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Conwy Suspension Bridge
Conwy Suspension Bridge
The blue spruce on the right symbolizes the spirit of John Denver.
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All United States Tennessee

The Atlas Obscura Guide To Tennessee

158 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Tennessee

Updated November 4, 2024

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Cities

Top Cities
Nashville Parthenon
Nashville
The Crystal Shrine Grotto
Memphis
Ruby Falls.
Chattanooga
The Body Farm.
Knoxville
A display at American Museum of Science and Energy
Oak Ridge
Gatlinburg
All Cities
  1. Brownsville
  2. Chattanooga
  3. Clinton
  4. Crossville
  5. Gatlinburg
  6. Jackson
  7. Knoxville
  8. Memphis
  9. Nashville
  10. Oak Ridge
  11. Pigeon Forge
  12. Sevierville
  13. Sewanee
  14. South Pittsburg
  15. Sparta
  16. Townsend
Attractions
Food & Drink
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Stories

Unusual Attractions in Tennessee

Gatlinburg, Tennessee

Synchronous Fireflies of the Great Smoky Mountains

For two weeks every June, fireflies in the Smoky Mountains perform an astonishing light show.
The Lost Sea

Sweetwater, Tennessee

Lost Sea

Enormous lake at the bottom of a unique cave system.
Bell Witch Cave

Adams, Tennessee

The Bell Witch Cave

Home of an evil witch famous within southern folklore.
Still from the movie

Morristown, Tennessee

The 'Evil Dead' Cabin

All that's left of the quintessential "cabin in the woods."
Grotto of Evil Spirits

Sevierville, Tennessee

Forbidden Caverns

Wild lights and sound effects turn a walk through some caves into an eye-popping 1960s tourist attraction.
Ruby Falls.

Chattanooga, Tennessee

Ruby Falls

The mysterious wonder of an underground waterfall is illuminated by multicolored lights.
The Body Farm.

Knoxville, Tennessee

William M. Bass Forensic Anthropology Center

Better known as the "Body Farm," this unique research facility has been studying how human bodies break down since the 1980s.

Sparta, Tennessee

Virgin Falls Pocket Wilderness

Visit this playground of waterfalls, caves and sinkholes.
See All 158 Things To Do in Tennessee

Cool Places to Eat & Drink in Tennessee

Memphis, Tennessee

Silky O'Sullivan's

Home to drunken tower-climbing goats... seriously.
Salt & Pepper Shaker Museum

Gatlinburg, Tennessee

Salt & Pepper Shaker Museum

Over 20,000 sets of spice shakers reveal the surprisingly telling history of our most basic spices.
Whiskey barrels in the distillery.

Lynchburg, Tennessee

Jack Daniel's Distillery Tour

All you ever needed or wanted to know about America's favorite whiskey, but not a drop to drink.
Earnestine & Hazel's.

Memphis, Tennessee

Earnestine & Hazel's

The juke joint where legendary soul artists ate, drank, and made merry.
See all 28 Places to Eat in Tennessee
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Unforgettable Experiences Nearby

Atlas Obscura Itineraries

All Points South

Sponsored by Travel South

Whatever hand the U.S. had in shaping world music, it had its feet planted firmly in the South. From New Orleans, where a confluence of West Africans laid the groundwork for the musical improvisation we call jazz; to Mississippi, where work-songs birthed the blues before the blues birthed rock ‘n’ roll; to Tennessee, where rock intersected with Appalachian folk songs to create country rock, this distinct artistic heritage was forged uphill, from the humblest of origins. Nonetheless, the musical legacy of unsung field hands, farmers, and blue collar workers coming up from the South would go on to change the world, and in no quiet way.

View Itinerary

Explore Tennessee

Music 18
Museums 17
History 13
Caves 12
Ecosystems 11
Architecture 11
Homes 8
Art 8
Parks 8
Animals 8
Nature 8
Restaurants 7
Unique Restaurants & Bars 5
Places To Stay 2

Tennessee Leaderboard

Places Added

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    12
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    4
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    Edward Denny
    4
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    J Ginsberg
    4
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Add an unusual place to Tennessee.

Places Edited

  1. Avatar image for Collector of Experiences
    Collector of Experiences
    33
  2. Avatar image for KenJ
    KenJ
    23
  3. Avatar image for breaingram
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    9
  4. Avatar image for Rachel
    Rachel
    9
  5. Avatar image for mocchiatto
    mocchiatto
    9
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Places Visited

  1. M
    musecurator
    78
  2. J
    jjcarte1
    59
  3. Avatar image for KenJ
    KenJ
    57
  4. E
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  5. F
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    54

Recent Tennessee Activity

  • N

    natalegarrett fccd46d4

    has been to Alexander Inn

  • N

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    has been to Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary

  • N

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    has been to The 'Evil Dead' Cabin

Stories About Tennessee

View from the overlook on Kuwohi of the mountain peaks and ridges of Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

The Tallest of the Great Smoky Mountains Is—Officially—Kuwohi

The return of the indigenous name of Tennessee's highest point has meaning beyond what's on a map.
by Seth T. Kannarr and Derek H. Alderman
November 4, 2024

Podcast: Small Town, Big Story: The Storytellers of Jonesborough, TN

Every October, amateurs and professionals alike gather in this small town in the Appalachian Mountains to hone their storytelling chops and share them with crowds of thousands.
Sponsored by GoUSA TV

Podcast: Dolly Parton’s Dreambox

An unheard song is just one treasure in a box locked till the star's 100th birthday.
by The Podcast Team
November 9, 2023
Orfelia fultoni are the only bioluminescent fly species in North America, and the larvae produce the bluest light in the insect world.

Meet the Glowing 'Worms' of the American South

There is a lot to learn about Orfelia fultoni, the only bioluminescent fly in North America, but its larvae put on a show.
by Maggie Gigandet
August 18, 2023
The haunting by the entity known as the Bell Witch has resonated across centuries of American history.

The Elusive, Maddening Mystery of the Bell Witch

A classic ghost story has something to say about America—200 years ago, 100 years ago, and today.
by Colin Dickey
May 2, 2023

What’s Inside the New Gastro Obscura Vending Machine?

The second iteration is filled with rare and unexpected treats from the American South.
Sponsored by Partners of Travel South
Pauline Cushman masqueraded as a Southern woman in search of her lost brother to gain access to a Confederate camp in Tennessee.

A Struggling Actress’s Greatest Role Was as a Real Civil War Spy

Pauline Cushman’s contributions to U.S. war efforts earned her the honorary title of “Major.”
by April White
March 8, 2022

Podcast: Minister's Treehouse

Join us for a daily celebration of the world’s most wondrous, unexpected, even strange places.
by The Podcast Team
March 24, 2021

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