Day trip ideas from White House, TN (Chattanooga, Franklin: hotels, houses)

[46Barb]

My husband and I will be moving to TN in a few weeks. We love to take day trips where we are now here in the northeast. We go to sit by a lake and watch the boats, go sightseeing, go to small towns and walk around the shops, etc.

Can anyone suggest some day trips to take?

[JMT]

Originally Posted by 46Barb

My husband and I will be moving to TN in a few weeks. We love to take day trips where we are now here in the northeast. We go to sit by a lake and watch the boats, go sightseeing, go to small towns and walk around the shops, etc.

Can anyone suggest some day trips to take?

I'm a big fan of Tennessee's state parks. My favorite is Fall Creek Falls, home to the tallest waterfall east of the Rockies. It's actually got 3 falls located within the park as well as some nice walking and biking trails (paved), a small lake, and a lodge with a really good buffet. It's located between Cookeville and Chattanooga, about 3 hours from White House.

Near Bowling Green KY is Mammoth Cave National Park. Mammoth Cave is the country's 2nd largest cave (Carlsbad Caverns in NM is the largest). That's only an hour or so from White House.

There are tons of lakes in the area, just look on a map and pick one that looks good. Unfortunately, with our current drought the water levels are pretty low.

Downtown Franklin is very nice and is a pleasant way to spend an afternoon. Lots of neat places for lunch. Franklin is 20-30 minutes south of Nashville.

Red Boiling Springs is in eastern Macon County (adjacent to Sumner County to the east). It's an old resort town which still has a few of its grand old hotels, the kind with huge front porches and rocking chairs, the kinds of hotels where people would go to escape Nashville's noise and congestion and where they would soak in the mineral water for which the town is named. Several of these grand old hotels have fabulous Southern-style dinners.

[alleycat]

I would have mentioned the lakes and Mammoth Cave as well. Also, Cheekwood in Nashville; the Opryland Hotel and Opry Mills (it's better than it sounds); the Jack Daniels Distillery; Radnor Lake Nature Area; Warner Park (maybe during the Steeplechase); a tour of the state capital and other downtown Nashville buildings such as the public library; Belle Meade Plantation; in the fall when the leaves are turning color take a drive east as far as you feel like, then turn back home; Land Between the Lakes; the Kentucky Derby (gotta have a mint julep once in your life); there's a couple of old car museums around; Bicentennial Mall; the Nashville Superspeedway for an Indy car race; sailboat races on Priest Lake; the flea market at the Nashville Farmer's Market; the Ryman, Hillsboro Village in Nashville; the Wildhorse Saloon, 4th of July at Riverfront Park; Centennial Park; Fort Donelson Battlefield; and, of course, the state parks.

[46Barb]

Thanks. It looks like we'll have plenty to do when we get there.

[Lake.Lady]

You won't be far from Old Hickory Lake. One of the places we enjoy going to for lunch and drinks is Anchor High Marina in Hendersonville.

[46Barb]

Lunch on Old Hickory Lake sounds nice. I'll have to plan this one.

[alleycat]

Leaf raking in Bellevue could be the highlight of your year.

Just saying . . .

[EastTnMan]

Check out Rugby, TN. Its a small piece of Victorian England in the hills of Tennessee. The Xmas tour of the houses is great. Also in the same general area is the Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area. If you make it up to the Big South Fork try the train ride down to the old mining town site.

[46Barb]

alleycat, I've done the leaf raking to the extreme where I live right now with over 50 oak trees to rake during the fall. I'll take a break from that activity for awhile. Thanks.

[alleycat]

Originally Posted by 46Barb

alleycat, I've done the leaf raking to the extreme where I live right now with over 50 oak trees to rake during the fall. I'll take a break from that activity for awhile. Thanks.

I was just kidding. Really.

Actually I have a "lawn girl". She does all of my yard stuff. I come home and go, "Wow, I've gotten the yard mowed."

;-)