Hi! Thanks for stopping by to check out this blog. My name is Sarah. I am a local mom who lives here in the Smoky Mountains. I have been a photographer in the area for almost 20 years, I photographed a lot of tourist and out of town guests. This blog started because clients always asked me about recommendations for restaurants, things to do and such. When you live here, you tend to go blank so I started making lists. This was a common questions I got when photographing families.
What are some things to do that are indoors?
You have a whole week here in the Smoky Mountains and the weather has made you change your plans or if you are like us and live here and the weather is raining, super cold or just super hot you can’t stand it, then you need to find some activities to do indoors, well that is where I come in.
I love to go out with my kids and get them out of the house. I am also list makers! So a blog has been perfect for me! I wanted to share my list of things to do indoors with you while in the Smoky Mountain area.
When looking for something to do indoors our minds tend to go blank. Well, I created this list for you to look at so you can get your mind thinking about what you may want to do with the family indoors. There are lots of things to do in the area in general but if you are needing to be indoors completely, I have some ideas for you!
Hatfield and McCoy Dinner Show
Hatfield and McCoy is a dinner show in the Pigeon Forge area and they serve some amazing food and a wonderful and funny show the whole family will love. Learn more about it by reading Our Fun Time Going To See Hatfield and McCoy
Xperia
Xperia is an indoor interactive virtual museum that kids and adults will enjoy! They are located in the Tanger Outlet area close to the Disney Store. We recently visited Xperia and you can learn more about this place by reading it “Our Experience to Xperia”
Pirates Voyage Dinner Show
Pirate Dinner Show is another dinner show in the area that the family will enjoy. They have birds, seals, dogs and mermaids that all kids will love. The food is delicious and lots of fun. We recently visited this dinner show with our family. You can read all about it by clicking here.
Our Fun Time at Pirates Voyage
Go Jump at A Trampoline Park
We have 2 trampoline parks to choose from here in the Smoky Mountains. Top Jump or Sevier Air. If you want to decide which one would be the best for your family. We wrote a blog post about Which Trampoline Park is Better? Top Jump vs Sevier Air. Go give it a read.
WonderWorks
This fun interactive museum is a must for all ages. They is a ropes course, 3D rides, science experiments, laser tag and all kinds of things your kids will enjoy. Read all about our time there and more information on what to expect on our other blog post “Explore Wonderworks in Pigeon Forge TN
Beyond the lens
Beyond The Lens is a fun indoor and interactive place kids and adults will love. They have lots of fun interactive exhibits to explore such as virtual reality games, arcades, dances created over the years, How computers and phones evolved over the years, fun photo ops, an alien ball pit, 3D rides and just so much! They also have a fun Sky Flyer Ride that is sold separately or you can get a combo pass.
Evanswood Magic Theater
The Evanswood Magic Theater is definitely something adults and kids alike love to watch. Terry Evanswood has been performing all over the Smoky Mountains since 1997. You may have saw him over the years, but now he has his own theatre. He has some amazing illusions, comedy, close up magic and a wonderful message as well. We have saw him many times and my kids love it.
He is located in the Lumberjack Square beside The Forge Cinema in Pigeon Forge. Go to www.EvanswoodMagicTheater.com to see when the next show will be.
Evanswood Magic Mansion
Speaking of Terry Evanswood and Magic, you may love this hidden gem of a place called Evanswood Magic Mansion. Magician Terry Evanswood has one of the oldest houses in Sevier County and it is full of fun surprises, such as a Willie Wonka bathroom, a dragon under the steps, lots of history but so much fun for everyone. He has a Titanic room and PT Barnum room as well. Want to know more, then check out my blog post about our tour of his Terry Evanswood Magic Mansion Home Tour in Sevierville, TN. More information at www.EvanswoodMagicMansion.com
Arcades
Arcades are pretty popular here in the Smoky Mountains, you can find them almost anywhere but our favorite place to play them is Big Top Arcade or the arcade in Downtown Flavortown. There are a large variety of things to do and play
Sky Pirates Of Mermaid Bay
Sky Pirates has an indoor and outdoor 18 hole course you can play that has a fun underwater/ mermaid theme and is a lot of fun to play.
Crave Golf
Crave Golf has a few activities you can do that are indoors such as an indoor putt putt course, duck pin bowling, a candy store and some escape games you can try with the family.
Ripley’s Aquarium and Other Attractions
The aquarium is a fun indoor activity adults and kids love. You could easily spend a few hours there and do lots of their activities such as see the fish, play in the huge indoor playground and visit the penguins. If you are looking to do more Ripley’s attractions, look into a combo ticket to save money. They also offer…
Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Odditorium
Ripley’s Motion Blaster
Ripley’s Mirror Maze
Ripley’s Haunted Adventure
Ripley’s Super Fun Zone (Laser Tag)
Ripley’s Super Fun Zone (Indoor Mini Golf)
Ripley’s Mountain Coaster (One ride)
Davy Crockett Mini Golf (18 holes)
Axe Throwing
There are several Axe throwing places that are a lot of fun and definitely a workout in your arms. Grab some friends and go see how you do throwing axes. Some places even have kid friendly axe throwing plastic ones your kids can participate in. Here are a few places
The Titanic Museum
Go see what it was like to be aboard The Titanic. You can see the staterooms people stayed in, a look at how the movie was made, some historic artifacts, and lots of displays and history. If you have never been, it is something you should do at least once.
Hollywood Wax Museum
Grab your camera and take some fun photos with celebrities at The Hollywood Wax Museum. This is a fun exhibit for adults and kids. You will see all kinds of people from the past your grandparents will know all the way up to recent celebrities. They also offer other attractions right in the same parking lot called Castle of Chaos where you are on a virtual non-stop, shoot-em-up adventure! You are armed with a laser blaster and outfitted with 3D goggles, you’ll select from two crazy-fun story lines and experience the Virtual Insanity! Combo tickets are available on The Hollywood Wax museum’s website.
Hollywood Star Car Museum
Located on the Gatlinburg Strip is The Hollywood Star Car Museum. This museum shows off so many celebrity cars and cars that were in all your favorite classic movies. There is something for everyone.
Salt and Pepper Museum
This super cool and unique museum is located in Gatlinburg. You will be amazed of the THOUSANDS of salt and pepper shakers this museum has. Some will even bring back memories for you. The place is huge and honestly just so different. Admission is very cheap so if you have never stopped by, I think you should give it a try. Be sure to check out The Salt and Pepper Museum
Bush’s Baked Beans Museum
This is another unique thing to do when you are in the area. Bush’s Baked Beans Museum is located in Chestnut Hills just right outside of the Smoky Mountains. The museum is FREE and they have a wonderful café you can go and have lunch at.
Bowling/ Duck Pin Bowling
Bowling out here in the Smoky Mountains is hard to find unless you go to one of our Community Centers locally. I have not understood why we don’t have a bowling alley but just Duck Pin Bowling.
What is Duck Pin Bowling?
Duckpin bowling is a variation of traditional ten-pin bowling, but with a few key differences:
Size of Pins: Duckpin bowling uses smaller pins than regular bowling. These pins are about 9 inches tall, compared to the 15-inch height of standard tenpins.
Size of the Ball: The ball in duckpin bowling is also smaller, weighing between 3 and 6 pounds, and it doesn’t have holes like a standard bowling ball, making it easier to grip for many players.
Number of Balls per Frame: In regular bowling, you get two attempts to knock down all ten pins in one frame. In duckpin bowling, you only get three attempts to knock down all ten pins in a frame.
Pin Set Up: The arrangement of the pins in duckpin bowling is the same as in ten-pin bowling, but the smaller size makes for more challenging and unpredictable shots.
Scoring: The scoring system is the same, with strikes, spares, and regular knockdowns, but with the smaller pins and more attempts per frame, it can be a bit trickier to achieve a strike.
Overall, duckpin bowling is often seen as a fun and more accessible alternative to regular bowling, especially for those who find the larger ball or pins too challenging. It’s also typically played in smaller, more intimate settings, like vintage bowling alleys.
Where to play it locally?
Indoor Snow Tubing at Pigeon Forge Snow
It could be super hot or super cold outside and you can still be nice and comfortable inside playing at Pigeon Forge Snow. This place has winter fun all year long. Take the little ones here to play in the snow or older ones may enjoy doing some super fun snow tubing. If you aren’t sure if your kids would like it, you can go in and take a peek before you buy tickets. This is a lot of fun for adults and kids.
Go Swimming at Wilderness at the Smokies
Now, This is fun to do if it is to cold outside to play at the waterpark. You can purchase a day pass and have a super fun day playing indoors at Wilderness at the Smokies. You could stay at the hotel for even more fun but if you already have a place to stay this is a fun option. They have a huge wave pool, an indoor and outdoor hot tub that is so big. Lots of fun small slides for toddlers and a super fun high thrill water roller coaster all indoors and not to mention the 4 waterslides you can see from driving by.
Play at MagiQuest
MagiQuest offers a fun and unique scavenger hunt to find clues and discover some magic on the way. They also have a mirror maze and an indoor black light putt putt course that is fun to do.
We Rock The Spectrum Indoor Playground
If you have small kids under the age of 8 years old. This is a fun place to take the kids for lots of fun. This indoor playground is called We Rock The Spectrum and is a franchise of many others out there. They provides a fun and safe place for kids. They have lots of toys to choose from, swings, a trampoline, zip lines and an art room. Your admission is for 2 hours and It is a great place for the kids.
See Animals at Rain Forest Zoo
Rain Forest Zoo has so many animals your kids can enjoy and even adults would love to see all. You can find monkeys, birds and reptiles. They have over 130 species to look at. If you are ever looking to pet or play with a sloth, you can here for an extra charge!
Explore at Museum of Aviation
The Tennessee Museum of Aviation is a wonderful place to explore. Come and see some warbirds, artifacts from military history, uniforms, aircraft models and hundreds of aviation memorabilia. This is a fun place kids and adults will love with to explore. They have lots of airplanes in the hanger and so much to see!
Try to Get Out Of An Escape Games
An escape room is a physical game where participants are “locked” in a themed room and must solve puzzles, find hidden clues, and complete challenges to escape within a set time limit (usually around 60 minutes). These rooms are often designed with specific themes, such as a detective mystery, horror, adventure, or historical settings.
Here’s how escape rooms generally work:
Team Setup: Players form a team, typically consisting of 2 to 10 people, depending on the room.
Briefing: Before entering, the team receives a briefing from the game master, who explains the rules, the theme of the room, and any safety guidelines. They’ll also give an overview of the scenario, such as what the team is trying to accomplish (e.g., solve a mystery, stop a villain, or unlock treasure).
Start of the Game: Once the game begins, players enter the room. The room is usually filled with puzzles, locks, hidden items, and clues that relate to the theme. These might be things like codes, riddles, physical challenges, or objects that need to be found or combined.
Puzzle Solving: The team needs to use logic, teamwork, and sometimes creativity to solve each puzzle. Clues are often interconnected, meaning solving one will help unlock another part of the room or give a hint to the next challenge.
Time Limit: The team must work quickly because the clock is ticking. They have a set time, typically 60 minutes, to solve all the puzzles and escape. If they do not solve everything in time, they “lose” the game. Some rooms offer hints or assistance from the game master if the team gets stuck.
Escape or Fail: If the team successfully completes all the puzzles and unlocks the final exit, they “escape” the room and win. If they fail, they may still be allowed to finish the room, but they technically did not escape in the allotted time.
Escape rooms promote teamwork, problem-solving, and creativity. They are a fun and interactive way to challenge yourself and bond with friends, family, or coworkers.
Here are some places in the Smokies you can check out
The Great Escape Room Pigeon Forge
Go Down Under In Forbidden Caverns
Forbidden Caverns is one of America’s most spectacular caverns. Visitors are provided with an entertaining and educational tour past sparkling formations, towering natural chimneys, numerous grottos and a crystal clear stream. Special lighting effects and well-trained tour guides combine to make this a most enjoyable experience. The trails are well-lighted, with handrails at all necessary points. So what are you waiting for?! Come on by and check out Forbidden Caverns!
Amazing Mirror Maze and Circus Golf
The Amazing Mirror Maze and Circus Golf is located in downtown Gatlinburg. You can’t miss this place because they have so much fun circus looking people outside. Their prices are very reasonable and they also offer a 7D shooting movie ride.
Space Race Adventure
Space Race Adventure has a lot of things to offer that is fun for the whole family. Kids must be at least 7 years old to do most of their attractions such as the VR Rollercoaster rides, VR Games. They also offer fun go cart rides and putt putt. You can read all about it here. What is Space Race Adventure in Pigeon Forge
Wild Bear Falls Water Park
If you don’t plan on staying at the West Gate Resort but would like to use their fun indoor heated water park, Wild Bear Falls, they do offer day passes. This would be a great place to go during any season of the year but also good if it is raining, cold outside or just to hot!
Mysterious Mansion
Gather your friends for a terrifying excursion to explore this classic “turn of the century” haunted mansion. Let your fears awaken and discover the startling secrets of this dreadfully daunting domain. If you dare to step inside this once grand abode you shall take an unguided tour finding your way through secret passageways, eerie dark corridors, winding staircases and spine chilling chambers that will curdle the blood of even the bravest of souls!
But BEWARE!
You never know what restless, rotting residents might be lurking around the corner in each foreboding room ahead! …or BEHIND YOU! Join us and Release Your Screams in Gatlinburg’s original haunted house! IF YOU DARE!
Speedwerkz Exotic Car Experience
You won’t find an experience like this anywhere else. Speedwerkz in Gatlinburg features a variety of hyper cars, super cars, and exotics like nothing you’ve ever seen before. They’ve gone above and beyond to bring you a Gatlinburg attraction that’s unlike any other. See the cars displayed on turntables with special lighting and sound elements for an unforgettable experience, snap a photo with your dream car, or get behind the wheel and feel what it’s like to be a race car driver in our simulators. You can do it all at Speedwerkz Exotic Car Experience.
Go Shopping Tanger Outlets
Go shop in almost 100 fun outlets located at the Tanger Outlets in Sevierville. This place is not completely indoors but it is worth mentioning if you are looking for something to do indoors to do.
See The Stampede Dinner Show
Plan a visit to Dolly Parton’s Stampede in Pigeon Forge, TN for a four-course family feast and an entertaining show that’s fun for all ages. It features friendly competition, thrilling horse riding stunts, spectacular special effects, phenomenal music productions. Visitors can also enjoy an aerial performance featuring an original song written and recorded by Dolly Parton, along with the return of the longhorns. A must-do activity with kids in Pigeon Forge
Go To The Movies
We have 2 great movie theaters in the area. We have The Forge Cinema that offer $5.99 brand new movies. Their theater doesn’t offer recline seats but a wonderful and clean theater. We also have Governor’s Crossing Movie Theater that is newer theater and also
Relax at The Spa
Go and get a massage, facial, body treatment or nails done.Here are some places to check it out
St Somewhere Spa at Margaritaville
Ride in a Pink Jeep Tours
Take a fun pink Jeep tour and explore the Smoky Mountains stress free and let someone else do the driving! You also get to get a fun tour guide along the way to answer any questions about the area and go on a 4×4 off road adventure!
Learn at Alcatraz East Crime Museum
Explore American history from a different perspective in 5 unique galleries that go deep into criminal profiles, the penal system, victim’s stories, crime scene investigation, crime prevention, and law enforcement. Step inside the 25,000 square-foot, two-floor facility and investigate America’s favorite subject with hundreds of authentic artifacts and over 100 interactive displays
The “Get-away Cars” gallery at Alcatraz East features four infamous vehicles in the crime world. On display, you will see John Dillinger’s 1933 Essex Terraplane, the Bonnie and Clyde death car from the 1967 film, the white Ford Bronco from the O.J. Simpson chase, and Ted Bundy’s Volkswagen Beetle. More information on their site Alcatraz East Crime Museum
Pigeon Forge Gem Mining
Pigeon Forge Gem Minning is covered but not completely indoors but a good place to come if it is raining or to get out of the sun. Dig for fossils, gems and minerals as you sift though the sand in the flume of water. You can even visit their free museum and make jewelry from your discoveries.
Eat and Play at Dave and Busters
Dave & Buster’s is a popular restaurant chain that combines dining with arcade games and various other attractions. It offers a wide range of interactive games, from video games to carnival-style games, as well as virtual reality experiences. Guests can enjoy a variety of food and drinks, including appetizers, burgers, pizzas, and cocktails, while participating in fun activities.
The main appeal of Dave & Buster’s is the combination of a casual dining experience with the excitement of arcade gaming. It’s often a place for group outings, parties, or just a fun night out with friends or family. You can get prizes that can be redeemed with tickets earned from playing games.
Go Antique Shopping
Another great idea to do is go and check out some antique shops in the Pigeon Forge area. We have some great ones.
Old Days Antiques
Memory Lane Antique Mall
Heartland Antiques & Collectibles
Two Rivers Antiques
Well, I hope this blog post helps you come up with some fun ideas of fun indoor things to do with your family while you are in the Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg or Sevierville area. There is always so many new things being built and developed so let me know what I left out and what needs to be added to the list!
Enjoy your time!
