Tennessee Is Where Music Meets Adventure
Curious about what you'll do when you live in Tennessee? If you like the idea of hiking through the Smokies or The Appalachian Trail, spending time floating on lazy rivers, enjoying great sport fishing, and checking out dancing in honky tonks, Tennessee is calling you home! This list of fun things to do will take you from Smoky sunrises to neon nights and give you a taste of Tennessee's natural beauty and musical heritage.
Mike, Our Local Expert Guiding Your Move
Michael is a Tennessee native who has lived, worked, or worn out tires in all three divisions of the state, from Memphis to Nashville to Johnson City, plus plenty of small towns that never make postcards. He once moved from the far northeast corner of Tennessee to the far southwest for college, stayed twenty years, then somehow boomeranged right back to Appalachia. He knows the difference between mountain quiet and river loud, will defend Memphis BBQ like its a birthright, and can point you to everything from out of the way eateries to where locals actually hunt. We are not all barefoot moonshiners, but yes, some of us know where the real stuff is. At Snappy Scout Michael uses that deep statewide mileage to refine Tennessee moving guides so they're as real as a proper BBQ smoke ring, not some oven baked liquid smoke waste of calories.
Read moreWritten with local insight from Snappy Scout relocation experts
What Will You Do in Tennessee?
From weekend adventures to iconic road trips, here's how locals spend their time off.
Go Outside & Hike
Trek Alum Cave Trail to Inspiration Point in Great Smokies, or jump on The Appalachian Trail in Elizabethton.
Spend Time on the Water cooling off
Where to cool off? Raft the Ocoee near Copperhill or water ski on Wautauga Lake.
For the Sports Fans
Cheer the Vols at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville or root for the TN Titans or Nashville Predators in Nashville.
This is the Iconic Road Trip to take
Cruise Natchez Trace Parkway from Nashville to Meriwether Lewis Site.
This is the scenic ride for you
US 129 is a curvy legend at Tail of the Dragon.
Underground Adventure
Sweetwater, boat the Lost Sea underground lake, or explore Bristol Caverns in Sullivan County.
Maybe you should go chasing waterfalls
Hike Fall Creek Falls State Park overlooks near Spencer, or swim in the Blue Hole near Elizabethton.
This is what locals do on the weekends
Dance to live honky tonk at Robert's Western World, downtown Nashville, enjoy a comedy show or day at Dollywood in Pigeon forge, or take in the curiosities of a local festival.
During the short days of Winter
Nashville, wander Gaylord Opryland Christmas lights and indoor gardens
It's Fall
Drive Foothills Parkway for leaf peeping near Townsend
Hidden Gem Spotlight
Some of the best barbeque in Tennessee is found almost as far from Memphis as you can get and still be in the Volunteer State. Ridgewood Barbeque in Bluff City, just outside Bristol, is famous for piled-high barbeque sandwiches, amazing baked beans, hand cut fries, and blue cheese dip with crackers that are slap-your-momma delicious!
— Mike Stover
Tennessee Local Expert
Ready to See If Tennessee Fits You?
Compare cities, check the routes, or head back to the full Tennessee guide for the bigger picture.