7 Can't-Miss Dolly Parton Stops In Sevier County, Tennessee

A bucket list for all travelers to the country diva's hometown.

In 1973, in her classic breathy vibrato, Dolly Parton sweetly sang a newly released single: “In my Tennessee mountain home, life is as peaceful as a baby’s sigh. In my Tennessee mountain home, crickets sing in the fields nearby.”

The tranquil life she sang of took place in her hometown of Sevierville, Tennessee—today a bustling tourist destination located at the base of the Great Smoky Mountains. From her philanthropic efforts to getting inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Dolly Parton has filled the headlines in recent years, and stolen hearts worldwide for decades. For Dolly fans, a vacation to Sevier County—the East Tennessee enclave that raised her—is a perfect year-round pilgrimage.

From Dolly-themed murals and statues to historic sites and moonshine with a family twist, Sevier County, Tennessee, is rich with the magic of country music’s most beloved icon. While it’s highly recommended to spend at least a portion of your trip, as Dolly would put it, “Sittin’ on the front porch on a summer afternoon, in a straight-back chair on two legs, leaned against the wall,” we’ve rounded up all the Dolly sites to add to your bucket list for your next weekend trip to the Volunteer State’s favorite gateway to the Smokies.

Related: The Best Time To Visit Great Smoky Mountains National Park For Every Type Of Traveler

1. Dollywood Parks & Resorts

A trip to Sevier County, Tennessee, wouldn’t be complete without a trip to Dolly’s namesake theme park. In addition to thrilling rides, Southern dining, and family-friendly entertainment, Dollywood boasts attractions that pay specific homage to the country diva. Make sure to stop by Dolly’s Tennessee Mountain Home, a replica of the humble two-room cabin that Dolly shared with her parents and 11 siblings when growing up.

Beginning in spring 2024, you’ll also be able to embark on the new Dolly Parton Experience. Housed in multiple buildings at Dollywood, this attraction is three times larger than the Chasing Rainbows Museum it replaced. Interactive, walk-through exhibits take guests on a journey showcasing Dolly’s career, fashion, and upbringing. You’ll also find a chance to explore Dolly’s “Home on Wheels,” a former tour bus from her days on the road.

Speaking of her travels, if you want to truly splurge on a Dolly experience, Suite 1986 at Dollywood DreamMore Resort & Spa offers a luxury stay in the 45-foot Prevost bus she toured in from 2008 to 2022. Not in your budget but still want a full Dollywood immersion? Book a stay in one of DreamMore’s standard rooms or suites, or rest your head at Dollywood’s HeartSong Lodge & Resort. Both accommodations drip with Dolly details and offer free trolley service to Dollywood and Dollywood’s Splash Country, as well as discounts for bundling different activities.

2. Dolly Parton’s Stampede Dinner Attraction

With arena-style seating, slapstick comedy, pyrotechnics, interactive games, horse riding stunts, aerial acrobatics, and a four-course feast, you’ll want to make sure to set aside time to see Dolly’s famous dinner show in Sevier County’s Pigeon Forge. Just make sure to arrive hungry. Your ticket to the show includes a meal of creamy vegetable soup, biscuits, rotisserie chicken, pork loin, corn on the cob, a baked potato, an apple turnover, and unlimited soda, tea, or coffee.

The show also features original songs from Dolly that are played throughout the performance. If you have a Dollywood season pass or are staying at one of the Dollywood properties, ask about applicable discounts for your dinner show package.

3. The Pines

In 1956, when Dolly was just 10 years old, she sang her first paid gig at The Pines Theater in downtown Sevierville, Tennessee. She was part of the Cas Walker Farm and Home Tour. That historic theater closed in 1957, but after housing several unrelated businesses over the years, it finally got the restoration it deserved in late December 2022. It reopened as The Pines, an elevated entertainment experience with a healthy nod to its Dolly roots.

Stop by for duckpin bowling, retro video games, Dutch shuffleboard, and other fun activities, as well as periodic events like karaoke, trivia, and one of the qualifying rounds for the annual Tennessee Songwriters Week. Make sure to ask staff about the history of the place—including Dolly’s “greasy pole” story. If you’re visiting in January, watch out for the venue’s Dolly birthday bash, where they serve up her favorite banana pudding dessert, play her music all night, and encourage you to wear your Dolly best. While you’re there, order the “9 to 5” cocktail—a mix of Dripping Springs vodka, espresso, Kahlua, Ole Smoky salted caramel whiskey, and salt.

4. Dolly-Themed Murals in Downtown Sevierville

In the delightfully walkable and lovingly restored historic downtown Sevierville, you’ll find multiple Dolly-themed murals ripe for photo ops to remember your trip by. Start at the “Wings of Wander” mural near the gazebo at the town’s center on Bruce Street. Created by Sevierville graphic artist Pinkie Mistry, the mural showcases the wings of a monarch butterfly as a nod to Dolly’s hit song, “Love Is Like a Butterfly,” and encourages you to pose in the center.

Across the street on the brick wall of the building adjacent to The Appalachian restaurant, you’ll find a mural of Dolly as a child sitting at the counter of Red’s Cafe, being served a burger. This eatery was a favorite of hers when she was young. It was located in a nearby building that still stands in downtown Sevierville today, though it now hosts a law office.

A short stroll over to The Pines on Joy Street will bring you to two more murals. On the outside of the The Pines building is a colorful painting of Dolly as a child, as well as others who performed at the historic theater, including Roy Acuff, Archie Campbell, June Carter Cash, and Chet Atkins. Inside The Pines, toward the back of the venue, is a grayscale mural of Dolly as a young adult.

5. Bronze Dolly Parton Statue

A short walk from The Pines is the historic Sevier County Courthouse on Court Avenue. On the lawn outside this building is a hometown tribute to its most famous resident. Local artist Jim Gray crafted the bronze Dolly statue, which sits on a rock with a guitar in hand and, of course, a butterfly perched on the strings.

The statue is a stop on the Tennessee Music Pathways trail, a string of locations across the state that celebrate significant moments, places, and people in music history. Look for the statue’s interpretive sign for more background on Dolly and the significance of the location.

6. Jolene’s on Bruce Street

Finish your Dolly-themed tour of historic downtown Sevierville with a stop at one of the most adorable and stylish boutiques in the county. Jolene’s on Bruce Street is a rhinestone- and butterfly-fueled store with all the best Dolly merch you could imagine, as well as other gift items and clothing that fit the superstar’s general aesthetic.

Think prayer candles donning Saint Dolly on the label, “Dolly for President” t-shirts, and stickers that declare, “Jolene, you can have him!” Plan to leave with fringed and bejeweled jean jackets, brightly colored and sparkling hair pieces, and butterfly-printed journals.

The shop also partners with Wanderlust Salon and Spa across the street (plus a sister location in Gatlinburg) to create the Dolly Spa, a special menu of services inspired by the Sevierville legend, such as the “Rhinestone Facial,” “Coat of Many Colors” highlights package, and “I Will Always Love You” couples massage.

7. Shine Girl Distillery

It’s no surprise that the first woman-owned distillery in Sevier County has a Dolly connection. Danielle Parton, Dolly’s niece, opened Shine Girl in March 2022. She uses a moonshine recipe that combines her papaw’s methods from the region’s bootlegging days with her own modern twists of incorporating honey or molasses instead of, and in addition to, corn. The result is a collection of truly unique, cocktail-ready moonshines in fun, feminine colors and flavors, such as lavender, rosé, red velvet, and coconut.

Stop by the bottle shop and tasting room on Jenkins Road in Sevierville to learn more about Dolly's family history, including Danielle’s own impressive story as a combat veteran, pilot, and entrepreneur. While you’re there, savor a DollyMosa or Wiley Noland Stubborn Mule cocktail.

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