Arrive late afternoon in Sevierville.

Stop at the Sevierville Visitor Center 1.5 miles from I-40 Exit 407 and pick up a free Smoky Mountain Coupon Book produced by the Sevierville Chamber of Commerce (your wallet will thank you later!). While you and your friends are there, check out the Great Smoky Mountains Association gift shop. Taste test some mild or hot chow-chow and take home a couple jars. They’ll make great gifts. Before you leave, find a book with info on the strong women of Appalachia who helped blaze the trail for the national park and made it a priority to educate Appalachian youth. You and your gal pals will love retracing their steps in the Great Smoky Mountains.

Check In at a Sevierville hotel, motel or cabin.

Dinner Dine at one of Sevierville’s variety of great restaurants – from ethnic to country cooking.

 

Sevierville is known for its shopping. Begin the day with a quick breakfast and then head for Tanger Five Oaks Factory Outlet Center www.tangeroutlet.com/sevierville. There you and your friends will find 100 high-end outlets (everything from Coach and Michael Kors to The Disney Store and Juicy Couture). These outlet stores all offer significant discounts off retail every day. For even better deals, purchase a Tanger Coupon Book ($5 value and it can help you save over $700).

 

Enjoy Lunch at one of the two casual dining restaurants in the mall (KT’s Grill or The Chop House www.thechophouse.com) or grab a quick lunch at one of the two delis (Mountain Edge Grill or The Ritz).

 

Just for fun, challenge your friends to a round of golf after lunch at Ripley’s Old MacDonald’s Mini-Golf – right in the heart of Tanger Five Oaks. Play the “Chicken Eggspress,” “Porky Putts,” or the “Udder Course” surrounded by animatronic farm animals just waiting to comment on your golf swing.

 

Shop Some More at Governor’s Crossing Outlet Center. This mall, located in the heart of Governor’s Crossing (a shopping, dining and entertainment complex adjacent to Tanger Five Oaks) contains stores like Vanity Fair Outlet ($15 jeans) and Your Scrapbook Superstore www.yourscrapbookstore.com (with the largest scrapbook supply inventory in the nation).

 

See a Show in the evening. Cirque de Chine at Smoky Mountain Palace Theater www.cirquedechine.com showcases international award-winning Chinese acrobats and performers and concludes with a Guinness World Record holding act.

 

Enjoy a hearty breakfast at the famous Applewood Farmhouse Restaurant in Sevierville. This one is the original restaurant where you can dine on mounds of apple fritters and apple butter and fill up on good country cooking.www.applewoodfarmhouserestaurant.com. The restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner and is surrounded by the Apple Barn complex with a working orchard of 4,000 trees, an ice creamery, a candy store (watch them make candy), a winery, a Christmas store, general store, and an Orvis Company store. www.applebarncidermill.com

 

Head for the hills…or mountains in this case. Pack a lunch and take a scenic car ride into Great Smoky Mountains National Parkhttp://www.nps.gov/grsm/index.htm. The Sugarlands Visitor Center at the entrance to the park offers an informative movie and plenty of brochures on the park. There are also rangers on hand to answer any questions. For a customized tour, reserve a “step-on guide” from an area receptive company such as Steve Ellis Tours www.discountours.com, Smoky Mountain Tour Connection www.traveltn.com, Rocky Top Tours www.rockytoptours.com or Tennessee Receptive Services www.tennesseereceptive.com. These guides ride along with you and can customize information about the park to your interests whether you’ve got a bus full of friends or just a few in the car. Hiking, horseback riding and fishing are also popular park activities. Ask a ranger about trail and fishing conditions.

 

After viewing the Great Smoky Mountains, pick up a souvenir that captures their majestic beauty at the Robert A. Tino Gallery located in the historic home of John H. Denton. The Gallery is home to a wide and wonderful selection of work from original paintings to prints on note cards. Local artist Robert A. Tino was born and raised in Sevierville. He is a self-trained artist who knows his craft and captures the beauty of Sevierville and the Great Smoky Mountains in his art. www.roberttinogallery.com

 

Spa Away the Afternoon at one of Sevierville’s relaxing spas. You’ll need the pampering after a long day exploring the mountains. Try spas like: the Spa at Oak Haven

www.oakhavenspa.com and Utopia Day Spa www.Utopiasparetreat.com.

 

 

Head for Historic Downtown Sevierville and the bronze statue of Sevierville’s favorite hometown girl, Dolly Parton. Located on the lawn of the Sevier County Courthouse, thousands of people have their picture made with Dolly’s statue each year. Grab a friendly passerby to take fun shots of you and your friends.

 

Boutique Shopping is all around in Sevierville – especially in our historic downtown. Visit quaint stores throughout downtown before making your way to nearby Dollywood!

There you’ll find authentic mountain craftsmen, exciting rollercoasters and thrill rides and a wide variety of specialty shopping (everything thing from custom made wagons – yes, the kind horses pull – to stylish clothing). www.dollywood.com