11 Most Loved Tourist Attractions In Tennessee
The Volunteer State may be landlocked but remains one of the most visited states in the south, boasting several tourist attractions of global repute. It is home to America’s most visited National Park, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the world-famous Jack Daniel’s Distillery, and the Titanic Museum, among other attractions. Tennessee is where people flock to when they want to explore the ends of their touristy fantasies. With so much to see and do, exploring all that the state has to offer will be a lifelong adventure. Get ready to unearth the most loved tourist attractions in Tennessee to explore today.
Jack Daniel’s Distillery, Lynchburg
Jack Daniel's Distillery in Lynchburg is not just a beloved attraction in Tennessee but a cherished one for consumers of the famous whiskey worldwide. As a result, the distillery is a renowned attraction in the state, drawing over a quarter of a million visitors annually. Interestingly, the distillery is enchanting for its location, Cave Spring Hollow, where a spring flows from beneath a cave straddled by a limestone cliff. The spring is the source of the water used in making the distillery and is very pure since the cave's limestone filters it by removing iron impurities.
There is also a statue of Jack Daniel in front of the hollow spring where he first drew water to make his whiskey. Visitors can tour the distillery and sample its various whiskeys, including the visitor's center featuring various Jack Daniel's memorabilia.
Centennial Park, Nashville
The Centennial Park in Nashville is a public recreational park of 132 acres, where tourists come to relax, explore, and lose track of time. This park has a one-mile walking trail, Lake Watauga at the center, a playground, a bandshell, sunken gardens, and the Centennial Art Center, among other attractions.
The park's highlight attraction is Nashville's Parthenon, a staggering and breathtaking building with the exact look-alike of the original Parthenon in Greece, both in size and columns. It is home to the city’s permanent art gallery, featuring incredible artworks of American painters from the 19th and 20th centuries. The Parthenon also houses a 42-foot gold statue of the Greek goddess Athena Parthenos.
Tuckaleechee Caverns, Townsend
The Tuckaleechee Caverns in historic Townsend is dubbed the “Greatest Site Under the Smokies” and has the highest rating of any cave in the Eastern United States. While it is a pride to Townsend, it is one of the most acclaimed tourist attractions in the state. This staggering cave originates from the White Oak Sinks in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and runs to the town of Townsend.
It features a "Big Room," an open space in the cave, expansive enough to fit in a football stadium and filled with stalagmites. There is also a 210-foot-tall, two-tiered waterfall within the cavern known as Silver Falls, the tallest underground waterfall east of the Mississippi River. Touring this underground marvel requires a 1.25-mile round trip, presenting sights of several stunning formations.
Ruby Falls, Chattanooga
Ruby Falls in Lookout Mountain near Chattanooga is one of the most mind-boggling natural attractions in Tennessee. It is also the tallest underground cave waterfall operating in the US and requires a 260-foot descent from a glass-front elevator and a walk through a cavern trail to access. The falls comprise a series of underground waterfalls inside Lookout Mountain Cave totaling 90 feet.
Additionally, the interior walls of the caves are lighted, and they dazzle in picturesque colors, making the waterfalls incredibly charming. Aside from the underground waterfalls, tourists can enjoy a zip line over treetops, savor scenic views of the Cumberland plateau from Lookout Mountain Tower, and stay in a tree house lodge. Visitors will also enjoy a historical tour to discover the fall’s history, a lantern tour, and delicious meals in a historic castle.
National Civil Rights Museum, Memphis
The National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis is a famous draw to Tennessee that sends shivers down the spine of visitors, especially for history buffs. With 260 artifacts, 40 historical films, oral histories, interactive media, and historical collections, this museum is inspiring, educative, and sensational.
Notably, the museum is located at the former Lorraine Motel, the site of Martin Luther’s assassination in 1968. Visitors here can take a self-guided tour into 500 years of American civil rights history, delving deep into fights against racial discrimination, slavery, and life during and after the Civil War.
Memphis Zoo, Memphis
Memphis Zoo is a wildlife haven in the city of Memphis and one of the top tourist attractions in Tennessee, hosting 1.2 million visitors annually. The zoo is home to over 3,500 animals from over 500 species. It sits on a 76-acre property in Overton Park, with 19 different exhibits spread across three zones, East, West, and Central Zones. These exhibits replicate the original habitats of the animals, such as the Zambezi River Hippo Camp, Primate Canyon, and Aquarium.
Guided tours of the exhibits require a two-mile walk around the property, while trams are available seasonally to facilitate easy movement. Notable exhibits include Penguin Rock, featuring over 30 African penguins; Dragon's Lair, the Komodo Dragon; and Commercial Appeal Cat Country, with its African lions, leopards, and tigers.
Tennessee Aquarium, Chattanooga
The Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga is the largest in the state and immerses visitors in the fascinating marine world. This magnificent and massive aquarium sits on the banks of the Tennessee River and boasts two marine habitats, the River Journey and the Ocean Journey. Both marine habitats or exhibits are in separate buildings but connected by a bridge over the river. They feature an abundant diversity of aquatic species, such as alligators, penguins, jellyfish, and catfish, in a replica of their natural habitats.
It takes about two hours to explore each exhibit fully, and there are breaks in between to enjoy lunch. Meanwhile, visitors can relax in the IMAX movie theatre.
Graceland, Memphis
Graceland in the magnificent city of Memphis is the home of rock ‘n’ roll music icon Elvis Presley and an entertainment complex that houses many attractions. The 200,000-square-foot complex is home to Elvis Presley's mansion for fans of the musical icon to explore. Experiences within the complex include a tour of his artifacts, personal mementos, and costumes he used during his lifetime. There is also a tour of his cars and airplanes, which he used to move from show to show.
Perhaps the highlight for fans will be a tour of his living quarters, including his music room and jungle den, and a walk through his beautiful garden. Visitors can also check the family tomb, purchase merchandise in various shops, dine in restaurants, and lodge in a guest house.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Gatlinburg
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is America’s most visited National Park, with 13 million tourists annually. At approximately 522,000 acres, the park is an entire universe on its own and home to some of the highest mountains in the Eastern United States. It lies at the backdrop of the Great Smoky Mountains, featuring a diversity of landscapes such as forests, mountains, waterfalls, meadows, and streams. Additionally, there are about 850 miles of trails to hike and explore the park’s landscapes and biodiversity. The Appalachian Trail also runs through the park, among other trails leading to waterfalls, slicing through meadows and wildflowers and offering wildlife sightings.
Visitors can also enjoy a scenic drive to Kuwohi Observation Tower to enjoy 360-degree views of the park's spectacular scenery from 6,643 feet above sea level. However, the most visited section of the park is Cades Cove, a beautiful valley that provides stunning mountain views.
Titanic Museum, Pigeon Forge
The Titanic Museum in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, is the largest of its kind in the world. This museum presents a replica of the legendary Titanic Ship, and once inside, it feels like the original ship. Visitors can relish the true Titanic experience in over 400 artifacts related to the romantic movie across 20 galleries. Even the museum’s structure takes the shape of the Titanic Ship, built at half the original size and over a pool, to create an ocean-like experience.
There are self-guided tours inside to explore details about the ship and create the illusion of being a passenger on the ship's first voyage in 1912. Tickets given to visitors are named after an original passenger on the maiden voyage, and in the memorial room, visitors can find out if their ticketed passenger was one of the survivors.
Dollywood, Pigeon Forge
Dollywood is a family amusement park and the most loved tourist attraction in Tennessee, which shows in the number of visitors it receives, 3 million annually. The amusement park is named and themed after Dolly Parton, a famed American singer, and owner of the park. Regarded as America’s number one themed park, it is a hub of family-fun entertainment, and it takes just one visit to see why this is the most loved and ticketed tourist attraction in the state.
From movie shows, dining experiences, and resorts to music entertainment, festivals, live concerts, and more, there is so much to experience here. The park is also home to 50 rides and attractions, including a water park with two water rides and ten roller coasters. One of the rollercoasters is a daredevil fall ride in a waterfall setting for thrilling experiences, and there is the Dollywood Express Train and a village carousel to experience.
With the Blue Ridge Mountains on its eastern end and the Cumberland plateau with its many enchanting waterfalls, Tennessee beckons for indulgence. Nature aside, history and culture are also abundant in the Volunteer State as it is home to some of America’s most significant museums and historic sites. While the Titanic Museum is eye-opening, the National Civil Rights Museum is a reminder of Martin Luther King Jr. There is so much to see in this beautiful state, and a visit to some of its most loved tourist attractions is magical and unforgettable.
