Turkey Creek Tom made some great suggestions. The Cumberland Plateau isn't as famous as the Smoky Mountains, but it is beautiful in its own right. There are several large lakes near Cookeville. I'm going to post some pictures of them.
First up is my favorite, Dale Hollow Lake. It's 20-30 minutes north of Cookeville.
Next is Center Hill Lake. It's 10-20 minutes south of Cookeville.
And Cordell Hull Lake, about 20-30 minutes west of Cookeville in Jackson County.
