Tennessee brings images of rock legends like Elvis Presley, Dolley Parton, and Johnny Cash. Although they make a huge part of the state’s history and charm, there’s a lot more it offers. For example, do you know that the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most visited in the entire U.S.? The best places to visit in Tennessee let you explore amazing natural formations, beautiful specimens of art, an extensive range of food, and, of course, abundant entertainment options. If you’re planning a trip, make sure to include some of the following places in your itinerary.
Top Places to Visit in Tennessee
1. Hike at Great Smoky Mountains National Park
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a scenic mountainous region with abundant plant and animal life. One of the best ways to enjoy it is through hiking. Popular trails include Charlies Bunion, Alum Cave Bluffs, and Andrews Bald. This huge park covers Tennessee and North Carolina. It has been inhabited by people since prehistoric times! It is hands-down one of the best places to visit in Tennessee for observing nature through hiking, biking, or simply driving.
Time needed – 1 day
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2. Dive into Elvis’s Life at Elvis Presley’s Graceland
The Elvis Presley’s Graceland welcomes over 500,000 tourists every year. This is the place where Elvis Presley chose to live. Today’s 13.8-acre estate in Memphis has become a bustling spot where you can engage in endless activities. The top ones include checking out the artifacts at Elvis ’68 Enhanced Exhibit, visiting the jumpsuit wall, exploring Presley’s cluster of cars, and climbing aboard his two aircraft, Lisa Marie and Hound Dog II.
Time needed – 3 hours
3. Make Memories at Gatlinburg
The Gatlinburg village in Tennessee is your gateway to the majestic Great Smoky Mountains National Park described above. Beyond that, it is known for breweries, wineries, and live entertainment options like the escape room Headcase Escape Adventures and Impossibilities Magic Show. You can also find detailed handcrafted works at the Historic Arts and Crafts Trail. The place is situated near Dollywood, a famous Pigeon Forge attraction known for its award-winning parks.
Time needed – 1 day
4. Visit the Music City, Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee’s capital, is rich in history and tradition. It has various landmarks and attractions that celebrate the genre of country music. Some of the top spots to explore the musical heritage of Nashville are the Grand Ole Opry, Ryman Auditorium, or the historic concert venue, Vanderbilt University, the prestigious research institution, and Music Row, the core of various recording studios, record labels, and publishing houses.
Time needed – 5 days
5. Entertain Yourself at Broadway
Broadway is a thoroughfare in downtown Nashville. Originally called Broad Street, it is a hub of music scene, nightlife, and places to dine. One thing you should do to get a taste of this place is tour the Honky Tonk Highway. It has country western-themed shops and dining places, as well as various honky-tonks with live music. Besides music, you can explore heritage architecture at the historic hotel Union Station, First Center of Visual Arts, and Hume-Fogg Academic Magnet High School, which features Gothic architecture.
Time needed – 2 days
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6. Revisit Music Legends at Grand Ole Opry
The Grand Ole Opry in Nashville is the world’s longest-running radio show. In this music venue, many aspiring country music stars begin their career. The place regularly holds performances by rising stars so tourists can witness their debut. Taking the backstage tour at the Grand Ole Opry is a must. It gives you deep insights into the history of the show and what artists do when they are getting ready to step on stage.
Time needed – 1 hour
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7. Learn Memphis’s Music Heritage at Sun Studio
Sun Studio is an iconic recording studio where legends like Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis Presley, and Johnny Cash recorded songs. This studio, where many hit songs were made, is now a National Historic Landmark. It is also known as the birthplace of rock ‘n roll. You should take a guided tour to check out its history and visit the interiors where the biggest names in the history of music recorded songs. If you are a music lover, Sun Studio is one of the best places to visit in Tennessee.
Time needed – 1 hour
8. Visit the fun-loving town of Pigeon Forge
Pigeon Forge in eastern Tennessee is a mountain town consisting of many unique attractions that keep visitors of all ages entertained. From Dolly Parton’s Dollywood theme park, where live artists perform, to the Alcatraz East Crime Museum, Rockin’ Raceway Arcade to the Hollywood Wax Museum Entertainment Center Pigeon Forge, which is the only museum with wax celebrities, there are endless things to do. It is a must-visit place to have a good time.
Time needed – 3 hours
9. Visit the Picturesque City of Knoxville
One of the best places in Tennessee, located at the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, is Knoxville. The place is home to the famous observatory Sunsphere, which is a huge gold-tinted tower established for the 1982 World’s Fair. It offers panoramic city views. Other popular spots include the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame and the Museum of East Tennessee History with its award-winning exhibits. Knoxville even has places for little to big kids, such as Muse Knoxville, a hands-on museum, and Navitat, a place that offers many outdoor activities.
Time needed – 1 day
10. Spend a Weekend at Chattanooga
Chattanooga, also called Scenic City, is located in a valley surrounded by the Appalachian mountains. It has many places to eat, like Sleepyhead Coffee, Cashew, and Flying Squirrel. The Tennesse Aquarium is a huge aquarium that is both educational and beautiful, filled with otters, jellyfish, sharks, and more. The Chattanooga ghost tour is something that fans of all things spooky shouldn’t miss. The tour takes you through the streets, highlighting the history of Chattanooga as you get to learn about the most haunted landmarks.
Time needed – 1 week
11. Hike with Llamas at Greeneville
Greeneville is the home of the 17th President of America, Andrew Johnson. The place is named after the Revolutionary War hero Nathanael Greene. There are many historic sites and museums to visit here, like the Andrew Johnson National Historic Site, Dickson-Williams Mansion, built in 1821, and the The Gentry, the Bear Garden. One of the best ways to enjoy it is to hike with llamas. The Wandering Llamas is a hiking tour in which visitors take a hike with friendly llamas and learn more about them.
Time needed – 4 to 5 days.
12. Get Entertained at the Beale Street
Beale Street is a U.S. National Historic Landmark District. It lets you check out the blues clubs, like B.B. King’s Blues Club, Blues Hall Juke Joint, Blues City Cafe, and more, which are the sites from where many famous American blues musicians emerged. You can join a guided tour to learn more about the blues and then visit the many bars and music clubs. If you visit Beale Street on Bike Night, you will see hundreds of motorcycles of every model and make rumbling down the street.
Time needed – 1 day
13. Explore Art at the Frist Art Museum
The Frist Art Museum is a cultural focal point in Nashville. It has evolved travelling, and Frist organized art exhibitions as the museum is dedicated to shedding light on the latest and finest pieces of art in the world. At its centre is the Martin ArtQuest Gallery. It features stations that invite people of different ages to make their art and participate in the visual arts experience. The exhibits change every month, which makes the museum a popular visiting spot.
Time needed – 1 hour
14. Visit the Scenic Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area
The 125,000-acre-long Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area safeguards the Big South Fork of the Cumberland River and all its tributaries. The area is filled with solitude and has impressive cliffs, arches, waterfalls, and chimneys. The river gorge that cuts through the Mississippian-age rock under the hard Pennsylvanian capstone of the plateau is one of the most awe-inspiring and prominent features. Besides, there are many guided tours and ranger-led programs held at the place.
Time needed – 3 hours
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15. View Natural Wonders at Altamont
Altamont, whose name combines Alto, meaning altitude, and Mont, meaning mountains, is one of the best places in Tennessee to view natural wonders, like waterfalls, parks, geologic formations, and hiking trails. Some wonderful spots to explore include the 15-foot serene fall, Greeter Falls, Broadtree Falls, and the 1.1-mile Blue Hole hiking trail. Altamont is also the gateway to popular places like Greeter Homestead and the Alum Gap Campground.
Time needed – 5 hours
Wrapping Up
Every place in Tennessee has its unique vibes and specialties, whether it’s music, food, art, or adventure. You can find a tour or activity tailored to your interests at any place. The places listed above will help you enjoy the exciting variety that Tennessee offers.
