 Home / U.S. State Travel Guides / U.S. Vacations / U.S. National Parks / U.S. State Highpoints / U.S. Road Trip Planning  TENNESSEE TRAVEL GUIDE
Welcome to the bigroads.com travel guide to Tennessee! Hopefully this page helps provide some inspiration and tips to help you plan your next trip to Tennessee. Take note that I build and maintain this website as both a hobby and public service. I take joy in performing travel research and sharing my experiences and adventures. I do not make any profit from this website, and you will see no ads on it. Your constructive feedback about this site and its content is encouraged. Please email me if you have any suggestions or ideas for improvement.  OVERVIEWTOP 10 ATTRACTIONS IN TENNESSEE✮ Embrace the tourist madness of Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge/Sevierville; there are literally dozens of amusement parks and other attractions there ✮ Take a drive and/or hike in Great Smoky Mountains National Park ✮ Enjoy live music at some of the 30-plus bars found on famous Broadway Street in Nashville ✮ Visit Beale Street and the fabulous museums in and around Memphis ✮ Go whitewater rafting on the Nolichucky River, Ocoee River, or Pigeon River ✮ See some of the famous waterfalls in central Tennessee (e.g. Burgess Falls, Cummins Falls, Fall Creek Falls, etc.) ✮ Ride the rollercoasters and other attractions at the excellent Dolly's Splash Country Water Adventure Park in Pigeon Forge ✮ Go underground in one of northeastern Tennessee's caves (e.g. Bristol Caverns, Lost Sea Adventure, Tuckaleechee Caverns) ✮ Visit the Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum in Nashville ✮ Catch a concert at either the Grand Ole Opry or Ryman Auditorium in Nashville If I could select only one place to visit in Tennessee, I would choose the Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge/Sevierville area. There are literally hundreds of attractions there, plus excellent hiking and scenic views in the nearby Great Smoky Mountains National Park. If you think you would enjoy tourist craziness that is on par with Disney World, you will love this place. I wish I could spend one week per year here with my daughter - she thinks this place is the greatest. For a list of 10 great attractions in each U.S. state, click here. 5-STAR ATTRACTIONS IN TENNESSEEWestern Tennessee (including Jackson and Memphis) ✮ Beale Street, Memphis - the key entertainment district in Memphis; has many bars and restaurants; "one of the most iconic streets in the U.S." ✮ Children's Museum of Memphis, Memphis - a large and excellent children's museum ✮ Eiffel Tower Park, Paris - features a 60-foot replica of the Eiffel Tower; one of Tennessee's best roadside attractions ✮ Go Ape Zipline and Adventure Park, Memphis - excellent zip-lining tours and an aerial adventure park ✮ Graceland, Memphis - visit the kitschy, bizarre home of Elvis Presley ✮ Land Between The Lakes National Recreation Area - offers wildlife viewing (elk, bison), an 1850s working farm, and tons of outdoor recreation ✮ Memphis Botanic Garden, Memphis - a large collection of botanical gardens ✮ Memphis Rock 'n' Soul Museum, Memphis - learn about the birth and growth of rock'n'roll and soul music ✮ Memphis Zoo, Memphis - a great medium-sized zoo with more than 4,500 animals ✮ National Civil Rights Museum at Lorraine Motel, Memphis - an excellent civil rights museum built around the site where MLK was murdered ✮ Orpheum Theatre, Memphis - a historic, 2,308-seat theater in downtown Memphis ✮ Peabody Ducks at the Peabody Hotel, Memphis - a unique experience where you watch ducks walk through the lobby of a 4-star hotel ✮ Rusty's TV and Movie Car Museum, Jackson - displays more than 50 cars that have been featured in movies and television ✮ Shelby Farms Park, Memphis - one of the largest urban parks in the U.S.; features 40+ miles of trails, fishing, wildlife, playgrounds, and more ✮ Shiloh National Military Park, Shiloh - tour two Civil War battlefields ✮ Stax Museum of American Soul Music, Memphis - one of several excellent music museums in Memphis ✮ Sun Studio, Memphis - visit Elvis's famous music studio; the first rock and roll song was recorded here in the 1950s Nashville (see below for the rest of central Tennessee) ✮ Belle Meade Historic Site & Winery - guided tours of a Greek Revival-style plantation house; "a sanctuary of southern hospitality" ✮ Broadway Street - famous street with 30-plus bars and legendary nightlife (e.g. live country & rock'n'roll music); the "heart of Nashville" ✮ Centennial Park - the flagship urban park in Nashville; includes a replica of the Parthenon found in Athens, Greece ✮ Cheekwood - visit a historic estate and a 55-acre botanical garden ✮ Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum - the #1 country music museum in the U.S. ✮ Gaylord Opryland Resort - one of the largest hotels in the world; you can visit its indoor botanical gardens even if you don't stay ✮ Grand Ole Opry, The / Grand Ole Opry House - a famous country music stage/performance; features weekly performances ✮ Hermitage, The - visit the home of President Andrew Jackson ✮ John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge - a pedestrian bridge with great views of Nashville; very close to Nashville's main strip (Broadway St.) ✮ Johnny Cash Museum - a museum that celebrates the life of the country music icon ✮ Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum - a museum honoring the musicians, engineers, and producers behind the music we hear ✮ Party bikes and/or party buses in Nashville - drinking is what you are supposed to do in Nashville, and so why not hop on a party bus or bike ✮ RCA Studio B - guided tours of a famous country music recording studio built in the 1950s ✮ Ryman Auditorium - a live performance theatre with 2,362 seats dubbed "the mother church of country music" Central Tennessee (including Franklin and Murfreesboro; see above for Nashville) ✮ ATV/ORV-ing in Williamsport - Williamsport is a great place to go ATV/ORV-ing in Tennessee ✮ Burgess Falls State Park, Sparta - home of four waterfalls, including the famous 130-foot Burgess Falls ✮ Carter House & Carnton Plantation, Franklin - tour an 11-room plantation ✮ Caverns, The, Pelham - a concert venue inside one of the largest underground cave rooms in the world; guided tours of the cave also available ✮ Cumberland Caverns, McMinnville - guided underground cave tours in the second longest cave in Tennessee ✮ Cummins Falls State Park, Cookeville - one of the premier swimming holes in the U.S.; also one of Tennessee's best waterfalls ✮ Downtown Franklin - an attractive 16-block historic district with more than 70 unique shops and restaurants ✮ Fall Creek Falls State Park, Spencer - features an impressive 256-foot waterfall and several other smaller falls; has 30 miles of hiking trails ✮ Historic Carnton Plantation, Franklin - guided tours of a historic home that has ties to the Civil War; also offers slavery-focused tours ✮ Jack Daniel's Distillery, Lynchburg - one of several excellent distilleries found in central Tennessee ✮ Lotz House Museum, Franklin - guided tours of a historic home linked to the Civil War ✮ Ozone Falls, Ozone Falls State Natural Area, Rockwood - a beautiful 110-foot waterfall reached via a 0.75 mile round-trip hike ✮ Piney Falls State Natural Area, Grandview - a nature preserve with two major waterfalls: 40ft Lower Piney Falls and 80ft Upper Piney Falls ✮ Rock Island State Park, Rock Island - features scenic views, hiking, canoeing, whitewater kayaking, swimming, and a 30-foot waterfall ✮ Sewanee Natural Bridge, Sewanee - an impressive natural bridge that is 50-feet wide and 25 feet tall ✮ Stones River National Battlefield, Murfreesboro - site of one of the bloodiest Civil War battles ✮ Virgin Falls, Virgin Falls State Natural Area, Sparta - a challenging hike visits several waterfalls, including the dramatic 110-foot Virgin Falls ✮ Window Cliffs State Natural Area, Baxter - a nature preserve with large cliffs, natural bridges, and small waterfalls; close to Burgess Falls SP Northeastern Tennessee (including Bristol, Johnson City, and Knoxville; see below for the Great Smoky Mountains region) ✮ Backyard Terrors Dinosaur Park, Bluff City - a favorite (and free) roadside attraction featuring more than 50 life-sized dinosaur sculptures ✮ Bristol Caverns, Bristol - one of several excellent underground guided cave tours in northeastern Tennessee ✮ Bristol Motor Speedway, Bristol - a famous short-track racing venue ✮ Historic Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary, Petros - tours of a retired maximum-security prison; paranormal tours are also offered ✮ Bush's Beans Visitor Center, Dandridge - one of the best company/factory tours in the U.S. ✮ Foothills Parkway - a scenic drive with several distinct sections; offers great views of the Great Smoky Mountains and parts of eastern TN ✮ Ijams Nature Center, Knoxville - a nature center that offers a variety of outdoor activities (e.g. hiking, paddling, cycling, and rock climbing) ✮ Lost Sea Adventure, Sweetwater - one of several excellent underground guided cave tours in northeastern Tennessee ✮ Market Square, Knoxville - the key tourist area of Knoxville, with many shops and restaurants ✮ Navitat Knoxville, Knoxville - excellent zip-lining tours and an aerial adventure park ✮ Newland Stadium, Knoxville - one of the largest college football stadiums in the U.S.; home of the Tennessee Volunteers ✮ Roan Mountain State Park - mountaineous park with hiking and mountain biking trails, scenic views, historic buildings, and good trout fishing ✮ Smoky Mountain Llama Treks, Cosby - visit a llama farm and/or go for a hike with a llama ✮ Tennessee Theatre, Knoxville - a historic movie and show palace in downtown Knoxville that was built in 1928 ✮ Tuckaleechee Caverns, Townsend - one of several excellent underground guided cave tours in northeastern Tennessee ✮ Whitewater rafting on the Nolichucky River - day and overnight rafting trips are offered on this wild river, which has rapids up to class IV ✮ Whitewater rafting on the Pigeon River - day rafting trips are offered on this river; River Rat Whitewater Rafting is one popular guide company ✮ Women's Basketball Hall of Fame, Knoxville - the only museum dedicated to women's basketball Great Smoky Mountains region: Sevierville ✮ Forbidden Caverns - offers excellent guided underground cave tours ✮ Harrisburg Covered Bridge - a historic covered bridge over the East Fork of the Little Pigeon River that was built in 1874 ✮ Smoky Mountain Deer Farm - a large petting zoo and farm that also offers horse and pony trail rides ✮ Wineries in Sevierville - there are several highly-rated wineries and tasting rooms in and around Sevierville ✮ Zip-lining tours - many companies offer excellent zip-lining tours in and around Sevierville and Pigeon Forge (e.g. Adventure Park, CLIMB Works, Foxfire Adventure Park, Legacy Mountain, Smoky Mountain, Wahoo, Wears Valley, etc.) Great Smoky Mountains region: Pigeon Forge ✮ Alcatraz East Crime Museum - one of the best crime museums in the U.S. ✮ Comedy Barn, The - excellent family comedy shows in a big barn-shaped theater ✮ Country Tonite Theatre - live performance theater with country music, comedy acts, and more ✮ Dixie Stampede Dinner - one of several fun "dinner theater" experiences in Pigeon Forge; eat while being entertained by cowboys! ✮ Dolly's Splash Country Water Adventure Park - an excellent medium-sized waterpark; take note that this is not adjacent to Dollywood ✮ Dollywood - the best theme park in Tennessee and one of the finest in the U.S.; Appalachian-themed rides and attractions ✮ Goats on the Roof - a tourist attraction featuring a mountain coaster, gift shop, and real goats that live on the roof of the building ✮ Great Smoky Mountain Wheel - a 200-foot tall ferris wheel in the middle of the popular "The Island" tourist area of Pigeon Forge ✮ Hatfield & McCoy Dinner Show - one of several fun "dinner theater" experiences in Pigeon Forge; eat while being entertained by cowboys! ✮ Island, The - a major tourist area with many family-fun attractions, including arcades, a ferris wheel, and many shops and restaurants ✮ MagiQuest - features four family-fun attractions within one building (e.g. MagiQuest game, mini-golf, a mirror maze, and arcades) ✮ Old Mill Square - a popular and attractive tourist area with restaurants and specialty shops centered around a big wooden gristmill ✮ Outdoor Gravity Park - the only place in the U.S. where you can go zorbing (slip and slide down a hill within a giant bubble) ✮ Parrot Mountain & Gardens - a parrot preserve with 100s of birds and a Bible-inspired garden ✮ Paula Deen's Lumberjack Feud - one of several fun "dinner theater" experiences in Pigeon Forge; eat while being entertained by lumberjacks! ✮ Rocky Top Mountain Coaster - one of several excellent alpine/mountain coasters in the Great Smoky Mountains region of TN ✮ Rowdy Bear Ridge Adventure Park - an amusement park with an alpine flyer (suspended rollercoaster), summer and winter tubing, and more ✮ Smoky Mountain Alpine Coaster - one of several excellent alpine/mountain coasters in the Great Smoky Mountains region of TN ✮ Titanic Museum - one of several excellent Titanic museums in the U.S.; the exterior of the building is a huge ship (a great photo-op!) ✮ TopJump Trampoline & Extreme Arena - one of the best trampoline parks and indoor kid-climbing wall centers in the U.S. ✮ Zip-lining tours - many companies offer excellent zip-lining tours in and around Sevierville and Pigeon Forge (e.g. Adventure Park, CLIMB Works, Foxfire Adventure Park, Legacy Mountain, Smoky Mountain, Wahoo, Wears Valley, etc.) Great Smoky Mountains region: Gatlinburg ✮ Doc Collier Moonshine Distillery - one of several excellent distilleries in the Great Smoky Mountains region of Tennessee ✮ Downtown Gatlinburg - an extremely popular tourist area with tons of shops, restaurants, and moonshine/distillery tasting rooms ✮ Gatlinburg SkyLift Park - take a chairlift to walk across the longest pedestrian cable bridge in North America ✮ Hollywood Star Cars Museum - features more than 40 vehicles shown on TV and movies ✮ Ole Smoky Tennessee Moonshine - one of several excellent distilleries in the Great Smoky Mountains region of Tennessee ✮ Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies - one of the best aquariums in the U.S. ✮ Salt and Pepper Shaker Museum - a quirky museum displaying thousands of salt and pepper shakers; an inexpensive and awesome attraction! ✮ Sugarlands Distilling Company - one of several excellent distilleries in the Great Smoky Mountains region of Tennessee ✮ Tennessee Cider Company - Gatlinburg's original hard cider tasting room Great Smoky Mountains National Park ✮ Adams Falls - a 5.0 mile round-trip hike from a trailhead in Cades Cove will bring you to this scenic 20-foot tall waterfall ✮ Alum Cave - one of the best hikes in the Smoky Mountains; visits a geologic landmark and eventually climbs to Mount LeConte ✮ Cades Cove - an isolated valley with a scenic drive and several historic cabins and other buildings; wildlife is commonly seen (e.g. bears) ✮ Clingmans Dome - the highpoint of TN (6,643'); in season, you can drive to a high parking area and hike 1.3 miles to the top for scenic views ✮ Great Smoky Mountains National Park - the #1 most popular national park in the U.S. has awesome trails, scenery, waterfalls, & scenic drives ✮ Grotto Falls - a 3.0 mile round-trip hike from a trailhead on the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail will bring you to this 85-foot waterfall ✮ Laurel Falls - a 2.6 mile round-trip hike will bring you to the lower and upper Laurel Falls ✮ Newfound Gap Road - a scenic drive through the heart of the Great Smoky Mountains; connects Gatlinburg, TN to Cherokee, NC ✮ Rainbow Falls - a 5.4 mile round-trip hike from a trailhead on the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail will bring you to this 80-foot waterfall ✮ Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail - a 5.5 mile scenic driving loop with old-growth forests and several historic buildings; closed in winter Southeastern Tennessee (including Chattanooga) ✮ Bald River Falls, Cherokee National Forest - a spectacular 90foot waterfall; access is via Tellico River Road (NFRS 2010) but parking is limited ✮ Chattanooga Ducks, Chattanooga - popular duck boat sightseeing tours that travel on both land and water ✮ Creative Discovery Museum, Chattanooga - an excellent children's museum ✮ Foster Falls, Foster Falls Recreation Area, Sequatchie - a pretty 60-foot waterfall that spills into a deep pool; part of South Cumberland SP ✮ Lookout Mountain, Chattanooga - drive or take an incline railway up to great views; also has a scenic but man-made waterfall (High Falls) ✮ Raccoon Mountain Caverns, Chattanooga - offers walking and "wild" underground cave tours; there's also a campground on site ✮ Ruby Falls, Chattanooga - take a cave tour to visit a large brightly-lit underground waterfall ✮ South Cumberland State Park, Monteagle - a huge state park with nine separate areas; offers some of the best hiking and backpacking in TN ✮ Tennessee Aquarium, Chattanooga - supposedly the world's largest freshwater aquarium ✮ Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum, Chattanooga - see a collection of historic trains and take a scenic train ride ✮ Walnut Street Bridge / Coolidge Park, Chattanooga - walk across one of the world's longest pedestrian bridges ✮ Whitewater rafting on the Ocoee River - several different rafting trips are offered on this wild river, including some with major class IV+ rapids Are you aware of any other 5-star attractions in Tennessee? If so, please email me at gparsons66@hotmail.com. For a list of 5-star attractions in neighboring states, click on any of these links: AL | AR | GA | KY | MO | MS | NC | VA BEST TOWNS & CITIES TO VISIT IN TENNESSEE✮ Chattanooga - a mid-sized city in southeastern TN famous for its outdoor activities, nature parks, family attractions, and Civil War history ✮ Franklin - a small city near Nashville that has a lively historic downtown/main street area with many shops, restaurants, and art galleries ✮ Gatlinburg - one of several mega-tourist destination towns near Great Smoky Mountains National Park; has dozens of tourist attractions ✮ Lynchburg - a small city famous for its distilleries, including Jack Daniel's Distillery; many historic buildings; visit Cave Spring Hollow ✮ Memphis - a major city with world-famous BBQ, live music (blues, soul, rock & roll) and great museums; visit Beale Street ✮ Nashville - a major city dubbed the "capital of country music"; Broadway Street has more than 30 bars (many with live music) ✮ Pigeon Forge - a small town with an enormous amount of tourist attractions; several excellent performance theaters and amusement parks ✮ Sevierville - a small town with dozens of popular tourist attractions; several awesome distilleries and wineries; next to Pigeon Forge My favorite city in Tennessee is Nashville - I recommend that first-time visitors spend at least 2-3 nights there. You will obviously want to visit Broadway Street, which has all the live music and bars you've heard about (there are more than 30 bars!). The rest of your time in Nashville can easily be spent visiting its excellent museums. If you have a vehicle, you could also take a day trip to historic Franklin. My favorite small town in Tennessee is Pigeon Forge - I recommend that first-time visitors spend at least a full week in this area. The amount of attractions (both tourist and outdoor) is astounding. If you don't like tourist chaos, stay far far away from this place. For the rest of us, it's a ton of fun. Take note that Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, and Sevierville are all next to each other, and all three have dozens of attractions. This entire area also serves as a gateway to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. If you want to visit Great Smoky Mountains National Park, stay in either Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, or Sevierville. Click here if you'd like to see a complete list of towns and cities that I find interesting across the entire U.S. WHAT IS TENNESSEE FAMOUS FOR?✮ aerial adventure parks ✮ amusement parks - e.g. Dollywood ✮ BBQ - e.g. Memphis-style BBQ ✮ blues music ✮ caves / cave tours ✮ Civil War history / military parks / battlefields ✮ country music ✮ dinner theaters - the town of Pigeon Forge has several excellent dinner theaters ✮ Elvis Presley ✮ live music ✮ moonshine - the towns of Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg have several distilleries/moonshine tasting experiences ✮ mountain coasters / alpine slides ✮ music museums ✮ tourist attractions ✮ waterfalls ✮ whiskey distilleries ✮ whitewater rafting ✮ zip-lining tours Click here if you'd like to learn what other U.S. states are famous for. NATIONAL PARKS IN TENNESSEENational Parks ✮ Great Smoky Mountains National Park - the #1 most popular national park in the U.S. has awesome trails, scenery, waterfalls, & scenic drives National Recreation Areas ✮ Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area ✮ Land Between The Lakes National Recreation Area National Forests ✮ Cherokee National Forest National Historical Parks / Other National Parks & Properties ✮ Andrew Johnson National Historic Site ✮ Appalachian National Scenic Trail ✮ Chickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park ✮ Cumberland Gap National Historical Park ✮ Fort Donelson National Battlefield ✮ Manhattan Project National Historical Park ✮ Natchez Trace Parkway ✮ Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail ✮ Obed Wild & Scenic River ✮ Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail ✮ Shiloh National Military Park ✮ Stones River National Battlefield ✮ Trail of Tears National Historic Trail If you are visiting Great Smoky Mountains National Park for the first time, I recommend staying for a full week. Between the attractions of the national park and all the tourist attractions of the nearby towns of Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, and Sevierville, you'll find plenty to do. For more information on Tennessee's national parks, visit the Tennessee page of the National Park Service. For an overview of all U.S. national parks, click here. STATE PARKS IN TENNESSEECentral Tennessee (including Franklin, Murfreesboro, and Nashville) ✮ Burgess Falls State Park / Burgess Falls, Sparta - home of four waterfalls, including the famous 130-foot Burgess Falls ✮ Cummins Falls State Park, Cookeville - one of the premier swimming holes in the U.S. below one of Tennessee's best waterfalls ✮ Fall Creek Falls State Park, Pikeville - features an impressive 256-foot waterfall and several other smaller falls; has 30 miles of hiking trails ✮ Ozone Falls State Natural Area, Rockwood - a beautiful 110-foot waterfall visible from a 0.75 mile round-trip hike ✮ Piney Falls State Natural Area, Grandview - a nature preserve with two major waterfalls: 40ft Lower Piney Falls and 80ft Upper Piney Falls ✮ Rock Island State Park, Rock Island - features scenic views, hiking, canoeing, whitewater kayaking, swimming, and a 30-foot waterfall ✮ Virgin Falls State Natural Area, Sparta - a challenging hike visits several waterfalls, including the dramatic 110-foot Virgin Falls ✮ Window Cliffs State Natural Area, Baxter - a nature preserve with large cliffs, natural bridges, and small waterfalls; close to Burgess Falls SP Northeastern Tennessee (including Bristol, Johnson City, and Knoxville) ✮ Roan Mountain State Park, Roan Mountain - mountaineous park with hiking trails, mountain biking trails, scenic views, historic buildings, and trout fishing Southeastern Tennessee (including Chattanooga) ✮ South Cumberland State Park, Monteagle - a huge state park with nine separate areas; offers some of the best hiking and backpacking in TN To see my list of the top 100 state parks in the country, click here. BEST WATERFALLS IN TENNESSEECentral Tennessee (including Franklin, Murfreesboro, and Nashville) ✮ Burgess Falls - Burgess Falls State Park, Sparta ✮ Cummins Falls - Cummins Falls State Park, Cookeville ✮ Fall Creek Falls - Fall Creek Falls State Park, Spencer ✮ Great Falls - Rock Island State Park, Rock Island ✮ Machine Falls - Short Springs Natural Area, Tullahoma ✮ Ozone Falls - Ozone Falls State Natural Area, Rockwood ✮ Piney Falls - Piney Falls State Natural Area, Grandview ✮ Virgin Falls - Virgin Falls State Natural Area, Sparta Great Smoky Mountains National Park ✮ Abrams Falls ✮ Grotto Falls ✮ Indian Creek Falls ✮ Laurel Falls ✮ Rainbow Falls ✮ Ramsey Cascades Southeastern Tennessee (including Chattanooga) ✮ Bald River Falls - Cherokee National Forest ✮ Conasauga Fall - Cherokee National Forest ✮ Foster Falls - Foster Falls Recreation Area, Sequatchie ✮ Greeter Falls - South Cumberland State Park, Altamont ✮ High Falls - scenic but man-made waterfall on Lookout Mountain on the TN/GA border ✮ Ruby Falls - a privately-owned cave and waterfall attraction in Chattanooga For a listing of all known waterfalls in Tennessee, visit the World Waterfall Database. BEST SHOW CAVES IN TENNESSEEBEST SCENIC DRIVES IN TENNESSEE✮ XXXX - a XX-mile paved route from XX ✮ XXXX - a XX-mile paved route from XX ✮ Natchez Trace Parkway - a 444-mile paved route from Natchez, MS to Nashville, TN with many historic sites and scenic overlooks ✮ XXXX - a XX-mile paved route from XX For a list of great scenic drives in each U.S. state, click here. BEST RAIL TRAILS IN TENNESSEEWestern Tennessee (including Jackson and Memphis) ✮ Shelby Farms Greenline Central Tennessee (including Franklin, Murfreesboro, and Nashville) ✮ Cumberland River Bicentennial Trail ✮ Stones River Greenway Northeastern Tennessee (including Bristol, Johnson City, and Knoxville) ✮ Kingsport Greenbelt ✮ Maryville-Alcoa Greenway ✮ Tweetsie Trail Southeastern Tennessee (including Chattanooga) ✮ Chattanooga Riverwalk For detailed information on all known rail trails in Kansas, visit the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy website. BEST AMUSEMENT PARKS / THEME PARKS IN TENNESSEE✮ Dollywood, Pigeon Forge ✮ Dollywood's Splash Country, Pigeon Forge ✮ Lake Winnie Amusement Park, Chattanooga ✮ Soaky Mountain Waterpark, Sevierville ✮ Wild Bear Falls Water Park, Gatlinburg ✮ Wild Water Dome Indoor Waterpark, Sevierville In addition to the amusement parks listed above, the Sevierville/Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg area near Great Smoky Mountains National Park has literally dozens more small to medium-sized amusement parks, including some excellent mountain coasters and go-kart tracks. That area also has more than a dozen miniature golf courses. BEST MUSEUMS IN TENNESSEEWestern Tennessee (including Jackson and Memphis) ✮ Graceland, Memphis ✮ Memphis Rock 'n' Soul Museum, Memphis ✮ National Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine Motel, Memphis ✮ Rusty's TV and Movie Car Museum, Jackson ✮ Stax Museum of American Soul Music, Memphis ✮ Sun Studio, Memphis Central Tennessee (including Franklin, Murfreesboro, and Nashville) ✮ Andrew Jackson's Hermitage, Nashville ✮ Carnton, Franklin ✮ Carter House, Franklin ✮ Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum, Nashville ✮ Frist Art Museum, Nashville ✮ Johnny Cash Museum, Nashville ✮ Lane Motor Museum, Nashville ✮ Lots House Museum, Franklin ✮ Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum, Nashville ✮ RCA Studio B, Nashville ✮ Tennessee State Museum, Nashville Northeastern Tennessee (including Bristol, Johnson City, and Knoxville; see below for Great Smoky Mountains National Park) ✮ Knoxville Museum of Art, Knoxville ✮ Museum of Appalachia, Clinton ✮ Women's Basketball Hall of Fame, Knoxville Great Smoky Mountains area (including Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, and Sevierville) ✮ Alcatraz East Crime Museum, Pigeon Forge ✮ Hollywood Star Cars Museum, Gatlinburg ✮ Salt and Pepper Shaker Museum, Gatlinburg ✮ Titanic Museum, Pigeon Forge Southeastern Tennessee (including Chattanooga) ✮ Creative Discovery Museum, Chattanooga ✮ International Towing & Recovery Museum, Chattanooga ✮ Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum, Chattanooga BEST DAY HIKES IN TENNESSEECentral Tennessee (including Franklin, Murfreesboro, and Nashville) ✮ Burgess Falls Trail, Burgess Falls State Park ✮ Colditz Cove Trail, Colditz Cove State Natural Area, Jamestown ✮ Cummins Falls, Cummins Falls State Park ✮ Fall Creek Falls State Park trails - includes a relatively easy hike to one of Tennessee's best waterfalls ✮ Honey Creek Loop Trail, Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area ✮ Rock Island State Park trails (e.g. Twin Falls) ✮ Savage Gulf State Park trails (e.g. Greeter Falls Loop, Stone Door Trail) ✮ Twin Arches, Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area ✮ Virgin Falls, Virgin Falls State Natural Area ✮ Window Cliffs State Natural Area, Baxter Northeastern Tennessee (including Bristol, Johnson City, and Knoxville; see below for Great Smoky Mountains National Park) ✮ Laurel Falls, Pond Mountain Wilderness ✮ Pinnacle Mountain Fire Tower, Cherokee National Forest Great Smoky Mountains National Park (in eastern Tennessee) ✮ Abrams Falls ✮ Alum Cave ✮ Charlies Bunion ✮ Chimney Tops Trail ✮ Clingmans Dome - relatively easy walk of 1.3 miles round-trip to the TN highpoint (take note that the road is typically closed Dec-Apr) ✮ Grotto Falls, Great Smoky Mountains National Park ✮ Laurel Falls, Great Smoky Mountains National Park ✮ Mount Cammerer, Great Smoky Mountains National Park ✮ Mount LeConte, Great Smoky Mountains National Park ✮ Rainbow Falls, Great Smoky Mountains National Park ✮ Ramsey Cascades, Great Smoky Mountains National Park Southeastern Tennessee (including Chattanooga) ✮ Conasauga Falls, Cherokee National Forest ✮ Edward's Point Trail, Prentice Cooper State Forest ✮ Fiery Gizzard Trail to Raven's Point, South Cumberland State Park ✮ Foster Falls, South Cumberland State Park ✮ Snoopers Rock Trail, Prentice Cooper State Forest ✮ Stone Door Trail, South Cumberland State Park The highpoint of Tennessee is Clingmans Dome (6,643') in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. In season, you can drive to a parking area and then do a 1.3 mile fairly easy round-trip walk to the top. Expect fantastic views! BEST BACKPACKING TRIPS IN TENNESSEECentral Tennessee (including Franklin, Murfreesboro, and Nashville) ✮ Sheltowee Trace National Recreation Trail - 290 miles from northern Kentucky to Pickett State Park in Tennessee; only a small portion is in TN Northeastern Tennessee (including Bristol, Johnson City, and Knoxville) ✮ Appalachian Trail - about 66 miles of this 2,200 mile long trail is located in Tennessee ✮ Bald Mountains Ridge Scenic Area trails - within Cherokee National Forest ✮ Cherokee National Forest trails ✮ Shady Valley Loop - includes the Iron Mountain Trail and the Appalachian Trail Great Smoky Mountains National Park (in eastern Tennessee) ✮ Appalachian Trail - about 66 miles of this 2,200 mile trail are in Tennessee ✮ LeConte Lodge on Mount LeConte Southeastern Tennessee (including Chattanooga) ✮ Cherokee National Forest trails ✮ South Cumberland State Park trails CLASSIC OUTDOOR ADVENTURES IN TENNESSEE✮ Backpacking the Appalachian Trail ✮ Backpacking in Great Smoky Mountains National Park ✮ Backpacking to LeConte Lodge ✮ Backpacking the Sheltowee Trace National Recreation Trail ✮ Bouldering at Stone Fort (aka Little Rock City) ✮ Canoeing/kayaking on the Buffalo River ✮ Canoeing/kayaking on the Caney Fork River ✮ Canoeing/kayaking on the Duck River ✮ Canoeing/kayaking on the Harpeth River ✮ Canoeing/kayaking on the Little River ✮ Canoeing/kayaking on the New River ✮ Canoeing/kayaking on the Wolf River ✮ Cycling the Chattanooga Riverwalk ✮ Cycling the Shelby Farms Greenline ✮ Day hiking Charlies Bunion ✮ Day hiking Chimney Tops ✮ Day hiking Mount Cammerer ✮ Day hiking Mount LeConte ✮ Hot air ballooning in Franklin ✮ Mountain biking Baker Creek Preserve in Knoxville ✮ Mountain biking the Knoxville Urban Wilderness ✮ Mountain biking the Raccoon Mountain Trail Network in Chattanooga ✮ Mountain biking the Tanasi Trail System in Cherokee National Forest ✮ Mountain biking White Oak Mountain ✮ Mountain biking Windrock Bike Park ✮ Rock climbing in/near Chattanooga (e.g. the Tennessee Wall) ✮ Rock climbing at King's Bluff ✮ Rock climbing along the Obed Wild & Scenic River ✮ Rock climbing at Prentice Cooper ✮ Rock climbing at Suck Creek Canyon ✮ Rock climbing in Sunset Park in Lookout Mountain ✮ Skydiving in Greenville, Jasper, New Market, Tullahoma, Waverly, and Whiteville ✮ Tubing the Buffalo River ✮ Tubing the Harpeth River ✮ Tubing the Little River ✮ Tubing the New River ✮ Whitewater rafting the Nolichucky River ✮ Whitewater rafting the Ocoee River ✮ Whitewater rafting the Pigeon River SKI RESORTS IN TENNESSEETENNESSEE TRAVEL TIPSUNIQUE / SPECIALTY FOODS TO TRY IN TENNESSEE✮ barbecue pork sandwich ✮ barbecue ribs ✮ hot chicken ✮ hot fish sandwich ✮ Memphis-style ribs ✮ moonpies ✮ moonshine ✮ pancake houses ✮ pimento cheese ✮ sorghum syrup For a list of unique foods and mom-and-pop type eateries and restaurants in Tennessee (or any other U.S. state), visit the Roadfood.com website. For a list of unique foods to try in each of the 50 U.S. states, click here. For a list of the top-rated beers to try in Tennessee (or any other U.S. state), visit the Beer Advocate website. OTHER KEY TENNESSEE INFORMATIONNashville Major Airports: Nashville International Airport (BNA), Memphis International Airport (MEM), or McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS) near Knoxville Largest Cities: Nashville (707,091). Memphis (630,348), Knoxville (193,114), Chattanooga (183,783), Clarksville (173,480), Murfreesboro (161,571) Primary U.S. Interstates: I-24, I-26, I-40, I-55, I-65, I-75, I-81 State Highpoint: Clingmans Dome (6,643') in Great Smoky Mountains National Park in eastern Tennessee; a 1.3 mile fairly easy round-trip walk from a seasonal road (which is typically open May-Nov) is required to reach the top Professional Sports Teams: NBA: Memphis Grizzlies NFL: Tennessee Titans NHL: Nashville Predators Funny or Unique Town/City Names: Bucksnort, Bugscuffle, Disco, Finger, Lick Skillet, Nutbush, Skullbone, Sweet Lips, and Wartrace Take note that in general this travel guide intentionally excluded restaurants, lodging/hotels, breweries, wineries/vineyards, and certain other types of attractions (like arcades, ax-throwing, bowling alleys, and escape rooms). These types of places tend to come and go, and keeping up with that would be too challenging. I encourage you to use Google Maps, Tripadvisor, Yelp, and other travel sites that have reader reviews to find the latest and greatest places that I haven't covered here. Fall Creek Falls State Park in Spencer, Tennessee Titanic Museum in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee  downtown Gatlinburg, Tennessee  historic cabin in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee  moonshine distilleries thrive in Tennessee the famous Broadway Street in Nashville, Tennessee  World's Largest Rubik's Cube in Knoxville, Tennessee  Harrisburg Covered Bridge in Sevierville, Tennessee  Salt & Pepper Shaker Museum in Gatlinburg, Tennessee ROAD TRIP GUIDEBOOKSIn addition to the information found on my website, I personally recommend purchasing these road trip/travel-related guidebooks. Click on any book cover to read reviews and/or purchase these books on Amazon.com.  
 
 
 
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