Ben & Jerry's

A Ben & Jerry's scoop shop serves ice cream by the scoop, in cones and cups, plus sundaes, shakes and pints to carry out. The Gatlinburg store is on the downtown strip, close to other dessert stops, so you can compare a few before you commit. Use the Ben & Jerry's shop finder to check the store's current details and hours, because hours are not consistent across the listings.

Downtown Gatlinburg is a place to walk. The sidewalks fill from late morning, and the lines at candy and ice cream shops grow through the afternoon. Ice cream on the Parkway works as the break between a morning in the national park and dinner. If you are traveling with kids, the cone is also the reward that gets everyone to the end of the block.

Saturday evenings in summer and October weekends are the peak. Weekday afternoons are easier. If the line is long, there are other stops within a couple of blocks, and the free Gatlinburg trolley can carry you back to your parking garage afterward.

Do not hunt for a curbside space. The city garages charge a flat daily rate, as shown on the city parking page, and the walk from a garage to the Parkway shops is short. If you are staying in a downtown hotel, leave the car where it is.

Many visitors use a stop like this after a hike. If you are heading into Great Smoky Mountains National Park first, remember that the parking tag is $5 a day and required for any vehicle parked longer than 15 minutes. Laurel Falls Trail is closed through 2026, so Grotto Falls, Rainbow Falls and the Gatlinburg Trail are the easy waterfall and walking options near town. Come back to the Parkway afterward for a cone and a slow walk past the lights at dusk.

Families, couples and anyone who wants a familiar brand and a long flavor list. Choose it for the ice cream itself rather than for atmosphere; the experience is a quick scoop, not a sit-down dessert.