Smoky Mountains Guide
Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge top spots
Whether it's family fun or the great outdoors, Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg area offer something for everyone.
Dining Attractions Outdoor AdventuresSmoky Mountains Rentals
Whether it's family fun or the great outdoors, Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg area offer something for everyone.
Dining Attractions Outdoor Adventures
There are plentiful portions, butter and love wrapped up in Southern cooking. Here’s a few favorites.
240 Apple Valley Road, Sevierville, TN 37862
Southern, homestyle for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Includes apple fritters, apple butter and more. Includes all courses in the price. Large portions and great southern farmhouse atmosphere. No reservations, but they have stores surrounding them that you can browse if there’s a wait.
136 Community Center Drive, Pigeon Forge, TN 37863
Open daily. 7:00am-2:00pm. Excellent pancakes and eggs benedict.
1698 Newport State Route, Sevierville, TN 37876
This is a combo of an open air picnic bench style BBQ joint and a fresh produce stand. If you’re looking for local jams, jellies, locally grown fruits and vegetables, then this is the place. The BBQ is pretty good. Not my favorite in the area, but definitely a solid choice. But, the produce choices and seasonal items (wreaths, trees, etc) are excellent.
560 Winfield Dunn Pkwy #9, Sevierville, TN 37876
This restaurant makes me smile every time I walk in the doors. They are exuberant with the decorations. The service is wonderful and the food is excellent. It has the best Tres Leches Cake I have ever eaten and a fresh salsa bar.
1638 Parkway, Sevierville, TN 37862
This is our favorite breakfast place. You have to try the giant cinnamon roll as an appetizer to share with the group. Great atmosphere inside and they have an online waitlist that you can join in advance. Behind the restaurant is a general store and ice cream shop that are great stops as well.
2655 Teaster Lane Ste 280, Pigeon Forge, TN 37863
This is our go-to spot if we didn’t plan ahead. It’s large, typically doesn’t have a wait and has great food. Southern, American food. It’s newer so the secret just may not be out yet. It’s a distillery as well with whiskey, vodka and moonshine to try. No reservations, but they offer pick-up.
3204 Line Springs Rd, Sevierville, TN 37862
This is one of the spots that’s an intentional trip and treat during our visits. The fried pies are the BEST. There’s cute shops to stroll through nearby as well. But, trying a hot fried pie with ice cream is a must do if you’re in the area.
175 Old Mill Avenue, Pigeon Forge Tennessee 37863
This is a classic Pigeon Forge stop. 1830 gristmill in a picturesque spot in Pigeon Forge. There’s shops surrounding it that you can stroll through while you wait. Southern food. Multiple courses included in the price. Dinner is fun because it includes dessert. No reservations and you need to be nearby to hear them call your name. Their general store is a fun spot for gifts because they sell many of the items served in the restaurant.
131 The Island Drive, Suite 8101, Pigeon Forge TN 37863
Go hungry! Excellent southern food. Lunch and dinner. Family style with unlimited extra portions. But, no to-go boxes allowed. They don’t take reservations, but they’ll text you when the table is ready so you can walk around and explore “The Island in Pigeon Forge” while you wait.
661 Dollywood Ln, Pigeon Forge, TN
This is our go to pizza place for Dolly’s Splash Pad guests. It is close, locally owned, and rarely has a wait. They offer traditional thick crust, as well as thin and cauliflower crust. No matter what crust you pick it is good!
2933 Pittman Center Road, Sevierville, TN
Closed Sunday through Wednesday. A nice stop if you’re staying at Dolly’s Splash Pad. Favorite place for dry rub ribs.
3526 Parkway, Suite 4, Pigeon Forge, TN 37863
Smaller place but excellent. Closes around 6 or 7 and closed on Sundays. Best Cuban sandwiches ever.
1259 Middle Creek Road, Sevierville, TN 37862
Lines for Starbucks around here is a kinda crazy. This spot is a bit off the beaten path, has cute décor and good seating. Close to Dolly’s Splash Pad. Check out the very thoughtful “pay it forward” display of cardboard coffee holders. They’re pinned up by customers before you who decided to pre-pay for a drink for a stranger.
2700 Dollywood Park Blvd., Pigeon Forge, TN 37863
This is the restaurant inside the Dollywood DreamMore Resort. There is a buffet breakfast that’s great for kids and adults. The only place we’ve ever seen a “donut bar” and they have all these fun specialty pancakes that kids love.
There’s something to do around every corner in Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg Tennessee. Here are some recommended dinner shows, theme parks, museums and shopping ideas.
576 Parkway, Gatlinburg, TN 37738
Top family attraction in Gatlinburg. Outdoor adventure park. You buy a pass and can go up and down all day. Highly recommend purchasing the Astra Lumina tickets and experiencing that at night.
1707 Veterans Boulevard, Sevierville 37862
This place is so cute and fun for kids. Real farm and construction equipment but kid sized. They can dig, ride, pick up stuff all with construction equipment. With an indoor arcade. Adorable.
2700 Dollywood Parks Blvd., Pigeon Forge, TN 37863
Does Dollywood really need any explanation? You won’t regret it!
1341 Wears Valley Rd, Pigeon Forge, TN 37863-7713
This is American ingenuity at its finest. A mountain roller coaster (try it at night!) with actual live goats on the roof that you can feed. With some ice cream, shopping, putt-putt golf, rocking chairs and gem mining thrown in for good measure. What more could you ask for??
340 Parkway, Gatlinburg, TN 37738
It is guaranteed that you have never been to a mini-golf course like this one. You start with a rail car ride up the mountain to get to the course. Then you putt your way down the mountain. It can be busy and has a small parking lot, so plan ahead.
800 Legacy Vista Drive, Sevierville, TN 37862
This is the longest and highest zipline in the Smokies. It’s excellent. And, for any guests at Dolly’s Splash Pad, it’s about an 8 minute drive.
203 Sugar Hollow Road, Pigeon Forge, TN 37863
Picture a big hill and you rolling down inside a giant plastic ball. It’s called “zorbing and is a quirky, hilarious and totally unique experience!
2713 Parkway, Pigeon Forge, TN 37863
There are so many dinner shows to choose from. Great kid activity. Favorites, though, are the Dolly Parton’s Stampede and Pirates Voyage.
2530 Parkway, Pigeon Forge, TN 37863
If you’re looking for a laugh and some Southern humor then this is the tour for you. Not as appropriate for kids. Maybe 14 and older. Stops at Moonshine Holler and a few other landmarks.
2826 Parkway Pigeon Forge, TN 37863
Off-roading, four-wheel drive jeep tour in bright pink jeeps. A tour guide drives and gives you background on the area during the whole experience.
478 Happy Hollow Ln, Sevierville, TN 37876
If you’re looking for a family friendly adventure this is a good spot. They have horse back riding and you can feed and pet deer and some other more unusual animals like camels, zebras, elk, emu, etc.
175 Gists Creek Rd, Sevierville, TN
This is a huge park and a great one for kids on a hot day.
1645 Parkway #960, Sevierville, TN 37862
Approximately 100 stores with great deals and parking is typically easy.
224 Collier Drive, Sevierville, TN 37862
If you’re looking for good prices for clothes and you like Lee or Wrangler branded items then this is definitely the place. They also carry a lot of larger sizes. It’s large with a lot of selection and is a good spot for a bargain.
Some tourists stay in town the whole time but those Smoky Mountains are beautiful and shouldn’t be missed. Make sure, though, that you buy a parking pass if entering the park.
Cades Cove Loop Rd, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, TN 37738
Most visited areas in the Smoky Mountains. Beautiful valley surrounded by mountain peaks. 11 mile loop that you drive and periodically stop at hikes, tour spots and photo opportunities. Avoid going on Wednesdays. That is typically a “vehicle-free” day for campers to enjoy the spot without vehicles around.
Clingmans Dome Road, Cherokee, NC 28719
Highest point in the Smokys. You can drive to the top and walk up a half mile to the viewing platform. Go early though. The parking lot is small fills up.
Oconaluftee Visitor Center, 1194 Newfound Gap Rd, Cherokee, NC 28719
The elk are amazing. They love eating grass on the side of the main road and in the adjacent clearing. The visitor center has a small, walk through museum and behind the visitor center is a historic farm trail with buildings along the river.
Beautiful waterfall in the Great Smoky Mountain with a shady, relatively easy trail. Fun family activity
Scenic drive between Gatlinburg and Cherokee, North Carolina. If you follow directions to Clingman’s Dome, you’ll be on Newfound Gap Road. 31 mile stretch through the center of the park with lots of stops and picture points along the way. You can do a day trip and end up in Cherokee, NC for a meal. Or turn back at any point.
Another picturesque drive with trails, overlooks, old mills and waterfalls along the way. A little over five miles long. You can map “Rainbow Falls Trailhead” and follow signs to Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail. Directions: At Traffic Light #8 in Gatlinburg, TN turn off the Parkway onto Historic Nature Trail Road. Follow this road to the Orchard entrance to the Smoky Mountains National Park. The entrance to the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail loop is immediately following the Rainbow Falls Trailhead.
205 Wears Valley Rd, Townsend, TN 37882
From top-notch Tubing to heart-pumping Whitewater Rafting, they specialize in making lasting memories. Family owned and operated since 1995, River Rat is a unique getaway into the great outdoors for the whole family. Grab your swim shoes, unplug and get ready to vacation as nature intended in Mother Nature’s Water Parks.
