9 Best Small Towns in Tennessee For A Weekend Escape
Tennessee is a state with more than its fair share of mountains. There are six major ranges, including the Appalachians and the Great Smokies. As such, it is home to stunning parks, forests, rivers, and of course the towns and cities settled by the people who call it home. People have settled in Tennessee dating back hundreds, perhaps thousands, of years. Some of the remnants of these pre-colonial settlements are still preserved and can be visited by the general public.
The small towns of Tennessee are havens for lovers of the outdoors and outdoor adventures. Many also attract millions of tourists with other offerings such as theme parks, museums, performances, music, or cooking to name a few. Though many visitors head to the capital, Nashville, those who are in the know leave time for at least a few of the best towns in Tennessee to spend a weekend, or longer.
Bell Buckle
An hour southeast of Nashville is the colorful town of Bell Buckle. The origin of its unique name is unclear, but one story is that locals carved the shape of a cowbell and buckle onto a tree to warn about settlers on their lands. The creek that ran beside the tree became known as the Bell Buckle, and the town that eventually formed on its banks bears the same name. Established in 1852 in a setting of hills, farmland, and horses the town has carefully maintained or restored much of its history. Many of its Victorian buildings have been repaired and the Tennessee Walking Horse National Museum just south of town preserves the equestrian history of the area.
Bell Buckle has a population of fewer than 500 but boasts its support of the arts, maintaining it has been home to everything from sculptures and potters to photographers and Grammy winners. Local shops feature handmade crafts, artisan foods, and locally produced goods. Antiques are a big business so there are many shops devoted to them. Local restaurants specialize in home cooking and Southern hospitality. For many, the town is well known for the RC Cola and MoonPie festival in June, which brings people from all over the world to celebrate this tasty combination with an array of oddball amusements and games, as well as music and dancing.
Gatlinburg
Many of Tennessee's popular destinations involve America's most visited national park, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The mountain town of Gatlinburg is one of the most popular for access to the park, as visitors can enter it directly from downtown. The Gatlinburg Space Needle offers a 360-degree view of the park from above.
There are fewer than 4,000 permanent residents in Gatlinburg but it offers a great deal for short- and long-term visitors alike. There is much to do in the town, in addition to the many attractions and adventures in the park, and the amusement and theme parks nearby. Visitors enjoy the art galleries and shops along Gatlinburg's Historic Arts and Crafts Trail like Fowler’s Clay Works, Paul Murray Gallery, and The Wood Whittlers. Among its many museums are the famous Hollywood Stars Car Museum, and the quirky Salt and Pepper Shaker Museum. Families tend to make sure to save plenty of time for the Ripley's Believe It or Not! Odditorium and Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies.
Jonesborough
With a colorful downtown straight out of the history books, the underrated town of Jonesborough has two claims to fame. Firstly, it is the oldest town in the state, founded in 1779, just three years after the Declaration of Independence. Visitors can get a taste of life at that time by visiting the old log cabin built by Christopher Taylor in 1778.
The second claim to fame is that it has become the Storytelling Capital of the World. The main event is the National Storytelling Festival held every fall, but some other events and programs run year-round in the International Storytelling Center. The Center is home to the Teller-in-Residence program and the Storytellers guild. The Center and the campus it sits on are believed to be the first modern facility to focus solely on storytelling.
Paris
The small town of Paris, Tennessee, like its namesake in France, is home to an Eiffel Tower, but this one is only 1:20 the size of the original. At 60 feet tall, it is nevertheless an impressive sight and sits as the entrance to a popular tourist attraction that includes a swimming pool and splash park. European history and architecture inspired much of Paris from its early years. The oldest building in town is the Grace Episcopal Church, built in 1895. The windows in the church feature glass scavenged from cathedrals destroyed in Europe during the world wars.
The town is also home to an impressive example of Romanesque architecture and the oldest judicial building in the state, the Henry County Courthouse. In use from 1897 to today, its design features many characteristics of 11th and 12th-century Europe. But there is also a decidedly American side to Paris, from the giant catfish on the welcome sign to their annual event, the Biggest Fish Fry in the last week of April. It's a mixture unique to this small town.
Pigeon Forge
Like the close-by Gatlinburg, the small mountain resort town of Pigeon Forge is also a popular home base for explorers of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Named after the Little Pigeon River, the town sits within a naturally spectacular environment.
But all the outdoor activities are just part of why millions of visitors spend their weekends and holidays in Pigeon Forge. The town is also well-known as the home of the 150-acre amusement park Dollywood. Celebrating the iconic performer Dolly Parton it features rides, a related waterpark, and of course a museum with everything Dolly-related.Another major attraction is the comprehensive collection and interactive exhibits at the Titanic Museum, and the Island in Pigeon Forge, an area of restaurants, shops, and entertainment, with live performances inside and out.
Pulaski
The charming town of Pulaski is an arts haven centered around the Antoinette Hall Opera House, built in 1868, which today is home to the Southern Tennessee Area Arts Repertory (STAAR). The 200-street theater beneath the Opera House hosts regular productions of all types, performed by the local troupe, as well as visitors.
The Opera House is part of the Pulaski Courthouse Square Historic District, the focus of which is the beautiful neoclassical Giles County Courthouse. The bell from 1858 still strikes on the hour, every hour. Just out of town is the new Big Creek Winery, established in 2016, which offers dozens of different original wines. The winery offers with no charge tastings to help select the perfect vintage.
Shiloh
Shiloh is a popular destination for many reasons, but one of major historical importance in the area is the memorial to the Civil War Battle of Shiloh at the Shiloh National Military Park. The park and Shiloh National Cemetery sit on a bluff above the Tennessee River. The creation of the park had the (side effect) of preserving another one-of-a-kind site, one that testifies to the importance of the area predating even that historical event by another few hundred years. This site is one of a small number where the remains of pre-contact buildings are easily visible, and so provides a rare way to learn about the history of Tennessee from more than 800 years ago. It had once been home to a town that served as the center of a chiefdom of at least six smaller towns and farms that dominated about 20 miles along this part of the Tennessee River Valley.
Guarded by a palisade all around, there were dozens of wattle-and-daub buildings including residences and council house, religious buildings. There was also a burial mound. The people there lived by farming maize (corn) squash and sunflowers and harvesting the area’s natural plant and animal resources.They were likely led by a chief and council and seemed to have complex political relations to similar societies in other parts of Tennessee and today's states of Alabama, and Mississippi. Around 700-800 years ago the town was abandoned, and nothing is known about whether or not these ancient Americans are linked to the later nations that lived there.
Tellico Plains
Another Tennessee town with a strong story that predates European presence is Tellico Plains. The town is on the site of Great Tellico, once the largest Cherokee settlement. Now, though the tiny town of fewer than 900 people there is still plenty to do, with bakeries, art galleries, and centers, restaurants, and the chance to dive into local history at the Charles Hall Museum.
Close to a historically-important trade route, and now at one end of the Cherohala Skyway, its location in the Blue Ridge Mountains places it within a stunning natural environment. Visitors and tourists take in the outdoor beauty by taking to the water in kayaks or boats, and by hiking or biking in the Cherokee National Forest and searching out the 100-foot-high Bald River Falls.
Townsend
Those looking for a quieter entry to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park bypass Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge to head to the town of Townsend. Here they can also visit a unique and popular geological feature, the Tuckaleechee Caverns. Known as the “Greatest Site Under the Smokies,” the cavern is between 20-30 years old and contains an area that is almost as large as a football stadium, and the 210-foot tall SilverFalls, the tallest underground waterfall in the eastern US.
For those preferring to stay above ground, there are countless ways to enjoy the fresh sun and air. The Little River is a great spot for rafting, swimming, and fishing, and the River Walk Trail along it is a pleasant 6-mile hike. Drivers enjoy the leisurely 11-mile Cades Cove Scenic Loop.
All of these small towns offer a mixture of outdoor and indoor attractions, which is what makes them some of the best choices for a getaway from everyday life. The natural beauty of the Tennessee wilderness, mixed with lovingly-preserved historical architecture means any of them would be a picture-perfect choice for an escape with family or friends. Each offers plenty of choices for a leisurely walk, a meal, or an adventure. With some just a short drive from major destinations like Nashville, it would be easy to add them to any Tennessee travel itinerary.
