Tennessee has a habit of making road trips complicated.
Not because the roads are confusing.
Because every time you think you’ve picked a destination, another waterfall, barbecue joint, music landmark, mountain overlook or suspiciously haunted cave appears on the map.
East Tennessee brings the Great Smoky Mountains, caves and Appalachian towns.
Middle Tennessee gives you Nashville, waterfalls, whiskey country and the rolling hills surrounding the Cumberland Plateau.
West Tennessee changes the soundtrack completely with Memphis blues, Civil Rights history, Mississippi River landscapes and cypress swamps.
The best day trips in Tennessee can take you from a mountaintop to an underground lake, from Elvis Presley’s home to a Civil War battlefield, or from a quiet waterfall to a honky-tonk before dinner.
Let’s take the interesting roads.
Jump to a Tennessee Region
East Tennessee
Great Smoky Mountains, Chattanooga, Knoxville, Bristol, caves and mountain towns.
Middle Tennessee
Nashville, waterfalls, whiskey country, historic towns and the Upper Cumberland.
West Tennessee
Memphis, blues, Civil Rights history, Reelfoot Lake and Mississippi River country.
Or jump directly to:
Waterfalls | Music | Scenic Drives | Small Towns | Hidden Gems | History | Family Trips
East Tennessee Day Trips
Mountains dominate East Tennessee.
This is where the Appalachian Mountains, Great Smoky Mountains, Cherokee National Forest and Cumberland Plateau create some of the state’s most dramatic scenery.
But don’t spend the entire trip staring at mountains.
You’ll miss caves, historic towns, museums and one of America’s most important musical cities.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Location: Eastern Tennessee and Western North Carolina
Map: Open in Google Maps
Official Site: National Park Service
America’s most visited national park doesn’t need much introduction.
Forest-covered mountains stretch toward the horizon while streams, waterfalls and historic structures hide throughout the valleys.
The challenge isn’t deciding whether to visit.
It’s deciding what part to explore.
You could spend a week here and still leave with unfinished business.
Best for: Hiking, wildlife, scenic drives, waterfalls, history and families.
Cades Cove
Location: Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Map: Open in Google Maps
This broad mountain valley combines wildlife, historic churches, cabins and mountain scenery along an 11-mile loop road.
Black bears, deer, turkeys and other wildlife are frequently seen.
Frequently seen does not mean frequently approached.
Give wildlife room.
Especially bears.
Kuwohi
Location: Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Map: Open in Google Maps
Formerly widely known as Clingmans Dome, the mountain’s official name was restored to Kuwohi, its Cherokee name, in 2024.
At 6,643 feet, it is the highest point in Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Tennessee.
A steep paved trail leads from the parking area to the observation tower.
On clear days, the views are enormous.
On cloudy days…
Congratulations.
You have achieved immersive cloud tourism.
Kuwohi Road closes seasonally and can close temporarily because of weather.
Newfound Gap
Location: Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Map: Open in Google Maps
The Tennessee-North Carolina state line crosses this high mountain pass.
The Appalachian Trail crosses here too.
It’s one of the easiest places to get a big Smokies view without a long hike.
Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail
Location: Gatlinburg area
Map: Open in Google Maps
This narrow seasonal road winds through forest past historic cabins, rushing streams and trailheads.
It’s one-way.
Once committed, you’re going sightseeing.
Gatlinburg
Location: Gatlinburg
Map: Open in Google Maps
Gatlinburg is the gateway to the Smokies.
It’s also one of the most intensely tourist-oriented mountain towns in America.
Want quiet?
Head into the national park.
Want pancakes, moonshine tastings, attractions, shops and enough neon to confuse a black bear?
Stay downtown.
Both approaches are perfectly legitimate vacations.
Pigeon Forge
Location: Pigeon Forge
Map: Open in Google Maps
Pigeon Forge specializes in family entertainment.
The Parkway contains theaters, museums, restaurants and attractions.
And then there’s Dollywood.
Dollywood
Location: Pigeon Forge
Map: Open in Google Maps
Official Site: Dollywood
Dolly Parton’s theme park mixes roller coasters with Appalachian music, crafts, food and entertainment.
You can absolutely spend an entire day here.
Actually…
You probably should.
Knoxville
Location: Knoxville
Map: Open in Google Maps
Planning: Visit Knoxville
Knoxville deserves more attention than it receives from travelers rushing toward the Smokies.
Explore Market Square, downtown architecture and the Tennessee River waterfront.
Ijams Nature Center & Knoxville Urban Wilderness
Location: Knoxville
Map: Open in Google Maps
Trails, quarry landscapes and outdoor recreation sit remarkably close to downtown Knoxville.
This is one of the state’s best examples of nature meeting city.
Oak Ridge
Location: Oak Ridge
Map: Open in Google Maps
During World War II, Oak Ridge became one of the secret cities involved in the Manhattan Project.
Thousands of people worked here while much of the surrounding country had little idea the city even existed.
Now that’s City Unknown material.
Manhattan Project National Historical Park
Location: Oak Ridge
Map: Open in Google Maps
Official Site: National Park Service
Oak Ridge forms one part of this multi-state national historical park.
Visitor access to individual Department of Energy facilities varies, so check current tour requirements.
American Museum of Science and Energy
Location: Oak Ridge
Map: Open in Google Maps
Exhibits explore nuclear science, Oak Ridge history and the Manhattan Project.
Chattanooga
Location: Chattanooga
Map: Open in Google Maps
Planning: Visit Chattanooga
Chattanooga sits along the Tennessee River beneath Lookout Mountain.
Aquariums, trails, Civil War history and mountain attractions make it one of Tennessee’s strongest family destinations.
Lookout Mountain
Location: Chattanooga area
Map: Open in Google Maps
Lookout Mountain rises above Chattanooga and contains several famous attractions.
Ruby Falls
Location: Lookout Mountain
Map: Open in Google Maps
Official Site: Ruby Falls
Guided cave tours descend underground to a dramatic waterfall hidden inside Lookout Mountain.
Reservations are smart during busy periods.
Rock City
Location: Lookout Mountain, Georgia
Map: Open in Google Maps
One important geographic note:
Rock City is on the Georgia side of Lookout Mountain.
It’s an extremely popular Chattanooga-area day trip, but it isn’t technically in Tennessee.
We’ll allow the border crossing.
We’ll just label it correctly.
Tennessee Riverwalk
Location: Chattanooga
Map: Open in Google Maps
Miles of paved trail follow the river through parks and cultural areas.
Bristol
Location: Tennessee-Virginia border
Map: Open in Google Maps
The state line literally runs through downtown.
Stand on State Street and you can put one foot in Tennessee and the other in Virginia.
Efficient interstate travel.
Birthplace of Country Music Museum
Location: Bristol, Virginia
Map: Open in Google Maps
Official Site: Birthplace of Country Music
The famous 1927 Bristol Sessions helped shape commercial country music.
The museum tells that story through recordings, exhibits and Appalachian musical traditions.
Again, the museum itself sits on the Virginia side of Bristol.
Jonesborough
Location: Jonesborough
Map: Open in Google Maps
Tennessee’s oldest town has historic buildings, shops and a strong storytelling tradition.
Slow down and walk.
Roan Mountain State Park
Location: Roan Mountain
Map: Open in Google Maps
Mountain trails and the Doe River make this a wonderful northeastern Tennessee escape.
The nearby highlands are famous for rhododendrons.
Bloom timing varies every year.
Flowers remain stubbornly unwilling to follow SEO publishing schedules.
Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area
Location: Tennessee and Kentucky
Map: Open in Google Maps
Official Site: National Park Service
Gorges, sandstone arches, rivers and historic landscapes spread across a huge recreation area.
Twin Arches
Location: Big South Fork
Map: Open in Google Maps
These massive sandstone formations make one of East Tennessee’s best hikes.
The Lost Sea Adventure
Location: Sweetwater
Map: Open in Google Maps
Official Site: The Lost Sea
Deep inside Craighead Caverns sits an enormous underground lake.
Tours combine cave walking with an underground boat ride.
Underground boat ride.
That’s really all the convincing this one needs.
Middle Tennessee Day Trips
Middle Tennessee changes the rhythm.
Here you’ll find Nashville, Civil War sites, whiskey country, historic towns and some of the state’s greatest waterfalls.
The eastern side of the region reaches into the Cumberland Plateau, where rivers drop dramatically through rocky gorges.
Nashville
Location: Nashville
Map: Open in Google Maps
Planning: Visit Music City
Nashville has become one of America’s most popular city destinations.
Country music gets the headlines.
But museums, neighborhoods, restaurants, parks and historic sites give you plenty to do even if cowboy boots aren’t part of your wardrobe.
Ryman Auditorium
Location: Nashville
Map: Open in Google Maps
The “Mother Church of Country Music” has hosted generations of legendary performers.
Country Music Hall of Fame
Location: Nashville
Map: Open in Google Maps
Exhibits trace country music’s artists, recordings and cultural history.
Broadway
Location: Downtown Nashville
Map: Open in Google Maps
Honky-tonks line Lower Broadway.
Live music pours out of buildings throughout the day.
It’s loud.
It’s crowded.
It’s Nashville.
Centennial Park & The Parthenon
Location: Nashville
Map: Open in Google Maps
Nashville built a full-scale replica of the Parthenon.
Why?
Because Tennessee apparently looked at ancient Greece and thought:
“We can do that.”
Today it houses an art museum and a monumental statue of Athena.
Radnor Lake State Natural Area
Location: Nashville
Map: Open in Google Maps
Wooded trails surround a quiet lake only minutes from the city.
It’s one of Nashville’s best escapes from Nashville.
Franklin
Location: Franklin
Map: Open in Google Maps
Historic downtown Franklin is packed with shops, restaurants and preserved architecture.
The surrounding area also played a major role in the Civil War.
Stones River National Battlefield
Location: Murfreesboro
Map: Open in Google Maps
Official Site: National Park Service
One of the Civil War’s bloodiest battles took place here around New Year’s 1862–63.
Walking trails and interpretive exhibits help explain the battlefield.
Lynchburg
Location: Lynchburg
Map: Open in Google Maps
The tiny town is known worldwide for one very famous product.
Whiskey.
Jack Daniel’s Distillery
Location: Lynchburg
Map: Open in Google Maps
Official Site: Jack Daniel’s
Distillery tours explore the production and history of Tennessee whiskey.
Tour offerings, reservations and tasting requirements change, so check current information.
And here’s one of Tennessee’s favorite bits of trivia:
The distillery is in Moore County, which has long had restrictive local alcohol laws.
Because apparently Tennessee enjoys irony with its whiskey.
Cookeville
Location: Cookeville
Map: Open in Google Maps
Cookeville makes an excellent base for waterfall country.
Several spectacular parks sit within easy driving distance.
Cummins Falls State Park
Location: Cookeville area
Map: Open in Google Maps
Cummins Falls plunges into a rugged gorge along the Blackburn Fork State Scenic River.
The overlook provides a much easier way to see the falls.
Reaching the gorge and base of the waterfall is considerably more demanding and involves water crossings and slippery terrain.
Check current permit requirements and gorge conditions before attempting the descent.
Burgess Falls State Park
Location: Sparta area
Map: Open in Google Maps
A series of cascades culminates in a dramatic waterfall along the Falling Water River.
This is one of Tennessee’s best waterfall stops.
Fall Creek Falls State Park
Location: Spencer
Map: Open in Google Maps
Waterfalls, gorges, forests and trails make this enormous state park worthy of a full day.
Fall Creek Falls drops 256 feet.
But don’t just photograph the main waterfall and leave.
Explore.
Rock Island State Park
Location: Rock Island
Map: Open in Google Maps
Waterfalls and rugged river scenery surround the confluence of the Caney Fork, Collins and Rocky Rivers.
Water releases from nearby dams can change river conditions rapidly.
Follow all warning signs.
Old Stone Fort State Archaeological Park
Location: Manchester
Map: Open in Google Maps
Despite the name, this wasn’t a military fort.
Indigenous peoples built the ancient enclosure roughly 1,500–2,000 years ago.
Early European settlers misunderstood the earthworks and called them a fort.
The name stuck.
The archaeology tells a much older story.
Dunbar Cave State Park
Location: Clarksville
Map: Open in Google Maps
The cave contains significant Indigenous cave art and has a long human history.
Cave access is controlled to protect archaeological and natural resources.
Use official tours when available.
Clarksville
Location: Clarksville
Map: Open in Google Maps
Historic downtown, riverfront scenery and Dunbar Cave make Clarksville an easy Nashville-area day trip.
Bell Witch Country
Location: Adams
Map: Open in Google Maps
Few American ghost stories are as famous as the Bell Witch legend.
Stories surrounding the Bell family began circulating in the early 1800s and eventually became part of Tennessee folklore.
The Bell Witch Cave and surrounding property are privately operated.
Check current access before making the trip.
For Halloween?
Oh, we’ll be coming back to this one.
Natchez Trace Parkway
Location: Southwestern Middle Tennessee
Map: Open in Google Maps
Official Site: National Park Service
The parkway follows portions of a historic travel corridor connecting Tennessee with Mississippi.
Forests, historic sites and overlooks make it ideal for a slow drive.
Meriwether Lewis Site
Location: Natchez Trace Parkway
Map: Open in Google Maps
Explorer Meriwether Lewis died here in 1809 under circumstances that have generated debate for more than two centuries.
His grave and a monument are located nearby.
History plus mystery.
Very City Unknown.
West Tennessee Day Trips
Cross the Tennessee River and the landscape changes again.
West Tennessee belongs to blues music, cotton country, the Mississippi River, Civil Rights history and cypress-filled lakes.
Memphis anchors the region.
But don’t stop there.
Memphis
Location: Memphis
Map: Open in Google Maps
Planning: Memphis Travel
Memphis changed American music.
Blues.
Soul.
Rock ‘n’ roll.
The city also played a central role in the Civil Rights Movement.
A proper Memphis trip needs both stories.
And barbecue.
Definitely barbecue.
Beale Street
Location: Memphis
Map: Open in Google Maps
Live blues clubs and restaurants line one of America’s most famous music streets.
Go during the day for history.
Return after dark for music.
National Civil Rights Museum
Location: Memphis
Map: Open in Google Maps
Official Site: National Civil Rights Museum
The museum incorporates the Lorraine Motel, where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated on April 4, 1968.
Exhibits trace the history of slavery, resistance, segregation and the Civil Rights Movement into the modern era.
Give this museum time.
It is not a quick photo stop.
Graceland
Location: Memphis
Map: Open in Google Maps
Official Site: Graceland
Elvis Presley’s home remains one of Tennessee’s most visited music landmarks.
Even non-Elvis superfans usually find the cultural history fascinating.
Sun Studio
Location: Memphis
Map: Open in Google Maps
Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and other musicians recorded at this legendary studio.
Music history doesn’t get much denser than this little building.
Stax Museum of American Soul Music
Location: Memphis
Map: Open in Google Maps
Stax Records helped define American soul music.
The museum tells the stories of artists including Otis Redding, Isaac Hayes, Booker T. & the M.G.’s and many others.
The Peabody Ducks
Location: The Peabody Memphis
Map: Open in Google Maps
Twice a day, ducks famously march between the hotel’s rooftop and lobby fountain.
Why?
At this point, asking seems unnecessary.
They’re ducks.
They have a schedule.
Respect the professionals.
Shelby Farms Park
Location: Memphis
Map: Open in Google Maps
Trails, lakes and open space create an enormous outdoor recreation area within the Memphis metro.
Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park
Location: North of Memphis
Map: Open in Google Maps
Forests and wetlands rise above the Mississippi River floodplain.
It’s one of the easiest nature escapes from Memphis.
Reelfoot Lake State Park
Location: Tiptonville
Map: Open in Google Maps
Reelfoot Lake is unlike most Tennessee lakes.
Earthquakes along the New Madrid fault system in 1811–1812 dramatically altered the landscape, helping create the lake.
Today cypress trees rise directly from the water.
Bald eagles winter in the area.
Boat tours and paddling provide the best perspective.
It’s beautiful.
It’s eerie.
It’s one of Tennessee’s best hidden landscapes.
Discovery Park of America
Location: Union City
Map: Open in Google Maps
Official Site: Discovery Park of America
Science, history, technology and regional culture fill this enormous museum complex.
Families can easily spend most of a day here.
Brownsville
Location: Brownsville
Map: Open in Google Maps
This West Tennessee town has important connections with music history.
Tina Turner Museum
Location: Brownsville
Map: Open in Google Maps
The museum occupies the restored one-room schoolhouse attended by Tina Turner, born Anna Mae Bullock in nearby Nutbush.
It’s a wonderful stop for Tennessee’s broader music story.
Shiloh National Military Park
Location: Shiloh
Map: Open in Google Maps
Official Site: National Park Service
The Battle of Shiloh in April 1862 became one of the Civil War’s early major battles.
The battlefield is extensive.
Give yourself time to drive and walk it.
Shiloh Indian Mounds
Long before the Civil War, Indigenous people built a significant community along the Tennessee River here.
Earthworks and archaeological remains survive within the national military park.
It’s an important reminder that Shiloh’s human history did not begin in 1862.
Pinson Mounds State Archaeological Park
Location: Near Jackson
Map: Open in Google Maps
This remarkable Indigenous ceremonial landscape contains numerous ancient earthworks.
Sauls Mound rises more than 70 feet.
Treat the site as the culturally significant landscape it is—not merely an unusual hill to climb.
Fort Pillow State Historic Park
Location: Henning area
Map: Open in Google Maps
Fort Pillow is associated with one of the Civil War’s most controversial and brutal episodes.
On April 12, 1864, Confederate forces under Nathan Bedford Forrest attacked the fort, and many Black Union troops were killed during and after the fighting.
Interpret this as a serious historical site rather than simply another battlefield.
Best Waterfall Day Trips in Tennessee
Tennessee is waterfall country.
Start with:
Fall Creek Falls
Cummins Falls
Burgess Falls
Ozone Falls
Machine Falls
Foster Falls
Greeter Falls
Virgin Falls
Piney Falls
Rutledge Falls
Margarette Falls
Laurel Falls
Abrams Falls
Grotto Falls
Bald River Falls
Some are roadside stops.
Others require serious hikes.
Several involve slippery rock and rugged terrain.
Research the individual trail before leaving.
Tennessee Music Road Trips
Few states can compete with Tennessee’s musical history.
Nashville — Country Music
Explore:
Ryman Auditorium
Country Music Hall of Fame
Grand Ole Opry
Studio B
Lower Broadway
Memphis — Blues, Soul & Rock ‘n’ Roll
Explore:
Beale Street
Sun Studio
Stax Museum
Graceland
Memphis Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum
Bristol — Birthplace of Country Music
Explore the Bristol Sessions and Appalachian roots of commercial country music.
Brownsville — Tina Turner
Visit the restored schoolhouse connected with the Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll.
City Unknown Music Tip
Don’t turn this into a museum checklist.
Hear live music.
Tennessee’s music history isn’t dead.
It’s playing tonight.
Best Scenic Drives in Tennessee
Cades Cove Loop Road
Historic structures, mountains and wildlife.
Newfound Gap Road
Cross the Smokies between Tennessee and North Carolina.
Foothills Parkway
Big mountain views without a strenuous hike.
Cherohala Skyway
A spectacular mountain road connecting Tennessee with North Carolina.
Natchez Trace Parkway
History and forests across southwestern Tennessee.
Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail
Historic cabins and mountain streams.
Ocoee Scenic Byway
Follow the Ocoee River through Cherokee National Forest.
East Tennessee Backroads
Sometimes the best scenic route is simply the road between two mountain towns.
Just make sure your fuel tank agrees with the plan.
Best Small-Town Day Trips in Tennessee
Put these on your list:
Jonesborough
Lynchburg
Franklin
Bell Buckle
Leiper’s Fork
Cookeville
Gatlinburg
Townsend
Greeneville
Rogersville
Paris
Savannah
Dandridge
Granville
Cumberland Gap
Mountain City
Dayton
Tellico Plains
Some are famous.
Some are barely a few streets.
Both can produce excellent road trips.
Hidden Gems Worth the Tennessee Detour
Lost Sea
An underground lake and cave boat ride.
Hard to beat.
Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary
Location: Petros
Map: Open in Google Maps
The former maximum-security prison now operates as a historic attraction.
It has prison history.
Mountain scenery.
And ghost stories.
We will definitely be revisiting this one in October.
Ozone Falls
A dramatic waterfall near Crossville.
Machine Falls
A beautiful waterfall in Short Springs Natural Area.
Narrows of the Harpeth
Trails reveal limestone cliffs and a historic tunnel cut through rock.
Rugby
Location: Morgan County
Map: Open in Google Maps
This unusual Victorian village began as an experimental utopian colony established by British author Thomas Hughes.
A Victorian utopian colony in rural Tennessee?
Exactly.
Historic Cumberland Gap
Explore one of the most important natural passages through the Appalachian Mountains.
Elkmont Ghost Town
Historic structures survive inside Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Elkmont is often casually called a “ghost town,” although that description oversimplifies its history.
The remaining buildings preserve stories of logging communities and later vacation cottages.
Bell Witch Country
Ghost legend.
Cave.
Old farm.
Enough said.
Tennessee History Day Trips
Tennessee’s history is layered and often difficult.
Build trips around:
Stones River National Battlefield
Shiloh National Military Park
Fort Donelson National Battlefield
Chickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park
Manhattan Project National Historical Park
National Civil Rights Museum
Pinson Mounds
Old Stone Fort
Fort Loudoun
Andrew Johnson National Historic Site
Cumberland Gap
Trail of Tears sites
Fort Pillow
The Hermitage
When visiting Civil War, Indigenous-removal or plantation-related sites, seek interpretation that includes the experiences of enslaved people, Native nations, soldiers and civilians rather than treating history as a collection of pretty old buildings.
Best Tennessee Day Trips for Families
Try:
Dollywood
Great Smoky Mountains
Chattanooga
Tennessee Aquarium
Ruby Falls
Lost Sea
Discovery Park of America
Memphis Zoo
Graceland
Mammoth Cave—
Hold on.
Kentucky again.
Tennessee’s neighbors keep trying to get free advertising.
Let’s replace that with:
Mammoth Site—
Nope.
South Dakota.
We’ve written too many states.
Let’s go with:
Adventure Science Center in Nashville
There.
Definitely Tennessee.
Romantic Tennessee Day Trips
For couples:
Gatlinburg
Great Smoky Mountains
Chattanooga
Franklin
Leiper’s Fork
Lynchburg
Nashville
Roan Mountain
Cherohala Skyway
Fall Creek Falls
Natchez Trace
Townsend
Reelfoot Lake
Sunset over the Smokies is difficult to beat.
Unless somebody scheduled dinner reservations in Nashville.
Then apparently we’re leaving.
Budget-Friendly Tennessee Day Trips
Build affordable trips around:
Great Smoky Mountains
Scenic drives
State parks
National battlefields
Falls Park—
South Dakota again.
We’re removing that one.
Try:
Bicentennial Capitol Mall
Historic downtowns
National forests
Natchez Trace Parkway
Wildlife areas
Waterfall trails
Riverfront parks
Cumberland Gap
Public music events
Avoid hardcoding old prices or “free admission days.”
Those details change quickly.
Check official attraction pages before leaving.
Best Tennessee Spring Day Trips
Spring belongs to:
Great Smoky Mountains
Roan Mountain
Waterfalls
Reelfoot Lake
Radnor Lake
Natchez Trace
Cherokee National Forest
Fall Creek Falls
Jonesborough
Waterfalls often benefit from spring rainfall.
Wildflowers begin appearing throughout the mountains.
Best Tennessee Summer Day Trips
Try:
Smokies
Dollywood
Reelfoot Lake
Big South Fork
Waterfall country
Chattanooga
Cherokee National Forest
Tennessee River
But summer means heat and humidity.
Start difficult hikes early.
Bring water.
And never underestimate Tennessee humidity.
It can turn a three-mile hike into a personal negotiation.
Best Tennessee Fall Day Trips
This is prime road-trip season.
Head for:
Great Smoky Mountains
Cherohala Skyway
Foothills Parkway
Roan Mountain
Big South Fork
Fall Creek Falls
Cumberland Plateau
Natchez Trace
East Tennessee mountain towns
Peak color varies by elevation and weather.
Higher elevations generally change before lower valleys.
Best Tennessee Winter Day Trips
Try:
Nashville museums
Memphis music sites
National Civil Rights Museum
Oak Ridge
Lost Sea
Ruby Falls
Chattanooga
Reelfoot Lake bald eagle watching
Great Smoky Mountains when road conditions allow
Snow and ice can close mountain roads quickly.
Check conditions before heading uphill.
Tennessee Food Road Trips
Tennessee is another state where eating counts as cultural research.
Look for:
Memphis barbecue
Nashville hot chicken
Country ham
Meat-and-three restaurants
Biscuits
Fried catfish
Banana pudding
MoonPies
Goo Goo Clusters
Appalachian cooking
West Tennessee barbecue
Tennessee whiskey
And don’t start the argument about which Tennessee barbecue style is best unless you have several hours available.
People have opinions.
Strong ones.
Tennessee Road-Trip Combinations
Try:
Gatlinburg → Great Smoky Mountains → Cades Cove
Gatlinburg → Newfound Gap → Kuwohi
Knoxville → Oak Ridge
Chattanooga → Lookout Mountain → Ruby Falls
Bristol → Jonesborough
Sweetwater → Lost Sea → Knoxville
Cookeville → Cummins Falls → Burgess Falls
Fall Creek Falls → Rock Island
Nashville → Franklin → Leiper’s Fork
Nashville → Lynchburg
Nashville → Natchez Trace
Clarksville → Dunbar Cave
Memphis → Graceland → Stax
Memphis → Meeman-Shelby Forest
Union City → Reelfoot Lake
Shiloh → Savannah
Don’t attempt Memphis to Gatlinburg as a casual day trip.
Tennessee is long.
Very long.
The state basically looked at road-trip planning and said:
“Good luck.”
Tennessee Road-Trip Safety
Watch for:
Mountain weather
Flash flooding
Summer heat
Waterfall cliffs
Slippery rocks
River currents
Dam releases
Black bears
Venomous snakes
Ticks
Limited mountain cell service
Seasonal road closures
Winter ice
Severe thunderstorms
And never jump from waterfall cliffs simply because somebody else is doing it.
Somebody else’s questionable vacation decision does not need to become yours.
More Tennessee Adventures from City Unknown
Continue exploring the Volunteer State:
Tennessee Hidden Gems — Discover caves, waterfalls, abandoned places and unusual roadside stops.
Ultimate Tennessee Waterfall Road Trip — Explore the Cumberland Plateau one waterfall at a time.
Tennessee Small-Town Road Trip — Jonesborough, Lynchburg, Bell Buckle, Townsend and more.
Ultimate Great Smoky Mountains Road Trip — Cades Cove, Kuwohi, Newfound Gap and mountain backroads.
Tennessee Music Road Trip — Nashville, Memphis, Bristol and Brownsville.
Tennessee Civil Rights Road Trip — Explore places that changed American history.
Tennessee Scenic Drives — Smokies, Cherohala Skyway, Natchez Trace and beyond.
Tennessee Weird & Unusual Places — Underground lakes, ghost legends and roadside oddities.
Tennessee Ghost Town Road Trip — Explore abandoned and forgotten communities.
Tennessee BBQ Road Trip — Follow smoke across the Volunteer State.
Tennessee Fall Color Road Trip — Explore the mountains and Cumberland Plateau.
Best Day Trips from Nashville
Best Day Trips from Memphis
Best Day Trips from Knoxville
Best Day Trips from Chattanooga
Best Day Trips from Gatlinburg
And for City Unknown after dark:
21 Haunted Places in Tennessee With a Story to Tell
15 Haunted Hotels, Prisons & Caves in Tennessee
The Bell Witch: Tennessee’s Most Famous Ghost Story
Find Your Next Tennessee Adventure
See the Smokies.
Walk Broadway.
Visit Graceland.
Those belong on the list.
Then keep going.
Follow a mountain road.
Find a waterfall.
Walk through a secret World War II city.
Take a boat ride across an underground lake.
Visit an ancient Indigenous earthwork.
Stand inside an abandoned prison.
Listen to blues in Memphis.
Hear country music in Bristol.
Drive through cypress trees at Reelfoot Lake.
Visit a town built around storytelling.
Investigate a haunted cave.
Eat barbecue somewhere with smoke pouring from a building that doesn’t look remotely fancy.
Those are usually good signs.
Tennessee’s famous destinations deserve their fame.
But its backroads provide the stories you’ll still be telling years later.
City Unknown Tip
Don’t try to see Tennessee in one trip.
The state is simply too long and too varied.
Take one trip through East Tennessee for mountains and waterfalls.
Another through Middle Tennessee for music, history and the Cumberland Plateau.
Then head west for Memphis, Reelfoot Lake and Mississippi River country.
And somewhere along the way, turn off the interstate.
Because Tennessee becomes considerably more interesting when the highway gets narrower, the mountains get closer and your carefully planned schedule starts falling apart.
That’s usually when the good stuff begins.