Tuckaleechee Caverns
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One of the most renowned underground adventures in the Smokies, Tuckaleechee Caverns in nearby Townsend is a family-friendly cave tour that even young kids can handle. It's earned AAA's exclusive Five Star Gem attraction rating and is billed as part of the "greatest site under the Smokies."
What you'll see: The guided 1.25-mile round-trip walking tour takes you past millions of cave formations, into the massive "Big Room" (roughly football-stadium sized), and to Silver Falls — a 210-foot waterfall that is the tallest subterranean waterfall in the Eastern United States. The carved formations are estimated to be 20-30 million years old.
Good for kids: The tour is on paved, well-lit walkways and is one of the more accessible cave experiences in the area — a great pick for curious elementary-age kids. There's also a gift shop and gem-mining sluice on site, plus picnic areas, making it easy to turn it into a half-day outing.
Details: Located at 825 Cavern Road in Townsend (about 30 minutes from Maryville via US-321). Open 7 days a week seasonally — roughly 10am-5pm in March, 10am-6pm April through October, and 10am-5pm in November (closed in the winter months; call ahead to confirm). Adults $14 (per Roadside America; call to verify current pricing), and kids are typically admitted at a reduced rate.
Planning tips: Tours run every half hour, and the cave stays at a cool ~58°F year-round, so bring a light jacket even on hot summer days. The caverns are right off the Little River in Townsend, making it an easy add-on to a day trip to the Cades Cove area.