23 Best Sights in Tennessee, USA

Chimneys, just off Newfound Gap Road and a little more than 6 miles from the Sugarlands Visitor Center, may be the most loved picnic area in the park. Along both sides of a well-shaded loop road through the area are 68 picnic tables with grills. Some are wheelchair accessible. The prime spots along the wadeable stream that runs through the site fill up first. Huge boulders in the stream make for a striking view from your table. Potable water and flush toilets are available, but there is no group pavilion.

Part of the Urban Wilderness that includes the adjacent Forks of the River Wildlife Management Area, this 315-acre woodland is home to former marble quarries. Mead's Quarry Lake is where River Sports Outfitters rents paddleboards, kayaks, and canoes to explore the clear blue water. More than 12 miles of trails connect to adjacent public lands, allowing for extended hiking and mountain biking circuits, and Ijams Crag is popular with rock climbers. Navitat is also based here, offering six different aerial high-ropes challenge courses through the treetops.

This picnic area, near the beginning of the Cades Cove Loop, has 81 picnic tables open all year. Its big advantage is that it's near the beautiful Cades Cove valley; the disadvantage is that as many as 2 million people come through this area each year. Also, at only 1,800 feet high, it can be hot and humid in summer. Potable water and flush toilets are available. Bears are fairly common, so closely observe food storage precautions. Several trailheads are at the picnic area. There is a campground store here that sells hot dogs, burgers, ice cream, basic grocery supplies, and firewood; it also rents bikes.

On the northeast edge of the park, this picnic area has 35 tables in well-tended grassy areas under large poplar trees. Cosby Creek runs through the grounds. A wheelchair-accessible pavilion seats 55 and can be reserved for $25. There's a ranger station, restrooms, trailheads, and horse trails. Cosby has easy access from Interstate 40 via the Foothills Parkway and Tennessee State Route 32.

This well-organized hospitality center operated by the Visitors Bureau will help you customize an itinerary to make the best use of your time and money in the Gatlinburg area, including info on the best hikes for your fitness level and hours available. Pick up a trolley map, buy a National Park parking pass, and browse the "Made in Gatlinburg" store.

Greenbrier is one of the two smallest picnic areas in the park, with only 12 tables near a shady, boulder-strewn creek, plus a pavilion that seats 70 and can be reserved for $12.50. This picnic area off U.S. Route 321 is rarely busy, and it's one of only four in the park that's open year-round. There is a ranger station here and restrooms with pit toilets but no running water. The Ramsey Cascades Trail is nearby, leading to the Ramsey waterfalls about 4 miles away.

Designed by renowned museum architect Edward Larrabee Barnes, the four-level concrete-and-steel building is faced in Tennessee pink marble. It devotes ample space to regional artists and includes four exhibition galleries, an exploratory gallery for children, a great hall, an auditorium, a museum store, and an outdoor sculpture garden.

About 10 minutes south of the city, this collection of log cabins was the summer home of John Sevier, Tennessee's first governor. Tours of the property are offered, as well as craft demonstrations. Hiking trails meander along the adjacent creek, which includes the namesake spring.

A 200-foot Ferris wheel, a giant state-of-the-art arcade, and a flying-horse carousel anchor this 22-acre complex. There's also a high-ropes course, bumper cars, and Alcatraz East, a museum devoted to crime and criminals. The complex is home to two Margaritaville hotels, an Ole Smoky Moonshine tasting barn, and more than two dozen shops. Don't miss the multimillion-dollar "mini-Bellagio" dancing water fountain that comes to life for 20 minutes at the top of every hour.

Knoxville hosted the World's Fair in 1982, and the legacy is a green space maintained in the heart of the city. The centerpiece is the Sunsphere, a gold-domed observation tower with 360-degree views of the city. Below, there's a splash pad that's popular with children during summer and a festival lawn and amphitheater that host events throughout the year.