Inside Sevierville

This father’s day surprise dad with a memorable trip to Sevierville. There are numerous activities the whole family can enjoy this father’s day including Floyd Garrett’s Muscle Car Museum. The museum lets dad come face to face with a collection of over nine million dollars in American muscle cars. From Shelby Mustangs to Big Block Chevys and Mopars, Garrett’s has a bit of everything for the car enthusiast including rare engines and specialty cars like a 1940 Ford Coupe that was confiscated for running moonshine. Floyd Garrett’s museum has been featured on My Classic Car, Shadetree Mechanic, Speedvision, TNN’s Motor Trend, in Super Chevy Magazine and in Muscle Car Review.

Further down the parkway is the NASCAR SpeedPark. The park offers eight thrilling tracks from the kid friendly Baby Bristol to the Smoky Mountain Speedway. Riders must be 16 years of age with a valid state-issued license to ride the Smoky Mountain Speedway and stand at least 64” tall to ride in the 5/8 scale NEXTEL Cup style cars. For those without a driver’s license, and who are 54” tall, the track can be driven in a Rookie car, which doesn’t go as fast.

Take dad to the skies at the Tennessee Museum of Aviation. This aviation museum features a flyable warbird aircraft and an ever-changing cast of aircraft from Russian MiGs and Thunderbolts to the PBY Catalina. The museum is located at Sevierville’s airport. If the Tennessee Museum of Aviation inspires dad to see the Smoky Mountains from the sky, try a flying tour with Scenic Helicopter Tours.

Maybe it’s the outdoors that are calling dad. Make sure he has the right gear with Sevierville stores like Bass Pro Outdoor World and the Orvis Company Store. It’s easy to get outfitted for a day of hiking in the Great Smoky Mountains or fishing on Sevierville’s very own Douglas Lake. Dad can also visit the 88,000 square foot knife showroom at Smoky Mountain Knifeworks and even look through the National Knife Museum which is housed there.

Still, Sevierville’s best treasure is the Great Smoky Mountains National Park – America’s most visited national park and the only one that is absolutely free. This 800 square mile park is an International Biosphere Reserve and contains over 10,000 discovered species. Programs like Smoky Mountain Field School help everyone learn more about the amazing diversity in the Great Smoky Mountains. While there, enjoy fishing, hiking, horseback riding or even a simple picnic under the sun.

Head underground to cool off this summer – literally.

One of Sevierville’s most renowned attractions, Forbidden Caverns, stays a cool 58 degrees year round and is the ideal family stop if you’re headed toward the Great Smoky Mountains.

Forbidden Caverns was once only known to the Eastern Woodland Indians who roamed East Tennessee’s forests and mountains in search of good hunting grounds. In the winter the cave was used as a shelter and the river running through it provided a constant supply of water.

It is believed that the source of the water stems from an underground lake located beneath English Mountain. English Mountain has since become famous for it’s spring water. If you’re familiar and you look closely, chert or flint can be found here, but in limited quantities. Each was at one time used to create arrowheads, knives and scrapers by local Indian tribes. There are also many unique calcite formations that are still growing in the cave/ Other rare rock formations found in the cave include the largest wall of rare cave onyx or dripstones known to exist.

There is an interesting Indian legend that details an Indian princess’ fate who was lost in a “hollow mountain of two streams”…” which is forbidden”.

From the early 1920s until 1943, moonshine was made in the cave. Its never-ending supply of water and the isolated location was the perfect spot for moonshiner’s to brew their homemade whiskey.

In 1964, a group of businessmen began the initial planning and vast undertaking of opening Forbidden Caverns to the public. Following three years of excavation and development of the vast area, Forbidden Caverns opened to the public in June 1967.

Today, a picturesque valley leads you to the caverns. This route affords all guests a beautiful view of majestic Mount LeConte and English Mountain in the Great Smoky Mountains. A quaint old grist mill-museum, primitive farm houses, and a trout farm are among the many sites visitors might take an interest in along this route.

Forbidden Caverns is but a 35-minute drive from Gatlinburg, 45 minutes if you’re traveling from Knoxville, and should be a stop along the way as you enjoy beautiful East Tennessee and the Smoky Mountains. Most guided tours average only 55 minutes. Free parking is provided for cars and buses and there is a souvenir shop on the premises, refreshments, and a picnic pavilion.