$500 WEEKEND IN SEVIERVILLE, TENNESSEE
Fresh mountain air and calming mountain vistas are natural invitations to visit Sevierville, Tennessee. Another compelling reason: It’s a budget-friendly destination.
To help prove how affordable a getaway to Sevierville can be, we’ve pulled together itinerary suggestions for a $500 weekend for both a family of four with two youngsters and also for a couple.
If your specific situation and interests don’t quite fit either scenario but a $500 weekend in Sevierville sounds great to you, call Visit Sevierville for help putting together an itinerary that meets your specific situation. Maybe you have three teens. Maybe you need to bring Grandpa along. Maybe you’re traveling with a dog. No problem, we can help make sure you get the vacation you want within your budget.
Whatever your age and interests, you can always expect to find camera-ready views and friendly folks when you visit us in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains. We hope to see you soon.
For Couples
Welcome to Sevierville, Tennessee!
Friday 3-5 p.m. Check-in to a premiere king room at the all new
The Lodge at Five Oaks.
One of the newest hotels in Sevierville, The Lodge at Five Oaks is located across the street from Tanger Outlet Mall and boasts
upscale farmhouse-inspired casual décor that combines rustic and modern sensibilities—think real hardwood floors, custom hickory
furniture, walk-in tile showers, plus complimentary wireless access with plenty of places to charge up devices. Each light, airy
premiere king guestroom is a relaxing haven with a luxurious mattress, a gas fireplace, flat-screen television, plus a mini
refrigerator, microwave and coffee station.
Cost = $300 ($150 per night)
Friday 4-6 p.m. Head to Historic Downtown Sevierville. Park for free in a vacant space along any downtown street then walk to the Sevier County Courthouse—don’t forget your camera! Stop at the courthouse lawn for a quintessential Sevierville experience: Snap a selfie with the bronze statue of Dolly Parton, the only place on earth you’re guaranteed to get close to the most honored female country performer of all time. A tribute to the superstar by her hometown community, the six-and-a-half-foot tall sculpture was crafted by nationally-known local artist Jim Gray and depicts Dolly fresh faced with a loose ponytail, sitting barefoot on a mountain boulder with her guitar. Since it was unveiled 30 years ago, the statue has attracted millions of visitors from all over the world.
Next, enjoy a self-guided walking tour of Historic Downtown Sevierville. Grab a free brochure from the stand near the Dolly
Parton statue for information about 40 of the city’s most important historic sites, from when the city was settled in 1795
to today.
Cost = Free
Friday 6:30 p.m. Enjoy dinner at
Applewood Farmhouse Restaurant, which is nestled among trees
alongside a river. The dining room has a homey vibe and the menu offers hearty traditional favorites like fried chicken,
chicken pot pie, chicken and dumplings, fresh local trout, meatloaf, and other scrumptious dishes. Every meal includes
complimentary apple fritters, apple butter, and your choice of homemade farmhouse soup.
Cost = $35
Before or after your meal, burn some energy and calories roaming around the
Apple Barn & Cider Mill complex. Retail shelves at the
general store are packed with nostalgic goodies. Stop by the cider room, apple pie kitchen, ice cream parlor, and candy factory
where you can watch treats like stick candy, caramel apples and chocolates being made.
Cost = Free if you resist all taste temptations and satisfy only curiosity.
Friday 8:00 p.m. Return to The Lodge at Five Oaks. As suits your moods and the weather, enjoy time
together swimming in the heated pool or seated around either one of the two fire pits. When you’ve had enough time under the night
stars, head to your guestroom to snuggle in front of your private fireplace until ready to sleep.
Cost = Free
Saturday 8-9 a.m. Enjoy complimentary breakfast at The Lodge at Five Oaks with options like biscuits and sausage gravy, omelets, yogurt and much more.
Saturday 10:00 a.m. Get an eagle’s-eye look at Sevierville during
Scenic Helicopter Tours’ “River Ride”
aerial adventure. Soar up to 1,200-feet above the French Broad River traveling eight miles with spectacular views of the
Great Smoky
Mountains National Park, surrounding farms, fields, Douglas Lake, and other natural and manmade sights—don’t forget your camera!
Cost = $50 (book online to pay $25 per person)
Saturday 12 p.m. Grab lunch at
Frank Allen’s Market & Grill, voted “Best Burger” by Sevier County for
seven years. Located inside the Marathon gas station, this restaurant is a local favorite and one of Sevierville’s best-kept secrets.
Cost = $15 for two cheeseburgers, fries, onion rings, and two drinks plus tip. Other options abound that won’t bust the budget, including all-day breakfast items.
Saturday 1 p.m. You’ve soared over Sevierville, now climb under it. Tennessee boasts over 8,350
caves—more than any other state in the U.S.!
Sevierville’s Forbidden Caverns
is home to the nation’s largest known wall of rare
cave onyx. Guided tours pass spectacular formations, towering natural chimneys, grottos and a stream. Special sound and light
effects add to the underground ambiance. Fear not, trails are well-lit and handrails help ensure safe exploration.
Cost = $32
OR...
Alternately, keep your minds and eyes on the sky at the
Tennessee Museum of Aviation where several vintage aircraft plus engines and
military vehicles are on display in the hangar. Other historic artifacts and exhibits related to flight can be found throughout the
museum. You can even climb into an A-4 Skyhawk Cockpit for a pilot’s-eye view of flying. Outside is a runway of the Gatlinburg Pigeon
Forge Airport, so you can also watch planes arrive and take off.
Cost = $25.50
Saturday 3 p.m. Sip a selection among the more than 70 unique pours at five locations along
The Rocky Top Wine Trail.
Among the stops is one of the area’s newest wineries, Hillside Winery, which offers sparkling and Italian-style wines made using Tennessee grapes and
ranging from dry to sweet, white to red. The Apple Barn Winery offers sweet dessert wines. If spirits are more your style, head to one of the local
distilleries such as the award-winning Thunder Road Distillery, which produces an assortment of corn whiskey, rum, rye, flavored moonshine, vodka and
limited-edition bourbon.
Cost = Free for all tours and tastings. Plus, pick up the free passport at any location, get a stamp at each place you visit, and you’ll receive a free gift
after visiting three locations plus another free gift after completing the trail.
Saturday 6:00 p.m. Feast on flavor at
China 1.
Start with a shareable appetizer like two egg rolls or ten fried wontons,
then dig into a chef’s special entrée like fresh scallops with garlic sauce plus a Hibachi steak and shrimp dinner that’s served with Miso soup or
Oriental salad, Hibachi vegetables, fried rice and Oishi stir-fried noodles. Or stick to the dinner special menu where entrées like pork chow mein,
beef with broccoli, curry shrimp, sesame chicken, and more are just $6.59 each and are served with fried rice and a pork eggroll.
Cost = $15 to $30. Whatever you order, break into a fortune cookie for dessert at no extra charge.
OR...
Get retro at The Diner where the 1950s ambiance is free. A
ll-American fare is served in a setting that makes you long for the good ol’ days when jukeboxes ruled.
Lots of supper menu items are priced under $10, including spaghetti and meatballs, patty melt, grilled chicken breast, The Diner dinner salad, and more.
Cost = $15+
Saturday 8:00 p.m. Visit Smoky Mountain Knifeworks,
the world’s largest knife showplace. Peruse the massive collection of just about
every kind of knife and sharp edge you can imagine as well as some you never knew existed—the motto here is, “if it cuts, we carry it.” Don’t miss the Relic Room,
billed as “the largest diversity of history for sale in North America.” From dinosaur teeth to Civil War newspapers, Cold War medals and military pins to Zuni
fetishes to 15th Century books and so much more, the assortment of treasures available here is mind-boggling.
Cost = Free to browse
Saturday 9:00 p.m. Spend quality time together in your guestroom at The Lodge at Five Oaks. Flip on the gas fireplace, open that bottle you purchased, and raise a toast to your fun day in Sevierville.
Sunday 8 a.m. Enjoy complimentary breakfast at The Lodge at Five Oaks before checking out of the hotel.
Sunday 9:30 a.m. Stop by the
Walmart Neighborhood Market to buy a picnic lunch of deli sandwiches, fruit, and waters.
Cost = $20
Sunday 10:00 a.m. Visit the McMahan Indian Mound Site, one of Tennessee’s most fascinating historical landmarks. A tribute to the Native Americans that used to inhabit the area, the archaeological site is located just above the confluence of the West Fork and Little Pigeon Rivers, near the Sevierville Riverwalk Greenway. This historical landmark dates back as early as 200 A.D.
Sunday 10:30 a.m. Head to the Sugarlands Visitor Center in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the most visited national park in the U.S. Choose an activity that suits your interests and endurance: Watch a movie. During the free 20-minute orientation film, you’ll get an in-depth look at the Smokies and the diverse population of plant and animal life it houses. You can also tour the on-site natural history exhibits.
Hike a trail. From the Visitor Center it’s an easy stroll to Cataract Falls, about a mile round-trip. Another trail leads to Laurel Falls, a lovely little waterfall at the end of the park’s longest paved trail that’s 2.6 miles round-trip. Tackle a bigger challenge and hike one of the other popular hiking trails such as Charlies Bunion, an eight-mile trek along the Appalachian Trail that boasts gorgeous mountain views; Alum Cave Bluffs, a five-mile route that crosses log bridges and climbs up Peregrine Peak to just below the summit of Mt. Le Conte; Rainbow Falls, a 2.7-mile path to an 80-foot waterfall named for what can be seen in its mist; or Chimney Tops, a steep four-mile hike up to an impressive lookout point.
Sunday 12:00 p.m. Enjoy your pinic lunch.
Sunday 2:00 p.m. Climb Clingmans Dome, the highest point in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. At 6,643 feet, Clingmans Dome is the tallest point in Tennessee, the highest point along the Appalachian Trail, and the third-highest mountain east of the Mississippi River. The observation tower on the summit of Clingmans Dome offers spectacular 360-degree views of the Smokies and beyond; on clear days you can see up to 100 miles in any direction. Clingmans Dome Road is a seven-mile route that leads to a large parking area; from there, climb a steep half-mile trail to reach the observation tower that rises above the treetops.
OR...
Drive through
Cades Cove,
a valley surrounded by mountains that is one of the Smokies’ most popular destinations. During the 11-mile
one-way loop you’ll pass by the widest variety of historic buildings in any area of the national park including three churches, a
working grist mill, barns, log houses, and several other restored 18th- and 19th-century structures. Pick up a self-guided tour
information booklet at the entrance and allow at least two hours to enjoy the scenery.
Cost = Free
Sunday 4:00 p.m. Depart for home. Drive safe! Along the way, make plans for your next Sevierville getaway. If it fits your route, don’t miss the chance to drive the 31-mile Newfound Gap Road (US 441) through the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The scenic drive travels between the Sugarlands Visitor Center and Cherokee, N.C. You’ll reach an elevation of 5,046 feet, traveling through pine-oak, evergreen spruce-fir and cove hardwood forests. Along the route are many spectacular lookout points (all clearly designated) where you can stop, gaze, and snap photos.
For a Family Of Four
Welcome to Sevierville, Tennessee!
Friday 3-5 p.m. Check-in to a double queen guestroom at
Holiday Inn Express & Suites Pigeon Forge-Sevierville.
This award-winning hotel is conveniently located off Highway 441, just minutes from many of the area’s top attractions. Designed with traveling families in mind,
double queen rooms have a shared bathroom between the beds, creating separate spaces that lend each sleeping area some privacy. Crisp and modern, the hotel is
routinely described by guests as “clean” and “comfortable.” Among its conveniences and amenities are a fitness center with cardio machines and free weights,
large outdoor pool, outdoor fireplace and firepit, complimentary breakfast buffet, free wireless access, and more. Considerations like a choice of soft or
firm pillows help ensure a restful stay.
Cost = $210 ($105 per night)
Friday 4-6 p.m. Head to Historic Downtown Sevierville. Park for free in a vacant space along any downtown street then walk to the Sevier County Courthouse—don’t forget your camera! Stop at the courthouse lawn for a quintessential Sevierville experience: Snap a selfie with the bronze statue of Dolly Parton, the only place on earth you’re guaranteed to get close to the most honored female country performer of all time. A tribute to the superstar by her hometown community, the six-and-a-half-foot tall sculpture was crafted by nationally-known local artist Jim Gray and depicts Dolly fresh faced with a loose ponytail, sitting barefoot on a mountain boulder with her guitar. Since it was unveiled 30 years ago, the statue has attracted millions of visitors from all over the world.
Next, enjoy a self-guided walking tour of Historic Downtown Sevierville. Grab a free brochure from the stand near the Dolly
Parton statue for information about 40 of the city’s most important historic sites, from when the city was settled in 1795
to today.
Cost = Free
Friday 6:30 p.m. Enjoy dinner at
Applewood Farmhouse Restaurant,
which is nestled among trees
alongside a river. The dining room has a homey vibe and the menu offers hearty traditional favorites like fried chicken,
chicken pot pie, chicken and dumplings, fresh local trout, meatloaf, and other scrumptious dishes. Every meal includes
complimentary apple fritters, apple butter, and your choice of homemade farmhouse soup.
Cost = $65
Before or after your meal, burn some energy and calories roaming around the Apple Barn & Cider Mill complex. Retail shelves at the
general store are packed with nostalgic goodies. Stop by the cider room, apple pie kitchen, ice cream parlor, and candy factory
where you can watch treats like stick candy, caramel apples and chocolates being made.
Cost = Free if you resist all taste temptations and satisfy only curiosity.
Friday 8:00 p.m. Return to the Holiday Inn Express & Suites Pigeon Forge-Sevierville. As suits your family’s interests and the
weather, spend some time swimming in the pool or seated around either the fireplace or firepit.
When ready, return to your guestroom to relax until bedtime.
Cost = Free
Saturday 8-9 a.m. Enjoy complimentary breakfast at the Holiday Inn Express & Suites Pigeon Forge-Sevierville with options like pancakes, eggs and bacon or sausage, oatmeal, grits, cereal, fruit and more.
Saturday 10:00 a.m. Let your kids burn off some energy at
Sevier Air Trampoline & Ninja Warrior
Park. This facility features 38,000-square feet of jumping, bouncing and flipping fun. Find 60 trampolines, an obstacle course
inspired by the popular Ninja Warrior TV show, plus a three-story net system specifically designed for youngsters age two to ten.
There are also two competition dodgeball courts, a two-sided rock wall, three basketball goals, two tumble tracks for gymnastics,
a rope swing, and a jousting area above a foam pit.
Cost= $44 for two people to utilize the trampoline and obstacle course for one hour. Save: Let your kids jump while you watch and take pictures.
Save Even More: The cost drops to $36 for trampoline only; $32 for obstacle course only; $20 for the net system only—all prices listed here assume two participants.
Saturday 11:30 a.m. Grab a hearty lunch at
Buddy’s Bar-B-Q, a casual eatery that serves Tennessee barbecue and Southern
favorites with options like smoked pork, chicken, ham and turkey sandwiches, chicken wings, chili, ribs, loaded baked potatoes, and more.
Cost = $25
OR...
Grab a good-for-you lunch at
Healthy Balance Meals, where every menu item has zero trans-fat and no refined carbohydrates plus all meats are lean, cheese low
fat, and produce organic. Choose among soups, salads, sandwiches, wraps, paninis and burgers. Kids’ menu items are all $5 or less.
Cost = $25
Saturday 1 p.m. Head to the
Rainforest Adventures Discovery Zoo.
Home to more than 600 live creatures from cute to creepy,
these animals represent more than 130 species. (Informative plaques and brochures help answer questions sure to arise.) Among the exotic birds, bugs, reptiles,
mammals and amphibians are a northern blue-tongued skink, African crested porcupine, and golden headed lion tamarins which are some of the smallest and rarest
monkeys on earth, plus many others.
Cost = $42 ($13 per adult, $8 per child age 3-12, free for children under age 3)
Saturday 3 p.m. Play miniature golf at
Ripley’s Old MacDonald’s Mini-Golf, located at Tanger Outlets Sevierville.
Play the “Chicken Eggspress,” “Porky Putts,” or the “Udder Course” surrounded by animatronic farm animals that comment on your golf swing.
Cost = $48 ($15 per adult, $9 per child age 3-11, free for children age 2 and under)
Saturday 6:00 p.m. Enjoy dinner at
Big Daddy’s Pizzeria, where the world-class Neapolitan-style pizza is hand-crafted of fresh
ingredients and wood-fired in a 550°F brick oven. This popular restaurant has earned TripAdvisor’s “Certificate of Excellence” six consecutive years.
Cost = $35 for a large pizza, two beers and two sodas.
Saturday 7:30 p.m. Visit
Smoky Mountain Knifeworks, the world’s largest knife showplace. Peruse the
massive collection of just about every kind of knife and sharp edge you can imagine as well as some you never knew existed—the motto
here is, “if it cuts, we carry it.” Don’t miss the Relic Room, billed as “the largest diversity of history for sale in North America.”
From dinosaur teeth to Civil War newspapers, Cold War medals and military pins to Zuni fetishes to 15th Century books and so much more,
the assortment of treasures available here is mind-boggling.
Cost = Free to browse
Saturday 8:30 p.m. Return to the Holiday Inn Express & Suites Pigeon Forge-Sevierville. As suits your
family’s energy level, interests and the weather, spend some time swimming in the pool or seated around either the fireplace or firepit.
When ready, return to your guestroom to relax until bedtime.
Cost = Free
Sunday 8 a.m. Enjoy complimentary breakfast at the Holiday Inn Express & Suites Pigeon Forge-Sevierville before checking out of the hotel.
Sunday 9:30 a.m. Stop by the
Walmart Neighborhood Market to buy healthy picnic snacks
like granola bars, apples, bananas, waters and pre-packaged deli sandwiches.
Cost = $30
Sunday 10:00 a.m. Head to the Sugarlands Visitor Center in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the most visited national park in the U.S. Choose an activity that suits your interests and endurance: Watch a movie. During the free 20-minute orientation film, you’ll get an in-depth look at the Smokies and the diverse population of plant and animal life it houses. You can also tour the on-site natural history exhibits.
Hike a trail. From the Visitor Center it’s an easy stroll to Cataract Falls, about a mile round-trip. Another trail leads to Laurel Falls, a lovely little waterfall at the end of the park’s longest paved trail that’s 2.6 miles round-trip. Tackle a bigger challenge and hike one of the other popular hiking trails such as Charlies Bunion, an eight-mile trek along the Appalachian Trail that boasts gorgeous mountain views; Alum Cave Bluffs, a five-mile route that crosses log bridges and climbs up Peregrine Peak to just below the summit of Mt. Le Conte; Rainbow Falls, a 2.7-mile path to an 80-foot waterfall named for what can be seen in its mist; or Chimney Tops, a steep four-mile hike up to an impressive lookout point.
Sunday 12:00 p.m. Enjoy your picnic snacks.
Sunday 2:00 p.m. Climb Clingmans Dome, the highest point in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. At 6,643 feet, Clingmans Dome is the tallest point in Tennessee, the highest point along the Appalachian Trail, and the third-highest mountain east of the Mississippi River. The observation tower on the summit of Clingmans Dome offers spectacular 360-degree views of the Smokies and beyond; on clear days you can see up to 100 miles in any direction. Clingmans Dome Road is a seven-mile route that leads to a large parking area; from there, climb a steep half-mile trail to reach the observation tower that rises above the treetops.
OR...
Drive through
Cades Cove, a valley surrounded by mountains that is one of the Smokies’ most popular destinations. During the 11-mile
one-way loop you’ll pass by the widest variety of historic buildings in any area of the national park including three churches, a
working grist mill, barns, log houses, and several other restored 18th- and 19th-century structures. Pick up a self-guided tour
information booklet at the entrance and allow at least two hours to enjoy the scenery.
Cost = Free
Sunday 4:00 p.m. Depart for home. Drive safe! Along the way, make plans for your next Sevierville getaway. If it fits your route, don’t miss the chance to drive the 31-mile Newfound Gap Road (US 441) through the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The scenic drive travels between the Sugarlands Visitor Center and Cherokee, N.C. You’ll reach an elevation of 5,046 feet, traveling through pine-oak, evergreen spruce-fir and cove hardwood forests. Along the route are many spectacular lookout points (all clearly designated) where you can stop, gaze, and snap photos.
Disclaimer: The prices we have quoted are subject to change. Lodging rates vary by date and vendors may change pricing up or down without notice. Please contact businesses directly to confirm prices and ensure they fit your budget.