Tennessee Highway Journey

Tennessee! Not solely is that this state dwelling to The Nice Smoky Mountains, their famed whiskey, the birthplace of nation music, blues, & rock n’ roll, nevertheless it’s additionally dwelling to the vast majority of Anne’s household! With aunts, uncles, and cousins on one aspect of the state and our siblings and nieces on the opposite, this referred to as for a cross-state highway journey! Tennessee has 16 self-guided driving routes connecting 95 counties, plus Tennessee Music Pathways, tracing the state’s music historical past and legends. With loads of inspiration for our route, we zigzagged from Knoxville to Memphis and found so many great off-the-beaten-path locations.

On our 10-day Tennessee highway journey, we have been struck by the amount of historic little cities discovering their mojo. From the previous mining boomtown of Monterey to the school city of Cookeville, locals all talked concerning the latest inflow of inventive folks and hip companies turning their sleepy cities round. Tennessee appears to breed and entice inventive folks and their cities are proud to have fun them. We stumbled upon so many festivals, artwork workshops, free live shows, and neighborhood occasions that endeared us to those locations much more.

See our favourite issues to do throughout the state and begin planning your personal Tennessee highway journey!

KNOXVILLE

With 11 relations within the Knoxville space, I’ve been coming right here for household reunions since I used to be a child. The place the French Broad & Holston kind the Tennessee River, Knoxville is surrounded by water and nature, so it at all times performed host to our holidays, full of swimming, mountain climbing, and boating adventures. Although it wasn’t till lately that we began to play in downtown Knoxville. The “Scruffy Metropolis” was somewhat tough across the edges within the 90s and early 2000s, however this city has had a renaissance in recent times. They’ve cleaned up the economic areas and nurtured 4,500 acres of inexperienced and open house. Cultivating expertise and creating cultural venues, the town is now certainly one of USA At the moment’s High 5 Arts Districts within the nation! City meets nature, Knoxville has rather a lot to like.

Staying Downtown at The Oliver Lodge

To completely expertise the brand new and improved downtown Knox, we stayed on the boutique Oliver Lodge proper on Market Sq.. This Southern Dwelling Assortment lodge holds its constructing’s historical past expensive, from its days as a 19^th-century bakery, drugstore, dance corridor, and in the end changing into a lodge when Knoxville hosted The World’s Honest. Retaining unique architectural components and adorning with historic touches, The Oliver is a gem! With two top-notch eating places and one of many coolest speakeasies (hiding below the pseudonym Peter Kern Library) within the constructing, this lodge is a vacation spot in and of itself.

Market Sq.

To discover the neighborhood, we took out The Oliver’s complimentary bikes. We cycled by means of Market Sq., lined with stunning buildings, cafes, retailers, and centered round a backyard, fountain, and open house to play—be it a sport of tag or reside music. Youngsters have been splashing within the fountain, buskers have been jamming, and diners have been loving life on the outside patios. I may see why my aunt and uncle simply purchased an condominium right here.

Previous Metropolis

Heading over to Previous Metropolis, what was once identified for warehouses, tough bars, and girls of the night time, is now the hippest a part of city. We have been all about their artisan retailers, ethnic eating places, distilleries, and artwork galleries in historic buildings. (For a cool memento, don’t miss Rala and Bethie Lou’s Fabulous Reward Retailer). After a drink at PostModern Distilling (one of many 25 distilleries on the Tennessee Whiskey Path), we went to Kaizen, a improbable Japanese fusion restaurant (randomly my college-age cousin occurred to be there on a date night time, so you understand it’s cool!). We have been going to go dwelling after a full day, however Brother Wolf was throwing a “Jolene” themed social gathering to maintain the great occasions rolling from the town’s latest Dolly Fest, and we couldn’t resist!

Knoxville Locals Tour

The subsequent morning, we met my aunt and uncle to get the locals tour. We began on the 18^th-century First Presbyterian Church Cemetery, the place all of the state’s founders are buried. Nashville could be the capital now, however Knoxville ruled all the Southwestern Territory and received Tennessee to statehood. To deepen our data of the area, we went to the East Tennessee Historic Society & Museum and realized about all the things from the town’s Civil Struggle abolitionists’ efforts, the roots of Appalachian music, the top-secret World Struggle II lab that developed the A-bomb, and their favourite hometown woman, Dolly Parton. Simply throughout the road is the Tennessee Theatre. “Oh, it’s a must to see inside,” my aunt Chris exclaimed. “It’s unimaginable!” The Nineteen Twenties Vaudeville Theater lately received a 30 million greenback renovation to revive its Moorish Revival structure and it’s as glamorous as ever, internet hosting the symphony, Broadway reveals, big-act live shows, and 170 days of occasions annually. Whether or not you come for a present or the Saturday behind-the-scenes tour, the Tennessee Theatre is a should. And my aunt and uncle’s last Knoxville suggestion? Get on the river.

Tennessee River

Knoxville’s location on the convergence of the French Broad and Holston River isn’t a coincidence, it’s a scenic and strategic spot on the headwaters of the mighty Tennessee River. The town honors these waters with 4 river parks and dozens of entry factors. For an ideal nature-meets-urban journey, we put in our kayak at Ijams Nature Middle (additionally a should), and paddled from forest to skyscrapers. Passing herons, houseboats, and breweries, we tied up our kayak on the banks of the Print Store Beer Co. We purchased a number of craft “crowlers” and once we reached the Homosexual Road bridge, with the solar setting and the town reflecting again at us, we raised a toast to Knox.

MORGAN COUNTY

Frozen Head State Park

Leaving Knoxville, most individuals go to The Nice Smoky Mountains Nationwide Park, and infrequently miss Tennessee’s 56 state parks and different superb mountain ranges. We set out for Frozen Head State Park, which has 14 peaks over 3,000 ft, 24,000 acres of wilderness, and nearly no vacationers. We hiked the Panther Department Path and in a mile stretch, we reached two attractive waterfalls, together with Emory Hole Falls framed in a rippled limestone gorge. Again on the ranger station, we realized there are 50 miles of trails and 48 nature packages every month—all the things from forest yoga, fire-tower climbs, mushroom identification, to glowworm night time hikes. Who knew this state park in distant japanese TN had a lot occurring!?

Historic Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary

One other enjoyable truth about Frozen Head? Their river water is captured for Frozen Head Vodka, made on the close by Brushy Mountain Distillery and former petitionary! No joke, a 100-year-old jail, that held a few of Tennessee’s most infamous criminals (together with James Earl Ray, sentenced for the assassination of MLK) is now a museum, live performance venue, restaurant-behind-bars, and moonshine distillery. Properly, that sounded intriguing sufficient, so we paid the Historic Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary a go to. We made the video (above) to do that weird and oddly shifting place justice.

MONTEREY

It was Tuesday, the proper day to go to Monterey, TN. Every week of the summer time, this little city tucked within the Cumberland Mountains hosts among the best bluegrass jam classes you will discover within the Appalachians, “Pickin on the Market.” We pulled as much as the farmers-market-meets-concert venue, cued up with amps, mic stands, and camping-chair seating. Musicians come from far and large for this convergence of fiddlers, banjo gamers, guitarists, upright bass gamers, and Appalachian bluegrass singers. Like Tater, who has gained a number of banjo competitions, and Jill who’s performed violin at Carnegie Corridor, and the occasion founder Terry, who can play 5 totally different devices with out skipping a beat. With out sheet music or a set listing, it was unimaginable to listen to these dozen musicians, starting from ages 18 to 80, riff, harmonize, and get away in clogging dance strikes.

Passionate locals are revitalizing this sleepy city. Strolling the principle road of this former coal mine city, there isn’t a lot at first look…however eat on the farm-to-table Ben Anna’s Cafe, tour the Monterey Depot Museum with Dale or Rafferty (what storytellers!), and keep on the brand-new Spacious Skies Belle Ridge glamp-ground, and also you’ll see this city is on the rise.

Issues to Do in Monterey, TN

They are saying Monterey is “the place the hilltops kiss the sky,” and we felt that once we hiked proper from our campsite to Bridal Veil Falls and went to the Bee Rock Lookout to absorb the sweeping views of the Cumberland Plateau. Come to Monterey to hike the limestone gorges, pay homage to their 4,000-year-old Mound Builders at Standing Rock Park, and catch Pickin’ on the Market each Tuesday, as Terry says, “from spring till our fingers get chilly.”

COOKEVILLE

Persevering with alongside the Promised Land Scenic Byway and the route of the state’s earliest settlers, we reached Cookeville. This city is dwelling to Tennessee Tech and the enjoyable faculty vibe instantly got here by means of—particularly within the Historic Westside District! We become the municipal car parking zone, framed with an archway of two dozen bicycles welded collectively by a neighborhood artist. Strolling Broad Road, cute boutiques actually beckoned us—from #Holly’s window signal saying “Whats up Attractive, come on in!” to Glass Tangerine’s plant store greeter, Elsa the lovable Labrador. And once we noticed Pink Silo, an precise grain silo become a brewery, we needed to go in for a flight of their award-winning beer.

Greatest Eats in Cookeville

So many eating places got here beneficial in Cookeville…Putnam Room, Seven Senses, Mauricio’s Italian Restaurant…it was robust to select! We went with Father Tom’s for its cozy vibe and nice veg choices (who knew ricotta may very well be vegan? Yum!). The pub will get its title as a result of the proprietor was a beloved professor at Tennessee Tech for thus a few years, that everybody simply referred to as him Father Tom. For dessert, we went to Ralph’s Donuts, a Cookeville establishment ensuring glazed fried dough is accessible into the wee hours…good man! Ice cream lovers, don’t miss the enduring Cream Metropolis!

Burgess Falls State Park

Simply south of Cookeville is the improbable Burgess Falls State Park. Once we noticed a photograph of this 136-foot waterfall that comes to a degree and cascades in three instructions, it reminded us of the duvet of Nationwide Geographic’s Hardly ever Seen! It’s a really distinctive waterfall, made even cooler by the truth that you may kayak proper to its base. We put in at Cane Hole for a four-mile river journey, in a quiet canyon with leaping fish, darting King Fisher, and submerged forests. The roar of the falls drew louder and the limestone cliffs grew larger, and there she was…prettier than any picture may do justice. To its profit, Burgess is just not a rager, which suggests you may really see the gorgeous rock formations behind the white curtain and get shut sufficient to play in its present like a water park. We’d extremely suggest this paddling journey, so in case you don’t have your personal watercraft, head out with Kayak Adventures of Tennessee. This eco-conscious clothing store additionally incorporates river cleanups into their journeys, gotta love that! Not a paddler? The state park additionally has a path to the falls overlook.

SMITHVILLE & CENTER LAKE

Buddy the Camper adopted the river in direction of Smithville and Middle Lake, the place we had a reservation at a killer A-frame cabin overlooking the water. After a day of adventures, we couldn’t have been happier simply chilling on our forested patio with its firepit, sizzling tub, and BBQ and having a celebration for 2. The cabin was embellished fantastically and our bed room, with panoramic home windows and spa-like toilet, was divine. (If this trip rental is booked up, the proprietor additionally has treehouse close by!).

Downtown Smithville

After watching a beautiful dawn view from mattress, we headed into the middle of Smithville. Strolling round Walnut Road, we popped into so many cute retailers, just like the Refined Boutique, Cheryl’s Beau Bees, and The Male Room Brotique, however the wild half is…all of them opened up to now two years! Like many people throughout the pandemic, these folks realized life is simply too quick to not do what you like…and so they selected little Smithville as the proper place to do it. Like Karen and Rick who turned an previous mechanic store into The Arts Storage, a spot the place they will create and educate artwork. “There’s a maker in all of us,” Karen advised me, “so we’ve created reasonably priced lessons and kits for anybody to become involved.” All of the shopkeepers couldn’t have been friendlier or extra obsessed with their small companies—as a result of they have been all fulfilling a dream.

Fiddlers Jamboree

Smithville, whereas a small city of 5,000 folks, goes all out within the title of the humanities and time. For the previous 52 years, they’ve hosted the Fiddlers Jamboree with 35 music and dance occasions and streets filled with hand-made crafts, and meals cubicles galore. The occasion attracts ~100,000 folks…and apparently, extra of them are staying for good.

The Appalachian Craft Middle 

This Tennessee Tech campus is devoted to the standard Appalachian arts of blacksmithing, ceramics, weaving, glassblowing, woodworking, and its digital interpretations. Mid-century wood buildings tucked within the forest, with craft rooms and bunkhouses, this place felt somewhat like a summer time camp…and we wished to enroll! After a stroll by means of their collection of artwork galleries and wonderful boutique, we peeked into the glassblowing studio. As luck would have it, Professor Brock and Artist in Residence Tabitha have been at work. Watching Tabitha dip into the molten glass, blow it into an orb, form it towards the steaming wooden, and create artwork in a matter of minutes was mesmerizing. If you wish to attempt your hand at any of those timeless crafts, the Appalachian Craft Middle hosts weekend workshops for all ability ranges.

DICKSON

Highway-tripping Tennessee, we noticed festivals at each flip! Knoxville’s Dolly (Parton) Fest, Smithville’s Fiddlers’ Jamboree, and now the Dickson Road Pageant! This historic city, 45 minutes west of Nashville, throws it down annually with 100 cubicles, 25 meals stalls, and 15 bands throughout 4 phases, plus fireworks! And what made it much more enjoyable? We received to be a part of the competition! Studying Rock Bookstore heard we have been coming to city and requested us to do an creator signing of Final Journeys for Two and Comfortably Wild. We met so many good folks at our sales space, strolling the streets, and dancing the night time away on this nice little city.

What to Do in Dickson, TN

Even in case you can’t catch the June road competition, Dickson has received a lot occurring. You may go to the state historic website of Clement Railroad Lodge Museum, take a paint and sip class at Wild Blue Yonder, get actually good tacos & margs at Desert Rose Cantina, be taught to make cleaning soap at Buff Metropolis, and catch reside music at 119 Craft Brewery. Simply exterior of city, Candy Charlotte is a sweet lovers and Instagramer’s paradise with their old-time shows. For somewhat journey, kayak the Spillway at Montgomery Bell State Park. The park additionally has cute cabins if you wish to keep in nature however nonetheless close to city.

Bonus City: Franklin

Simply 36 miles southeast of Dickson is likely one of the most charming and sustainable cities within the USA…Franklin, Tennessee! Based in 1799, this pristine place has achieved the uncommon combo of Nationwide Historic Register of Locations and LEED-certification…citywide! We have been so impressed by our go to we wrote this in-depth information.

HENDERSON & STILLWATERS FARM

When researching our glamping e book, we fell in love with the easy charms of farmstays and we now make them part of our journeys at any time when we will! When searching for one in Tennessee, Stillwaters Farm and Vineyard in Henderson completely jumped out at us. With its traditional purple barn, framed below a 200-year-old oak tree, pastures with pleased horses and miniature donkeys, rows of Chardonel vines, and a secluded farmhouse cottage for friends, it’s a really idyllic place. Humorous sufficient, the proprietors Valeria and Wealthy, aren’t farmers or winemakers by commerce; he’s a fiber optics advisor who simply actually likes driving tractors and he or she’s a college trainer who wished to be taught a brand new lifestyle and share the expertise with friends.

We knew Stillwaters Farm’s newest endeavor was Forty Cannons, however little did we all know that the inspiration behind this pirate-themed vineyard is Valeria’s ancestor…the notorious Blackbeard. Channeling that renegade spirit and island fashion, Capn’ Val is utilizing tropical fruits, flowers, and herbs and ageing them in rum barrels. In her grain silo-turned-merry tasting room, we received to attempt inventive infusions with cheeky names like Queen Anne’s Revenge and Scurvy Canine. We had `by no means tried wine infused with rose petals, basil, or key lime, and couldn’t consider how good they have been! That night time, sitting on our cottage patio, watching the fireflies glow and listening to the crickets’ refrain, our love for farmstays grew much more.

What to Do Round Henderson, TN

The small however colourful city of Henderson is simply quarter-hour away from Stillwaters with some beautiful previous buildings, just like the Chester County Courthouse, the hip UrbanHouse espresso bar & bistro, Sue Shelton White Park, and a monument to their hometown music legend, Eddy Arnold! For extra adventures within the space, Chickasaw State Park has a good looking lake excellent for swimming and trails, together with a powerful boardwalk that permits you to stroll straight throughout the water.

MEMPHIS

The final cease on our Tennessee Highway Journey…our beloved Memphis! With my sister, bro-in-law, and nieces dwelling right here for the previous for 10 years, we’ve visited upwards of 20 occasions and have grown to know and love Grind Metropolis. Greater than Graceland, Beale Road, and BBQ, we’ve received all kinds of suggestions for an genuine journey to the house of the blues, soul, and rock n’ roll. Learn this devoted journey information to exploring Memphis like a neighborhood!

Why Do Individuals Love Tennessee So A lot?

After 10 days and 500 miles, touring the backroads from Knoxville to Memphis, we linked two nice American cities and found so many improbable little cities, stunning wilderness, and genuinely beautiful folks alongside the best way.  Little moments of serendipity appeared to occur on the each day, like recognizing that 5 & Dime hidden within the ivy, that impromptu glassblowing session, the farm canine that turned our new greatest pal, or late-night clogging with the Monterey Pickers. We’ve been to all 50 states and might say Tennessee has a robust sense of place and one value being happy with. TN has world-famous sights, however take your time to ramble alongside the backroads and also you’ll discover the best-kept secrets and techniques.

Many because of Tennessee Tourism for inviting us to their state and supporting our storytelling! To point out our gratitude to the stunning folks and locations on this state and proceed our HoneyTrek Cares initiative, we’ve donated to the next nonprofits: Tennessee Scenic Rivers Assocation for shielding the waterways, Tennessee Trails for championing outside entry and inclusion, and Information Quest for constructing robust communities!

Have any questions on this Tennessee highway journey itinerary? Drop them within the feedback!