Things to Do in the Smokies with Kids: 7 Picks Everyone Will Love

Planning a trip to the Smoky Mountains and looking for fun kid-friendly things to do? There’s certainly a lot to do with kids — from hiking in the Smokies and riding roller coasters in Pigeon Forge to fun things to do in Sevierville and outdoor adventures all over this corner of Tennessee. These 7 fun things to do in the Smokies with kids are spots we’ve come back to again and again — a mix of outdoor fun, popular attractions, and a few places that might not be on your radar yet.

Disclosure: This site contains links from our trusted partners, including Amazon. If you book or purchase through these, we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. We appreciate your support!

Why the Smoky Mountains Are Great for Families

A trip to the Smokies has no shortage of fun things to do with kids. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most-visited national park in the country, with hiking trails, scenic drives, and waterfalls for every age. The surrounding towns — Pigeon Forge, Sevierville, Gatlinburg, and Townsend — add dinner shows, rides, attractions, and so much more.

Whether you’re looking for outdoor adventures, big attractions, or a quiet small-town evening, you’ll find it all within about a 30-minute drive.

7 Fun Things to Do in the Smokies with Kids

From outdoor adventures to favorite stops in town, these are our top 7 picks for fun things to do in the Smokies with kids. They’re the ones we keep coming back to again and again.

1. Explore the Great Smoky Mountains National Park

The National Park is free to enter and packed with family-friendly ways to spend a day outdoors. Whether your crew loves wildlife, waterfalls, or Smoky Mountain hiking, there’s a way to experience the park that works for every age. While entry to the park is FREE, we recommend grabbing a → Smoky Mountains parking pass so you can stop and explore.

Drive the Cades Cove Loop

Cades Cove is an 11-mile loop through one of the prettiest valleys in the park — slow, scenic, and easy to experience from the car. You’ll pass open fields, churches, and cabins of yesteryear that give kids a peek into life in the Smokies long before theme parks.

• Roll the windows down to spot black bears, deer, and wild turkeys
• Stop and explore the historic cabins along the loop
• Pack snacks and drinks — bathroom stops are limited
• Plan for 2-3 hours during peak season
• Go early or late afternoon for fewer crowds

→ Explore our guide to driving the Cades Cove Loop

Spend a Day on the Trails

Hiking in the Smoky Mountains doesn’t have to mean a hard climb. Plenty of family trails are short, mostly flat, and lead to a payoff that makes the walk worth it.

• Gatlinburg Trail — flat, stroller-friendly, 1.9 miles one-way
• Sugarlands Valley Nature Trail — half a mile, fully accessible
• Cataract Falls — easy half-mile round-trip to a small waterfall

→ Explore our family-friendly Smoky Mountain Hiking Guide

Chase a Waterfall or Two

The Smokies are full of waterfalls, and kids love them. Some you can drive right up to, others take a short hike.

• Grotto Falls — short hike with a walk behind the falls
• Cataract Falls — short, easy hike near Sugarlands Visitor Center
• The Sinks — roadside stop with a dramatic drop

2. Spend a Day at Dollywood

Dollywood is the heart of family entertainment in the Smokies, with seasonal festivals and something for every age — from toddler-friendly play areas to thrill-ride coasters.

• Rides: roller coasters, family rides, and the can’t-miss Dollywood Express train
• Shows: bird shows, live music, and seasonal performances throughout the park
• Food: classic park hot dogs, famous cinnamon bread, and frozen lemonade

Splash Country, Dollywood’s water park, is right next door — perfect for cooling off in summer.

3. Explore Pigeon Forge

Pigeon Forge is the family fun headquarters of the Smokies, with plenty of fun things to do with kids — from attractions to dinner shows to indoor activities for any kind of weather. You could easily spend two days here without running out of things to do.

• Outdoor fun: the Smoky Mountain Alpine Coaster, mini golf, and go-karts up and down the Parkway
• Indoor favorites: WonderWorks, the Titanic Museum, and TopJump Trampoline Park for rainy days
• Family entertainment: dinner shows like Dolly Parton’s Stampede and the Comedy Barn

Looking for FREE things to do in Pigeon Forge with kids? Start with The Island — the Great Smoky Mountain Wheel and the dancing fountain show are family favorites.

→ Find 15 more FREE things to do in Pigeon Forge

4. Visit Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies

Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies is a Gatlinburg classic and one of the top-rated kid-friendly attractions in the area. It’s the kind of place that genuinely entertains everyone, from toddlers to grandparents.

• Don’t miss: the moving walkway through the shark tunnel
• Kid favorite: Penguin Playhouse with crawl-through tunnels
• Hands-on fun: the Stingray Bay touch tank

Plan for 2-3 hours, and consider a combo ticket if you’ll be hitting more than one Gatlinburg attraction during your trip. Grab tickets here:

5. Discover Family Fun Gatlinburg

Gatlinburg is the most walkable of the Smoky Mountain towns, which makes it easy to do a lot in one day with kids. Park once, then explore on foot or by trolley.

• Mountaintop adventure: Anakeesta has treehouse playgrounds, ziplines, and kid-friendly trails with stunning Smoky Mountain views
• A walk in the sky: the SkyLift carries you up to one of the longest pedestrian suspension bridges in the country
• Sweet stops: old-fashioned candy shops, fudge, and ice cream up and down the Parkway
• Family fun: mini golf at Hillbilly Golf and walkable attractions every few blocks

The free Gatlinburg Trolley is a kid favorite — they love riding it, and it saves you from circling the block looking for parking.

6. Cool Off in Sevierville

Sevierville often gets overlooked between Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg, but the things to do in Sevierville TN are some of the most underrated family fun in the Smokies — especially when summer temperatures climb.

• Splash zone: Soaky Mountain Waterpark has rides for every age, from toddler splash areas to thrill-seeker water coasters
• Roadside fun: feed the goats on the actual rooftop at Goats on the Roof — gem mining, ice cream, and a mountain coaster on-site
• Animal adventures: Rainforest Adventures Discovery Zoo brings reptiles, birds, and small mammals up close

The best things to do in Sevierville TN with kids are often the ones you stumble into — and that’s part of what makes this stop so memorable.

7. Visit Townsend, the Peaceful Side of the Smokies

Some of our favorite Smoky Mountain memories come from Townsend — the quieter side of the Smokies where you can trade crowds for a slow afternoon by the river. It’s a perfect pick for families who want a break from the busier towns.

• River fun: tubing the Little River and picnicking at the Townsend Wye
• Local stops: the Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center and country stores along the Parkway
• Scenic drives: the Foothills Parkway is one of the most beautiful drives in Tennessee

A long weekend in the Smokies is great, but a slow afternoon in Townsend with the kids is the kind of memory that sticks.

→ Explore our family guide to Townsend

There’s no wrong way to do the Smokies with kids. Some days you’ll plan every minute, and some days you’ll just throw the kids in the car and see where the road takes you — both are the kind of days they’ll remember.

From chasing waterfalls in the National Park to finding fun things to do in Pigeon Forge with kids, we hope this guide helps you plan a Smoky Mountain trip your whole family will love.

Happy Trekkn’, Friends!

Thanks for trekkin’ along with us! We hope this guide gives you a few good ideas for your next Smoky Mountain family trip. Whether your crew is into hiking the Smokies or hunting down things to do in Pigeon Forge with kids, the best trips are the ones where you let the day unfold a little.

Share your fun! If you make it out our way, we’d love to hear about it. Tag us on Facebook or Instagram, drop a comment below, or share your favorite Smoky Mountain memory — we read every one.