SEVIER COUNTY, Tenn. — As summer quickly approaches, there's plenty of frugal fun waiting in a scenic Smokies city.
If you don't have a lot of cash to create more memories or are just looking for economical activities, here are 20 things you can do for under $20 in Sevierville.
Visit Sevierville compiled this list of places and descriptions, so you can easily find ways to bask in the summer fun without breaking the bank.
1. Apple Barn Cider Mill & General Store is right off the Parkway in Sevierville. It's free to step in and look at how their items are made using local ingredients. Most food and drink items in the shops are priced under $20 too.
2. Axe House Sevierville is off of Winfield Dunn Parkway. You can rent a throwing lane for 30 minutes for $15, with safety instructions included.
3. Douglas Headwater Campground on Douglas Lake rents single kayaks for $20 for an hour, so you can explore with an oar.
4. East Tennessee Billiards is right along Highway 66. It's a pool hall and restaurant where you can rack up a game at one of the six-diamond pool tables. It's $10 per hour.
5. Foam Warriorz is at the Governor's Crossing Mall in Sevier County. It offers a range of play opportunities. Go full-on with foam combat for $15 and hour, jump in bounce houses for $8 an hour or throw axes for $15 for 30 minutes.
6. Forbidden Caverns is an underground adventure with guided tours. It showcases natural formations, towering rock chimneys, grottos, a stream, and the largest known wall of rare cave onyx for $20 admission.
7. NASCAR SpeedPark Smoky Mountains has an arcade ready to play in for just $10. There’s also a virtual reality experience for $10. You can enter the arcade without buying tickets to the rest of the park.
8. Polka Dot Pots is located inside Wilderness at the Smokies and is a paint-your-own pottery place. Choose a blank piece from the huge assortment and personalize it with more than 80 different colors and types of paint. Prices start at $8.
9. Rainforest Adventures Discovery Zoo houses a collection of 600 creatures, including exotic birds, bugs, reptiles, amphibians and mammals, including some of the world’s smallest monkeys. Admission is $16.99.
10. Ripley’s Old MacDonald’s Farm Mini Golf is right at the entrance of Tanger Outlets. It boasts 54 holes within three different 18-hole courses. There are animated barnyard characters along the way, water features, and surprising interactive elements. Play 36 holes for $16.99.
11. Sevier Air Trampoline & Ninja Warrior Park is tucked away on Collier Drive. There are 60 trampolines, an obstacle course inspired by the popular “Ninja Warrior” TV show, two tumble tracks for gymnastics, a rope swing, a jousting area above a foam pit and much more. Enjoy it all for one hour with a $17.90 admission price.
12. Sevierville Community Center right off Dolly Parton Parkway offers a wide range of recreational facilities. The basketball courts, fitness center, aerobics room, indoor pool, racquetball court, and family aquatic center can be enjoyed for $6 a day. Two indoor pickleball courts are also available for $3 per player with free equipment.
13. Sevierville Golf Club off of Old Knoxville Highway can bring your swing back! Hit a bucket of balls at the driving range against the backdrop of the Great Smoky Mountains. It’s $8 for a small bucket of about 40 balls or $12 for a large bucket of about 80 balls.
14. Smoky Mountain Knife Works is right along Highway 66, on your drive into Sevierville. It is “the world’s largest knife showplace.” It stocks every kind of knife and sharp edge imaginable, as well as some you never knew existed. The Relic Room on the ground level sells oodles of authentic fossils, artifacts, and historic treasures. It’s free to browse both areas. Each stock has a wide selection of items priced well under $20.
15. SkyLand Ranch’s new ‘Wild Stallion Mountain Coaster’ is the longest of its kind in the U.S. at over 1.25 miles. A ticket to ride is $19.99.
16. Smokies Stadium is right off Exit 407, and is home to the Tennessee Smokies, the Southern League Double-A Affiliate of the Chicago Cubs. Field-level game tickets are $11.50.
17. Smoky Mountain Deer Farm & Exotic Petting Zoo invites you to walk among, pet, and even hand-feed Fallow and Sika deer, miniature horses, Highland cattle, donkeys, goats, zebra, reindeer, Rocky Mountain elk, emu, and other creatures. Admission is $15.99.
18. Smoky SUP rents standup paddleboards for $18 an hour, to enjoy the beautiful Douglas Lake . The reservoir extends 43 miles upriver from Douglas Dam, which was built during World War II.
19. Tennessee Museum of Aviation is the state’s official repository and archive of aviation history. See vintage aircraft, radial and jet engines, military vehicles, and other artifacts. Tickets are $15.75.
20. Tennessee Shine Co. produces small-batch moonshine based on family recipes. For insights into moonshine history and how-to, take a tour for $12.99.
There are many other ways to enjoy your time on a dime! Hiking in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is always an easy and economically friendly feature for families.