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
What to do and see in Tennessee, United States: The Best Museums
Discover the best top things to do in Tennessee, United States including National Civil Rights Museum - Lorraine Motel, The Homeplace, Lotz House Museum, East Tennesse Historical Society, Creative Discovery Museum, Graceland, RCA Studio B, Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, Nashville Parthenon, Andrew Jackson's Hermitage.
Restaurants in Tennessee
1. National Civil Rights Museum - Lorraine Motel
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 8,750 reviews
At the place of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'S death in 1968 in Memphis, TN, the National Civil Rights Museum is a renowned educational and cultural institution. The Museum chronicles the American Civil Rights Movement with compelling presentations of iconic exhibits, oral histories of lesser-known civil rights foot soldiers, and visceral, in-the-moment experiences. Visitors will learn through emotionally charged, multi-user, multi-touch interactives, and a visually engaging, contemporary exhibit design that guides you through five centuries of history. Bring the whole family.
Reviewed By annmarieduffy - New York City, United States
National Civil Rights Museum at the Lorrainne Motel. Chilling seeing this famous site as we turned the corner to enter. Site of the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. etched in our memories. Amazing exhibitions, chronologically bringing you through-the Slave trade, many hero’s including educators & pastors, the Civil War, 13, 14 & 15 Constitutional Ammendments , Jim Crow, Rosa Parks, with both her bus & the burnt out bus of the Freedom riders & of course MLK & his speech’s, the hotel room to Obama’s election. It finished with all the Civil Rights hero’s throughout the world & then award winning Civil Rights workers including many different fields such as Gore for the environment, Marlo Thomas for St Judes children’s hospital, Jimmy Carter, Anwar Sadat, Gorbachev & of course Mandela. One of my biggest shock was that 5 million Africans were captured & enslaved in Brazil & another 5 million brought to the Caribbean. 388,000 were brought to North America & 9,000 to Europe. Now looking at the Slave Trade Database 10.7 million survived of the 12.5 million people transported. Horrific history.
2. The Homeplace
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 16 reviews
Reviewed By Jumped_out_the_whip - Springfield, United States
The people who work here actually know what they're talking about and are eager to share. We spent a couple of hours and I had to pry our kids (and husband) way (11 and 7). Make sure to ask questions to get the most out of your time. It was eye opening for our kids to see how difficult life was in "simpler times". Be aware: cell phone service disnt exist then...and it doesn't now, either. Surely you can be a good example to your kids and enjoy time unplugged. ☺
3. Lotz House Museum
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 3,146 reviews
The compelling story of the times, the family, and the fine antiques of the Civil War era. The Lotz House, which has been on the National Historic Register since 1976, is located in the heart of downtown historic Franklin, Tennessee, at “the epicenter” of the Battle of Franklin, which was a pivotal battle of the Civil War on November 30, 1864. The House was the most heavily damaged structure on the Franklin battlefield. Walk in to witness the damage from the cannon balls that crash through the house and numerous bloodstains on all the floors. Plus on this tour, your will learn about the family, the Master Wood Worker who built the home by himself, how the family survived and how the bloody battle affected them for the balance of their lives! Reservation are not required for Guided tours of the historic home. In addition, walking battlefield tours and an archeological tours are also available, but please call for reservations. Please join us as we step back into Civil War history.
Reviewed By jimrF2631PS - Hartselle, United States
My wife and I were in Franklin and had some time to kill so we decided to take in this attraction. This is a very awesome place to go to get some great details about the history of our great nation Our tour guide Seth did a great job and we highly recommend this to anyone with kids that are over the age of 13
4. East Tennesse Historical Society
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 340 reviews
Reviewed By philyfanstukinmi - Ann Arbor, United States
After a short film about East Tennessee, you wonder through rooms full of information beginning with the native americans and the long hunters that settled in the valley (Daniel Boone). Through the civil war to modern day industry. Special sections for the music of the area and the invention of Mountain Dew (especially entertaining. Great place to visit and the price is right.
5. Creative Discovery Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 965 reviews
Creative Discovery Museum is a hands-on children's museum in the heart of downtown Chattanooga that inspires all children to explore, innovate, create, and play. Our exhibits are designed to both entertain and educate as children discover the world around them and all it has to offer including art, music, dinosaur digging, water exploration, and science. Rated the #7 children's museum in the U.S. by Trekaroo in 2015.
Reviewed By kellypM5119NE - Munfordville, United States
We had a blast with our two year old this morning! Three levels of exhibits to learn and play through; lots of opportunities for pretend play! The highlights for us were the splash zone and the dinosaur area. The more involved you are with your kid, the more fun they’re going to have! Some exhibits geared toward older kids; I wouldn’t expect this location to appeal to a kid over 10. The 2-8 crowd though will be ecstatic ???? Covid stuff- timed entry, temp checks, masks inside pretty well-enforced. The staff are making a great effort to keep things clean in an impossible environment—It’s a hands-on museum; thousands of things for kids to touch and feel everywhere you look. So fellow parents, before you go, make sure your little understands to not touch their face, not put their hands in their mouth and to sanitize often.
6. Graceland
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 19,143 reviews
Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee, is the home of Elvis Presley, the King of Rock 'n' Roll. Elvis Presley's Graceland is open daily with tours of Graceland Mansion, Elvis’ custom jets and our new entertainment and exhibit complex, Elvis Presley’s Memphis. The complex includes a new automobile museum, Presley Motors, and Elvis: The Entertainer Career Museum, the world’s largest and most comprehensive Elvis museum in the world, as well as many more exhibits, restaurants and shops. The tour of Graceland Mansion features an interactive, iPad tour with additional enhancements including photos, video and more. Continue your experience with the all-new Graceland Exhibition Center, which features three rotating exhibits, the TCB Food Hall and Jungle Room Bar.
Reviewed By SpanishNeedle - Memphis, United States
A must do - if you're an Elvis fan...or not! The tours include - house tour, private plane viewing, meditation garden, then head across the street and select Elvis keepsake to memorialize your visit. Take lots of pictures that last a lifetime. Wonderful staff and service in addition to amazing tour guides! Great for all ages.
7. RCA Studio B
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 3,349 reviews
Historic RCA Studio B--once the recording home of popular music titans such as Elvis Presley, Chet Atkins, Eddy Arnold, and The Everly Brothers--is both a classroom for Nashville area students and a popular cultural attraction. First made available to Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum visitors in 1977, RCA Studio B was donated to the Museum in 1992. Studio B tours are available as part of the Museum's platinum ticket package, which also includes Museum admission and audio tour, and depart from the Museum hourly between 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. daily. Transportation provided.
Reviewed By PamThuer - Middletown, United States
By far a must see! Definitely worth the extra money to tour Studio B. Our tour guide was amazing and extremely kind, very knowledgeable on artists. Loved this tour!
8. Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 14,476 reviews
The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum is the home of this popular American art form, safeguarding over 2.5 million artifacts, with two expansive floors of gallery space featuring permanent- and limited- engagement exhibits. The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum is also home to Historic RCA Studio B and Hatch Show Print. It offers three dining and four retail options, all open to the public. Closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day.
Reviewed By 866TaylorB - Chicago, United States
If you are visiting Nashville, Tennessee, chances are you are here to see what makes Music City tick, from the Grand Ole Opry to Ryman Auditorium to the many museums dedicated to country music and its legendary recording artists from Jimmie Rodgers to Hank Williams to Roy Acuff to Patsy Cline to Johnny Cash. Located at 222 Fifth Avenue South, the 350,000-square-foot Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum is one of the world's largest and most active and popular music research centers and the world's largest repository of country music artifacts, more than 2.5 million. Chartered in 1964, the museum houses 200,000 sound recordings, 500,000 photographs, more than 30,000 moving images on film, video and digital formats, hundreds of musical instruments, thousands of items of clothing, oral histories and iconic vehicles, including Elvis Presley's 1960 "Solid Gold" Cadillac and Jerry Reed's 1980 Pontiac Trans Am from Smokey and the Bandit II. The museum attracts more than 1.1 million visitors a year. So what do you want to see? Historic RCA Studio B, Nashville's oldest surviving recording studio, where recordings by Elvis Presley, Dolly Parton and Waylon Jennings were made. The bronze plaques of the Hall of Famers that are displayed in the museum's 70-foot-high rotunda. Glen Campbell narrating the history of country music. Maybelle Carter's Gibson L-5. Earl Scruggs' banjo. Bill Monroe's mandolin. Patsy Cline's cocktail dress. Johnny Cash's black suit. Reba McEntire's red dress. Start with the museum's core exhibit, "Sing Me Back Home: A Journey Through Country Music," which immerses visitors in the history and sounds of country music, its origins and traditions, and the stories and voices of many of its architects, then take a tour of the museum to experience what country music is all about.
9. Nashville Parthenon
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 4,714 reviews
Standing as the centerpiece in Nashville's Centennial Park, the Parthenon is a full scale replica of the Parthenon in Athens, Greece. Come inside to see the 42-foot gilded sculpture of Athena, the permanent display of American paintings from the Cowan Collection, the history of the Nashville Parthenon dating back to the 1897 Tennessee Centennial Exposition, and a variety of temporary shows and exhibitions! The entrance is located on the ground level of the East side of the building.
Reviewed By rishumishu9 - Jodhpur, India
Yes it’s an exact replica of The Parthenon at Greece!... Made with the same Patience, Artistic Excellence and knowledge about the the then History and Cultural expertise, Parthenon is a treat to Watch and adds to the many Attractions to the Beutiful City Of Nashville.A very Green, Calm and Picturesque Location at Centennial Park the Parthenon houses the Greek Goddess Of Victory and other Replicas Of Ancient Greek times. It also houses a good Sovenighr Shop.
10. Andrew Jackson's Hermitage
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 5,595 reviews
The Hermitage, Home of President Andrew Jackson, is one of the largest and most visited presidential homes in the United States, and recently named the #1 historic house in Tennessee. Today, The Hermitage is a 1,120-acre National Historic Landmark with over 30 historic buildings, that welcomes some 200,000 annual visitors, including 30,000 schoolchildren, from all 50 states and many foreign countries. Visit Andrew Jackson's Hermitage to witness "The Duel: The Art of the Southern Gentleman." This 30-minute visitor experience will answer questions about dueling followed by an ACTUAL demonstration by our historic re-enactors. “The Duel” takes place every Thursday through Sunday throughout the day, free with paid admission.
Reviewed By 866TaylorB - Chicago, United States
The Hermitage, Andrew Jackson's home from 1804 until his death in 1845, has been acclaimed the fourth best Presidential site in the nation by USA Today, behind the White House, Thomas Jefferson's Monticello and George Washington's Mount Vernon. Located at 4580 Rachels Lane in Davidson County, 10 miles east of downtown Nashville, the Greek Revival structure has a rectangular layout, about 104 feet from east to west and 54 feet from north to south. The main entrance includes a central block with a five-bay, two-story structure with a portico supported by six modified Corinthian style, wooden columns. Within the portico is a two-story balcony. One-story wings flank the mansion. Inside, the main block of the house consists of four large rooms separated by a center hall. At the far end of the hall is the elliptical cantilevered staircase with mahogany handrail that leads to the second level. Notice the crystal chandeliers and Italian marble mantels and the entry hall with plank flooring painted dark and decorated with block-printed wallpaper made in Paris, France. To the right of the entrance hall are two bedrooms that were occupied by Jackson and his son. On the second level are four bedrooms that once were occupied by guests such as Sam Houston, the Marquis de Lafayette, James K. Polk and Martin Van Buren. Perhaps the most interesting feature in the house is a rustic mantelpiece called the "Eighth of January" that was carved by a veteran of the Battle of New Orleans, who worked on the mantelpiece on each anniversary of the battle until he finished on January 8, 1839. The Hermitage, which was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1960 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1966, can be viewed in via a two to four-hour self-guided tour, a 90-minute guided tour of the mansion and grounds and access to the mansion's balcony, a tour of the grounds via a horse-drawn wagon allowing a glimpse of what life was like on the 1,000-acre cotton plantation and two tours that include access to the mansion, grounds and exhibit gallery, an interpreter-led tour of the mansion, a self-guided auto tour of the gardens, grounds and the other historic buildings, a self-guided tour of the farmland that used to be the Heritage Planation and viewing a film, "Andrew Jackson: Born From A Star," at the visitors center. Also of interest is the large brick smokehouse at the rear of the kitchen that was built in 1831 and cured 20,000 pounds of pork a year and a nearby slave cabin known as Uncle Alfred's Cabin, named for Alfred Jackson, who was born into slavery on the property in 1812 and worked as a freedman after Emancipation and stayed on as a caretaker following the purchase of the estate in 1889 by the Ladies' Hermitage Association. He died in 1901 and was buried near the tomb of the seventh President of the United States and his wife, Rachel, who died in 1828. There is so much to see at the Hermitage, so much history and so many stories.
