll through the outdoors.
15. Rainforest Adventures Discovery Zoo
If you’re looking for a break from the Tennessee landscapes, then spend a few hours exploring the jungle scenery and habitats of the Rainforest Adventures Discovery Zoo.
The zoo is home to 600 different animals, which collectively belong to 130 different species from rainforests around the world.
The zoo’s pride and joy is its family of Golden Headed Lion Tamarins, a rare species of monkey that are counted as one of the smallest monkey species on the planet. You can also find an array of reptiles, birds of paradise, and rainforest mammals that include lemurs, porcupines, and degus.
16. Hollywood Wax Museum
At the Hollywood Wax Museum, you can find life-like waxwork sculptures of all your favorite celebrities. Have your photograph taken with Michael Jackson, Nicole Kidman, and a fantastic array of Hollywood celebrities.
At the same time, you can also learn more about how the artists at the museum actually go about crafting the waxwork models themselves, and how they get them to be so realistic and life-like.
Once you’ve seen all the waxworks, you can then take on the Maze of Mirrors, or the Castle of Castle, two theme park-like attractions that are also found in the museum.
17. Hatfield and McCoy Dinner Feud
The Hatfields and McCoys are two of America’s most infamous families. These two historic families fought each other for years in the 1860s, epitomizing an era of lawlessness and frontier dangers.
At the Hatfield and McCoy Dinner Show, you’ll learn all about the feud as you chow down on some tasty all you can eat local eats and drink Tennessee Moonshine.
It’s a unique experience that brings history to life through singing and dancing, making this historic piece of American legend accessible for both kids and adults.
18. Titanic Museum
It might seem like a strange addition to the Sevierville museum scene, but one of the most interesting places to visit in the city is the Titanic Museum.
You might be wondering what a Titanic-themed museum is doing all the way out in the middle of Tennessee, let alone the largest Titanic-themed attraction in the world. The owners had links to the film set when the Titanic movie was shot, and they wanted to share that experience with other Titanic lovers too.
The museum has over 400 artifacts that were actually on board the Titanic, and guests can tour through life-sized replicas of cabins, suites, and even sit in a lifeboat. The museum really brings the tragic yet fascinating tale of the Titanic to life.
19. Smoky Mountain Knife Works
Smoky Mountain Knife Works is a huge retail outlet dedicated to stocking and selling the best knives in the world. In fact, it’s the largest knife store in the entire world.
A trip here isn’t just about purchasing a new Bowie Knife or Swiss Army Knife, though, because the real highlight is the on-site Knife Museum where you can find an impressive collection of historic knives that numbers up to 12,000 individual exhibits.
20. Parrot Mountain and Gardens
Parrot Mountain and Gardens is a bird sanctuary and botanical garden that’s home to thousands of tropical birds and birds of paradise.
You can see parrots, toucans, hornbills, budgies, and so many more species from all over the world. Learn about these unique birds and how to tell them all apart by taking a tour through the park with the guides.
21. Tanger Outlets
If you’re in the mood for some shopping, then Sevierville won’t disappoint. The best place to visit is Tanger Outlets, a large retail park where you can find discounted outlet stores for a huge range of popular international brands.
Those brands include GAP, Levis, Merrel, Pandora, and so many more, all of which have discounted shops selling factory rejects. Grab yourself a bargain while you can!
22. Apple Barn and Cider Mill
You’ll soon realize that one of the local drinks of choice in Sevierville is cider and that the Apple Barn and Cider Mill is the best place to try some locally brewed cider in the area, with a traditional recipe that goes back generations.
As well as being a working cider orchard, the general store at the Apple Barn is housed in an authentic barn dating back to 1910. As well as cider, you can find a delicious array of local for sale, including apple butter, pumpkin jam, apple honey, and apple butter syrup. If it’s made from apples, you’ll find it here.
23. Smokies Waterpark
Wilderness at the Smokies is the largest indoor waterpark in the Rocky Mountains, and it makes for a great day out for all the family.
The highlight of the Smokies Waterpark is the Wild Waterdome, a 66,000 square foot indoor area that’s filled with rides and swimming pools and can be enjoyed all throughout the year. Cool off from the Tennessee heat and enjoy the splash zones and water slides.
24. Great Smoky Mountains National Park
You can’t visit Sevierville without getting back to nature and venturing into the wilderness of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Covering an area of over 500,000 acres, the national park offers visitors hiking trails, camping areas, and epic mountain views over Tennessee.
For the best views, head to Clingmans Dome. Here, you’ll find an observation deck towering above the highest point in the national park.
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most visited national park in the USA, but despite the large numbers of tourists, it’s so big that there’s always a way to get off the beaten track and discover some seclusion.
25. Great Smoky Mountains Railroad
A thrilling way to experience the nature and beauty of the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad is to take a ride on the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad. This classic steam train journey starts in Bryson City, not far from Sevierville, and takes in one of America’s great, historic railroad routes.
It’s a wonderful way to experience the mountains. There is a range of classes, including the more luxurious first-class tickets for sale.