6 Delightful Towns to Visit in Tennessee (2024)

Tennessee is a delightful State with a variety of towns that excel at welcoming guests to enjoy their homegrown hospitality. Famous for the Great Smoky Mountains, a visit to Tennessee creates memories that last a lifetime with views that leave a lasting impression. Great people, food, entertainment, and awe-inspiring landscapes make Tennessee a perfect place to spend time with family and friends. The following is a list of six delightful towns to visit in Tennessee.

Gatlinburg

Gatlinburg, Tennessee, is a delightful place to visit as it envelopes guests in marvelous natural splendor within The Great Smoky Mountains. There are so many things to see and do in Gatlinburg; the most difficult choice to make is where to begin! The Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smoky Mountains provides incredible family fun with its variety of marine life exhibits, where sharks, sting rays, and penguins are just a few of the aquatic animals to be encountered. For a truly one-of-a-kind experience, try a stroll across the Sky Bridge at the top of Skylift, one of Gatlinburg’s main attractions. This 650-foot-long pedestrian cable bridge features 30 glass panels on its floor, giving the feeling of walking in thin air.

As the gateway to The Great Smoky Mountains, a visit to Gatlinburg would only be complete with a tour through the famous mountain range where an abundance of natural beauty surrounds you over rolling hills on 500,000 acres of forestlands. Book your stay at one of the region’s luxury cabins for a full mountain life experience with plenty of space for the whole family.

Pigeon Forge

Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, is home to the famous Dollywood Theme Park as well as The Titanic Museum. Both destinations provide worlds of amusem*nt and welcome you to enjoy all there is to see and do. Those who love amusem*nt rides, good food, and live entertainment will be thrilled with all that Dollywood has to offer, while Titanic lovers will be in seventh heaven visiting The Titanic Museum, housed in a half-scale replica of the RMS Titanic. The museum enjoys a collection of over 400 authentic artifacts from the actual Titanic, and the staff and ship are fully uniformed in costumes and decorations to mimic life aboard this world-famous vessel.

Enjoy a visit to Patriot Park to pay respects to the war veterans from the region and enjoy a stroll along Little Pigeon River, a popular place where locals gather for community-based festivals and events. A variety of cabins, condos, and chalets provide comfy accommodations, such as the Riverstone Resort and Spa which offers full spa services.

Cookeville

Enjoying proximity to Burgess Falls, Cummins Falls, and Rock Island State Parks, Cookeville, Tennessee, is the place to visit to enjoy some time in the great outdoors. All three parks provide plenty of opportunities to get up close and personal, with waterfalls, wildlife, and forestlands in abundance. Good food is a big deal in Cookeville, offering wineries, coffee shops, and bakeries. Visitors can also grab a bite at HWY 70 BBQ or Moogies BBQ, two stops along the Tennessee Barbecue Trail. Antique shops and bookstores line the streets of Cookville, such as Jones Antiques, which has been in the business for over 35 years.

Cookville has a wide variety of lodgings and accommodations as well, ranging from luxe hotels to full-sized home rentals. There are also options to rent cabins, such as The Cozy Love Shack, which is complete with a rustic cabin that feels tucked away in a private, treed lot.

Morristown

Davey Crockett’s boyhood home is found in Morristown, Tennessee, and guests are welcome to enjoy a glimpse of his youth during a visit to the Crockett Tavern Museum, with an on-site trading post and a variety of items for exhibit and for sale that highlights the life of the famous frontiersman. The Morristown Historic District is where visitors discover a variety of fabulous places to grab a bite to eat, as well as a farmer’s market and antique and specialty shops. For an experience not soon forgotten, test your fear factor at Frightmore Manor, a top-rated haunted attraction that offers genuinely ghostly experiences and will give you your money back if you can make it through all five of its haunted locations, that is, if you dare! Accommodations in Morristown include a selection of Inns and Campgrounds, including the fully- serviced Panther Creek State Park Campground.

Arlington

The Civil War marks the era in which Arlington, Tennessee, took shape as a community, and today, visitors are offered a healthy selection of delicious meals at Vinegar Jim’s Restaurant, the oldest in town, with a menu designed to reflect the healthier diets of the 1800s. The Grapevine Tea Room also offers homemade goodies, soups, and meals prepared with fresh local ingredients and is located in Arlington’s historical Depot Square. Arlington is the location of several properties under the protection of the Preservation of the Tennessee Antiques including a blacksmith shop, post office, a log cabin which all reflect Civil-War-era history and welcomes history lovers to visit these locales for a glimpse into the town’s formative years. To burn off a little steam, visitors can play baseball and soccer or take a stroll along the walking trails at the Arlington Sports Complex.

Bristol

Famous as the birthplace of country music, Bristol, Tennessee, is home to the Museum of the same name, and visitors delight in the historical celebration of the 1927 Bristol Sessions, which are the highlight of the museum, while it also focuses on bringing awareness to the region’s musical heritage through radio and music festivals. The Bristol Motor Speedway is a speed lover’s paradise, featuring a stadium prime for viewing pleasure. This venue hosts football games, races, and concerts and features luxuriously appointed man caves and other styles of accommodation for top-notch raceway experiences.

Historic Downtown Bristol, noted to have been a joyful and fun place to live for over 150 years, hosts public events and live music designed to bring the community together in a spirit of fun and progress. A stay at the gorgeous Bristol Hotel upholds a 1920s aesthetic and represents a local structural landmark within a boutique-style setting.

Explore the Charm of Tennessee's Small Towns

The Great Smoky Mountains provide the backdrop to the abundance of adventure and fun awaiting visitors to these small towns in Tennessee. A visit to Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smoky Mountains is a must, where visitors enjoy encounters with sharks and stingrays. A visit to Cookeville provides not one but two opportunities to taste world-class barbecue while Morriston heralds back to the early frontier days at Davy Crockett’s boyhood home at the Crocket Tavern Museum. Tennessee is a delightful state that welcomes visitors to kick back and enjoy their stay.

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