Travel Like Dolly, Elvis and Tennessee Locals

Few names are as linked to Tennessee as Dolly Parton. The rhinestone-wearing queen of country music is more visible than ever. Her namesake park Dollywood has a brand-new Dolly Parton Experience that is triple the size of its predecessor. She has a line of Dolly Wines – which you can sample at The Butterfly Bar at Nashville’s Assembly Food Hall – and a skillet collection with Lodge Cast Iron, whose headquarters in South Pittsburg is a must-visit. And while the entrepreneur has put her stamp on Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort & Spa and Heartsong Lodge & Resort in Pigeon Forge, this year will bring the arrival of Dolly Parton’s SongTeller Hotel. Infusing much of her own personality, this 12-story downtown Nashville emporium will include lodging, dining, entertainment and Dolly artifacts housed in the accompanying Dolly’s Life of Many Colors Museum.

If you’re looking to walk in the blue suede footsteps of Tennessee’s ultimate rock ’n’ roll icon, Elvis Presley, start in his former hometown of Memphis with a pilgrimage to Graceland, the estate that houses his opulent mansion, trophy building, meditation gardens and pair of jets, then kick back at the four-star Guest House at Graceland Hotel. Dive into music history at the legendary Sun Studio, where Elvis recorded his first hits and later rocked out with the “Million Dollar Quartet,” his famous jam session alongside Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins and Jerry Lee Lewis.

Tennessee is prime territory for adventure lovers, ranging from Gatlinburg’s Anakeesta and the many zip lines of Sevier County to expansive caves like Clarksville’s Dunbar Cave State Park, which is open for tours. Cycling – whether on pavement, dirt or gravel – is a favorite pastime in the state, and Bike Tennessee makes it easy to follow charted routes like the 32-mile Fall Creek Falls Loop or the 20-mile Cummins Falls Out-and-Back, a low-traffic road loop around Cummins Falls State Park near Cookeville. Off-road ATVs have plenty of playgrounds in Huntsville at Brimstone Recreation and in nearby Pickett State Forest.

On the outskirts of Mountain City, Doe Mountain Recreation Area’s 60 miles of trails spread over 8,600 acres of forest, while Coalmont OHV Park near Tracy City has 1,300 acres and 40 miles of rugged trails ideal for Jeeps, 4x4s, side-by-sides, motorcycles and rock crawlers.

Sequatchie Valley is home to one of the most active paragliding scenes in the South. Flying Camp Paragliding outside of Dunlap (with a second site in Whitwell) has tandem flights, a flight school and a place to sleep with sweeping valley views. While you’re there, you can enjoy rock climbing along the Cumberland Trail, too.

Get your adrenaline pumping in waters across the state. Pigeon and Nolichucky rivers offer world-class rapids, while Reelfoot Lake is known for canoeing and pontoon cruises – whichever floats your boat. Go fishing at one of 14 Bill Dance Signature Lakes, or check out one of our hundreds of waterfalls, like Ozone Falls, Greeter Falls and Fall Creek Falls.

Buckle up for some of Tennessee’s most epic drives, including the 43-mile Cherohala Skyway, Great River Road and Woodlands Trace in the Land Between the Lakes. Many of these routes also feature colorblind viewers positioned at strategic vistas like Veterans Overlook at Clinch Mountain, a great place to take in foliage and sweeping views of East Tennessee’s Cherokee Reservoir and Douglas Lake. Radnor Lake State Park in Nashville is home to Tennessee’s first ADA-accessible colorblind viewfinder.

Formerly called Clingmans Dome, Kuwohi sits at the highest point in Great Smoky Mountains National Park and is outfitted with a visitor center and observation tower. Not an outdoorsy traveler? Tennessee’s cities have indoor observation decks, too. Check out the Pyramid in Memphis, home to a massive Bass Pro Shops store, or the gilded Sunsphere in Knoxville, constructed for the 1982 World’s Fair.

From pioneer days to pioneering spirits, Tennessee’s cultural heritage and history sites allow travelers to get a glimpse of the past and discover something new. 

Just outside of Clarksville, Historic Collinsville serves as a living museum that brings 19th-century rural America to life through restored log homes and outbuildings furnished with period artifacts. La Grange’s historic downtown once served as a Chickasaw village, and the current residents (only about 200) carefully preserve the buildings and markers.

The Trail of Tears in Tennessee marks a period in U.S. history when thousands of Cherokees were forcibly removed from their homelands. Though not a part of the official trail, Chucalissa, a period town in Memphis, Pinson Mounds State Archaeological Park and the Cherokee Removal Memorial Park in Birchwood are definitely worth adding to your list of places to learn more.

The state was also at the crossroads of many crucial Civil War battles. Check out Shiloh National Military Park near Savannah or the Stones River National Battlefield in Murfreesboro. For a more inclusive perspective, learn about female cavalries at Rhea County Heritage and Scopes Trial Museum in Dayton, or the unsung African American heroes in Downtown Franklin at The Fuller Story signage and statue.

Tennessee bears the distinction of being the 36th and final state to ratify the 19th Amendment in 1920, giving women the right to vote. You’ll find suffrage monuments in downtown Knoxville, downtown Clarksville's Tennessee Triumph Women's Suffrage Monument, at the University of Memphis Law School, which features a 70-foot-long series of 9-foot-tall wall panels honoring those from the county who participated in nonviolent efforts to win a woman’s right to vote, and in Sweetwater, where politician Harry Burn, a key figure for women’s suffrage, once practiced law.

Freedom Riders, student protesters and Civil Rights activists across the state championed racial equality. From the National Civil Rights Museum and beyond, Tennessee’s section of the U.S. Civil Rights Trail spotlights some of these important sites. In 1956, 12 Black students stepped into the all-white Clinton High School, marking the beginning of the fight for desegregation. Green McAdoo Cultural Center, which features life-sized statues of these groundbreakers, shares their stories and provides a deeper understanding of the struggle for racial equality during the era of Jim Crow laws. The state also has 16 markers recognizing 20th-century Rosenwald Schools, where a generation of Black students who would go on to lead the Civil Rights Movement were educated.

Tennessee’s culinary scene blends rich Southern traditions with bold flavors. 

Deeply rooted in African American traditions, Nashville hot chicken has become a fiery fixture on menus. Savor the spicy flavors that started it all at Prince’s Hot Chicken Shack. Once you get a taste, you'll want to do a full Nashville hot chicken tour to find the best heat for you. 

Another regional cuisine with a global following, Memphis-style barbecue focuses on pork ribs and shoulder, coated with a dry rub and smoked low and slow over hickory wood. Sample some of the best at Central BBQ, which also serves up smoked brisket, chicken, turkey and even hot wings. And don’t forget the sides, including slaw, greens, baked beans and potato salad. Check out even more barbecue restaurant stops that should be on your travel itinerary when visiting Tennessee.

Speaking of sides, Tennessee is known for its meat-and-threes – referring to the meat (roast beef, fried chicken, meatloaf and more) and three “vegetables” you get to choose to fill your plate. Kleer-Vu Lunchroom in Murfreesboro, Countryside Cafe in Ooltewah and Downhome Family Restaurant in Camden offer Southern specialties like hot water cornbread, fried okra and purple hull peas.

After all that eating, you’re going to need to wet your whistle, and there’s no better way than getting a sip of the local water. The Tennessee Whiskey Trail knits the state’s roots in moonshine and whiskey together with 30 distilleries spanning a route that includes Old Dominick in Memphis; Ole Smoky Distillery in Gatlinburg; Jack Daniel's Distillery in Lynchburg; Nearest Green Distillery in Shelbyville; Cascade Hollow Distilling Co. - makers of George Dickel in Tullahoma; Company Distilling in Lynchburg, Thompson’s Station and Townsend; Roaring River Distillery in Gainesboro (recently featured on the Discovery Channel); and Brushy Mountain Distillery in Petros.

Cheer on your favorite athletes at venues across the state. After all, music’s not the only thing Tennessee is good at. 

Explore Beale Street and then catch a Memphis Grizzlies game at the FedExForum. Cheer on the Tennessee Titans at Nashville’s Nissan Stadium (the new stadium comes online in 2027). Also in Nashville, the Nashville Predators at Bridgestone Arena and Nashville SC at GEODIS Park are always a blast. Batter up at brand-new, state-of-the-art baseball venues, Knoxville Smokies’ Covenant Health Park and Chattanooga Lookouts’ Erlanger Park. The Nashville Sounds and Memphis Redbirds also offer fans an all-star experience. 

Learn about women’s basketball legend Pat Summitt, who headed the Lady Vols from 1974 to 2012 and launched her career just after Title IX passed – which prohibited sex-based discrimination in federally funded education programs and activities. A bronze statue and interpretative display in her hometown of Clarksville tell her life story, but you can dive even deeper into her legacy at Knoxville’s Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame.