Discover Tennessee: Nature, Culture, and Waterfalls

Tennessee combines expansive natural areas, impressive waterfalls, and river landscapes with places where music and U.S. history are closely intertwined. For planning your trip, it is therefore worth taking a closer look at the different highlights: Between the Great Smoky Mountains, Nashville, historic sites, and the many natural experiences, there are very different ways to shape your stay.

• The Great Smoky Mountains National Park stretches across the border between Tennessee and North Carolina.
• Cades Cove is a mountain-ringed valley south of Townsend surrounded by an 11-mile one-way loop road.
• The Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area offers free programs and events led by park rangers.
• The Obed Wild & Scenic River features gorges up to 500 feet deep and is designated as a Dark Sky International Park.
• The Natchez Trace Parkway is a 444-mile designated bicycle route through three states and ends just south of Nashville.
• The Stones River National Battlefield is connected to the Murfreesboro Greenway System by foot and bicycle.
• Dollywood covers 160 hectares in the Great Smoky Mountains and offers more than 50 rides.

Nature Among Mountains, Rivers, and Caves

Historic structures complement the landscape in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Churches, gristmills, barns, and homes illustrate life in the mountains before the park was established. At the same time, the area is known for its diverse plant and animal life. This part of Tennessee therefore combines nature observation with direct access to the region’s past, without requiring the two themes to be considered separately.

The Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area features a different type of landscape. It protects the free-flowing Big South Fork of the Cumberland River and its tributaries. Its cultural offerings include the storytelling festival Haunting in the Hills with stories, live music, and hands-on crafts. The Obed Wild & Scenic River, in turn, features a rugged river landscape with gorges up to 500 feet deep and exceptional waterways. Kayaking is one of the documented water sports there.

The waterfalls also distribute different nature experiences throughout Tennessee. At Burgess Falls, the Falling Water River drops nearly 250 feet in total over three waterfalls. Twin Falls is a 30-foot-high, horseshoe-shaped cascade with an 80-foot drop in Rock Island State Park. Cummins Falls reaches a height of 75 feet in Cummins Falls State Park and has a swimming area. Foster Falls plunges 60 feet into a pool in South Cumberland State Park, while Fall Creek Falls drops 256 feet in the state park of the same name.

Underground, Ruby Falls adds another highlight. A guided cave passage there leads to an underground waterfall. It is reached after a 260-foot ride in a glass elevator. Waterfalls, rivers, caves, and hiking trails thus create a broad range of nature experiences that extends beyond individual viewpoints.

Music and History as Distinct Travel Highlights

Nashville represents a vibrant country music tradition: The Grand Ole Opry presents country musicians every week. The Ryman Auditorium offers a historical connection, having served as the home of the Grand Ole Opry from 1943 to 1974. Those who want to explore music history not only through stages but also through exhibitions can find interactive permanent exhibitions about the 1927 Bristol Sessions at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum. The museum also tells the story of these sessions and their lasting influence on music to this day.

Historical themes in Tennessee extend far beyond music. The Stones River National Battlefield commemorates the Battle of Stones River, one of the largest and most significant battles of the American Civil War. Regular living-history demonstrations complement the site. Oak Ridge is also home to one of the three locations of the Manhattan Project National Historical Park.

Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage combines a historical visit with space for walks: It offers more than 1,120 hectares of dog-friendly trails. In addition, expert staff guide visitors through Andrew Jackson’s historic home. In Memphis, the Graceland Mansion Tour offers an audio-guided tour. The cultural selection therefore ranges from music archives and concert history to political and social chapters of the United States’ past.

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For the overarching travel overview: USA.

More destinations

More places under the same destination:

Washington, California, Massachusetts, South Dakota, New Mexico, Montana, Kentucky.