top of page

11 New & Unique Things to Do 
You Might Not Know About

Hidden Gems in Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, Sevierville

2 friends, hide their eyes for a suprise

Sometimes it can be overwhelming trying to decide what to do with so many options in the Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg area. 

Here is a list to help so you don't miss out on things

that might get lost in the shuffle.

These are New & Unique things to do, places to go and tips to have

your best vacation in Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg and Sevierville.

​

Add my site to your favorites because I always have the

new and the best cabins and attractions!

You Might Also Like

Motorcycle Friendly Cabins

Pet Friendly Cabins Near Dollywood

 

QUICK LINKS:

My Cabin Suggestions

My Hotel Suggestions

Attractions

Car Shows

Food & Restaurants

Get Tickets Online

1.) The Forgotten Forest
Douglas Dam Road, Sevierville, TN

Rental castle at the Forgotten Forest in Kodak, Tennessee
forgotten forest logo, Kodak, Tennessee unique attraction in Sevierville and Pigeon Forge
Forgotten Forest vacation rental sign, Sevierville, TN

Imagine staying in this new and evolving magical, forest hideaway with the other halflings, wizards, elves, and fairies!

​

Stay in a treehouse, castle, forest burrow or a magical home is inspired by fairytales. According to their website, this community includes (still in progress...call for details)

​

  • Beautiful landscaped grounds of mythical statuary and ancient ruins

  • Swim among the mythical ruins at the dragon’s final resting place, in the pool which features water slides and a magical waterfall.

  • Fairy-filled trees

  • Magic well for wishes

  • Mythical Stone circle 

  • Stone Labyrinth Garden

  • 9-foot War Horn

  • 10 foot tall ancient sword left by the giants that once roamed the lands

  • On-site management and leasing

​

See Unique Cabins & Vacation Rentals

​

​

​

2.)  Hawk Skylift
4149 Wears Valley Rd, Wears Valley, TN

Hawk Skylift attraction in Wears Valley, Sevierville, TN
Harper Brothers horses at the horseback riding stables, Wears Valley, TN

In beautiful Wears Valley, just down the road from Pigeon Forge, you will find Harper Bros. Mountain General Store, Chair Lift, and horse riding stables.  You can ride or just pet the horses, shop in the store, and take a ride up the mountain for beautiful views of surrounding Wears Valley.

​

You will find absolute treasures at the General Store, have some Starbucks, and then take a relaxing ride to the top of the mountain, where you can watch the horses graze below, and you will find rocking chairs and free moon pies in the "Hawk's Nest".

​

You can also choose a guided, 30 minute, beginner's Meadow Ride on one of the many trained, well-cared for, horses, as available.

​

​

​

​

3.) Crazy Mason Milkshake Bar
812 Parkway, Gatlinburg, TN

Crazy Mason Milkshake Bar, front of store in Gatlinburg, TN
Crazy Mason Milkshakes, Gatlinburg TN

First let me say Dairy Free Options are available!  These crazy shakes, sundaes, desserts and "crazy bombs" will have your eyes big and you will be amazed.  

​

Try flavors with names like :

  • You Gotta Be Puddin' Me

  • Sweet Cheesus

  • Split Happens

  • Muffin But Blueberry

  • Mint to Be

  • I Like Big Buns

  • Don't Worry Beach Happy

  • Build Me Up Buttercup

  • Campfire Sundae....and more

​

With names like this (there's more), who could resist this fun place just for the giggles.  You can watch them make it and also there's a "rinse your souvenir mason jar sink", so you can take it home with you and not worry about the yummy mess.

​

4.) Sky High Air Tours
134 Air Museum Way, Sevierville, TN

sky high air tours logo, Sevierville TN attraction
view from Biplane landing at Sevierville airpark, Scenic flying attraction and tour

Imagine flying in an original, vintage, 1927 open air Biplane over the beautiful Great Smoky Mountains, rivers and streams and enjoying a view that few get to experience.  This is not just a replica, this is the real deal!

​

This plane has been carefully restored into new condition and is FAA Certified. Check out the TripAdvisor reviews, it is the experience of a lifetime.  Choose between 3 flight options, from 8-30 minutes.  Fly over Dollywood, Douglas Lake and the Parkway!

​

Like Flying?

Try a Scenic Helicopter Tour too!

Check Availability

​

​

5.) Activate Games
631 Parkway, Suite B10, Gatlinburg, TN

Activate games logo, Gatlinburg tn attraction for teens
Activate Games group of adults, Gatlinburg tn, Gatlinburg attraction for families and teens

In the heart of the Gatlinburg Parkway is a new fun way to spend some time laughing and competing with family and friends.  Fun for most ages.  Choose from 100s of games and difficulty levels. 

​

An electronic wristband will track your score for you.  A super fun indoor activity for groups too! This place has great reviews!

​

​

6.) Outdoor Gravity Park
203 Sugar Hollow Road, Pigeon Forge, TN

Outdoor Gravity Park attraction, Pigeon Forge, TN attraction, unique and unusual
woman riding inside a Zorb at Outdoor Gravity Park attraction in Pigeon Forge TN

this attraction is tucked into a country backroad, right off the Parkway, so you may not have even known it existed! 

 

Fun and unique Zorbing experience for ages 5 and up.  Wikipedia defines Zorbing as "the recreation or sport of rolling and bouncing downhill inside an orb, typically made of transparent plastic." 

​

Choose from 3 different tracks, and be prepared to get wet as you splash down the 1,000 foot, gently rolling hills.  Each roll can be 1-3 riders.  Just know that the more weight in the zorb, the faster it goes! 

​

The park's website also states that they are ADA friendly. 

​

​

7.) Hire a Private Chef for Your Cabin
 

Private professional Chef
desserts made by private chef
steak, onions, broccoli, and rice made by private chef

Yes, you can hire a private chef for your honeymoon cabin, your bachelorette party, corporate retreat, anniversary, birthday and more.  Let the chef do all the cooking, while you enjoy your time and put your feet up and relax! 

 

See the wide variety of delicious dishes you can have prepared for you!

​

Simple 2 Elegant | Private Chef | Catering | Chattanooga Tennessee (simple2elegantchef.com)

​

​

See All My Cabins Suggestions

​

​

8.) Cafe 420
745 Parkway, Gatlinburg, TN

Cafe 420 storefront in Gatlinburg, TN
Cafe 420 logo, Gatlinburg TN attraction

While traditional Delta-9 marijuana is not legal in Tennessee, Delta-8 and CBD are.  These hemp derived products do not have the same chemical makeup as traditional Delta-9 products.  Do not underestimate the Delta 8 products, my friend.

 

Delta-8 is said to have fewer and a less potent psychoactive affects, but offer more of the positive, calming effects on the body.  (You can read more details here.)

​

A wide variety of candies, oils and edibles are available here, along with t-shirts and other 420 related fun stuff.  At this time, Delta-8 is still in the "Wild West" era, with more regulations coming in the future, no doubt.  So if this is your thing, why not stop in a see how you like it?

 

 

9.) Waffle De Lys
616 Parkway, Gatlinburg, TN

Waffe from Waffle De Lys, a Gatlinburg dessert shop
My picture of the Waffle de Lys eatery in downtown Gatlinburg, Tennessee

Don't even think about being on a diet when you go here.  This little, unassuming hole in the wall on the Gatlinburg Parkway, will knock your socks off.  Usually when you go by they will give you a free sample!

​

You will hear decadent words floating around like cookie butter, homemade whipped cream, salted caramel, strawberries, Nutella, hazelnut, imported raspberry coulis, and more.  Try a fresh, authentic Belgian waffle and top it your own way.

​

See Hidden Gem Eateries

​

​

10.) Riverwalk Greenway
Begins at Patriot Park, 186 Old Mill Ave., Pigeon Forge, TN

Pigeon Forge Greenway walking path trail
Pigeon Forge Greenway ducks in the river and dog walk.

4 miles of tree lined, paved, pet friendly, bike friendly, walking trail - complete with cute ducks, nature and views along the beautiful banks of the Little Pigeon River. 

 

While we were there, I saw a gorgeous, long legged egret (heron?) I'm not sure but it is a reminder of the large diversity of wildlife in the area.  This trail is not well known to a lot of visitors, but it runs behind The Island and LeConte Center parking lots, and all the way to Patriot Park.

​

It's a little piece of paradise, right in the middle of the chaos.  Wonderful gem for dogs, families, cyclists and kids.

 

You also might like:

​

Secluded Cabins

Best Steaks in Town

Cool Cabins with Unique Features

Ultimate Wedding Guide

11.) English Mountain Trout Farm
291 Blowing Cave Road, Sevierville

Fresh caught rainbow trout platter
Sign for Englsih Mountain Trout Farm in Sevierville, Tenneessee
A person shows a fresh rainbow trout that they caught in a net at English Mountain Trout Farm in Sevierville, Tennessee

"You Hook 'em, We Cook 'em!" is the motto at this scenic little restaurant on the outskirts of Sevierville.

 

Fish for fresh rainbow trout right on the restaurant property, from their pond and have them cook it and clean it right then and there. They also serve desserts, chicken and a kid's menu.

​

Great fishing experience for kids, and they have pond attendants to help.

(Call ahead for payment options, as the website says it does not take credit cards at this time.)

​

See the Best Places to Get Seafood Around Gatlinburg

​

​

Cabins on Lakes, Creeks & Rivers

​

​

​

Disclosure:
Expedia Group compensates authors for their writings appearing on this site; such compensation may include travel and other costs.

I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

I also participate in other affiliate programs and accept commissions based on link performance.  I strive to only promote things that I believe have integrity, add value and positively affect my readers.
Commission-based affiliate partnerships, help to support in fulfilling the goals for this site.  The goal of this site is to shine a light on the best of the Smokies by providing helpful information so that visitors can have a better experience while visiting the area.

Thanks for submitting!

 This site was created with love to promote the place 

 we call home-the Sevier County area and the beautiful 

 Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee. 

Contact:

​

SmokyMountainStarlight@gmail.com

​

Copyright 2024 Smoky Mountain Starlight

All Rights Reserved

Privacy Policy

​

SmokyMountainStarlight.com (SMS) respects your privacy.

When you subscribe to this website, you may be sent updates and news of interest to you.  SMS will never spam your inbox. If, at any time, you choose to unsubscribe, you will find the “unsubscribe” link at the bottom of all email.

 

SMS may sometimes use emails to reach out when we think it will be helpful to you based on your subscription to our Events Updates.  By subscribing, you give us permission to do so. Some content contain links that enable cookies. This allows us to be compensated for referring your business to others based on your interest in the Smoky Mountains.

 

This site also contains links to other sites that may be helpful to you and try to show only those with authority on each subject.  Please be aware that once you leave SmokyMountainStarlight.com, each outside site has their own individual privacy policy.

 

You may contact SmokyMountainStarlight@gmail.com.

 

Thank you for being a Smoky Mountain Starlight Subscriber! Happy you are here!

​

​

​

​

​

bottom of page