Things To Do
Visit Cades Cove
An 11-mile, one-way loop road circles the cove, offering motorists the opportunity to sightsee at a leisurely pace. Allow at least two to four hours to tour Cades Cove, longer if you walk some of the area's trails. Traffic is heavy during the tourist season in summer and fall and on weekends year-round. While driving the loop road, please be courteous to other visitors and use pullouts when stopping to enjoy the scenery or view wildlife.
Townsend Visitor Center
Located at 7906 E Lamar Alexander Pkwy, Townsend, TN 37882
The Townsend Visitors Center provides information about travel, tourism, natural history, and cultural traditions of the special places in the Smokies--in particular Townsend, Blount County, and Cades Cove. Great Smoky Mountains Association staffs a store in the Center with books, music, and many items of interest about the National Park. Employees give information, direction, and education to visitors. The Center hosts local artisans demonstrating and selling their work in the Exhibit Room. Festivals and other special events take place throughout the year, highlighting the traditional music, history, and crafts of the East Tennessee region.
Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center
The Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center is a museum whose mission is to preserve, interpret and share the history and culture of the diverse peoples and Native American who have inhabited the Southern Appalachians including the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and offers exhibitions and programs for educational and cultural enrichment.
Tuckaleechee Caverns
Tuckaleechee Caverns of Townsend, TN. Known as the “Greatest Site Under the Smokies” are the highest rating Cave or Cavern of the Eastern United States. Carved inside the earth’s oldest mountain chain and estimated to be between twenty to thirty million years old, the Caverns are rich in history and lore in recent years as well. You will find the “BigRoom” that could almost fit a football stadium inside it. You also get to view “SilverFalls”. It falls 210 feet from top to bottom and the tallest subterranean waterfall in the Eastern US . Millions of formations are viewed along the 1.25 mile round trip adventure.
Davy Crockett Riding Stables
Welcome to Davy Crockett Riding Stables, your best choice for a beautiful equestrian experience for the whole family to enjoy.
The oldest mountain range in the world can be explored by all ages, on horseback, with the help of an experienced equestrian professional.
The Island in Pigeon Forge
The Island in Pigeon Forge offers families affordable fun night and day. Showcased by The Great Smoky Mountain Wheel, a 200-foot-high observation wheel, and our multi- million dollar show fountain, The Island provides the area’s newest shopping, dining, and entertainment options in the East Tennessee area.
Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies
Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies is an amazing family attraction – State of the art facilities with over 10000 exotic sea creatures in 10 themed galleries.
Dollywood
Offering more than 40 world-class rides, high-energy entertainment, award-winning dining and the friendliest park atmosphere in the world!
Ole Smoky Moonshine
The Ole Smoky Moonshine Distillery, "Ole SmokySM Moonshine HollerSM" also known as "Ole Smoky HollerSM" or simply "The HollerSM" is America’s most visited distillery and produces all of our signature flavors. A visit to Ole Smoky Distillery is the true moonshine experience. As you approach the entrance, the distinct smell of cooking and fermenting grains takes over your senses. Here, you’ll see authentic-working moonshine stills and take in the entire process - from beginning to end. Our distillers like to visit with folks. They’ll be glad to answer your questions about the history and lore of moonshining in East Tennessee. After you see, smell and hear about the process, treat yourself to $5 samplings of our homegrown shine!