Ready to add some new and exciting adventures to your Tennesse bucket list? I’m happy to say that you’ve come to the right place!
As an East Tennessee local, I have seen and experienced so much of the Volunteer State. With rolling peaks and crisscrossing rivers to plunging waterfalls and intricate cave systems, Tennessee has no shortage of adventure opportunities.
From boating across America’s largest underground lake to paddling to the base of a powerful 136-foot waterfall, here are ten exciting and unique things to add to your Tennessee bucket list.
Ultimate Tennessee Bucket List: 10 Adventures in TN
Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. If you click on the links, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. As always, all opinions are my own. Thanks so much for your support!
1. Take a boat tour on America’s largest underground lake.
140 feet below ground in the Craighead Caverns lies the deep, dark Lost Sea, North America’s largest underground lake. And you can see it on a guided cave and boat tour in historic Sweetwater, Tennessee!
As you putter around the cavernous lake, prepare to be mesmerized by the turquoise glow of the water, the echoes bouncing off the damp cave walls, and the schools of rainbow trout swimming around the boat.
Read more about this unique East Tennessee adventure in my full guide.
2. Navigate the 318 hairpin curves of the Tail of the Dragon.
With 318 hairpin curves in just 11 miles, the Tail of the Dragon is one of the most famous motorcycle and sports car roads in America.
But it’s not just for motorcycles and sports cars! We drove the twisty road in our SUV, and it was a blast. We’ve even seen trailers and RVs drive this road – though I would NOT recommend that.
The Tail of the Dragon is an 11-mile section of US 129 near Deals Gap. The road is sandwiched between the Great Smoky Mountains and the Cherokee National Forest with no intersecting roads or driveways. So there are no interruptions as you twist and turn around the nail-biting curves.
While there are a few pull-offs with scenic overlooks, the main event is conquering the 318 hairpin curves and watching the flashy cars and motorcycles race by.
3. Watch the synchronous fireflies light up the Smoky Mountains.
If you grew up in the central or eastern United States, you probably saw fireflies lighting up your backyard. But I promise you’ve never seen anything quite like this!
Synchronous fireflies are a species of fireflies that flash synchronously as part of their mating display. The display occurs in the Elkmont area of the Smokies for about 2-3 weeks every year – usually in late May or early June. For a couple of hours each night during the display, the forest lights up with hundreds of thousands of twinkling, flashing lights. It’s truly a spectacle!
An 8-day ticketed event is held annually, and unfortunately, reservations/permits are extremely hard to get. But not to worry! I have a guide that lists 4 ways you can see the synchronous fireflies in the Smokies without a permit. Give it a read!
You can also read my complete synchronous fireflies guide to find out all the info about where, when, and how to see this spectacular display.
4. Explore the tallest underground waterfall in the USA.
1,000 feet below Lookout Mountain lies Ruby Falls, the tallest underground waterfall in the entire USA. And you can see it on a guided cave tour in Chattanooga!
On the guided tour, you’ll twist through the impressive cave system before reaching the main event, the thundering 145-foot waterfall crashing from the ceiling to the cave’s floor. Watch as the tour guide bathes the waterfall in an array of colored lights to showcase its staggering beauty.
Grab your Ruby Falls tour tickets here!
BONUS: Make sure to stop by Rock City Gardens while you’re in the area! Just 4 miles from Ruby Falls, Rock City features massive rock formations, a waterfall, caverns, suspension bridges, a scenic walking trail, and the famous “See Seven States” panoramic view.
5. Watch a movie inside a cave.
Are you bored with going to the theater and watching movies on a big screen in an overly air-conditioned room? Then you absolutely must watch a movie in a cave!
Cherokee Caverns, a cave system in Knoxville, hosts events and plays movies year-round in the cave. With each fair-priced event ticket, you gain access to the entire cave, which you can explore at your leisure!
And since the cave always stays at a mild, consistent temperature of 58 degrees, you can visit any time of year. You can cool off in the summer or warm up in the winter!
My favorite time of year to venture into the caves is in November because they usually play a fun Christmas movie like Christmas Vacation. The volunteers decorate the cave rooms with twinkling red, white, and green lights, and add festive touches throughout the lighted pathways and into the “movie room.”
Click here for their current list of movies and prices.
6. Paddle to the base of 136-foot Burgess Falls.
Burgess Falls State Park in Sparta is notorious for its four picturesque waterfalls, which can each be viewed alongside the park’s short hiking trail.
But what many people don’t know is that you can launch a kayak and paddle to the base of the tallest waterfall!
When the water level is high (usually in the late spring and early summer), you can paddle right up to the base of the powerful waterfall. When the water level is low, you can paddle most of the way, and then get out and walk the rest of the way to the falls. Either way, it’s a spectacular experience!
Prepare to be blown away – both literally and figuratively – by the sheer flow of water tumbling down the rocks, just inches from you! While you’re there, you can swim at the base of the falls at your own risk, or you can simply park your kayak/SUP and enjoy a snack in front of the falls.
Read all about how to paddle to Burgess Falls, including where to launch, what to expect, and more, in my full guide.
7. Go snow tubing in warm weather at Ober.
The premier way to play in the snow is in above-freezing temperatures! Yep, you heard me right.
Thanks to a fake snow machine that hurls millions of flakes through the air and an epic snow tubing hill high above the touristy town of Gatlinburg, you can play in the snow without the burden of numb extremities, chattering teeth, and rosy cheeks.
It was a whopping 70 degrees when we tubed this in the winter! And yes, the snow looks and feels as real as the powder that falls from the sky.
READ NEXT: 6 Incredible Things to Do in Gatlinburg in Winter
8. Bike Cades Cove on a vehicle-free Wednesday.
Cades Cove is an 11-mile one-way hilly loop that meanders around a scenic valley. Framed by mountain peaks and filled with active wildlife, Cades Cove is a must-see on your visit to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. And the best way to explore it? By biking!
The very best time of year to bike Cades Cove is on vehicle-free Wednesdays in the summer. Exact dates vary each year, but typically the park closes the loop to vehicles every Wednesday from the first week of May to the last week in September. Without the noisy hum of motor vehicles, Cades Cove transforms into a quiet oasis teeming with wildlife.
READ NEXT: Things You Need to Know Before Biking Cades Cove
9. Watch the ball drop from the Sunsphere in Knoxville.
Have you always dreamed of attending the live ball drop in Times Square, but the crowds and safety risks scare you off? Then you need to attend the New Year’s Eve bash at the Sunsphere in Knoxville!
Ring in the New Year with friends, family, visitors, and neighbors at World’s Fair Park in downtown Knoxville.
At this event, you can listen to live music, dance at the silent disco, eat yummy food from local food trucks, snag free merch from local vendors, and watch fireworks light up the sky as you ring in the new year in front of the infamous Sunshpere.
READ NEXT: Best Outdoor Things to Do in Knoxville (By Month)
10. Summit the third-tallest peak in the Smoky Mountains.
Mount LeConte is the third-tallest peak in the Smoky Mountains range, and the routes to get to the summit are all so exciting! The easiest, shortest, and most scenic route is via Alum Cave.
On the Alum Cave route, you’ll meander along the creek, walk through slippery steps carved into a giant rock, pass through an overhanging recessed cave, and wind up to LeConte on steep, narrow paths. On a clear day, the views along the trail are jaw-dropping.
You can read all about the different routes and what to expect, including how to sleep overnight at the summit, in my full Mount LeConte trail guide here.
Want More Tennessee Adventure?
Keep growing your Tennessee bucket list with the help of my blog posts!
- Ultimate Great Smoky Mountains Itinerary (From a Local!)
- Complete Cummins Falls Guide
- Spruce Flats Falls Trail: Hidden Gem in the Smokies
- 3 Best Rivers to Go Tubing in the Smoky Mountains
- Rock Island State Park Waterfalls Guide
- 8 Best Weekend Trips From Nashville
Visit my Tennessee landing page to discover even more Tennessee adventures!
Discover Your Next Adventure
Where to next? I’ve got some suggestions!
- Frozen Head State Park
- Fall Creek Falls State Park
- Midnight Hole
- Rock Island State Park
- Cummins Falls State Park
PIN IT AND SAVE THIS POST FOR LATER!
You know that I have to save this blog for when I visit my parent’s lake house! It’s just 40 minutes from Tennessee so we spend a lot of time exploring.
Ahh awesome!! Can’t go wrong with any of these. Tennessee is such a fun state to explore!