Whether you’re a local or you’re on vacation, there are plenty of fun things to do in Tennessee. Here’s a guide to 8 of the best must-see attractions.
Planning a trip to Tennessee soon? Not sure where to go?
Here are some ideas to help narrow down your list of must-see attractions. We’ve compiled the best eight places to visit and things to do in Tennessee.
You’ll see all the important things in Memphis, Nashville, and Knoxville. Then you’ll finish your trip in the Smoky Mountains, touted as America’s most visited national park.
8. Beale Street
To start off your sightseeing at the best blues bars in Tennessee. From BB King’s to Silky O’Sullivan’s and Club Handy, walk the two blocks (closed to traffic) to find live music and perfect eats every night of the week.
7. Gibson Guitar Factory
Stop by for a tour of the factory given by actual employees. It takes about an hour, and at the end, tourists can touch and play any of the guitars in the showroom.
6. Lorraine Motel
One of the tourist attractions in Memphis is the National Civil Rights Museum, including the Lorraine Motel where Martin Luther King, Jr. got shot.
Also included with the museum is access to the building across the street where shooter James Earl Ray was and some insight into his life. The visit is somber but memorable and well worth your time.
5. The Peabody
Who doesn’t love little fluffy ducks who live in the penthouse? Watch the hotel’s resident animal friends march down every day at 11 a.m. and 5 p.m.
4. Centennial Park
Nashville’s Centennial Park is home to The Parthenon, a replica of the real one in Greece. Enjoy the 132 acres in the middle of town, either walking or by trolley car.
While you’re in Nashville, do some celebrity spotting at a restaurant like Alan Jackson’s AJ’s Good Time Bar, Dierks Whiskey Row (of Dierks Bentley), or Nashville Underground (owned by Gavin DeGraw).
3. Grand Ole Opry House
When the radio show started in 1925, the Grand Ole Opry wasn’t at its current home. Among the radio show’s former locations, Ryman Auditorium is worth a visit, if you have time after visiting the current Grand Ole Opry House. It’s still a concert venue (and seats over 2000).
As long as you’re in Nashville, stop at The Hermitage, former home of President Andrew Jackson, including his grave site.
2. Knoxville
While exploring Knoxville, ride the Three Rivers Rambler vintage steam train, 90 minutes of gorgeous countryside.
Make sure to include Navitat Adventure Park, historical landmarks like Blount Mansion, and a Volunteer Princess Yacht Cruise on your list of excursions. You may even decide you want to move to Knoxville — read more here.
1. Best of All Things To Do In Tennessee
Our number one favorite place to visit in Tennessee is Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Hiking or camping puts you in touch with nature and the state’s best landscape views.
Dollywood is also in the Smoky Mountains, a Pigeon Forge theme park with roller coasters, but also carnival fun, live music, and whitewater rafting. Also in Pigeon Forge and worth a visit is the Titanic Museum.
Let’s Get Going
With all these things to do in Tennessee, it’s hard to choose where to start. Memphis, Nashville, Knoxville, and the Great Smoky Mountain National Park offer the best of the state’s beauty and culture for you to visit.
For more about traveling, including places to visit and travel hacks, read our blog.
