# Things to do while vacationing in (mid) Tennessee **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 7, 2021, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-to-do-while-vacationing-in-mid-tennessee/948187 "2021-08-07T13:01:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2021, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-to-do-while-vacationing-in-mid-tennessee/948187/1 "2021-08-07T13:01:23Z")
I will be vacationing in Tennessee soon and I’m looking for family-friendly activities. We will have two young’uns with us, ages 3 and 5. Preferably outdoors on account of the pandemic you may have read about. We will be about a half hour from Knoxville and 2 hours from Nashville. 2 hours is likely the max distance we would want to travel from our home base. Casual hiking, state/national parks, beaches, scenic drives, kid-type adventures and the like are all good. Thanks! mmm ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2021, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-to-do-while-vacationing-in-mid-tennessee/948187/2 "2021-08-07T17:43:21Z")
You might look at Dollywood: > **[Top Destination For Family Vacations | Pigeon Forge, TN](https://www.dollywood.com/)** > > Dollywood family amusement park is the top destination for family vacations in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, nestled in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2021, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-to-do-while-vacationing-in-mid-tennessee/948187/3 "2021-08-07T20:29:59Z")
Dollywood is it. Oak Ridge has a nuclear museum. Pigeon Forge has touristy stuff. Chattanooga, Southeast of you, has lots, especially the State Aquarium. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2021, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-to-do-while-vacationing-in-mid-tennessee/948187/4 "2021-08-07T20:57:56Z")
The Knoxville Aquarium is definitely worth a visit. One of the only places I know of where you can see live [paddlefish](https://tnaqua.org/animal/paddlefish/). (there’s virtually no way to see them in the wild since they live in muddy rivers). ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2021, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-to-do-while-vacationing-in-mid-tennessee/948187/5 "2021-08-07T23:23:10Z")
> [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](#): > > Pigeon Forge has touristy stuff. And the Firehouse Subs on the main drag has an old-timey fire truck in the dining area. ---
**Author:** ![crucible](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@crucible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crucible)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2021, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-to-do-while-vacationing-in-mid-tennessee/948187/6 "2021-08-08T07:53:36Z")
whatever you do, don’t talk politics with anyone in Tennessee. Many of them are batshit crazy. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2021, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-to-do-while-vacationing-in-mid-tennessee/948187/7 "2021-08-08T12:15:45Z")
Agreed. And I live there. ---
**Author:** ![saje](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saje/32/3631_2.png) [@saje](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saje)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2021, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-to-do-while-vacationing-in-mid-tennessee/948187/8 "2021-08-08T12:39:55Z")
Chattanooga is a fun town, lots to do there. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2021, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-to-do-while-vacationing-in-mid-tennessee/948187/9 "2021-08-08T14:29:34Z")
Lookout Mountain has **The Incline Railway** , **Ruby Falls** and the kids will love **Rock City**. ---
**Author:** ![MrAtoz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MrAtoz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrAtoz)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2021, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-to-do-while-vacationing-in-mid-tennessee/948187/10 "2021-08-08T14:51:04Z")
Not far from Dolllywood/Pigeon Forge is Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which is the most visited national park in the country. Lots of beautiful scenery, with several hiking trails and camping opportunities. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2021, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-to-do-while-vacationing-in-mid-tennessee/948187/11 "2021-08-08T16:01:31Z")
Thanks for the tips, everyone. I shall investigate. mmm ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2021, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-to-do-while-vacationing-in-mid-tennessee/948187/12 "2021-08-08T23:10:33Z")
Not much for the kids to do, but **Jack Daniels Distillery** in Lynchburg is a fun tour – the “guides” really lay it on. Eighteen miles down the road from Mr. Jack is the **George Dickel Distillery** , in Cascade Hollow (could I make that up?), which has a very nice tour, as well. They’re both in dry counties. Sorry.