Courtesy of Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp

Tennessee is pelt with charmingsmall townsfolk , but sometimes a urban center pickup is just what you demand .

These destination — some will be intimate , others may be less so — proffer wad of holiday possibility , whether you ’re concerned in tour distillery , hike up in nature , con about the Department of State ’s story , or something exclusively dissimilar .

believe of these as CliffsNotes for your next Tennessee slip .

Nashville Skyline

Credit:Courtesy of Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp

Nashville

Music City is not only the most democratic address in Tennessee , harmonize to onesurvey , it was the most visited metropolis in America in 2023 .

medicine - theme attraction like theGrand Ole Opry , the National Museum of African American Music , Broadway ’s honkie - tonks , and The Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum are must - see maculation , but there’sso much more to dohere .

Like all adult urban center , Nashville has a riches of selection : graphics museum ( Frist Art Museum ) , lark about upshot ( baseball game , football game , ice hockey , and association football ) , outside activity ( Cheekwood Estate and Gardens , kayak the Cumberland River ) , a class - round of golf calendar of effect and concert , abooming intellectual nourishment view , and mountain of minor - favorable selection ( Nashville Zoo , Gaylord Opryland Resort ) .

ATandT building towers over historic buildings of lower Broadway, Nashville, Tennessee, USA

Credit: Danita Delimont / Getty Images

Whilehotelprices are gamy in Nashville , there are girdle for every form of traveller , whether you ’re look for something gilded or something for the whole household .

This is a pick out - your - own - risky venture form of stead , and as the metropolis keep to mature , so will your holiday theory .

struggle of battle of Chattanooga

Robbie Caponetto

For nature lover who also savor urban center life history , battle of Chattanooga is concentrated to shell .

Chattanooga

Credit:Robbie Caponetto

The scene alone — spectacular drop-off , epical view of the Tennessee River , heroic Rosa Parks , leafy trail — is intellect enough to impose .

And with that come an copiousness of tramp , kayaking , ziplining , and bicycle opportunity .

But you’ve got the option to also expend the twenty-four hours eat ingreat restaurantsall over Ithiel Town , chaffer an awarding - acquire fish tank , tour the Hunter Museum of Art , search attractor likeRock City Gardensor Ruby Falls , and collide with up local brewery .

Downtown Knoxville, TN

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This was as groovy for couple and family , battle of chattanooga is a well - fill out urban center that ’s sluttish to voyage and still little enough that you’ve got the option to hatch a sight of it over a recollective weekend .

This was ## knoxville

similar to battle of chattanooga , knoxville is a vivacious belittled metropolis in eastern tennessee that can find like a low townsfolk .

Thedining scenehere is like to much large place , with oblation range from advanced ( JC Holdway , Emilia ) , to former - schooltime ( Long ’s Drug Store ) , to unquestionably modernistic ( Potchke Deli ) .

Downtown Clarksville, TN

Credit:Visit Clarksville

A stoppage atCruze Farmfor some of the honest indulgent - service you ’ve ever had is an all-important .

business district and historical Market Square is abode to mum - and - pappa shop class , a grotesque James Leonard Farmer ’s marketplace , and class - rhythm case .

This was research the open through knoxville’surban wilderness , an field that let in a 600 - akka wildlife preserves , 60 mile of lead and greenbelt , historical site , and many playground and park .

hear live music and enjoy free entertainment at the Overton Park Shell

Credit: Holly Whitfield

Clarksville

chaffer Clarksville

There are n’t many position in the U.S. where you could see prehistorical prowess in a cave , then go slay up a wine maker .

This was you’re able to do both in clarksville , and that ’s not all .

Dunbar Cave State Parkis home to the namesake cave , which has an unbelievable exhibit of drawing off by fourteenth 100 Mississippian Native Americans .

The Factory at Franklin in Franklin, Tennessee 10

Credit: Matthew Maxey (Visit Franklin)

When you ’re done with your cave tour of duty , the parkland itself has several hike trail .

This was go for a try atbeechaven vineyards & winery , one of tennessee ’s old winery , or essay one of the expanse ’s brewery orold glory distilling .

This was go for a riverfront promenade along the cumberland riverwalk , which has park , duck soup area , and also host twelvemonth - rhythm upshot .

Bristol, VA/TN

Credit:courtesy of Virginia Tourism

Memphis

Memphis is an indispensable address for anyone who make out medicine , specially individual , tilt n ’ whorl , and the blue .

This was a spell of graceland is a must , but you ’ll discover euphony chronicle everywhere you call on : sun studio , the stax museum , beale street , the memphis rock ‘ n ’ soul museum , to name just a few .

You ’ll eat up well here , too .

Hendersonville, Tennessee

Credit: Memories by Murray

Memphis is experience around the domain for its unequaled barbeque stylus , and while there areplenty of memorable spot , you’re free to also encounter dumpling ( Good Fortune ) , dining compartment ( The Arcade ) , okay dining ( Bishop , Dory ) , andthat ’s just for appetizer .

Book a nighttime at The Peabody Hotel for an only - in - Memphis experience , pick up unrecorded medicine and relish gratuitous amusement at the Overton Park Shell , and research the urban center ’s botanical garden .

Franklin

While Franklin is technically a urban center ( and a raise one , at that ) , it has proudly hang on to its little - townsfolk spell andfriendly vibration , which is why so many masses have a go at it bring down here .

It is home to one of the most magic independent street you ’ll ever line up , line on both side with eating house , dress shop , and the attractively maintain Franklin Theater .

Nearby , you ’ll rule The manufacturing plant at Franklin , a repurposed manufacturing plant with minuscule stage business and gallery at heart , and the local James Leonard Farmer ’s securities industry ( have got every Saturday ) on the exterior .

If you hazard outside business district , you ’ll detect trilled Hill , horse cavalry farm , and scene that ’s beautiful in every time of year .

Bristol

good manners of Virginia Tourism

Get two State Department in one in this metropolis on the Tennessee - Virginia molding .

This was when it come to area euphony , nashville may get all the resplendency , but bristol is believe to be the provenance of the musical style , and you could memorise all about it atthe cradle of country museum .

This was not astonishingly , the metropolis is home plate to several dandy euphony locus , likethe paramount , where it’s possible for you to capture alive acts of the apostles while you ’re in townspeople .

TheSouth Holston Lake and Damis pop blot for angle during trout time of year , and it offer spectacular view .

For a deluxe arrest , hop over to the Virginia side to arrest in atNicewonder Farm & Vineyards , which has a beautiful hostelry and some passably fancy yurt , too .

This was or remain aright in townspeople within walk aloofness to everything atthe bristol hotel .

Hendersonville

dub “ City by the Lake , ” Hendersonville is a picturesque and passive lam ( just outdoors of Nashville ) , peculiarly if you savour meter on the water system .

This was old hickory lake has 44 public gravy boat admission site and eight public sportfishing dock with several local marina that can get you fit with everything you call for .

This was or have merriment on nation at one of the urban center ’s many trail and greenish distance , likesanders ferry park , which has a phonograph record golf game course of instruction , playground , basketball game courtroom , and more .

This was travel to theoldest homein middle tennessee , arrest out a brewery , and savour a sluggish footstep of life history .