Tennessee Trip Guide – Fall Travel Inspiration

Traditional Oktoberfest, harvest festivals and cozy food festivals crop up throughout Tennessee to celebrate the season. Enjoy stein holding competitions, live music and biergarten at the annual Oktoberfest celebration in the German castle that houses Schulz Brau in Knoxville. Find photo-worthy pumpkin houses in Nashville and Memphis. At Dollywood's Harvest Festival, fall glows brightest with Great Pumpkin LumiNights, live music, festive foods from gourmet caramel apples to delicious barbecue and fall decor. Mempho Music Festival, held at Memphis Botanic Garden, hosts some of the hottest DJs and music acts in the country. 

Cheer on Tennessee's home teams at football, basketball and hockey games this fall. The Nashville Predators have been a part of the Nashville sports scene for 20 years. The momentum and hype are shown by the infectious enthusiasm of the Preds’ hometown crowd. See the NBA Memphis Grizzlies take on teams in high-action games at FedExForum. Hear the fans loudly cheer during high-flying dunks. It's an electrifying atmosphere you have to experience. Watch the clash of the Tennessee Titans. Tennessee Titans' fans cheer on their favorite team during home games at Nissan Stadium every fall. College football is another statewide pigskin pastime, with the University of Tennessee Volunteers consistently dazzling crowds at Neyland Stadium, the sixth largest in the world. And in late December/early January, the annual AutoZone Liberty Bowl in Memphis adds extra excitement to the season.

As school is back in session and you may be planning a fall break with your kids or with friends, fall is the perfect time to learn something new. Embark on your own history lesson by road tripping around Tennessee at historic homes like Rocky Mount State Historic Site, the first capitol of the Southwest Territory of the U.S., the 11th president's home James K. Polk Home and Elvis Presley's Graceland in Memphis. Marvel at museums like the Tennessee State Museum house the state's more than 200 years of stories and Memphis Museums of Science and History is devoted to the natural history of the Mid-South. You'll find Civil Rights history, women's suffrage history and Native American history at numerous sites in Tennessee.

Slow down and enjoy the splendor of autumn. Here's an invitation to cross over bridges spanning sun-dappled rivers, down winding backroads speckled with changing leaves and through one-stoplight towns adorned with fall colors. Hop in the car and marvel at the colors along Cherohala Skyway. Climb up to Buffalo Mountain Park to get a beautiful view in Northeast Tennessee. Travel the hiking trails along Big Ridge State Park,, Tims Ford State Park and Chickasaw State Park to witness foliage shining near treams, in valleys and along narrow ridges. Tennessee is also home to the first colorblind viewfinders, located in many state parks and attractions like Ober Mountain.

Tennessee's small towns shine during the fall as leaves crunch under foot and local shops, bakeries and cafes have everything from fall decor to fashion, specialty treats and coffees to make the season feel more special. Explore East Tennessee towns like Rugby, a Victorian village, and Clinton to take a historic tour and enjoy antique shopping - Clinton, Tennessee is considered the Antique Capitol of the South, after all. Take a day trip to one of the many small towns around Nashville like Manchester for boutique shopping and Lynchburg for Jack Daniel's Distillery tours and tastings. West Tennessee is rich with music history from Brownsville where the Tina Turner Museum at Flagg Grove School is located and Paris, Tennessee where you can snap a photo next to the Eiffel Tower replica.