Map view
Ober Gatlinburg
Best time to visit: Jan-Feb, Sept-Oct, Dec
Cost: $
- Ski area and amusement park located in Gatlinburg, established in 1962
- The area also contains a large mall with indoor amusements, an indoor ice skating rink, snack bars, and stores
- An aerial tram connects Ober Mountain to downtown Gatlinburg, which is about 3 miles east
#14 in Best Ski Resorts in the World
#20 in Best Ski Resorts in the USA
Laurel Falls Trail, Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Walk difficulty: Easy
Best time to visit: June-Nov
Cost: $
- Historic trail that ascends Cove Mountain, leading past Laurel Falls, one of the most popular waterfalls in the national park, en route to the summit of Cove Mountain
- Landmarks include the falls, old-growth forest, and the Cove Mountain lookout tower
- The tower used to be a fire tower, and is only one of four remaining former fire towers in the park
#7 in Best National Parks in the USA
#9 in Best Attractions in the USA
#21 in Most Surreal Attractions in the USA
#30 in Best Attractions in the World
#32 in Best Landmarks in the USA
Dollywood
Best time to visit: March-May, Sept-Oct
Cost: $$
- Theme park jointly owned by Herschend Family Entertainment and country singer-songwriter Dolly Parton through her entertainment company
- It is located in Pigeon Forge, near the gateway to The Great Smoky Mountains
- Dollywood is the biggest ticketed tourist attraction in Tennessee, and has won many international awards
#3 in Best Theme Parks in the USA
#18 in Best Theme Parks in the World
#30 in Best Attractions in the USA
Cheekwood Botanical Garden and Museum of Art, Nashville
Best time to visit: April-Oct
Cost: $
- Cheekwood is a historic estate on the western edge of Nashville
- Formerly the residence of Nashville's Cheek family, the 30,000-square-foot (2,800 m2) Georgian-style mansion was opened as a botanical garden and art museum in 1960
- The estate design was inspired by the grand English manors of the 18th century
Gatlinburg SkyLift Park
Best time to visit: Sept-Oct
Cost: $
- Gatlinburg is a mountain resort city in Sevier County
- The Gatlinburg SkyLift takes visitors up 1,800 feet (550 m) to the top of Crockett Mountain, to the longest footbridge in the US which spans two mountains
Day Loop Trail, Long Hunter State Park
Walk difficulty: Moderate
Best time to visit: April-Oct
Cost: $
- State park mostly situated along the eastern shores of Percy Priest Lake, an artificial lake created by an impoundment of the Stones River
- Long Hunter State Park comprises three lake sections, and all three sections are connected by narrow strips of land
- The park also manages Sellars Farm, a state archaeological area
Synchronous Fireflies Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Best time to visit: late May-early June
Cost: $
- From late May to early June, the Elkmont area of the park hosts the peak display period for synchronous fireflies, one of at least 19 species of fireflies that live in Great Smoky Mountains National Park
- They are the only species in America whose individuals can synchronize their flashing light patterns
The Island in Pigeon Forge
Best time to visit: March-May, Sept-Oct
Cost: $
- Pigeon Forge is a mountain resort city in Sevier County, situated north of Great Smoky Mountains National Park
- Pigeon Forge caters primarily to Southern culture and country music fans
- The city's attractions include Dollywood and Dollywood's Splash Country as well as numerous gift shops, outlet malls, amusement rides, and musical theaters
#26 in Best Theme Parks in the USA
Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
Best time to visit: April-Oct
Cost: $
- The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville, is one of the world's largest museums and research centers dedicated to the preservation and interpretation of American vernacular music
- Chartered in 1964, the museum has amassed one of the world's most extensive musical collections
- The collection includes The Bob Pinson Recorded Sound Collection comprising over 250,000 sound recordings, including an estimated 98% of all pre-World War II country recordings released commercially
Leiper's Fork Distillery, Franklin
Best time to visit: April-Oct
Cost: $
- Small batch whiskey producer in Williamson County
- The distillery crafts premium spirits using mainly local ingredients and limestone filtered water to create spirits with a signature taste
Lost Sea
Best time to visit: March-June, Sept-Nov
Cost: $
- Craighead Caverns is an extensive cave system best known for containing the United States' largest and the world's second largest non-subglacial underground lake, The Lost Sea
- In addition to the lake, the caverns contain an abundance of crystal clusters called anthodites, stalactites, stalagmites, and a waterfall
- In the 1970s, cave divers explored several rooms that are completely filled with water, without reaching the end of the cave
Shelby Farms, Memphis
Best time to visit: April-May, Oct-Nov
Cost: $
- Public park located in Shelby County, and one of the largest urban parks in the US and the world, at a size of 4,500 acres (1,800 ha) and covers more than five times the area of Central Park in New York City
- Lakes, natural forests, and wetlands provide natural habitats for many smaller species close to an urban metropolitan area
- Wildlife can be observed in their natural environment from the many trails in the park, such as a native to the park bison herd
Graceland
Best time to visit: April-May, Oct-Nov
Cost: $
- Graceland is a mansion on a 13.8-acre (5.6-hectare) estate in Memphis, once owned by singer Elvis Presley
- Presley is buried there, as are his parents, paternal grandmother, grandson, and daughter
- Graceland was opened to the public as a house museum in 1982
Grand Ole Opry
Best time to visit: April-Oct
Cost: $$$
- Weekly live country music radio broadcast from – and a several nights per week performance held at – the Opry House in Nashville
- It was founded in 1925, as a one-hour radio "barn dance" on WSM
- It is the longest-running radio broadcast in U.S. history
- Dedicated to honoring country music and its history, the Opry showcases a mix of famous singers and contemporary chart-toppers performing country, bluegrass, Americana, folk, and gospel music as well as comedic performances and skits
Ijams Nature Center, Knoxville
Best time to visit: March-June, Sept-Nov
Cost: $
- Wetlands and rock formations fill the urban nature park with 10 miles of trails plus bike and canoe rentals
Cades Cove Loop Road
Walk difficulty: Easy
Best time to visit: June-Nov
Cost: $
- Cades Cove is an isolated valley located in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park
- The valley was home to numerous settlers before the formation of the national park
- Today Cades Cove contains well preserved homesteads, scenic mountain views, and abundant display of wildlife
National Civil Rights Museum
Best time to visit: April-May, Oct-Nov
Cost: $
- Complex of museums and historic buildings in Memphis; its exhibits trace the history of the civil rights movement in the United States from the 17th century to the present
- The museum is built around the former Lorraine Motel, which was the site of the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968
- Two other buildings and their adjacent property, also connected with the King assassination, have been acquired as part of the museum complex