Here Are The 8 Best Places In Tennessee To Visit On A Long Weekend
By Meghan Kraft|Published April 10, 2018
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Meghan Kraft
Author
Meghan Kraft loves to travel the world, but she makes her home right here in Nashville, Tennessee. She holds a degree in English, and has worked in the digital marketing realm with companies such as Apartments.com, USA Today and HarperCollins Publishing.
Do you ever have those moments where you have a long weekend coming up, and you want to get away but don’t want to go too far? Luckily for Tennesseans, that’s not a problem at all. There are so many great spots in the state that are a short drive from wherever you are, and they’re all absolutely loaded with all kinds of things to do for the whole family. From exploring the wooded roads of the Smokies to the musical history of Memphis, here are the 8 absolute best getaway spots for a long Tennessee weekend.
Just 20 miles south of Nashville, Franklin is known for its beautiful and historic Main Street as well as the glut of Civil War history and battlefields in and around the town.
2. Drive the winding roads through the Great Smoky Mountains.
Great Smoky Mountain National Park is the most visited national park in the country, and it's not hard to figure out why. Take the Cades Cove Loop for a particularly stunning and idyllic drive.
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3. Dig deep in Tennessee history with a stay in Memphis.
Memphis is full of history and innovation. From the Civil Rights Movement sites to the home of the King of Rock n Roll himself at Graceland, there's more history in this city than you can imagine.
Bristol is known for its famous racetrack, but did you know that it's also the birthplace of country music? Check out the Birthplace of Country Music Museum, explore the Appalachian Caverns, or just stroll the historic Main Street. There's plenty to do in Bristol!
Johnson City is a town steeped in history. Be sure to walk the shops in the historic downtown district and look for the streets where Davy Crockett and Daniel Boone walked back in their day.
Cleveland is the perfect town for getting a taste of the wild frontier that was Tennessee nearly 200 years ago. The town is located along the Appalachian Trail, making it a great destination for hikers, and the downtown is full of old Victorian houses and antebellum churches.
Oak Ridge was a secret city in World War II, built to house the nuclear plant that produced the radioactive material for the country's first atomic bombs. Today, you can visit Manhattan Project National Park and learn all about it.
8. Reach the highest point in the mountains at Clingman's Dome
Clingman's Dome is both the highest mountain in the Smokies and in the state. At 6,643 feet, the mountain literally looks down on everything around it, and you can too from the lookout tower, about half a mile's walk from the parking lot near the top.
