City: Sevierville, TN

Category: Tours & Attractions

Telephone: (865) 428-3337

Address: 478 Happy Hollow Lane

Description: About 7 miles from the intersection with the courthouse (turning east on Dolly Parton Parkway; call for exact directions) is Smoky Mountain Deer Farm and Exotic Petting Zoo. For more than a decade, visitors have been coming here to feed and get face-to-face (and often hand-to-mouth) with a live menagerie that includes camels and zebras, kangaroos and llamas, ferrets and reindeer. It’s a great alternative to arcades and miniature golf courses. (See the Close-up in this chapter for more details.)Admission is $10.95 for ages 13 and older; $5.95 for ages 3 to 12; and a nickel for children ages 2 and younger. Feed for the animals (please use only the special feed provided) is $2.50 for a 22 ounce cup. Pony rides for children weighing less than 100 pounds are $6.50. The facility is open year-round, but it’s best to call ahead to verify hours during periods of bad weather. Owners Greg and Lynn Hoisington also operate Deer Farm Riding Stables, which is located on the same property. See the Active Outdoor Adventures chapter for more information on horseback-riding opportunities.