3. Gatlinburg
Surrounded by the Great Smoky Mountains, Gatlinburg is the perfect base for outdoor adventure. The Sugarland’s entrance to Great Smoky Mountains National Park is just outside of downtown, but there’s much more to do while in this part of East Tennessee. Ober Gatlinburg Amusement Park and Ski Area offers year-round family fun with amusement rides, an aerial tramway, ice skating, snow tubing, skiing and other activities. Many patrons enjoy this attraction, though others warn it can get overcrowded, causing a long wait for some of the activities, so your best bet is to aim for weekdays and other off-peak times.
4. Learn about Native American history
Native Americans have inhabited modern-day Tennessee for about 12,000 years. Many places in the state have names of Indigenous origin, like Chattanooga, Tullahoma, Sewanee and Nickajack – even “Tennessee” itself derives from a Cherokee word for “where the river bends.” Today, you can explore Native American heritage across the state. Plan to begin your journey in the town of Venire at the Sequoyah Birthplace Museum. Located around 35 miles southwest of Knoxville, this museum is owned and operated by the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Nation and pays tribute to a Cherokee by the name of Sequoyah. He was a silversmith, soldier and statesman, best remembered for creating the Cherokee writing system. Also on-site is the Cherokee Memorial, where archaeological remains from former Cherokee towns of the 18th century are buried. Afterward, plan to visit The Tanasi Memorial, where Tennessee’s namesake – a former Cherokee village – is commemorated 12 miles southeast of the museum.