2026 Experiences Coming to Tennessee

Anakeesta’s Making More Magic, a multi-year expansion, launches in 2026 with a number of expansions. The next-generation scenic lift will have 56 cabins with glass bottoms and large wraparound windows for 360-views of the Smokies. Each cabin will seat six guests. Firefly Village will include a new overlook, additional gathering spaces, pathways and water features. Treetop Skywalk will have expanded bridges, canopy pathways and towers as well as a variety of new vantage points to view the forest. The new nighttime Firefly Experience will include state-of-the-art lighting features that mimic the iconic synchronous firefly glow. an expanded Treetop Skywalk and a nighttime Firefly Experience soaking in the beauty of the Smokies. 

• Parking information: Paid parking is available in downtown Gatlinburg. Anakeesta provides transportation from various parking lots to their entrance at the top of the mountain. Details can be found on their website. 
   
• Accessibility: The Chondola and most pathways are wheelchair accessible. Some attractions, like the Treetop Skywalk, are also accessible. Guests are advised to check Anakeesta's website for detailed accessibility information for all attractions. 
   
• Pricing: General admission for adults is approximately $35-$40, with discounts for children and seniors. Activities like zip-lining and Astra Lumina are extra. 
   
• Opening date: Spring and Fall 2026 
   
• Special highlights: New scenic lift featuring 56 cabins and 360-degree views, Treetop Skywalk with expanded bridges, views and canopy pathways, Firefly Experience to celebrate iconic synchronous fireflies found in the Great Smoky Mountains each summer

Dollywood’s NightFlight Expedition takes flight spring 2026 at Dollywood’s Wildwood Grove. The groundbreaking hybrid coaster and whitewater river ride includes four thrilling experiences in a first-of-its-kind attraction that will have you flying through the Smokies, conquering rapids and climbing mountain peaks.

Parking information: Parking is $25 with tax for all cars and motorcycles. Standard parking is free if you purchase a Dollywood Gold or Diamond Season Pass. 

Accessibility: Dollywood offers extensive accessibility services, including wheelchair and ECV rentals, accessible restrooms, and detailed ride accessibility guidelines. Guests with disabilities can find comprehensive information on the park's website or by contacting guest services. 

Pricing: Single-day tickets typically range from $89-$109 for adults, with discounts for children and seniors. Multi-day passes are also available for extended fun. Prices are subject to change, so check the official Dollywood website for the most up-to-date information. 

Opening date: Spring 2026 

Special highlights: NightFlight Expedition is in a new indoor, 44,000-square-foot facility. The ride reaches a maximum speed of 29 mph and nearly 3 stories at the highest track elevation. The ride carries 10 passengers per car and is 5.5 minutes (including loading and unloading).

The new baseball stadium, Erlanger Park is a state-of-the-art baseball stadium for Minor League Baseball’s Chattanooga Lookouts. The space is the most unique multi-use venue in the U.S. featuring multiple venue spaces like the 24,000-square-foot Coca-Cola Pattern Shop, The Powerhouse – the oldest building on the foundry site, rooftop deck, First Bank Club directly behind home place with glass walls on all sides, and more.
 

• Parking information: Lots around the park will be used for parking with 2,700 spaces available on opening day. Plans are in place to build a nearby parking garage.
   
• Opening date: April 2026
   
• Special highlights: The Tennessee Riverwalk greenway runs through the venue. 40,000-square-foot, climate-controlled event venue will be ideal for concerts and special events year-round. Field boxes and half rounds as well as cabanas and the berm, ideal for family picnics, will be available.

The newly opened Reading Room is already making social media waves, having gone viral on Instagram and TikTok. The Reading Room is Chattanooga’s first bar that blends a bookstore and bar. Gather with friends among the floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, craft cocktails and quiet nooks ideal for reading or catching up on life.

• Parking information: Nearby parking garages and paid lots are available.
   
• Accessibility: Contact the Reading Room at Readingroombar@gmail.com for accessibility details.
   
• Opening date: Oct. 2, 2025
   
• Special highlights: The hybrid bookstore and bar also serves nonalcoholic drinks, books, coffee and tea.

The Tivoli Theatre, known as the “Jewel of the South,” reopens after being closed since August 2022 for a historic restoration project to modernize and expand the iconic Chattanooga venue. A new ground-floor restaurant, rehearsal areas, a movie theater and additional restrooms and lounge areas will enhance the historic theatre that has been a culture hub for the city since 1921.

• Parking information: Nearby parking is available at Broad Street garage, Chestnut Street garage, street parking and paid lots.
   
• Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible seating is located on the outer aisle seats, Orchestra Right and Left rows M, O & R. Additional ADA seating can also be accommodated in lower boxes. Sign-interpreted performances can be arranged in advance by emailing the Box Office at boxoffice@tivolichattanooga.com. An Infrared Assistive Listening System is available upon request. Ask for a receiver at the Box Office.
   
• Pricing: Tickets vary in price. Consult the event calendar for up-to-date ticket information.
   
• Opening date: Mid-to-late 2026
   
• Special highlights: The Tivoli will host five types of theater spaces offering more opportunities to connect with the local arts and culture community, but also see bigger touring shows and concerts.

Live Nation’s The Truth music venue will be a 4,400-capacity indoor music venue located in Nashville’s Wedgewood-Houston neighborhood. See your favorite artists in 2026 in the venue that will include three levels, a flexible floor plan with standing and seated shows. Local products will be featured in the food and beverage areas.

• Parking information: The Truth music venue will have two floors of underground parking. Street parking and private lots are also available.
   
• Accessibility: The flexible floor plan will be able to make ADA accommodations for shows. Pricing: Ticket prices will vary by event.
   
• Opening date: Fall 2026
   
• Special highlights: A whiskey bar and a listening lounge will enhance the space, encouraging you to gather and enjoy local spirits and local music.

Nashville Arcade adds Bar Roze and Sushi by Scratch as it continues its series of renovations. The Michelin-acclaimed Sushi by Scratch will give diners a unique intimate, omakase dining experience while Bar Roze from local restaurateur Julia Jaksic will serve specialty cocktails and a limited menu of shared plates.

• Parking information: Nashville Arcade is located in the heart of downtown. Paid parking garages, lots and street parking are available.
   
• Opening date: Late 2025

Dolly Parton’s iconic Southern hospitality extends to the Tennessean Travel Stop to rebrand as the new Dolly’s Tennessean Travel Stop in Cornersville. Renovations are underway to integrate modern amenities, curated dining and regional retail with travelers’ comfort in mind. Additional locations are planned to open in the coming years.

• Parking information: Abundant parking is available on site.
   
• Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible entrance and parking lot
   
• Opening date: Early summer 2026
   
• Special highlights: The travel stop is being transformed into a space where you can relax, stay a while and recharge before continuing your travels, according to Parton.

The Tennessee Wings of Liberty Museum will be the second largest museum in the nation’s Army-museum enterprise. The 51,000-square-foot museum will include the history of the 101st, 160th, 5th group and other tenant divisions of military history. You’ll find multi-media displays, a Glider Atrium featuring a WWII era WACO Glider and more.

• Parking information: Parking will be available onsite.
   
• Accessibility: ADA parking will be available and the museum is wheelchair accessible throughout. Pricing: Admission to the museum will be free.
   
• Opening date: March 29, 2026
   
• Special highlights: The museum’s 33-acre outdoor space will include a memorial brick courtyard and wall. Historic aircraft and large artifacts will be installed in the future.

The new Memphis Art Museum will open in the heart of downtown Memphis. The Brooks Museum of Art’s extensive collection of more than 9,000 artworks will have a world-class home in flexible art spaces that can expand the arts’ stories. You’ll be able to enjoy 600% more art-filled free and public spaces to enjoy.

• Parking information: 150 parking spots will be located onsite including nearby street and garage parking.
   
• Accessibility: The museum will be fully ADA accessible with all art galleries on one level.
   
• Opening date: December 2026
   
• Special highlights: An “art park in the sky” will be a rooftop park full of sculptures, native Tennessee plants and panoramic views of Memphis and the Mississippi River.

The National Civil Rights Museum’s Legacy Building will feature exhibitions that take visitors on an immersive journey into pivotal moments and strategies of civil and human rights movements since Dr. King’s assassination in 1968.

• Parking information: Parking is free for museum guests. To enter the visitor lot, turn north on Mulberry Street from G.E. Patterson Avenue.
   
• Accessibility: The museum’s Complimentary tour guide and sign-language interpretation is available with two weeks’ notice. Complimentary tour guide interpretation for visually-impaired guests with 48-hours’ notice. Contact Guest Services at 901-521-9699 or email dhubbard-smith@civilrightsmuseum.org for arrangements. Assisted listening devices for the museum’s two main theater experiences and transcripts for audio elements within the exhibitions are available upon request at the admissions desk. All films have open captions at the bottom of the screen. Trained service animals are welcome to accompany guests who require their assistance due to a disability.
   
• Pricing: Adult admission is $20, $18 for college students with ID and those 65 years and older, $17 for children ages 5-17 and free for children ages 4 and younger.
   
• Opening date: Spring 2026
   
• Special highlights: There will be a dedicated gallery with newly uncovered documents and theories around King’s assassination.

The new Metal Museum will be a one-of-a-kind space for fine metalwork. The preservation of the beloved landmark will create a cultural amenity for the city in Overton Park. Expanded spaces for classrooms, studios and gathering spaces throughout the building will offer workshops, conferences and a café.

• Accessibility: The renovation includes an accessible ground floor entrance, expansive art spaces and accessible parking.
   
• Opening date: September 2026
   
• Special highlights: There will be a new rooftop terrace with beautiful views of Overton Park Shell and the Greensward.

The Memphis Flyway is a new observation deck offering unprecedented views of the Mississippi River at the southern end of Tom Lee Park. The deck extends 218 feet along the southeast to northwest direction with a slightly curving main span 105 feet long. Parking information: More than 2,000 parking spots are available close to Tom Lee Park’s entrance.

• Accessibility: The observation deck will be ADA-accessible.
   
• Pricing: The observation deck will be free.
   
• Opening date: Early 2026
   
• Special highlights: You’ll be able to spot more than 100 species of birds who fly along the Memphis riverfront.

Dolly Parton’s Songteller Hotel is a hotel that celebrates the songteller’s global career and her love of Nashville with intimate venues, sophisticated and eclectic rooms and suites. Dolly’s Life of Many Colors museum on the third floor of the hotel will be the museum’s largest exhibit celebrating her life in the world to date. Additional spaces include a rooftop bar, live entertainment, and immersive storytelling elements inspired by Dolly's songs and journey.

• Parking information: Valet parking for $65 per night will be available.
   
• Accessibility: Accessible room options including select Kings, Queens and Suites will be available.
   
• Opening date: June 2026
   
• Special highlights: Six Sisters Suites were designed to connect friends and family. With room for six guests, the suites feature three Queen beds, endless vanity space, two showers in the bathroom and separate seating area.

Nestled in the heart of downtown, The Waymark Hotel is a revitalized landmark inside a historic 1927 bank building blending timeless grandeur with a fresh, contemporary, locally-elevated spirit. Book a room or suite with stunning mountain views and onsite amenities like pet-friendly accommodations, a restaurant and state-of-the-art fitness center. 

• Parking information: Valet parking is available for $30 per night.
   
• Accessibility: Contact The Waymark Hotel for accessibility details at 423—874-7866
   
• Opening date: Late 2025
   
• Special highlights: The hotel features a subterranean speakeasy called The Vault.

Reconnect with nature on a solo vacation, couple’s getaway or family vacation at Wyldstay Smoky Mountains. The new, one-of-a-kind luxury retreat overlooks sparkling Douglas Lake and the Great Smoky Mountains. Safari tents created by Bushtec offer you a sumptuous stay in nature including a king bed, soft linens, private deck and privacy all under a blanket of stars. Add on an experience to your stay like sunrise yoga and kayaking.

• Parking information: Complimentary self-parking is offered to guests
   
• Accessibility: Call Wyldstay Smoky Mountains at 865-898-9449
   
• Pricing: Check rates as they vary by availability and season.
   
• Opening date: Nov. 14, 2025
   
• Special highlights: 11 luxury safari tent crafted by Bushtec Safari, curated experiences like sunrise yoga and kayak trips, linens and towels are provided as well as ensuite bathrooms, sand beach, French press, private deck and power bank for devices.

Hidden behind an unassuming coffee shop, Alibi is Gatlinburg’s first and only speakeasy. Step back in time to a world of velvet shadows, whispered conversations, Prohibition-era glamour, handcrafted cocktails and immersive aesthetics.

Briza blends bold flavors, global inspiration and Memphis hospitality in a place designed for connection inside Crosstown Concourse, with everything from inventive sushi rolls and wood-fired seafood to prime steaks, tuna tartare and coastal-inspired salads.

The award-winning team behind Noko and Kase x Noko, celebrated for their inventive Asian-inspired menus and led by James Beard semifinalist Dung “Junior” Vo, will open their third restaurant, Kuya, in 2026 in the West End neighborhood.

Mōkumōku, a modern Japanese restaurant, features an interactive sushi bar, plus an extensive menu of hot dishes, elevated entrees, sake program and cocktail menu. It’s set to open in late summer or early fall 2026.

Jackson’s Prime in Jonesborough elevates dining in Tennessee’s oldest town with USDA Prime steaks, fresh seafood and a curated wine and bourbon selection. 

Chaipolitan, opening summer 2026 in the heart of Music Row, is a teahouse and café designed to be a cozy, design forward haven for tea traditionalists, flavor seekers and weekend vibe chasers – rooted in culture, flavor and creativity.

Leatherwood Distillery moves to a larger, state-of-the-art space in downtown in January. Proudly veteran owned and operated with a mission to craft exceptional spirits, the new location will offer tours, tastings and live music.

Revolutionary Tavern is a brand-new addition to the historic Fayetteville square, serving southern favorites with a twist, brunch, and craft cocktails in a patriotic atmosphere.

Ole Shed Brewing Company, a longtime Tullahoma favorite, opened up in a new facility. Enjoy craft brews, live music and fare from local food trucks.