The Top 5 Things to Do in Tennessee During Spring

If you’re seeking history and culture, family-friendly adventure, or arts and entertainment, Tennessee has you covered. Here are five of the top activities to do throughout Tennessee when spring blooms.

Memphis Zoo

With more than 3,500 animals on display, visitors get to see giant pandas, including Le Le and Ya Ya, who arrived at the zoo from China in 2003. Some other exhibits at the Memphis Zoo include Cat Country’s array of African lions, cheetahs, and tigers, and the Aquarium with its variety of balloonfish, softshell turtles, and red-bellied piranhas.

Admission to the Memphis Zoo ranges from $10 for children to $15 for adults and it includes $5 parking. Hours are from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. from March 1 to October 16, and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. from October 17 to February 28.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Known as one of America’s most visited, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park highlights its diverse plant life and wildlife, along with its beautiful mountains and waterfalls. Horseback rides throughout the Cades Cove, Smoky Mountain, the Sugarlands, and Smokemont are available.

Visit historic homes, churches, and farms built by the early settlers of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, in the Cataloochee Valley, Mingus Creek Trail, and Roaring Fork areas. The park remains open year-round, but some roads and facilities close during winter.

National Civil Rights Museum at The Lorraine Motel

Opened in 1991, the National Civil Rights Museum highlights the people, places, and events surrounding the American Civil Rights Movement. It is located at the Lorraine Motel — the site where the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated in 1968. Approximately 260 artifacts and more than 40 interactive media and films capture five centuries of history from slavery to the Civil War to the late 20th century.

Hours of operation are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, including 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays. The museum closes every Tuesday.

Tin Pan South

Every spring in Nashville, also known as “Music City,” Tin Pan South showcases more than 350 songwriters and acts from various genres at venues around the city. Thousands of music lovers attend the event recognized as one of the world’s largest songwriter festivals. Venues have included the Blue Bar, the Hard Rock Cafe, and the Listening Room Cafe, among others.

Admission for the music festival is on a show-by-show basis, unless you buy a Fast Access pass, which ranges from $100 to $125 and covers most of the shows.

Dollywood

Fun for the entire family, Dollywood features several thrill, kiddie and family rides, and water excursions. The popular Daredevil Falls is a boat expedition with a 60-foot drop at 50 mph. Other attractions include the Barnstormer, Chasing Rainbows, and a new roller coaster named the Lightning Rod, which is anticipated to be one of the world’s fastest wood roller coasters.

The amusement park opens in mid-March, and admission prices vary for one-day and three-day passes.

Tennessee offers a variety of activities, especially when the warm weather arrives. Whether traveling solo or with your family, you can always plan a weekend getaway or a day trip to any of these attractions.

Image via Pixabay

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