Chattanooga
Myriad songbirds of the avian variety call Tennessee home, but Chattanooga's newly revamped Songbirds – an innovative interactive learning space devoted…
Must-see attractions in East Tennessee
Chattanooga
Just ten minutes from downtown Chattanooga, Tennessee, rising along the upper rim of the city, Lookout Mountain is rich in both Civil War history and…
East Tennessee
On April 15, 1912, the steamship Titanic sank on her maiden voyage after colliding with an iceberg. The ship's history and the stories of many of her…
Chattanooga
Situated on the Tennessee River in downtown Chattanooga, TN, the Tennessee Aquarium is home to 10,000 animals. The aquarium, Chattanooga’s most visited…
Reflection Riding Arboretum & Nature Center
Chattanooga
A 317-acre green oasis just 15 minutes from downtown Chattanooga, Reflection Riding Arboretum & Nature Center pairs outdoor recreation with botanical and…
Chattanooga
Set high on the river bluffs, this striking edifice of melted steel and glass – fronted by an early-20th-century mansion – is easily the most singular…
Chattanooga
Finished in 1891, this half-mile span carried vehicles from downtown to the North Shore until 1978, when it was closed for safety reasons. In 1993 it was…
East Tennessee
A 'chondola' whisks visitors from downtown Gatlinburg to this playground in the sky, where views of the Great Smokies are superb. Once atop Anakeesta…
East Tennessee
Site of the canoe and kayak slalom events for the 1996 Summer Olympics, the Ocoee Whitewater Center today doubles as a regional visitor center and a…
Museum of East Tennessee History
Knoxville
This glossy museum spotlights key moments in the history of East Tennessee as well as regional cultural topics, from 'hillbilly' music to mountain tourism…
East Tennessee
Waterfalls crash high and low inside this rugged 26,000-acre park that hugs the craggy surface of the Cumberland Plateau 115 miles southeast of Nashville…
East Tennessee
This small-batch distillery sources all its ingredients locally. Sample its moonshine, its tequila spin-off and the intriguing Yenoh, an all-honey mead…
American Museum of Science & Energy
Knoxville
During WWII the US military began the Manhattan Project, a top-secret program to develop the atomic bomb. Oak Ridge was one of the key research and…
Knoxville
Sprawled across 65 acres dotted with cabins and livestock, this comprehensive museum spotlights the history and culture of the mountain communities in the…
Chattanooga
Tucked between the Tennessee Aquarium and the Tennessee River, the patch of greenery known as Ross's Landing marks the starting point of the Trail of…
Chattanooga
A 13-mile, multiuse paved greenway on the south side of the Tennessee River, the Riverwalk runs from downtown through Amnicola Marsh and along South…
East Tennessee
This state park encompasses 2006 acres of southern Appalachian forest at the base of 6285ft Roan Mountain. Wildflower hunters arrive in mid- to late June…
East Tennessee
Warning: the exhibits here can leave you feeling off-kilter, even queasy. Galleries spotlight different aspects of criminology, beginning with medieval…
Knoxville
In front of this small museum an eye-catching statue portrays the 12 African American high-school students who desegregated Clinton High School in 1956…
Chattanooga
A good place to start a riverfront stroll, Coolidge Park has a play fountain, a carousel ($1 per ride), well-used playing fields, and a 50ft climbing wall…
Arrowmont School of Arts & Crafts
East Tennessee
If you're looking for a quality cultural distraction in Gatlinburg, walk to the art galleries and artist studios (viewable from catwalks) at Arrowmont –…
East Tennessee
On the grounds of the Sevier County Courthouse you'll likely see folks snapping photos of this statue of a young Dolly Parton, who calls Sevierville her…
Knoxville
If you're planning to explore the region, the landscape paintings of mountains, forests and streams are a lovely source of inspiration at this small…
Ober Gatlinburg Aerial Tramway
East Tennessee
Ride the scenic 2-mile aerial tramway to the Bavarian-themed Ober Gatlinburg ski resort and amusement park. At the amusement park you'll find an indoor…
East Tennessee
This ski-resort chairlift swoops you high into the Smokies, providing stellar views. The lofty SkyDeck and the 680ft-long SkyBridge, the longest…
East Tennessee
One ticket gets you three spins inside an all-glass gondola on this 200ft-tall Ferris wheel, which anchors The Island. Views of the Great Smokies are…
David Crockett Birthplace State Park
East Tennessee
Mountain men don't leave many artifacts behind, so you won't find any original coonskin caps here, just lots of replicas for sale. Displays about the…
Knoxville
This center preserves and shares the history of African Americans in Knoxville. Key exhibits highlight urban renewal in the city and trace the interesting…
Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies
East Tennessee
One of eight Ripley's attractions in Gatlinburg, the aquarium is a convenient rainy-day destination – just be aware that everyone else downtown will have…
Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center
East Tennessee
On the outskirts of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, this small museum spotlights Native American peoples of East Tennessee as well as the region's…
Women's Basketball Hall of Fame
Knoxville
You can't miss the massive orange basketball that marks the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame, a nifty look at the sport from the time when women were…
Knoxville
The city's visual centerpiece is the Sunsphere, a golden orb (disco ball!) atop a tower that's the main remnant of the 1982 World's Fair. You can take the…
East Tennessee
If you don't have time to take a chairlift from downtown Gatlinburg to a scenic lookout, you can enjoy a lofty view of downtown and the surrounding…
Sculpture Fields at Montague Park
Chattanooga
Large-scale sculptures from a global array of artists dot this 33-acre outdoor museum. Open since 2016, the park is a pleasant place to stroll on a pretty…
Chattanooga
Explores various aspects of African American history in Chattanooga and shares a few artifacts related to Chattanooga-born singer Bessie Smith, the…
McClung Museum of Natural History
Knoxville
On the campus of UT, this small natural-history museum is a good rainy-day distraction for families. You'll find dinosaur bones from Tennessee in the…
