Things to Do in Tennessee
Ten stops running from Elvis's actual home to a motel balcony that became a permanent, sobering marker of one of the most significant days in the civil rights movement.
Tennessee runs a proper depth beyond what the quiz already covers, this list heads toward Elvis's actual home, a motel that became a properly significant civil rights memorial, and a hot chicken tradition that Nashville takes seriously enough to have its own dedicated festival. Ten stops below, plus a quiz elsewhere on this site if you fancy testing what stuck.
Graceland, Memphis
Elvis Presley's home from 1957 until his death in 1977, preserved largely as it looked during his life, the Jungle Room, decorated with green shag carpet and carved wooden furniture, remains one of the most recognisable rooms in American celebrity history. Elvis is buried on the grounds in the Meditation Garden alongside several family members, a proper, quiet spot that draws visitors regardless of the busier tour crowds elsewhere on the property.
This runs as one of the more visited private homes in the country, book tickets ahead during peak season, particularly around the anniversary of his death each August when crowds run considerably heavier.
Hours Daily, roughly 10am-5pm, hours vary seasonally
Address 3717 Elvis Presley Blvd, Memphis, TN
Dollywood
A theme park co-owned by Dolly Parton, built around the Smoky Mountains region where she grew up, roller coasters and a real working craft village sit alongside a replica of her actual childhood home. This runs as a properly substantial theme park, ranked consistently among the best for its combination of thrill rides and craftsmanship demonstrations, considerably more polished than a typical regional park.
The park's bakery, particularly the cinnamon bread, has developed a real following of its own, try it regardless of how the rest of your visit goes.
Hours Seasonal, roughly March-December, check current schedule
Address 2700 Dollywood Parks Blvd, Pigeon Forge, TN
National Civil Rights Museum, Memphis
Built around the former Lorraine Motel, where Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated on April 4, 1968, the balcony outside room 306 remains preserved exactly as it appeared that day, a wreath marking the precise spot. The museum covers the full history of the civil rights movement in real, careful depth, allow a proper half-day to engage with the exhibits rather than rushing through.
This runs as a properly significant, sobering stop, essential for understanding this pivotal chapter of American history, approach it with real time and attention rather than treating it as a brief photo stop.
Hours Wed-Mon, roughly 9am-5pm, closed Tuesdays
Address 450 Mulberry St, Memphis, TN
Great Smoky Mountains, Tennessee Side
The most visited national park in the entire country, Tennessee's western entrance around Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge runs considerably more developed and tourist-oriented than the quieter North Carolina side, giving quick access to trails without much driving. Cades Cove, an isolated valley within the park, holds preserved 19th-century homesteads alongside some of the park's most reliable wildlife viewing, black bears in particular turn up regularly along the loop road.
This park charges no entrance fee at all, one of the few major national parks that doesn't, a proper reason to build a visit into a wider Tennessee trip even on a tight budget.
Best time October for foliage; spring for wildflowers
Address Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Gatlinburg, TN
Ruby Falls & Rock City, Chattanooga
Ruby Falls, a 145-foot underground waterfall discovered in 1928, sits at the end of a guided cave tour reaching 1,120 feet below Lookout Mountain, considerably deeper than most cave systems open to public tours. Rock City, a separate attraction on the same mountain, runs a walking trail through properly dramatic rock formations, ending at an overlook claiming views into seven states on a clear day.
Both attractions sit on Lookout Mountain within a short drive of each other, a good combination for a single day if you're visiting the Chattanooga area specifically.
Hours Daily, hours vary seasonally
Address 1720 South Scenic Hwy, Chattanooga, TN
Tennessee Aquarium, Chattanooga
One of the larger freshwater-focused aquariums in the country, covering the full journey of a river system from mountain stream to ocean, alongside a dedicated ocean journey building housing sharks and a properly substantial tropical reef exhibit. This runs well for a full day, several distinct galleries mean most families don't cover everything in a single rushed visit.
The butterfly garden, a warm, humid greenhouse filled with free-flying butterflies, tends to be a particular highlight for younger visitors, a properly immersive stop beyond the standard tank viewing.
Hours Daily, roughly 10am-5pm
Address 1 Broad St, Chattanooga, TN
Tennessee's Hot Chicken
Nashville hot chicken, fried chicken coated in a fiery cayenne-based paste after cooking, traces its origins to a specific Nashville family recipe developed generations ago, since spread into a real local institution with heat levels ranging from mild to levels most visitors actually can't finish. Prince's Hot Chicken Shack, run by descendants of the dish's original creators, remains the most historically significant spot to try it.
Start with a lower heat level than you think you want, this properly runs hotter than most regional spicy food traditions, take the warning on the menu seriously rather than as marketing.
Address Prince's Hot Chicken Shack, 5814 Nolensville Pike, Nashville, TN
Bristol: Birthplace of Country Music
A small town straddling the Tennessee-Virginia border, Bristol is officially recognised by Congress as the birthplace of country music, following a series of 1927 recording sessions that captured early performances now considered foundational to the entire genre. The Birthplace of Country Music Museum covers this history in real depth, a properly significant stop for anyone with a serious interest in American music history.
The town also holds Bristol Motor Speedway, a considerably different kind of attraction, one of NASCAR's most demanding short tracks, a good combination if racing interests you alongside the music history.
Hours Tue-Sat, roughly 10am-5pm
Address 520 Birthplace of Country Music Way, Bristol, TN
Fall Creek Falls State Park
One of the most visited state parks in Tennessee, home to a 256-foot waterfall, the tallest free-falling waterfall east of the Rocky Mountains, reachable via several trails ranging from an easy overlook walk to a more demanding hike down to the base. The wider park runs extensive hiking, a golf course, and cabin rentals, a proper full day or overnight stay pays off if the waterfall alone doesn't fill your visit.
Several overlooks offer sweeping views without much walking involved, a good option if you're short on time or travelling with anyone who'd rather skip the longer trails.
Best time Spring for the fullest waterfall flow
Address 2009 Village Camp Rd, Spencer, TN
Tennessee's Whiskey Trail
Beyond Jack Daniel's, Tennessee runs a proper whiskey trail linking together dozens of distilleries, George Dickel among the more established alternatives, using the same charcoal mellowing process that legally defines Tennessee whiskey as distinct from bourbon. Several smaller, family-run distilleries have opened in recent years, explore at least one beyond the two biggest names if craft spirits interest you specifically.
Most distilleries run guided tours covering the production process alongside tastings, arrange transport ahead given how directly this trail involves alcohol across multiple stops.
Address Tennessee Whiskey Trail, multiple locations
Best time to visit Tennessee
April through June and September through October cover the most comfortable weather for this list, mild enough for the outdoor stops without summer's serious heat and humidity.
October specifically suits the Great Smoky Mountains for foliage, time a mountain-focused trip around then if autumn colour is a priority.
Getting around Tennessee
A car is essential, the distances between Memphis, Nashville, and Chattanooga run into a few hours each, this is a state best covered with your own transport.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Tennessee worth visiting beyond Nashville and Jack Daniel's?
- Yes, easily, Graceland, the Great Smoky Mountains, and the National Civil Rights Museum all offer a completely different picture of the state than music and whiskey alone.
- How many days do you need in Tennessee?
- Seven days gives a comfortable pace to cover Memphis, Nashville, and either the Smoky Mountains or Chattanooga.
- Is Tennessee expensive to visit?
- No, generally affordable, food and accommodation both run below the national average outside of Nashville and Gatlinburg during peak season specifically.
- What's the best Tennessee trip for kids?
- Dollywood and the Tennessee Aquarium both rank as the most reliably kid-friendly stops on this list.
That's ten decent slices of a state that runs considerably deeper than its music history alone.
A note before you plan around this: prices, opening hours, booking requirements and admission details in this guide were correct at the time of writing, but venues change these often and sometimes without notice. Always check directly with the attraction or its official website before you travel or build a schedule around a specific time or price.
Before travelling to any destination featured on this site, please also check your government's latest travel advice, as safety situations, entry requirements and travel warnings can change.
