A collage of various Tennessee attractions and experiences, overlaid with a purple and red gradient.

trip inspiration

When it comes to writing a song, or planning a trip, some of the best ideas seem to appear out of thin air. Or, from articles and itineraries we’ve already built for you.

Compass drawing with purple outline on grid background; shows cardinal directions and needle pointing northeast.

Sometimes the hardest part is just getting started. Here are a few trip ideas to help get you going. For better results, sort them by area or category of interest.

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A wooden deck with a metal railing overlooks a vast, forested valley and distant mountains under a dramatic cloudy sky at sunset. Sponsored

Find Your Peace in the Smokies

Find Your Peace in the Smokies
Sprinkled, glazed and frosted donuts in colors of pink, red and orange behind a bakery case at Blackbird Bakery Donuts in Bristol, TN. A girl bends down to see the expansive selection. Tarts, slices of pie and chocolate desserts are lined up in another bakery case to her right.

Must-Visit Donut Shops in Tennessee

Must-Visit Donut Shops in Tennessee
Port Royal State Historic Park in Adams, TN

Fall Hikes Near Nashville

Fall Hikes Near Nashville
Street view of a city street with brick and stone buildings; a tall vertical "TENNESSEE" sign hangs on a central building.

Spend a Day in Downtown Knoxville

Spend a Day in Downtown Knoxville
Priddy Farms pumpkin area in Bartlett TN

Find Farms for Pumpkin Picking

Find Farms for Pumpkin Picking
Family posing for a picture at Dickens of a Christmas in Franklin, TN

Places to Take Family Photos

Places to Take Family Photos
Exhibits about desegregation, student support and more show black-and-white photographs of students in Tennessee at the Green McAdoo Cultural Center in Clinton, Tennessee

Travel the U.S. Civil Rights Trail

Travel the U.S. Civil Rights Trail
At a scenic overlook at Cherohala Skyway at Turkey Creek. A specialized viewfinder poised on a pedestal beckons those with color visual deficiency to gaze anew at the splendor of a simple magnificent Tennessee landscape. Out on the edge of discovery. Feel the open air on your skin, hear the serenity of nature’s natural sounds. Be at peace. Written about Cherohala Skyway at Turkey Creek Overlook in Tellico Plains, Tennessee.

Experience Tennessee's vibrant colors

Experience Tennessee's vibrant colors
Echoes of the empty are the only sound, Voices from the past whisper through the trees, Rustling up the dead leaves drying on the ground, Only oak and hickory growing where a small town used to be. Written about Tennessee’s Ghost Towns.

Ghost Towns Tennessee

Ghost Towns Tennessee