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.

Choose Category

Area
Category
Clear Filters
Children run and play at My Big Backyard, a kid-friendly area within the larger Memphis Botanic Garden in Memphis.

Spring Break Trips

Spring Break Trips
Sprockets and gears and wheels on the wall, They click and hum when they turn, Doesn’t matter how much you go, There’s always much more to learn. Written about the Machinery Exhibit at the Discovery Center at Murfree Spring in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

Middle Tennessee Spring Destinations

Middle Tennessee Spring Destinations
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
A close-up of a stack of pancakes with a pat of butter on top, being served on a plate in a diner.

Where to Sleep and Eat Smokies

Where to Sleep and Eat Smokies
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
Black bicycle parked on a stone railing overlook with forested valley and cliffs in the background.

Waterfall Cycling Routes

Waterfall Cycling Routes
Family on a boat dock by a lake, sitting in chairs and smiling; a man tends a small grill or fire near the edge. Sponsored

Visit Roane County

Visit Roane County
Irish music played at local Boyd's Jig & Reel in Knoxville TN

Knoxville Restaurants with Live Music

Knoxville Restaurants with Live Music
A friendly little town up on the plateau,  A hustle and bustle remedy, They’re quick with a handshake and a hello, Welcome to Cookeville, in the heart of Tennessee. Written about Historic Downtown Cookeville, Tennessee.

Spend Day Small Town Cookeville TN

Spend Day Small Town Cookeville TN