The Best Small Towns in Tennessee for a Weekend Retreat

Tennessee is a gorgeous state with so much to offer all types of travelers. For starters, it is home to America's most visited park, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. But that’s not all. Tennessee is also home to the Tennessee and Mississippi Rivers, lots of whiskey distilleries, rolling hills, amazing country music, and so much more. All this and more can be enjoyed in the small towns spread across the state.

While a weekend is never enough to explore everything, these towns have many ways to make the limited time worthwhile for every traveler. From Lynchburg and its magnificent caverns to Savannah and its aquatic splendor, here are the best small towns in Tennessee for a weekend getaway.

Rogersville

Rogersville is a great town for history buffs looking to spend a weekend retreat in one of the state’s oldest towns. This historic town was founded in 1775 and offers plenty of historic attractions for visitors. First, check in at Comfort Inn & Suites, Hale Springs Inn, or any other top-rated accommodations in town. Hale Springs Inn is a prime historic attraction in Rogersville, one of the oldest continuously operating inns in Tennessee that has hosted President Andrew Johnson.

Then start your adventure by visiting the Tennessee Newspaper and Printing Museum, the birthplace of journalism in the state, where copies of historic newspapers and exhibits of printing equipment are abundant. Next, go to the Hawkins County Courthouse, built in 1836 and representing the state's second-oldest courthouse still in operation. After exploring its historic attractions, relax at Rogersville City Park, featuring picnic shelters, a public swimming pool, a fishing pond, a walking/jogging trail, and spectacular greenery.

Paris

Paris offers a charming getaway in the Volunteer State for a weekend escape, featuring highly-rated lodgings such as Hampton Inn by Hilton Paris and Home Sweet Home Bed and Breakfast. Named after France's capital, the town exudes that romantic city atmosphere, especially at the Eiffel Tower replica. This 60-foot steel tower located in Eiffel Tower Park is part of a family-friendly recreational area that includes a pool, picnic pavilion, and walking trails.

Visitors to Paris can also enjoy the great outdoors further at the Paris Landing State Park, where the elegant Kentucky Lake offers boating, fishing, waterskiing, and kayaking experiences.

Loudon

Loudon is a beautiful town located along the Tennessee River, ideal for a relaxing weekend of boating, fishing, and picnicking by the water. Its downtown area invites visitors to browse antique shops, enjoy lakeside dining at the Blue Heron restaurant, and watch movies or sporting events from their cars at the LoCo Drive-in Theater.

Don't forget to head to the town's numerous parks, notably the Liberty, Legion, and Loudon Municipal Parks, to hike nature trails, enjoy picnics with family and friends, and admire the scenery. Riverside Park deserves a separate mention for its fishing pier, boat launch, BBQ grill, and dock to explore the Tennessee River. Rest afterward at La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Loudon or Windy Hill Farm and Preserve.

Lynchburg

Experience a weekend vacation in Lynchburg, a small town with a global reputation for hosting the world-famous Jack Daniel’s distillery that produces a spectacular kind of whiskey. For lovers of whiskey, visit this distillery to taste from the source and stop by the visitor's center to see whiskey-related memorabilia. For a different experience, visit the Cave Spring Hollow, the most famed natural resource in Lynchburg as it is where the town gets its water supply. This magnificent cave is worth exploring, as it features a spring where its water is purified by limestone and used to make the whiskey.

For history buffs, step back in time at the Moore County Old Jail Museum, built in 1893 and served as a jail until 1990. Top accommodation options in and around Lynchburg include the Lynchburg Country Inn Motel.

Erwin

Erwin is a naturally majestic town surrounded by three mountains, Buffalo Mountain to the north, Rich Mountain to the west, and Unaka Mountain to the south and east. The Nolichucky River runs through the town via a gorge, setting the stage for whitewater rafting, boating, and canoeing under mountain shadows. The Appalachian Trail also runs through the town, offering hikers great satisfaction. Erwin is surrounded by the Cherokee National Forest, where visitors can explore the Rock Creek Recreation Area, featuring a creek-fed swimming hole, towering trees, and views of Unaka Mountain.

For history, visitors can head to the Unicoi County Heritage Museum to explore historic exhibits and pottery. After all the exploration, enjoy rest at the top accommodations in town, which include Mountain Inn and Suites and Super 8 by Wyndham Erwin.

Savannah

Savannah is a beautiful town in Hardin County, by the Tennessee River, where it offers visitors scintillating sights and amazing adventures on a weekend retreat. Once here, weekend vacationers can get down to business at the nearby Pickwick Landing State Park featuring a charming lake and river for fishing, swimming, boating, and kayaking experiences. The park also has around 1,400 acres of forested hills for hiking. If a historic immersion sounds like fun, the nearby Shiloh National Military Park preserves the battlefields of one of the deadliest battles in the Civil War.

In addition, the Tennessee River Museum is worth visiting to learn about the river and its influences on the people, including the history of Hardin County. Spice the experience with excitement, awe, and laughter at the Savannah Theater, which presents regular live performances, plays, and events. Top accommodations in this town to spend the weekend include Days Inn by Wyndham Savannah and Quality Inn Savannah.

Pikeville

Pikeville is one of Tennessee's most memorable small towns, known for its stunning natural landscapes and abundant activities. Stay at top-rated places like Hannah Inn or Colonial Bed and Breakfast after your arrival. Explore the historic downtown with its charming, relaxed streets and admire historic buildings such as the John Bridgman House, constructed around 1815. Then, visit nearby Fall Creek Falls State Park, home to Tennessee's tallest waterfall, Fall Creek Falls. You can hike the scenic trail to the falls or enjoy the 345-acre lake on the park's south side, where you can swim, fish, and boat.

For more adventures, visit Deer Creek Ranch to ride a horse through charming wooded trails and top it off with stand-up paddleboarding or rafting at the Ocoee River.

Pigeon Forge

Pigeon Forge is an inviting small town that punches above its weight in tourist appeal. First off, this town is just five miles from the famous Great Smoky Mountains National Park, making it a base camp to explore the fascinating park, where adventures are endless. Inside the town, visitors will get to see attractions like the award-winning Dollywood Amusement Themed Park, home to over 40 attractions and rides, including a water park, a museum, and a resort, among others.

For bird lovers, Parrot Mountain and Gardens is a delightful place to see hundreds of beautiful and colorful tropical birds, such as magpies, lory parrots, and macaws. Elsewhere, fans of Titanic can feel at home at the Titanic Museum, the largest of its kind in the world, featuring over 400 real Titanic artifacts. These incredible experiences can be made even better by staying at the town’s top accommodations like Margaritaville Island Inn and Best Western Plaza Inn.

Bristol

Bristol is an alluring town in Sullivan County, remarkable for its rich musical heritage and as the birthplace of Country Music. For visitors with a particular interest in music, the Birthplace of Country Music Museum is an ideal first port of call, as it highlights the essence and history of Bristol’s music heritage.

Beyond the music, Bristol is a perfect destination for weekend adventures, especially at Steele Creek Park, which features playgrounds, miles of walking and biking trails, a nature center, and a scenic lake for water adventures. For more thrilling adventures, head to the Bristol Caverns to explore its well-lit and paved walkways and an underground river best seen on guided tours. The best accommodation options here include Hampton Inn Bristol and Fairfield Inn & Suites Bristol.

There is more to Tennessee than Memphis and Nashville. And those who care to look beyond these large cities will be met with charming small towns rich with cultural, natural, and historic endowments. These towns fit the prospects for unforgettable weekend getaways as visitors are promised exciting recreation without the crowds, intimacy with nature, and warm hospitality. All these and more will make you want to linger in these towns even when the weekend’s over.