Guide · Tennessee
Tennessee, worth the detour.
6 hand-picked stops that never make the highway signs — the hidden gems, offbeat landmarks, and overlooked museums locals send you to, each with the story behind it and why it’s worth leaving the interstate.
Outdoors
3 stops in Tennessee.
Home of the Olympic-class whitewater rapids on the "Mighty Ocoee" (Class I-VI); split off in 2025 from the former Hiwassee/Ocoee River State Park into its own dedicated park.
Ocoee Whitewater CenterThe 1996 Olympic whitewater venue on the Ocoee River — the visitor center building burned in 2022 and its fenced footprint remains closed, but trails, both parking lots, and rapids viewing have reopened (daylight hours, $3 lower-lot fee).
Sewanee Natural Bridge25-foot-high, 50-foot-span natural sandstone arch overlooking Lost Cove, reached by a short trail from a small parking area off Natural Bridge Road; a distinct unit of South Cumberland State Park, separate from Foster Falls and Greeter Falls.
Culture
3 stops in Tennessee.
Reconstructed 18th-century British fort from the French and Indian War era on Tellico Lake, with living-history reenactments and interpretive programs.
Old Stone Fort State Archaeological Park782-acre park built around a Native American ceremonial earthwork enclosure on the Duck and Little Duck rivers, with waterfalls, trails, and a museum; open daily 8am-4:30pm, just off I-24.
Stones River National BattlefieldNational Battlefield preserving the site of the January 1863 Battle of Stones River; the adjoining national cemetery holds more than 6,100 Union burials, over 2,500 of them unknown.
Plan the Tennessee trip
Hidden gems, scenic drives, hikes — all in one Tennessee guide.
See everything worth the detour in Tennessee, then let Roamward build the trip around it. Know a Tennessee spot we’re missing? Tell us — we’re building this with the people who actually drive it.