Top Things to do in Tennessee
Top Hotels in Tennessee
- 1. Drury Plaza Hotel Nashville Downtown
- 2. Holiday Inn Nashville-Vanderbilt (Dwtn), an IHG Hotel
- 3. La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Nashville Downtown Stadium
- 4. The Peabody Memphis
- 5. Hutton Hotel
- 6. Cambria Hotel Nashville Downtown
- 7. Margaritaville Island Inn
- 8. Margaritaville Resort Gatlinburg
- 9. Arbors at Island Landing Hotel & Suites
- 10. Best Western Plaza Inn
Top 10 Zoos & Aquariums in Tennessee, United States
Discover the best top things to do in Tennessee, United States including Tennessee Aquarium, Memphis Zoo, Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies, Rainforest Adventures, Smoky Mountain Deer Farm & Exotic Petting Zoo, Little Ponderosa Zoo, Brights Zoo, Nashville Zoo, Zoo Knoxville, Chattanooga Zoo.
Restaurants in Tennessee
1. Tennessee Aquarium
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 6,874 reviews
More than 9,000 animals swim, fly and crawl through this aquarium dedicated to educating visitors about freshwater ecosystems.
Reviewed By kphil27 - La Vergne, United States
My husband and I have been several times and we have a blast every time we go! I could spend all day just watching the fish swim around it's so relaxing. There is a new exhibit called "island life" which is so cool! There's more fish and turtles and lizards in this exhibit. If you go during March, April, or May be prepared to fight off armies of little dudes on their school field trips ???? Be sure to look for Oscar the sea turtle when you're in the ocean journey building! ????????
2. Memphis Zoo
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 3,544 reviews
YaYa, a female Giant Panda that calls the Memphis Zoo home, enjoys a sunny day.
Reviewed By oldkmom - Jonesboro, United States
I visit the zoo in just about every city I visit and the Memphis zoo is in the top! From the giant pandas to the hippos, the animals are beautiful and well-cared for.
3. Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 14,673 reviews
Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies in Gatlinburg, TN, is literally teeming with life - over 10,000 exotic sea creatures in 350 individual species. There are more fish in this aquarium than there are people living in the entire town of Gatlinburg!
Reviewed By MatthewR498 - Hershey, United States
We were a little wary of this given the expensive entrance fees but our son had his heart set on going so we did and I am so happy we did - it was absolutely worth the cost. You see so many amazing animals, all the little info placards have some truly fascinating facts/trivia, and the big shark tank/moving cave was an amazing experience. I loved seeing all the "weird" animals that fit with Ripley's brand (Mantis Shrimp, Flamboyant Cuttlefish, etc) and my son watched the penguins for a good 20 minutes - only bummer was the tubes to "get in" with them were blocked but with Covid I 100% get why/agree with that choice. Also it's a little thing but I really appreciated that the gift shop had a big selection of books - so many places just have toys/candy/clothes (which makes sense) so it was really great to get to buy my son some books about all the crazy sea creatures he had just seen.
4. Rainforest Adventures
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,393 reviews
Reviewed By nlh714
This was a great way to fill an afternoon. We visited on the off season so there was not a large crowd. Plenty of room to view all the animals and take our time Most of the animals are indoors so it's a great activity for a rainy day. They do have an outdoor area with goats and donkeys. The goats are entertaining.... be sure to buy a bag of feed. Very nice gift shop, plenty of parking. We bought our tickets through groupon and received a good deal that included a bag of feed with each ticket purchased.
5. Smoky Mountain Deer Farm & Exotic Petting Zoo
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,309 reviews
Welcome to the Smoky Mountain Deer Farm and Exotic Petting Zoo & Deer Farm Riding Stables. You’re going to love our unique barnyard environment, nestled on 143 acres of a beautiful mountain property. Bring the family to meet, pet and feed our friendly animals, including goats, deer, camels, elk, reindeer, emu, zebra, exotic cattle, watusi, zonkeys, and so much more! You can even walk amongst our tame fallow deer. After the zoo, the little ones can enjoy a ride on one of our gentle ponies, led by Mom or Dad. Or, the whole family can take a relaxing horseback ride through our wooded Smoky Mountain home, led by our courteous and experienced guides. We hope to see you soon!
Reviewed By L6151BNdawns
Extraordinary Experience!! Went for our family retreat (ages 1 year -56years old) and everyone had a great time!! Horseback riding was amazing and loved how they accommodated the youngest grandchildren on the horse with the front bumpie. The petting farm/zoo was the favorite part of our trip and literally the reason why we are planning our next retreat to this area. Everyone had a lot of fun, truly the highlight of our trip! HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!! Went August 2019 but was not an option date below :/
6. Little Ponderosa Zoo
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 53 reviews
Reviewed By drbmc - Tifton, United States
This is a small rescue zoo for abused and abandoned animals. Mr. Cox and his family do a wonderful job of caring for the animals. Purchase a bucket of food and enjoy a stroll through the grounds as you hand feed the animals. Playground, pony rides, and picnic area are available. Great for families!
7. Brights Zoo
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 114 reviews
Enjoy a day at the zoo like no other. At Brights Zoo we allow you to get closer to the animals and view many species of animals that are endangered or extinct in the wild. We also will do weddings, birthday parties, events, field trips and so much more. We offer General Admission (Self Guided Tours) and Private Tour Admission (Guided tours by one of our keeper staff).
Reviewed By sibtraveler
Just starting to get out a bit after over a year of being locked in due to COVID. Really like the idea of visiting zoos because they are largely outdoor hours, entertaining and informative. But the larger zoos are getting to be too much for us so we have visited some smaller ones. Tiger World was great in NC. Lions, Tigers, monkeys... close viewing and very enjoyable. Decided to travel in the opposite direction and found Bright's Zoo online. Never heard of it before and decided to give it a go before considering a "family" trip with grandchildren. Can't wait to bring the grandkids - they are going to love it! They like the big Zoo in Asheboro, NC but the animals are often out of sight or just too far away to really SEE. This zoo doesn't have lions, tigers, bears or elephants, but they have some animals we have never seen in any zoo before. The living habitats were smaller, but the animals were clearly healthy and active. The zookeepers were obviously protective of their charges - - no running, screaming, banging on cages or knocking on glass allowed. Because of that, the animals were relaxed and appeared to be quite happy being on display. Most of them got within 20 feet of the walkways, easy to see and study. In that way it was much nicer than a trip to the larger zoos. My favorite part just happened to be inside the building where the smaller monkeys live. The glass partition that divided them from us just happened to have some small insect climbing on OUR side - - and four small balck monkeys were trying to catch it - - were quite amusing as they took turns trying to touch it, catch it, snack on it. Once the bug left, dropped to the floor, I recovered it and put it back on the glass. The monkeys smiled, screeched with happiness and kept grabbing at the bug. Truly made a memory there. They were interacting with people, as friends. The park was immaculate, the cages in good repair. I wished there were more toys out for the animals but they did seem to have appropriate materials in most cages. The "sidewalk" type pathways were so welcome (I have seen older people trip in other zoos with dirt pathways). Motorized wheelchair would have no problem in this park. Restrooms at enterence large and easily accessible, very clean. My one true suggestion would be that more seating be offered throughout the park. I would have enjoyed being able to sit just to enjoy watching the beautiful day pass, the animals enjoying their days. We expect to be back in a few weeks with the rest of the family. The cost was, in my opinion, appropriate. The animals a very nice collection. The workers clearly there for the benefit and protection of the animals, not unfriendly at all, but not going to let the animals be distressed in any way. This zoo is a little piece of Heaven, I hope it stays that way.
8. Nashville Zoo
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 1,541 reviews
Best outdoor adventure in the city! Ride the Soaring Eagle zip line, learn about the Zoo’s history at the Historic Home, and explore immersive animal habitats like you’ve never seen before. Experience the beautiful new Andean bear or Sumatran tiger exhibits. Get up close at Kangaroo Kickabout and Lorikeet Landing. See animals from around the world including spider monkeys, white rhinoceros, Masai giraffe, clouded leopards and much more! Check out the daily schedule of activities to ensure you do not miss out on amazing events. Witness a River Tank Feeding and attend Keeper Talks on several topics, including the Red River Hog, Cougars, and the Africa Field. Watch animal shows and go on tours to keep the adventure going.
Reviewed By qwkdrawmt1 - Chapmansboro, United States
Peaceful fun crisp exercise walking happy fun: Gran and grandpa with our daughter and twin grandsons walked and strolled with the stroller. It was cold and crisp and the lights were exceptional and the carousel was fun and the dragon was AWESOME! Highly recommend. Well Worth the price of admission!!!
9. Zoo Knoxville
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 1,339 reviews
Fun on the outside and serious about animals on the inside, Zoo Knoxville is committed to giving our guests an unforgettable experience.
Reviewed By fieryandfitz - Williston, United States
We visited Zoo Knoxville on the way out of town, and it was amazing!! The exhibits were well-designed with both the animals and the visitors in mind. We were able to see exhibits from many different angles and sides, and the animals seemed very content. It took us around 3 hours to tour the exhibits, but we could have spent the entire day. The walkways were wide and fairly flat (I’ve seen some reviews that said they were hilly); it made for a leisurely walk. If the walking does get too much though, there are benches at almost every exhibit and along the paths so that you can easily take a break. The food was reasonably priced and available at many different areas throughout the zoo. However, I think you can bring your own food, just remember no straws or lids though, so keep that in mind when ordering for kids. There are many different areas for children including a splash pad with cabanas for changing and drying stations that will quickly dry off wet kids, a nature park with different areas to explore, and a petting zoo area. It’s a 5+ stars in my book, and to think we almost missed out on it because it was an “on the way out of town” adventure. I’m so glad we came, and when we are ever in Knoxville we will definitely come back!
10. Chattanooga Zoo
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 867 reviews
Imagine a zoo that's specially designed to bring the animals up close to you. Imagine a zoo where you have time to notice the subtleties of animal behavior, instead of being pushed along by an impatient crowd. Imagine an exciting and diverse zoo that's still easy to navigate with strollers...or little legs. That's the new Chattanooga Zoo!
Reviewed By natyrive - Pereira, Colombia
If you like visiting zoos and have a memory bank of the animals you get to see in your life this is a great place. The Chattanooga Zoo has the right size and offers a great variety of animals to see (Some of them very rare). They also have special events during different seasons.
