Kids will also enjoy spending time on the lake or visiting the Great Smoky Mountains, and there are plenty of additional activities in the area to keep the family entertained when you rent a Douglas Lake cabin. Visit the Douglas Dam itself, to learn how Douglas Lake was created. There is a specially built viewpoint where you can get some great pictures of the impressive construction. Head underground and visit the Forbidden Caverns, a guided tour through ancient caves which were used by Native Americans as a hunting shelter.
A few miles from the southern end of Douglas Lake is the Smoky Mountain Deer Farm and Exotic Petting Zoo, where kids can get up close to a host of unusual animals, from zebras and camels to Vietnamese pot-bellied pigs and kangaroos. The center also offers horseback rides through the foothills of the Smoky Mountains, while younger children can enjoy a more sedate pony ride at the farm itself.