While Tennessee’s major urban centers have unmistakable allure, there’s a special kind of magic in discovering the charms of a smaller, off-the-beaten-path destination. A bit like opening a great book with an unexpected ending, small towns delight in the most surprising ways, from a charming interaction with a local to stumbling on a long-sought vintage find or discovering a new favorite restaurant or cafe.
With their quaint downtowns, historic landmarks, beautiful parks and unique attractions, Tennessee’s small towns provide the perfect getaway.
Lynchburg and Shelbyville
In Lynchburg, groups can visit the world-famous Jack Daniel’s Distillery. Tours dive into the history of the brand’s founder, as well as the craft and science of the distillation process, before ending with samples of six different Jack Daniel’s Tennessee whiskeys. Specialty tours focused on bonded whiskeys and on the role of bourbon barrels in shaping a whiskey’s flavor are also available.
Company Distilling recently opened a third location in Lynchburg, so visitors now have the option to visit two sites along the Tennessee Whiskey Trail while in the area. Groups can add on a lunch of Southern staples at Miss Mary Bobo’s Restaurant, just off the square in downtown Lynchburg, for a full-day experience.
In Shelbyville, roughly 15 miles away, Music City Kartplex welcomes both amateur and competitive go-kart racers to enjoy its state-of-the-art, half-mile track at speeds up to 50 miles per hour. Meanwhile, downtown Shelbyville offers a mix of gift boutiques, antique shops and restaurants to explore, with the steaks, seafood and burgers at Glass Hollow Table & Tavern perennially ranking among locals’ favorites.
About 10 miles northeast of Shelbyville, the historic small town of Bell Buckle draws antiquers, craft lovers and festivalgoers, who flock to the area for its RC Cola-MoonPie Festival each June.
In Tullahoma, just 13 miles from Lynchburg, the Beechcraft Heritage Museum celebrates and preserves the history of the Beechcraft aircraft brand. Groups can tour the museum’s collections of rare and unique aircraft, including early Staggerwing, Bonanza and King Air models.
Granville
An hour east of Nashville, Granville has been dubbed “Tennessee’s Mayberry Town” for its small-town charm. Time may feel just a little slower here — and that’s part of the appeal.
The T.B. Sutton General Store, in the heart of town, is a living relic worth the trip alone. Dating to the 1880s, the store feels like stepping into a time capsule, its creaky wooden floors and shelves lined with vintage signs, nostalgic toys, classic candies and handmade crafts. On Saturdays, groups can enjoy a meal of Southern favorites during the store’s weekly live bluegrass concert, part of its Ole Time Music Hour radio show.
The town’s Mayberry-I Love Lucy Museum features replica sets and memorabilia from both beloved TV series, including Aunt Bee’s glasses, autographed photos and posters, character dolls and more. Nearby, the Whiskey Decanter Museum displays approximately 5,000 unique decanters of all shapes and sizes, from a soaring bald eagle to a series depicting Elvis Presley across various stages of his career. The quaint community boasts at least five other museums to explore, including the Tennessee Quilt & Textile Museum; a Pioneer Village with artisans demonstrating traditional crafts; and the Granville Museum, which has displays about the city’s history. Groups can also explore the Granville Artisans’ Gallery, located on the second floor of the General Store, for locally handmade baskets, brooms, wood crafts, fiber arts, pottery and more.
Union City
There’s fun for all ages in Union City, starting with the expansive exhibits at the city’s Discovery Park of America. Opened in 2013, the museum includes nine interactive exhibit galleries on topics as diverse as Native American history, military history, science, space, technology, transportation and art.
Highlights include a 20,000-gallon aquarium, life-size dinosaur bone casts, vintage cars, military vehicles and more. In addition to three floors of indoor exhibits, the site also features a 50-acre outdoor heritage park, where groups can explore traditional Japanese and European gardens, five restored train cars and a replica 1800s settlement village.
Nearby Reelfoot Lake and the surrounding Reelfoot National Wildlife Refuge provide ample opportunities for outdoor exploration and enjoyment. The area is a particular favorite for fishing, canoeing and bird watching. A roughly 3-mile driving tour through the refuge’s bottomland hardwood forests offers opportunities to spot an array of bird species, including pileated woodpeckers, great blue herons, great egrets, bald eagles and red-shouldered hawks. For a more up-close look at area wildlife, refuge staff offer guided canoe treks and guided bald eagle tours at various points throughout the year.
At Union City’s Dixie Gun Works, groups can explore an expansive collection of historic firearms as well as gunsmithing tools and supplies. Just off the retail space, an Old Car Museum features 36 fully restored automobiles plus an array of vintage farm machinery.
Murfreesboro
Once the Tennessee state capital before Nashville, Murfreesboro still exudes a sense of sophisticated vibrancy. Today, the city has one of the fastest-growing populations in the state. After one visit, you’ll see why.
The downtown corridor includes a fun mix of shops, restaurants and entertainment venues that cater to Middle Tennessee State University students and full-time residents alike.
History buffs will enjoy spending a day at the area’s Stones River National Battlefield, where ranger-led tours and frequent living history reenactments share insights into the Battle of Stones River, one of the bloodiest of the Civil War. Oaklands Mansion, a 19th-century property near the battlefield, offers self-guided tours of its well-preserved rooms, outfitted with many original furnishings and artifacts. The home served both as an impromptu field hospital for Union soldiers during the war and as a resting point for Confederate President Jefferson Davis during his 1862 visit to the area.
Murfreesboro’s Earth Experience Museum, also known as the Middle Tennessee Museum of Natural History, features interactive displays of rocks, fossils, gems and dinosaur bones dating from millions of years ago. More recent history is on display at the city’s Cannonsburgh Village, a replica pioneer village with a grist mill, schoolhouse, general store, blacksmith’s shop and more. Meant to represent the lived experience of Tennesseans from the 1830s to 1930s, the village also displays the world’s largest cedar bucket, which stands more than 70 inches tall.
Bristol
Straddling the state line that divides Tennessee and Virginia, Bristol is known far and wide as the “Birthplace of Country Music,” thanks to seminal 1927 recording sessions there that helped take country music mainstream. Today, the city still pulses with that same innovative spirit. Its thriving six-block downtown arts and entertainment district is home to eclectic shops and restaurants plus a major annual festival, the Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion, typically held in September.
Of course, NASCAR fans know the city as the home of Bristol Motor Speedway, which hosts the NASCAR Cup Series and other key racing events. Groups can book a track tour, enjoy premium seating and track passes during live racing, or even book deluxe travel packages for marquee race events that include race-day transportation and hotel accommodations.
Bristol is also a favorite destination for those who prefer to enjoy their fun outdoors. Bristol Caverns — one of Tennessee’s most beautiful public caves — offers guided walking tours or more extreme adventure tours, which explore the most remote portions of the cave. Nearby South Holston Lake delivers some of Tennessee’s best fishing, and the city’s many trails are a favorite of hikers and mountain bikers.
