Nashville or Knoxville - Vacation Decision (Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg: 2009, rentals, college)

[kswalls]

Hi all -

I'm planning a 4 nt stay in Tennessee in mid-May 2009 with my sister (we're coming from two different parts of the country) and we're waffling over staying within a short of the Smokey Mts (Knoxville, Severville-area) or near Nashville. I'm looking for the outdoor rec (horseback riding, hiking, canoeing, etc. and some shopping) and my sister is interested in the city scene. Are there any places inbetween or any suggestions on how we could make this work? Thanks in advance for your thoughts...

Kat

[Mary_Moon]

I'd go to East Tennessee/Knoxville. K'ville is a huge college town with an active city scene, especially for the younger crowd. You can't beat the Smokies and surrounding area for outdoor recreation, IMO.

[denawilliams]

Hmmm. That sounds difficult. You can't beat the area close to Knoxville for outdoors - Gatlinburg and in the national park. However, you don't have "city" unless you go to Knoxville...but even there, it's a small town.

You have the Ocoee River between Nashville and Knoxville where you could go whitewater rafting. Again, though, that's just going to fit the outdoors side.

Here in Nashville you definitely can get the city aspect in, including some great shopping. You can probably get a few outdoors things in as well. It's probably just not as known for it, but you should be able to find a few things to do. Nothing in TN will be as grandiose as the Smoky Mountain National Park or rafting down the Ocoee, but you can find a place to ride horses and go for a hike. Canoe...don't know, but maybe? We do have a couple of lakes (Old Hickory Lake & Percy Priest) and the Cumberland River, but I am not familiar with canoe rentals on them. For hiking, there are places like Radnor Lake, Percy Warner Park, Edwin Warner Park, and some other parks a little further outside of the main center of town.

[scottv]

Oh you definitely need to do both! Two nights in each area! Middle and East TN aren't that far apart, and they have so much to offer that are a must see if you are so close. City/historical/country music type things in Nashville and outdoorsy stuff around Gatlinburg/Smoky Mtns.

[Big TR]

Knoxville's night life will be extremely lessened as it's the summer.

My suggestion is go to Nashville. Take day trips for your outdoor activities. You can ride horses and go hiking, etc. all within 90 minutes of Nashville. Obviously it's not the Smokies, but it's still good. Then you can come back to the city and enjoy the nightlife. Getting from Knoxville to the Smokies during July is a car ride only a masochist would enjoy. You'll be on the tourist death march for hours.

[rossc]

The mountains are nice but there is horseback riding, plenty of parks for hiking or biking and the lakes and Cumberland or Stones river for canoeing in the Nashville area. The Stones River is really nice if you launch just below the Priest Lake dam near I40. You can paddle all the way to the Cumberland. The Stones River Greenway also starts right there which is great for hiking or biking.

[creeksitter]

Not so, the nightlife doesn't slow down in the summer in Knoxville. Check out sundown in the city if you enjoy a young mob scene. To avoid crowds, visit the Smokies via Townsend or Cosby - but the shopping is best in Pigeon Forge.

That said, Nashville imay be the way to go if nightlife is #1 priority.