Sevierville, Tennessee, is quickly gaining attention from travelers who want a fun Smoky Mountain vacation with a side-helping of hometown appeal. Ranked a best small town to visit in 2015 by Smithsonian Magazine and a top honeymoon spot by Trip Advisor reviewers in 2017, this town is garnering accolades for all the right reasons. Here are the top eight reasons you should add Sevierville to your list of places to visit this year.
#1 The Great Smoky Mountains
Located in the foothills of these ancient, majestic mountains, Sevierville’s views are incredible. Venture a few miles up the road — the park entrance is less than 13 miles away — to explore Great Smoky Mountains National Park, America’s most visited national park. While there, enjoy hiking, horseback riding, visiting historic farmsteads and more. Did you know: Great Smoky Mountains is one of the few national parks that are absolutely free to enjoy.
#2 The Dolly
World-wide entertainment icon Dolly Parton hails from Sevierville, Tennessee and her hometown has honored her with a bronze statue in the middle of the historic downtown district. Stop for a photo-op with the bronze beauty before making the quick trip to her nearby Dollywood theme park.
#3 The Food
Southern cooking is good. Really good. Check out the house specialties at places like Applewood Farmhouse Restaurant — a perennial visitor favorite — where every meal begins with a hearty helping of Applewood Fritters, apple butter and Applewood Julep. Get the fried chicken or the chicken pot pie — which, incidentally, is the size of a whole pie — and finish your meal with apple cobbler a la mode.
#4 The Shopping
Sevierville has long been called the Shopping Capital of the Smokies, and for good reason. Not only will you find luxury items at discounted prices at places like Tanger Outlets Sevierville —which has more than 100 high end outlet stores — you’ll also find weird, wild and beautiful things at our boutiques, galleries and antique stores.
#5 The Museums
This small town has big history on display. Explore the Tennessee Museum of Aviation, Tennessee’s official repository and archive for aviation history, and see warbird aircraft from WWII through Vietnam on display. The rarest aircraft in their collection are two airworthy P-47 Thunderbolts, given the names “Wicked Wabbit” and “Hun Hunter” during the second world war. There are fewer than 12 airworthy P-47 Thunderbolts remaining worldwide. Also, visit Floyd Garrett’s Muscle Car Museum, The Relic Room at Smoky Mountain Knife Works, and the Sevier County Heritage Museum.
#6 The Outdoor Adventure
Building confidence, building a team, building a memory. There’s no better way to have fun together than by immersing yourselves in a great outdoor adventure. When you visit Sevierville, make plans to zip line 400 feet above the forest floor, ride an ATV to Bluff Mountain’s summit and see all the way to Kentucky, brave class IV rapids on the Pigeon River, and hike to the top of Mt. LeConte to eat lunch above the clouds.
#7 The Sports
The all-American pastime is full time fun in Sevierville. Catch a game with Sevierville’s own Tennessee Smokies Baseball team, double-A affiliates of the Chicago Cubs, and see up-and-coming players right here in the Smoky Mountains. The Tennessee Smokies play regular home game stretches from April through August each year.
Bring along your golf clubs and enjoy two championship courses at the Sevierville Golf Club. Play the Highlands course through rolling foothills and set a tee-time for the River course, which winds along and across the west prong of the Little Pigeon River. Both are picturesque and offer challenging play.
#8 The Places to Stay
Cozy cabins are a favorite with visitors to Sevierville. More like luxury homes than rustic shacks, these mountain mansions provide comfort and coziness at affordable rates. Looking for something splashier? Try one of Sevierville’s two water park resorts. Wilderness at the Smokies Water Park Resort offers one indoor and two outdoor water parks, mini golf, an indoor dry playground, restaurants and more on site and is a favorite of families. The Resort at Governor’s Crossing also offers an indoor water park and is only a few minutes from Dollywood. Along the famed Parkway visitors will also find newly renovated hotels, condos and campgrounds — perfect for your Smoky Mountain vacation.