Looking for things to do in Sevierville, TN? Getting to explore Dolly Parton’s hometown of Sevierville, TN is quite the experience and something we cannot recommend highly enough, especially since it’s only a few short hours in the car away from the Upstate, SC. There is so much to see and do with your family in Sevierville, TN and we’ve got all the details for you right here.
Special thanks to Visit Sevierville for hosting us on this trip.
For an endless amount of family fun, Sevierville, Tennessee is the place to go. Even though it is located right next to Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg and many of the cool attractions you already know about are in Sevierville, we found that some really cool aspects of the area are more or less unknown – and we cannot wait to tell you about them.
We’ll cover everything from Sevierville attractions to Historic Downtown Sevierville, plus places to eat, places to play, and places to stay. And of course, you’ll learn all about the town’s most famous resident, country music star Dolly Parton. Her influence is everywhere and we absolutely love it.
This article includes:
Historic Downtown Sevierville
Where to Eat in Sevierville, TN
Where to Play: Sevierville TN things to do
Where to Stay in Sevierville, TN
Historic Downtown Sevierville
Historic downtown Sevierville is a cute place to walk around and check out the shops, restaurants, and a gorgeous butterfly mural. In recent years, historic downtown Sevierville has been given a makeover with larger sidewalks, landscaping, new roofs, and new entertainment and restaurants.
It still holds an early 1900s feel, which I really loved, but you can easily see that it’s on the way up.
Having walked in downtown Gatlinburg many times, downtown Sevierville is so quiet and calm. New shops and restaurants are opening up and I think that any family looking to escape the crowds will love strolling around on Bruce Street and Court Avenue.
Here are a few things that we really liked about historic downtown Sevierville:
Dolly Parton Statue
There is a bronze statue of a young Dolly Parton holding her guitar right in front of the gold-domed Sevier County Courthouse. Dolly grew up in Sevier County and the statue, created in 1987, honors the star in her hometown. This is just a cool photo op so that’s exactly what my kids and I did.
125 Court Ave, Sevierville, TN
Jolene’s on Bruce Street
I was walking back to my car from checking out the Dolly Parton statue, a hanging sign caught my eye: Jolene’s. I spun around so fast and headed right for it.
Turns out that Jolene’s on Bruce Street is a boutique shop with clothing, jewelry, totes, shoes, greeting cards, notebooks, and all kinds of trinkets that pay homage to Dolly Parton. There’s a lot of sparkly stuff as you could probably imagine. I really loved this shop and hope to go back when I’m in the area next to see what new stuff they have.
112 Bruce St, Sevierville, TN
Sevier County Courthouse
Right behind the Dolly Parton statue is the Sevier County Courthouse. You cannot miss this building. It was built in 1896 and was the first courthouse in Tennessee to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
If you ever see the Sevierville skyline, which you can definitely see from various roads that lead into downtown Sevierville, you cannot miss the gold domes.
125 Court Ave, Sevierville, TN
Wings of Wander Mural
I love a good wall mural and the mural by Sevierville artist Pinkie Mistry at the little park in the heart of downtown Sevierville was just beautiful. It’s a huge monarch butterfly, a tribute to Dolly Parton’s song “Love is Like a Butterfly,” and is painted on the wall behind a large butterfly garden filled with Black-Eyed Susans, lilies, and milkweed.
My daughters and I had a lot of fun taking photos in front of the mural!
There are other murals around historic downtown Sevierville as well, including one on the wall of The Pines Downtown.
Where to Eat in Sevierville, TN
We had so many excellent meals in Sevierville that it was hard to choose our favorite. I was so impressed with the quality, quantity, and creativity behind the dishes we had.
Trotter’s Whole Hog BBQ
Located in historic downtown Sevierville, Trotter’s Whole Hog BBQ has an unassuming dining room with booths and tables, a couple televisions (one played old Bob Ross shows, which we loved), and a long counter. The letters on the menu board look like old school diner type. Don’t let any of this fool you.
This BBQ place is amazing. They have traditional BBQ dishes like pulled pork sandwiches and rib platters but also Deviled Chicken Salad, Smoked Bologna, and Smoked Meatloaf.
We got the Waymore’s Sampler Platter, which had pulled pork, ribs, and half a chicken plus hushpuppies and two sides (we got green beans and mac & cheese). We somehow had leftovers after my family of four dug in.
They also have a giant beer wall where you can pour your own drafts from a variety of local and regional beers. You pay by the ounce.
Trotter’s is definitely a winner for delicious, family-friendly meals. They also have take out family meal deals if you want to grab something to go!
127 Bruce St, Sevierville, TN
Iron Forge Brewing Co.
Set back off the main road in Sevierville behind the Apple Barn lies Iron Forge Brewing Co, a brand new brewery and restaurant. The place is just beautiful with indoor and outdoor seating and a menu that is small but mighty.
The owners told me they thoughtfully picked their menu to give guests the very best of what they could offer for appetizers, entrees, salads, and desserts. I thought the menu was just the right size and wish my stomach was bigger because I could have ordered so many things off of it!
We ended up getting fried cheese curds to start, a strawberry salad, and three different smash burgers. Everything was amazing. I would a hundred percent go back for those cheese curds though plus order a hanging Bavarian pretzel with beer cheese because I have a weakness for soft pretzels.
All the beers at Iron Forge are brewed right on site. I tried a few and loved the lighter Bee Bait, a honey wheat ale. The brewery is both family-friendly and dog-friendly with a kids menu and outdoor games like cornhole and ax throwing (don’t worry, the axes are plastic). They also have Singo nights, which is bingo but with songs!
371 Lonesome Valley Rd, Sevierville, TN
Flapjack’s Pancake Cabin
A true Southern pancake house, Flapjack’s has everything you could ever want for a hearty breakfast: pancakes, French toast, omelets, egg platters, chicken & waffles, skillets, and more. The pancakes we got were super fluffy and delicious. Service was excellent, friendly, and fast.
My youngest daughter loved the Jr. Bear pancakes, which are pancakes arranged and decorated to look like a bear. My favorite was my husband’s order of Banana Nut Pancakes and the candied bacon.
If Annie, the General Manager, is there, be sure to thank her if you like your meal. She is the sweetest person and strives so hard to make Flapjacks a place you want to come back to again and again.
They are open for breakfast and an early lunch so be sure to go in the mornings! And while Flapjack’s is a local eatery, they have several locations in Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg, Sevierville, and even one in Myrtle Beach, SC.
Buc-ee’s
The iconic gas station convenience store is now open in Sevierville and it’s massive. With 74,000 square feet of retail space, you won’t find any shortage of culinary options here.
They have amazing brisket and pulled pork sandwiches, bakery items, salads, a wall of beef jerky, coffee, banana pudding, key lime pudding, and tons more. I’m not going to tell you how many times we went to Buc-ee’s on our trip to Sevierville but it was more than a couple of times!
Buc-ee’s Blvd, Sevierville, TN
Apple Barn & Cider Mill
Built in 1910, the Apple Barn & Cider Mill is one of Sevierville’s oldest establishments. There are even several apple trees around the property (you cannot do u-pick so don’t try). They have a huge barn full of homemade apple products, mixes, and home goods. They make their own apple cider, which you can buy by the gallon. They make their own cider donuts, hard cider, candy, and one of our favorites: ice cream.
The Ice Cream Factory at the Apple Barn opened in 1991 and is an old-fashioned creamery. It is a must-do when you visit Sevierville. We had such a hard time choosing what flavors to have.
I eventually went with Key Lime Pie and both my kids had a Rocky Road-type flavor. All the ice cream and baked goods are made right there so you’re getting everything as fresh as possible.
There is a restaurant as well there but we did not get a chance to try it. For those who love Christmas, visit the Christmas and Candle Shop.
230 Apple Valley Rd, Sevierville, TN
Where to Play
Within a ten-minute drive, you can find all kinds of fun places to play in Sevierville. Here are the ones we’ve tried!
The Pines Downtown
For a piece of Dolly Parton history, hand-tossed pizza, and fun games for the whole family, you must try the Pines in Historic Downtown Sevierville. This laid-back establishment was the very first place that Dolly sang when she was only 10-years-old on the Cas Walker Show.
Today, you can play all kinds of board games, soccer pool, arcade games, duckpin bowling, and tabletop games at the Pines. It really fosters an atmosphere of having fun with your family and loved ones.
They serve sandwiches, appetizers, cheesesteaks, hand-tossed pizza, and cinnamon bread plus have a full bar. Everyone is really nice here and we ended up going twice during our trip because it was so fun!
230 Court Ave, Sevierville, TN
RainForest Adventures Discovery Zoo
RainForest Adventures Discovery Zoo focuses on education about animals in the rainforest. They are a family-owned operation and have been in business since the early 2000s. The zoo is beautifully structured with a huge gift shop that you’ll see when you first walk in. Once you get your tickets, you’ll head for the exhibits.
There are all kinds of interesting animals – many of which I had never even seen or heard of – that we got to learn about and see. Lemurs, lizards, macaws, toucans, monkeys, porcupines, and snakes all greet visitors and placards urge guests to read about each one and learn something cool about them. For example, I had no idea that venom from snakes has been used in cancer treatments.
They also have a few axolotls, a really unique salamander that lives in only one lake in the entire world. They are crazy cool because they can regrow limbs and some internal organs.
The Zoo also has a petting area for sheep and goats. You can feed them for a small cost. My kids loved getting to feed the cute and feisty goats. Plus, there were baby goats so that made me happy! My kids are 12 and 8 and really enjoyed this zoo.
109 Nascar Dr, Sevierville, TN
SkyLand Ranch
Skyland Ranch occupies 100 acres on top of a mountain in Sevierville. They are a new attraction and have some pretty neat things going on. For example, they’ve got the biggest mountain coaster in the Southeast at more than a mile in length. We tried it out and had so much fun running those rails.
They also have a relaxing chair lift up to the top of the mountain (or a shuttle if you’re scared of the lift), miniature horses, goats, and a lot of great entertainment.
When we were there, we got to see a very talented cowboy show off his gun-twirling, whip-snapping, and rope-swinging skills. We also got a taste of an awesome band who played some fantastic country music songs and we danced along to line dances in the evening. Your admission to Skyland Ranch is good for a whopping three days! Read our full review on SkyLand Ranch for all the details.
1620 Parkway, Sevierville, TN
Sevier Air
With trampolines, a Ninja Warrior course, and a huge laser tag room, the 38,000 square foot Sevier Air is the perfect place to spend time indoors on a hot, cold, or rainy day. Weather always changes fast in the mountains and this place is perfect for the entire family to burn out energy.
266 Collier Dr, Sevierville, TN
Where to Stay
The Ridge Outdoor Resort
We stayed at The Ridge Outdoor Resort, a beautiful resort in the heart of Sevierville that has RV slips, glamping tents, and tiny homes. Our lodging was a two-bedroom, one-bathroom glamping tent with a living space, kitchen, and huge porch. It was fantastic! I couldn’t believe how much space there was inside this tent and how comfortable it was. All their tents have both AC and heat.
The resort also has two zero-entry pools, a lazy river, a catch & release pond, a deli and laundry facility on-site, two fenced in dog parks, a playground, a game room, and one of the pools has a hot tub. The place is also ideally located in Sevierville.
It’s not right in the middle of all the action so it’s very peaceful and tranquil but you won’t need to drive further than 10-15 minutes to get anywhere you want to go. We really loved our stay here and you can read our full review of The Ridge Outdoor Resort to plan your own trip.
1250 Middle Creek Rd, Sevierville, TN
Wilderness at the Smokies
This family-friendly hotel has three waterparks on-site, including Tennessee’s largest indoor waterpark. You won’t even need to leave the resort for entertainment and dining once you get there. Rooms are spacious and some suites offer bunk beds for kids. And it’s directly across the street from Soaky Mountain Waterpark. Read our Wilderness at the Smokies Review.
1424 Old Knoxville Hwy, Sevierville, TN
Smoky Hollow Outdoor Resort
Stay in a covered wagon or tipi at this resort in Sevierville, TN for the ultimate pioneer adventure. The resort is close to Soaky Mountain and minutes from Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, and the Smokies. Read our Smoky Hollow Outdoor Resort.
660 Gists Creek Road, Sevierville, TN
Making Memories in Sevierville
Ready to go to Sevierville, TN? We only scratched the surface of all the things to do there in East Tennessee, not even mentioning the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the treasure it truly is. This area is absolutely one of our very favorites to visit and we just fall in love with it again and again every time we go – we think you will, too.
Here are a couple of other attractions and things to do you might want to consider on your trip:
- Adventure Park at Five Oaks: Zipline and horseback riding
- Smoky Mountain Deer Farm: Petting zoo and horseback riding trail rides, ponies too!
- Forbidden Caverns: A spectacular cave to explore
- Foxfire Mountain Adventures: Zipine and adventure park with climbing, ziplines, swinging bridge and more
- Tennessee Museum of Aviation: Warbirds and aviation history
- NASCAR Speedpark: Go-karts, rides and mini-golf
Visit Sevierville is an excellent resource for more things to do in the area and places to stay. Before and during my stay, I referenced their website and visitors’ guide multiple times. They also have discounts on their site for different attractions so it’s certainly worth a visit.