33 Best Stops Between Blue Ridge and Townsend (2024)

1 list

4.5

(450)

Georgia, USA

20 lists

Our mother/daughter trip to Cherry Log, GA was enhanced by our trip on the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway. We booked on-line about six weeks out. We took advantage of the military discount and booked the Premier car. It was well worth the extra cost. We each received a free souvenir commemorative canvas tote and pin to wear or put on the tote. A local cafe provided box lunches of ham/turkey/cheese sandwiches, chips and a pickle. Unlimited selection of beverages (non-alcoholic). The staff were knowledgeable and friendly. The views were wonderful as well. I highly recommend this trip for all ages. You cruise along at 16 mph allowing ample time to snap photos or just drink in the scenery. Each car has its own history which is listed on a plaque in each car. You are free to walk through the whole train during the ride.There wad a couple who came and sang some bluegrass/country songs too. Both towns were filled with quaint shops and great restaurants and eateries.

Haven't been on a train excursion since I was in kindergarten. Went with my ladies group and purchased Premier car tickets. Loved the host. Food was great! Souvenir bag, pin, and surprises were great too. Not to mention AC car with no mosquitos. Well worth the extra price.

I did enjoy the train ride. The employees were amazing…the concession stand on board was amazing. Fun experience riding an old time train….the ONLY reason I gave 4 stars was because the website said the views were great etc etc but there weren’t many views other than the Toccoa River. No Mountain views just wooded areas, we did see some deer and pretty cabins. We did he two hour ride.

The Blue Ridge scenic railway is a must for anyone visiting Blue Ridge. The thing I enjoyed most is that we had a narration that was very engaging. Magic Mike was our conductor and he made sure everyone was entertained. Mike told jokes throughout the ride including doing magic tricks. He acknowledged birthdays, anniversaries and anyone serving in the military. The ride was very scenic with views of the river on one side and the mountains on the other. They stuck to the schedule and we were done in about 4 hours.

If you’re lucky enough to have comfortable weather, I recommend the open air. The views were nice and the town we stopped in was small but definitely had its charm. The concession stand was actually cheaper than I’d expect. They could be the type to charge movie theater prices but I appreciate that they aren’t, Shirts were only 20 etc. Would go again for the specialty rides as well.

First trip to Blue Ridge, and this train excursion was a highlight, for sure! Our car’s narrator and host, Eleanor, is awesome! She deserves a raise! She pointed out interesting things to see along the way, and we enjoyed the snacks on board also! We booked the premiere car because we weren’t traveling with kids and were looking for a more peaceful experience to enjoy the autumn leaves and beautiful weather. Thank you for offering this option! It was a great time, and we really enjoyed exploring the towns on the GA/TN border on our stop. Would highly recommend this train trip for anyone looking to enjoy this gorgeous area on your vacation.

We purchased the premier coach tickets for a four-hour spring tour. A relaxing train ride with scenic views with some extra perks. The sandwich was surprisingly yummy and very fresh, but the return dessert was the best – a butter cake bar that was to die for. Spent two hours on the border between two towns with enough shopping, eating and drinking. My only concern was the cleanliness of the train and seating was very old and worn. Our car’s host was Eleanor, she was awesome and very friendly.

We had the best ride. Our guide had the best "Dad" jokes ever. My family loved it all. They have bathrooms and a little store on board so it's a toddler friendly experience. My only suggestion is to shop or eat on the four hour ride as time for both is not possible.

Finally decided to go and book this year. I've heard pretty good things.We took the 2 hour trip. Recommend getting there at least one hour before to find parking. If you are planning on having lunch maybe do 3 hours.The boarding process is super easy and fast. We got the open cart (I want to say it was 2795?) Our guide was awesome, I think he said it's his first year maybe. He did really great. 1000% go for the open cart, the breeze was great and we found it pretty relaxing. It really doesn't matter what side you pick because you rotate sides when you get to Tennessee.I would definitely recommend the 2 hour trip unless you have no way way to drive the 15 minute up to the border. But mostly because in the afternoon we found the sun hitting the leaves just right. It made them pop more and it was just very nice. Decently bring sunglasses tho some parts where very sunny.

Super great experience and ride! Booked the 4 hr. Excursion and so glad we did! (Wish there was a 3 hr. Layover! We could have really used another hour layover because there wasn't enough time to eat and see everything we wanted to with only 2! Lol!) Our car Conductor was very informative and humorous, explaining all the history and local sites that we passed along the way. We opted for the climate controlled car with better seats, which was great since it was a hot and humid day and made the ride much more enjoyable.Spend some time in Blue Rudge when you get back checking out all that the town has to offer as well!Highly recommended! Overall great day and time/money well spent!

***Updating to 5 stars because I was informed the railway is completely separate from the rail bikes but leaving my review of the rail bikes.***Update- After some back and forth with Judy, a different person contacted me and offered me a FULL refund and a gas card to cover my expenses. So, I only lost time. They also offered to cover our ride if we come back. I'm not sure if we will or not (I'm still bitter about how we were initially treated). I'll update if we do.Freedom Rail Bikes called less than 3hrs before our ride time & said we needed to be 40 minutes early. I explained that we were 2hrs away and had planned to be there 15min early, as the website indicated when we booked several days ago. She took note of my name & said that would be fine. We got there at the time we said we would & were told we wouldn’t be able to to ride a rail bike because we were the last ones to sign in & one was broken. She said to fill out the waiver anyway & we could ride if someone didn’t show. As we were filling out our waiver, another group showed up that hadn’t signed in yet. Yay! I thought we would for sure be able to ride. Instead, she let them on the rail bikes ahead of us & told us we could either take a full refund and ride nothing or ride on the speeder, a motorized cart that pulls the bikes for half of a refund. We had driven 2hrs just for the rail bikes. I asked if they had a 4pm slot we could do instead. She said no, that they had cancelled that one due to the owners being in town. I let her know I wasn’t happy with it & we reluctantly got in the speeder. Once we were on, we were then told I’d be going backwards the whole trip. What was suppose to be a peaceful ride through nature and the highlight of my daughter’s spring break, turned into a noisy exhaust filled ride pulling the other bikers. She should’ve given us a FULL refund and offered a free ride another time to make up for the experience. She knew I was driving two hours and didn’t bother to even call. She didn’t ask if there were any locals that might be willing to come back the next day. It was ride the loud stinky speeder, which broke down halfway through requiring us to wait for someone to repair it, or ride nothing. I suggest anyone that isn’t local not to travel there for the experience. We were informed that their carts jump track often, which is what broke the one that was down that day. The owner was there and didn’t offer to make it right either.

The train ride was well worth it. We stopped for 2 hours in MaCaysville, GA and Coopethill, TN, for eating and shopping. We bought Chow Chow, Salsa, Salad dressing and we ate a Cuban Restaurant. We had great ride to and from BlueRidge, GA. Our conductor “Magic Mike” was awesome, kept us entertained during the entire ride. He gave us a lot of history of the scenery surrounding us and he told jokes to keep us laughing 😆. There were 528 people that took the train. We truly enjoyed ourselves. But we would’ve love if the layover in two cities could be longer then 2 hours, because by time you visit a few of the shops and get a bite to eat. It’s time board the train. “I must say time flies when you’re having fun”. Thanks again to everyone that contributed to making the train ride a great adventure.

We chose the open car and the weather was perfect for it. The scenery is beautiful and the layover in the town was fun. One of my favorite parts of the ride was our car host, Jeff. He told us interesting facts on the way some great "dad jokes". He was so funny.

We booked tickets on the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway. It was about what you would expect with views of the mountains on one side and the river on the other. As a tip if you look up the views are labeled (at least in our car). The train does not turn around and goes forward one way and reverse the other so the views from each side are the same both ways. Each car seems to have a guide (ours was Jeff) adding some commentary and helping out. The train goes about 15mph so it was about an hour each way to the town. Good views from either side and fun train ambience. It stopped for 2 hours in town for a short layover.

We really enjoyed taking the train from Blue Ridge to McCaysville. We purchased tickets in one of the open cars. Was nice to have fresh air and a slight breeze on a beautiful day. The layover in GA/TN gave us a chance to stretch our legs, get a bite to eat and visit shops. Highly recommend riding the train!

I went on NYE '23 and it was a lovely experience... It would be nice if the ticket office had more attendants handing out the prepaid passes especially when there are large crowds. But the ride was punctual, the staff are generous and professional. I would recommend.

We had a great time! Maryanne was a super host/guide and very friendly! We took the Premier Ride and she was on top of her game! The sandwiches and snacks were delicious and she was always checking to see if we needed anything else to drink. The scenery was beautiful as we were blessed with great weather.

This railway ride I to McCaysville, Ga/Copperhill, TN. was extremely calm and beautiful scenery between. Thoroughly enjoyed this trip and the staff on the train were knowledgeable, friendly and helpful. Very nice snack box car to visit if you did not bring anything to munch on. Enjoyed the layer in the border towns fun shops to walk thru and shop, nice eats in this little area too!

went on the rail bikes, fun adventure but would advise to bring a thick cushion for the seat with you. ride is bumpy and anyone with a fusion of the neck like myself I would take caution. price was decent and the staff was very respectful and made sure everyone was safe. great experience.

This was a fun trip. There was 8 of us and we all were able to ride together. Staff were great and knowledgeable.

Charlie was our cabin guide. He was amazing. I couldn't go in gift shop. I was by myself and on my scooter. Has ramp to go up and bighump can't get over in door. So I didn't go In and purchase anything.I love how they ask u change side on ride back. Was very nice

This was a very cool trip. We road inside the covered cars but they have open cars too. It seems to stay busy so get your tickets early. There are some amazing houses up the river.

Definitely worth the trip. Sit in the outside car. Guide was great, plan for parking a block away. Nice long ride, history lesson, and shopping/lunch at the far end. There is a real IGA and a real barbershop at the stop, as well as the tourist shops.

Riding the rails will never be the same once you've tried them on a rail bike. This unique experience allows passengers to pedal or E-motor along a closed section of the Blue Ridge Railway. Guides provide lively commentary along the way while highlighting local history. Bikes are designed to accommodate 4 riders were one is a "driver" and all can assist in pedal power. The route passes through some beautiful landscapes, homes and cabins. Tickets are purchased online with pickup at the red caboose. Review all participant guidelines as there are min. and max. physical requirements. Free and paid parking are available in the town center and surrounding areas.

The view on the river side was good, the mountain region was not that scenic. The ride was not worth the hype.. you have to book way in advance for a 4hr journey. When you drive you get more splendid views. For a first timer in a train you may enjoy it. They have a souvenir store and mini snacks bar inside. Everything is extra charges, not included with the ticket. They also take a picture which is 20$

This is a nice train ride taking off from Blue Ridge, Georgia it’s a mellow chill activity to do with family. The train offers a cart which sells beverages and things to munch on. I went on the 1 hour ride during the holidays and to our surprise we had a cameo from the Grinch, Cindy Lou, Mr and Mrs Clause! My daughter loved it! Recommended for sure

Very busy so recommend buying your tickets at least a day before to get the ones you want. The guy in our train cabin was very friendly and gave a great commentary of the ride. The ride was very slow, wish it was a little faster. 15 mph gets boring very quickly especially with small children.

I wasn't able to make the fall trip last year but I did the summer ride again this month. Jeff was our guide and he was hilarious!!! He was very knowledgeable and gave us sooo much history!!! I will continue taking this ride in the future it is relaxing, entertaining and educational!!!

We had such a great time. Mary Ann was very informative and so sweet. It was a little cold so make sure to layer up if going during fall/winter. Once you get to the town there is an indoor mall type retail place across the river. I will say the restaurants fill up fast so if you're hungry stop there first.

Excellent train ride 15 miles an hour down the Toccoa river. Beautiful views, fun, commentary, and history with the stop in Copper Hill Tennessee with mini shopping places. My plan is to do this every year with my family from now on. Definitely worth the drive and a good way to bring in the Christmas season. The open air cars actually have covering on the windows which make it enjoyable even on a cold day. A highly recommended experience for kids of all ages and adults. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🇺🇸👏🏾🐺🎄🤶🏼💯

We took the Scenic Fall train ride on October 28th of last year for a glimpse of the changing leaves. The train offers two sides to sit on, mountain side or river side. Something I liked about this train ride was regardless of what side you started on, the ride back, you would get the other side.We started off on the mountain side. I don’t know if I’ve seen too many Harry Potter movies but when they said mountain side, I was under the impression that we would catch a glimpse of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Wrong. The mountain side is LITERALLY up front and personal with the side of the mountain. It is unremarkable, it is boring, and it offers no real view at all. You’re just staring at dirt the whole time.The riverside was very pretty. You could see the changing leaves over the river along with beautiful homes alongside it.The train itself is nice enough, with a small range of snacks and drinks to choose from. Our tour guide was an older man who really enjoyed his job, but he wasn’t exactly friendly with the guests.All in all, it was an experience to say the least. Was the train ride amazing and worth the ticket prices? Not really. But the town itself is cool, we chose the longer stop time, and we felt we had just enough time to see everything we wanted before embarking on the train once more.

My wife and I took this train ride (the four hour version) on a Monday morning at 11:00 AM. Ticket seller indicated the train was pretty much full and it looked like it. We opted to buy the Premier tickets which for two seniors ran $203 with taxes. This meant we got seats which were upholstered and reclined. We also got a swag bag which included a souvenir pen and some brochures. Included in the price was a small meal on the way up and non alcoholic drinks and a brownie and cookie on the way back. The meal consisted of half a sandwich and a fruit cup both of which were good. We also got a group picture and souvenir pin free on the way back to Blue Ridge. The hostess was helpful and pleasant.The views going and coming were unremarkable at this time of year. The most interesting things to see were all the million dollar homes on both sides of the river and the two views of wild turkeys. I'm sure fall colors would be better. If you've never taken a train ride this short run would be interesting...otherwise nothing impressive.I would recommend the open cars in good weather or the medium priced inside cars for better values. All said we did have a good time and felt the effort was worth it for the time we had together.

4.5

(4634)

4.0

(1408)

241 Depot St, Blue Ridge, GA 30513, USA

24 lists

First visit, I’ve heard a lot of good things about Mercier Orchards. Beautiful location! It was not as crowded as I had expected. Lots of goodies inside! We tried a few different apples, we really loved the Crunch a Bunch variety. The coffee crusted pecans were a nice treat as well.

What a great place to stop by for the weekend getaway from the city. They offers fresh fruits and vegetables, variety of apples, peaches, nectarines. The bake goods are to die for. Our favorites are apple fritter and donuts. Also the refreshment; such as lemon slushy and apple slushy are a must have. If you into alcohol, they have whole bar dedicated for you on the side. Outside we had the pop up stand of kettles corn and boiled peanuts. Fantastic experience, with staff being so nice and friendly. Bathrooms were clean. Parking was plenty.

We love coming up to Mercier’s when we are in the area. We bought several items consisting of bread, pies, and donuts. They all tasted great!The staff are friendly and love to serve. The experience in the store takes you back in time.I haven’t experienced the orchards yet but have it on the list.

First time in Blue Ridge and this was on the itinerary. An amazing place! First stop was the tasting room to get a flight of the covers, ended up buying two six packs and a couple bottles of Apple and Strawberry wine. Later on, came back for the tractor tour where we got to pick sunflowers. Sometimes places like this have limited stuff to do and a very small store, but this place has everything. Didn't get a chance to eat a pie or cake, but if you really wanted to indulge here, you could easily leave the place in a wheelbarrow. Will be back!

Awesome and very unique place to visit. Biggest orchard retail store I have ever seen. There's plenty of parking alongside a pond, which they thoughtfully enclosed with a nice walkway. They have every kind of jam and jelly you can imagine! A bakery in the rear with homemade breads and pies. A winery. My favorite is their apple butter. If you are in Blue Ridge you need to stop in here! Don't miss it!!

This is a must do if you're in the Blue Ridge area. It's like a farm store with a restaurant and tons of shopping. The restaurant offers a great breakfast on the weekends. Amazing biscuits, fresh fruit, preserves, apple butter, eggs, sausages, french toast, waffles, chicken biscuits, grits, and coffee and tea.The store carries fresh fruit, preserves, apple butter, some no sugar added options, syrup, honey, stuffed animals, muffin mixes, donuts, and more. There's a bakery in the back. The employees were really nice. I'm sure this would be an awesome stop in the fall when apples are in season! The grounds are also really pretty. There's a pond you can walk around and benches to rest on.

Really neat place. Lots of sweets and great produce. The hand held pies are amazing. Worth the wait to take some home. Apple cider is yummy. The strawberries and peaches were in season and so great.

This place was absolutely beautiful! Unfortunately, we visited during the winter so we couldn't pick any apples or do the hay ride. We visited the market and had a good time trying the samples and visiting the bakery. We then went to the lake and were able to some nice pictures. If you're in or around Blue Ridge, this place is a definite must.

As a lover for Wine && Cider, this is a must to visit! They have Cider & Wine tasting! Make their own, as well as sell other wines. My favorite was their Blackberry Wine and I don't even like blackberries. The only negative I'd say, is how small their Wine bottles are for the price. They are half the size of a normal wine bottle, which are cute, but not for the price. Would love to visit again when it's Spring and see how the fields look!

They have it all! Everything is really good, and if you are concerned about eating too much sugar, be advised that they have a number of no-sugar-added products (apple hand pies, jams, syrups, etc.). I especially like the frozen apple cider as it travels well and is available when it's not apple season. Totally worth a stop.

Nice , clean facility. Bathrooms we pristine with an attendant working hard to keep them that way. The were out of some products but thats mainly because of Covid and being short staffed. We like to visit Mercier on our trips to Blue Ridge.

This is the top of the mountain for farmers markets. If you are anywhere within 8 hours of this place you owe yourself a visit. From 🍎apples, 🍑 peaches, 🫐 blueberries and 🍯🐝honey to everything in between. This place has an awesome breakfast and lunch. A top tier bakery, candy, toy shop, jams, jellies and so much more!!! There is even a 🍷 wine tasting room with craft wine and ciders. Do not miss making a trip to this farmers market Mecha!!!

There are probably so many reviews about this place that I just don’t think I can add a lot. It was a great experience. I went there on my own thanks to a friend who recommended it as a good option for a we can plan. I went in and it was blueberry picking season which is not as fun as picking up apples but it is still very cool and you get to take what you pick the shop they have is very good and big and they have a ton of things and I didn’t stay to eat, but I tried some of the apple ciders they have, and some of them were very good, I ended up spending over $100 in products in that shop including the Seiter and some gifts for the family. I saw a lot of people with their kids which makes me think it is probably a very fun experience for the little ones as well.

I was so excited about visiting Mercier Orchard, and it did not disappoint! The drive up was beautiful, and so was the orchard. There were so many different items to try. The apple slushie is amazing! We also purchased some baked goodies and apple peach cider. Everything was great. I highly recommend visiting!

We've been coming to Mercier orchards for a while, but we took the kids berry picking for the first time and they had a blast! So fun, and now we have a ton of yummy berries. Not to mention the store is always a good shopping experience. Will continue to come for a long while!

A huge store displaying their own products. I love the blue apple sparkling water, non-alcohol and alcoholic. There were free tasting inside. They also have bakery, and the apple cinnamon loaf was my fave

Cool place but they posted this morning on social media to come get a apple cider slushie. Drove long way to come here and get the slushie for them to say they haven't had that for months.:( super disappointed. Place would be great but can't trust anything they post or say.

It's beautiful! We just missed the U-pick, but we took our time inside, looking around. I didn't realize they have so much of EVERYTHING inside. Clothes, food, snacks, bakery, a sit-down area to eat, etc. We will definitely be back. Try these drinks! So good! We bought every flavor.

My wife and I loved the blue/black berry picking. The whole experience was great. The tractor ride up to the berries was fun. It’s very affordable as well. The main shopping center is very interesting. I would recommend for a cute date

Mercier is always amazing. Make sure you stop in and do a wine and beer flight made on-site. Then visit the Bakery for fresh baked goods and other treats.

If you’re ever in Blue Ridge, I highly recommend you add Mercier Orchards to your “must see” list! The bakery items are fresh and delicious. My personal fav from the bakery is the apple fritter, it’s huge and they will heat it up for you if you ask! There’s a huge selection of different gifts, jerky, sweets, soups, wine 🍷, dips and so much more! There’s a bar inside that serves wine slushes and lots of other drinks. They even serve samples of all of their apples and you can buy the ones you love 😋 My favorite items were the apple wine and the Granny Smith Apple chapstick 🤩 I should’ve bought more so make sure you grab one - or five! lol

We had a really nice time visiting but we did not do the U pick nor see the orchards except from the parking lot. The store is huge and took well over an hour to see it all. Everything looked delicious. We discovered an apple we had never seen before, Loki,and were so glad they had tastings. The wine tastings were very good and the slushes even better. All the employees were very nice. If you're looking for tourist gifts this is the place to go for sure.

I will be thinking about their fresh fried pies for a long time! My boyfriend and I made it a point to stop here on our way to Tennessee from Florida, so glad we did! I didn't take pictures inside the store but the selection was massive. We also really enjoyed their peach hard cider.

This place is massive! So much to see and experience. They have a great organization to there store and they items are color coded! Check out the pictures… they seriously have it all: jams, hells, sauces, mixes, honey, beauty products, kitchen wares, wine, cider, meat, cheese, produce, baked goods…They also have the Cider Mill with tastings.

During my trip to Blue Ridge, Georgia I was taken to a local store for Mercier Orchards and found that this place had everything yes even Gluten free foods. I was so over whelmed with this store i had forgotten to take more pictures. This is a. "Must see" when you are in the neighborhood. It even has a Bakery in the back.

I had the best time here! I always get apples when I come through north Georgia and I'll definitely be back to Mercier. The gentleman conducting the apple sampling was very helpful and gave me excellent advice about which apples are best to can. The samples were delicious and I bought a full bushel. They also have a bakery, an extensive gift shop, and of course, I took pictures by the tractor. It was a great afternoon.

One of my favorite places to visit! The orchards are beautiful and the store is fantastic with fresh bakery goods and so many great things to buy. Whether you are looking for a little gift or some great breads, fruits and veggies or even some fruit pies of so many varieties, you won't be disappointed. I have so many memories of this great place. Just pick up some pastries and go sit by the lake and enjoy the views.

We went during PRIME TIME! A beautiful fall afternoon. Due to it being later in the season we only had the opportunity to pick one species of apples (14$ per bag) however the fields themselves were not crowded, the tractor picked us up/dropped us off, water was sold on site for 1$, and the apples were so sweet and plump! Only reason I have to bring it down a star is lack of accessibility for wheelchairs throughout the entire facility, poor traffic management and lack of communication on the strollers policy. Aside from that beautiful view and great variety for family fun.

Mercier Orchards is like a dream come true for fruit fans. Their fruit desserts are super tasty, with pies, free apple tasting samples, desserts and preserves that are chock-full of natural fruity goodness.The best part? You get to enjoy all this deliciousness in a cozy, welcoming place surrounded by beautiful fruit trees. It's a fantastic spot to enjoy yummy treats, pick your own fruits and soak up the great outdoors. If you love food and nature, you've got to check it out!

Great place!Quick tour on the tractor, quick bite at the bakery (but don't be the first one there they might not have everything out).You can walk the lap around the pond and sit and enjoy the view.Plenty of things to shop around for inside. Friendly staff.Be aware that this is considered a dry county and if here on a Sunday most places will not serve, or allow purchase of alcohol until 12:30

This is a beautiful orchard!!! We took the Apple Blossom tour, and it was lovely! They have so many types of apples and products to explore and enjoy. I especially love th fact they have sampling stations so you know which things you like the best before you buy.We got Crimson Crisp Apples, Blackberry Sparkling Cider, Dried Apples, and Sugar Free Apple Pies. Everything we purchased was delicious!I highly recommend adding this orchard on your Blue Ridge Georgia Bucklet List. I'm looking forward to going back soon!!!

4.7

(7568)

4.5

(2524)

8660 Blue Ridge Dr, Blue Ridge, GA 30513, USA

We had a blast white water rafting. Donavon was a fun and experienced guide. He kept us laughing during our trip but also was very knowledgeable about the river/area. My best friend never had white water rafted before and he kept her nerves at ease. The owner of Rolling thunder was very thorough in the pre-trip information. I would definitely recommend it and we are definitely going to return.

Had a FANTASTIC time rafting with Rolling Thunder! Our guide Joe was AWESOME - the BEST!!! All the staff members were very personable, friendly, knowledgeable and professional.I was a reluctant/nervous first timer but am now a fully converted fan who can’t wait for my next rafting experience!!!There were many outfitters and rafts on the river - some of them appeared to be better than others and we were very glad to be rafting with Rolling Thunder who were extremely professional.TIP: The local town is very cute so try and time your raft trip so you can enjoy the shops and restaurants!

Our tour guide “Subway” made the whole trip! Amazing views and would 10/10 recommend asking for “subway” to be your guide! Incredible how he knows the river so well! We did the best/coolest stuff out of all the rafts down the river that day! We surfed some waves, rode the bull and never fell out also heard so incredible stories along the way!

AMAZING! We were a big group of 7 and only 1 of us had been rafting in the past, but our guide Chris was phenomenal. He truly knew how to read our group and made it exciting but also made us feel comfortable and safe the whole trip. We were a big group but they allowed us all to stay in the same raft and all the guides seemed so friendly and we’re constantly cracking jokes on the bus ride to keep the vibe positive. We will definitely be back! Great prices too!

We had the best time with Rolling Thunder River Company. They were attentive and funny. They were very efficient and all of the staff were amazing! Our guide was Nick and he was awesome! We took our girls who are 7 and 10 and they had the best time! Highly highly recommend Rolling Thunder River Company. Also buy the pictures! totally worth it!

Rolling Thunder did not disappoint, it was intense, exciting snd so much fun!! Jim was amazing! He made us feel safe and part of a team. Highly Recommend doing both the Upper and Middle Ocoee, We did!!

Absolutely amazing trip. Father son trip before son leaves to college. Only disappointment is that I waited too long. Should have done this long time ago. Was blast and worth every cent. Quizno was awesome. From what I hear taught subway everything he knows. Great guide and made for even more amazing experience.

Five stars all the way through from start to finish. Reservation and check-in were seamless. The orientation and bus ride was funny and informative. Our river guide Kailee was Amazing! She had great control of our raft even when we were screaming instead of rowing, lol. My family and I had the best time ever! It was thrilling, exhilarating, fun and it's one of those adventures in life you've got to try at least once. I would only trust Rolling Thunder River Company with my whitewater adventure.

Our Bachelorette trip had a WILD ride with Wild Man! Highly recommend Rolling Thunder River Company and if you can ask for Wild Man to be your guide! Thank you for such an amazing experience!

We had the best time doing full day rafting with Rolling Thunder! Our tour guide, Emerson, and trainee, Josh, were super knowledgeable, professional, and fun! This was my first time rafting and I felt so comfortable, safe, and had the best time with family from check in all the way to leaving.I would definitely recommend and return to Rolling Thunder River Co.Thank you guys!

Father’s Day 2024, the first time I’ve ever went white water rafting in my life. It was such a thrill and I can’t wait to come back for more. Cal was our guide, he was super rad! Very knowledgeable too, he taught us a lot about rafting and local area history.The entire experience was great, I couldn’t have asked for a more perfect visit. All of the staff were friendly and had good jokes too, the atmosphere at Rolling Thunder is second to nobody. Totally rafting with them again when I make the trip back up there from Florida.

Best experience I ever had. Thanks to the Rolling Thunder River Company team they are *AWESOM* Our guide were Kailee, she gave us the experience that we will talk about for a life time she gets a "10" in my book, The guide, guy on the bus from Chattanooga I cannot remember his name deserves a *10* also he make you feel so welcome. Man I love this place and the staff everyone gets a *10* peace out guys until I get back in may.

We love this place so much! We have booked with them 2x! This year we were lucky enough to get Nick as our guide! He’s definitely the best, also full of fun, interesting facts.We did the Natahala.

We could not suggest Kailey more! Such an incredible guide, she made the entire experience so fun and gauged what our group would be able to do (such as spinning down a rapid and going through the harder portion of a rapid to test our skills!) She was extremely knowledgeable and told us all about the river, whitewater rafting, rapids, and the area in general. The experience was amazing but was made even better thanks to Kailey. Definitely request her if you’re able to, you won’t regret it!!!

Had such an amazing time!! Kailey gave us the best experience possible and made my brothers birthday even more special. Highly recommended for family and friends, the views are amazing the staff are friendlyDefinitely will be coming back!

Wow, this was awesome!! What a great time the family had, so they want you there at least 30 minutes before the trip to go over rules and gear. Once you have the gear, you go on a 15-minute bus ride to the drop-off section. Then off you go!! The staff there is excellent most people are a little nervous but once you are on the river it's beautiful. Definitely give this a shot you will really enjoy it.

Our trip from Atlanta Ga to NC for our first water rafting trip was nothing less than perfect !! The guides were very knowledgeable of the waters and they put our safety first!! The experience was so awesome!! We are definitely going back soon!! Thanks everyone for the awesome experience!!

We went white water rafting yesterday with the whole entire family and saying we had a blast is an understatement. Our tour guide Todd, "the toddfather", not only had 30 years of experience teaching us but had a wonderfully fulfilling sense of humor. We couldn't have asked for a better guide. The water and scenery was beautiful!!! Five stars doesn't do this justice. if I could give Todd alone 10 stars it wouldn't be a question! Highly recommend asking for him!

Lilly was our tour guide and not only was she super funny she was an amazing guide! We had 10 in our group, 5 in each raft. We did so many "extras" on the trip including 360's, surfing' and riding the bull!! It was such a blast, will definitely be back!!

Best rafting company on the ocoee, always experienced and knowledgeable guides. Jefe took extraa good care of us on our trip. Made sure we surfed the holes and got our money’s worth. Will definitely be back next year to do the olympic course.

What an awesome time!!! We went twice and would go again! My preteen daughter and I kayaked the 1.5 mile section several days ago, and my wife, daughter, and I did the 6 mile section today. We had a blast! The staff a RTRC was great, and the drop off process was seamless. The river is so peaceful, and we enjoyed going at our own pace.

What started with two non-adventurous kids (10 & 14) turned into “the best day ever!”I found Rolling Thunder River Company through a Google search and I am SOOOO glad I did! The entire process was amazing, start to finish. When we arrived, we checked into their main office and were given clear instructions on where to meet the team. The leader gave great instructions and made the mood light to settle nerves of those who were apprehensive. We received our gear, then moved on to an area designated for our training before boarding the bus with Tim, the nicest driver who took us to our drop off point.When we arrived at the ramp, we were introduced to our guide, Owen. Before starting down the river, he gave us clear instructions on how we were to paddle, what he would say and how to follow through, etc. While Owen was young, he was AMAZING! He has tremendous knowledge of the River, was able to guide us safely through all the passages, stayed calm and helped to ease my kiddos concerns, and was so personable!The river stays around 50 degrees year round, but you’d never know it was that cold with all the excitement we had. My kids aren’t very adventurous (we will go to Disney World and leave them at home). For our 10 year old, here’s how the progression went:-I don’t like this-I don’t really want to do this-it’s not so bad-this is kinda fun-this is awesome-I want to work here-I never want to stop!Talk about a shift! It really was a blast with them!!! Rolling Thunder River Company is a CLASS ACT! I would recommend them a million times over if I could! They have outfits to raft the Ocoee and tube the Toccoa rivers, as well. When the youngest is old enough for the Ocoee, I will definitely use RTRC for the adventure. Regardless of which river you’re looking to explore, you will be so pleased if you use Rolling Thunder!!!!!!!!!!!!

I had an awesome time. I'm definitely doing this again soon. The rapids are legit and had a blast. Mayo, the guide, made a great experience even better. Anyone looking for a thrill definitely do the full trip. Would not even consider going with another company after going with these guys.

We had a blast with Wildman Jack at Rolling Thunder River Company!Earlier that day, we had booked with another company on a different river. When we got all the way up to the drop-in spot we were informed that the river didn't have enough water.Bummer.That's when we called Rolling Thunder and they couldn't have been more helpful. They were able to book us on one of their last runs for the day over the phone in time to save the day.That's when a got paired with the infamous Wildman Jack. He was, simply put, amazing. His knowledge of the rivers and surrounding areas is in itself a reason to book with him. But the real fun is on the river with Wildman! Don't let the name fool you though, when one of our party members took an unexpected excursion off the raft, Wildman sprang into action and add him back on board before we knew it.I can't say enough about how fun this is. You owe is to yourself to go to Rolling Thunder and make sure you ask for Wildman Jack!

Most fun we’ve had in years! The people at this company really care about their customers. We had a guide named “wild man Jac” who was super laid back, hilarious and yet still extremely professional. He made sure we had fun and stayed safe. 10/10 highly recommend this company and the guide Wild man Jac!

We had a party of 4. We had "cheese" as our guide. The middle was our selected course. When we met cheese, he asked us. Do we want easy or wild. Obviously, a group of guys are going to choose wild. It was nothing short of an awesome time. That whole group cares about safety out there. A raft did flip over, cheese had us rush over there and we ended up pulling 2 people from the river to safety. The importance he shows with safety and making sure we had an awesome trip. This company is hands down number 1 for rafting. I'm already looking forward to booking another trip. Full day this time!!

We had a great experience rafting the Rolling Thunder this past weekend. We had a group of 9. The guides were great. It was lots of fun. The check in process could have been a little better. The employee said that she was new. I will chalk it up to that factor. She could have been more informative about the process of getting gear for rafting.

Such an amazing trip of the Middle Ocoee with our guide, Joe. Joe was fun, informative -and he really knew his stuff! Felt completely confident in his ability to handle the boat safely and direct us when paddling. It was a blast and so invigorating with gorgeous scenery. We four girlfriends loved our experience - even the newbie among us. Totally recommend!!!

Such a great first experience! Everything was well organized and well done from start to finish and I felt all our youth group kids were safe, while simultaneously having an amazing experience. Jackson was the guide on my raft and he was incredible! Super knowledgeable about the river, the area and rafting. He answered every question I threw at him, and I ask alotta questions. In addition to being super smart, he was super fun. He balanced giving our group a safe experience with as many challenges as we could manage and were up for. He let us feel like we could "choose our adventure" while being well cared for by an experienced, thoughtful, mindful guide who fulfilled every word he gave and didn't once steer us wrong - pun intended. So grateful for Jackson and the whole Rolling Thunder Team!!

Mk was full of excitement and made the whole trip an amazing experience. We came in nervous and she definitely helped smoothed our nerves! She made sure to guide us through all the challenges safely and most importantly she made sure we had fun!

It was such an excellent 1st time experience doing this. I'm hooked and would LOVE to do this again!!! Tristan was a fantastic guide and made our trip very fun.

We had a blast! 10/10 experience, our guide Nick was incredible, knowledgeable about everything NC/GA related and just down right FUN! This is perfect for adults and kids both, it was our 8 year old’s first white water rafting trip and he’s already ready to go back! Levels 2 and 3 rapids so not too calm or too crazy. Highly recommend!

4.9

(1025)

5.0

(3022)

20 Hughes St, McCaysville, GA 30555, USA

The falls are absolutely beautiful. We did not camp but will be in the future. On June 23rd we spread my Father In Laws ashes at the falls. It was quiet that day and the few people who saw us were very very respectful. We really appreciate that. This is someplace we can all come back to and really appreciate the beauty in nature and pay our respects

Vogel State Park is beautiful and was an amazing time! I went not expecting much but me and my group ended up spending the whole day here. We hiked around the lake, saw a waterfall, and swam in their swimming area! It also seemed like we only scratched the surface of what all is available to do at the park.

Beautiful park. Great place to camp bu tent or rent a cabin. There is a water fall that you can hike to. Gorgeous views and paddle boats to take on the water. Visited from Florida and it was amazing

Absolutely gorgeous state park with fantastic campsites and opportunities for outdoor activities for families. The full hookup sites with Wifi were large and our site backed up right on the creek. The play areas are up kept for children and the trails are well maintained. Beautiful lake and waterfall. The new visitor center was being worked on when we went, so there's a bit of construction at the entrance, but it didn't take away from our experience. Roads are steep and narrow to get there, but we made it ok with a 33foot trailer and and diesel exhaust brakes with the truck. Friendly park staff. Highly recommend!

We stayed here for the first time after my wife and I came here for a stroll on their trails on our last vacation. It's a beautiful place and a perfect spot for a couples getaway or for a family vacation. We stayed at one of their cabins. The cabin was fine but nothing extravagant but that was a part of the allure for us. It's very close to Brass town bald, Helen, a few waterfalls and some great sights which I included in my pictures. Each of these places were no more than 20 minutes away. Their are some cabins that are wheel chair accessible. I went fishing, took the kids to the beach at the lake, there are kayak rentals, paddle boats and the lake has a beautiful waterfall at the end of the park and is worth checking out. We will deffinetly come back!

This is a beautiful and peaceful place. It is so large that even if its busy, (which it was the day we went) you can find a quiet spot by the lake and relax. We were able to walk the trail along the lake pretty much by ourselves and walk down to the falls. Definitely a lovely afternoon and $5 well spent 🌺

Lovely state park! So much to do here, you can come just for few hours, or stay for the night. They also have RV sites. There is a beach where the kids can play and cool off in the lake, you can also rent paddle boards. The highlight of the place in my opinion is the waterfalls. Only 0.5 Mike walk each left to the lake…

Great park with playground, trails, lake swimming, pedal boat rentals, picnic tables, charcoal grill, creeks and a waterfall. If you hike the trail around the lake it’s about 1 mile, and if you add the hike down to the waterfall (which has wood stairs and I highly recommend) it makes the total trip about 1.33 miles. It’s an easy hike, a 4-year old did it no problem (the full 1.33 with waterfall).

It was peaceful and absolutely beautiful!! The views and The hikes were breathtaking! Campsite was awesome for the kids to explore and the restrooms were so clean. The lake was the kids favorite spot to swim and do the pedal boats. Nice covered picnic area and fishing!

Was a great time here. The park was great for a family. We were visiting with our two year old and The playground and the trails around the lake were perfect for him. He really enjoyed spending time on the pavilion and looking over the lake. Would definitely recommend it for a quick stop.

We walked along Bear Hair GapTrail and we saw a mama bear with her cubs in the other side of the little river. Highly recommend bear spray just in case. We only did about 1.8 miles of the 4 mile hike since it was my son’s first time hiking. It was peaceful listening to the water.Afterwards, we went to the “beach” (lake) in the park. Water was cold but refreshing. Beautiful park. I would come back to hiking the trails here.

Beautiful area and park. Many cabins, paddle boat rental, (in season), mini golf, exercise area with machines. Kids playground. Some very nice trails, one will get you close to Blood Mountain. Waterfalls. Took one star off due to traffic noise from nearby highways. Ruins the tranquility. Just a me thing?

Absolutely stunning park that is clean, beautiful, and engaging. There are so many activities you can do! Hike, camp, paddle board, paddle boat and maybe fishing. We saw people fishing, but I’m unsure… there is a spectacular waterfall to checkout too. Everyone who works there is fabulous. We will definitely be back!

This is probably one of the nicest campgrounds we have ever stayed at. Very beautiful and clean. Sites were very spacious and equipped. The only thing is that there is no service or wifi. However they will have that up and running in July. There has been workers installing the routers all throughout the park. This campground is def. #1 in our book and we've been everywhere!!! Site 56 is where we stayed and it was absolutely amazing. Creek was beautiful and the site was huge.

A nice park along a lake. Paddle boats and it looks like canoes or kayaks are available during the season. Right now no boats are available to take out because it's getting to the fall and winter time.There are cabins to rent and a very nice visitor center. There is construction going across the street from the visitor center right now but I didn't ask to see what was going on.

Lovely early Fall hike with magnificent colorful foliage canopies. The summer flowers are still around too so it’s the best of both worlds. The mushrooms are spectacular and sometimes you can find a whole section of them which is a treat. We took the Bear Hair Gap trail which we would consider moderate in difficulty. It was relatively quiet as we saw very few people on the trail. It took us 3 hours with our frequent water breaks and with overlook stop to complete the trail. We could smell the swampy lake from the overlook. 😂 Couldn’t see much yet as the leaves are still up. The temperature was perfect, not too hot or cold. They are building some center at the park so currently the parking situation is crowded but people are constantly coming and going so we found a spot.

What a wonderful and relaxing getaway... was always my children's favorite whenever we went camping! We stayed in the cabins for the first time and they loved it. The grandchildren had a blast and are ready to come back! This is our favorite State Park!!

Probably one of the nicest state parks I've been to. Great views, great sounds, and great hiking.Originally came to tent camp and switch to a cabin instead. Little expensive in my opinion but was really surprised how nice the cabins are.Only gripe I have is the staff ride around on a loud golf cart around 0700-0730. I assume they are checking on things. I find that a little insensitive to people sleeping. Suggestion: use an electric golf cart that's quiet.Other than that the place is great and a nice break from hustle and bustle. Will return.

It's an amazing state park in Georgia with a $5 entrance fee per vehicle. Parking near the information center is limited due to ongoing construction, but there's ample parking near the beach and lake lookout deck. Don't forget to get the park information map from the welcome center. The park offers numerous shelters, picnic areas, and restrooms. The lake and waterfall trails are great for walking, and there are swing chairs around the lake to rest and enjoy the scenery. The lake beach is another excellent spot to enjoy. The park also features a group event hall. You can reserve shelters, halls, and cabins through their website.

What a well-maintained state park. The grounds are clean and organized. Visitors can enjoy numerous amenities, such as the theater, pool and picnic areas, cute cottages, RV park, bonfires, trails, waterfalls, convenience store, and more.Hubby and I plan to spend a weekend when the weather warms up. We enjoy taking the scenic route through the Blue Ridge mountains. Now it's time to stay a while.

This park was beautiful. The staff was friendly. They had some construction going up but nothing that was stopping the fun. They have all different style and size cabins. A beautiful lake with a small beach. Lots of trials! A waterfall and best part of it all.. Dogs are allowed on the lease and in some cabins!

Very beautiful. Has cabins to rent. Paddle boats. Kayaks. Clean restrooms. Picnic tables. A wooden pavilion. A trail to Trahlyta Falls. Only $5.

A beautiful campground!! Our 3 kids ages 5-9 loved swimming in the clean lake, riding bikes around campground, and playing in the beautiful creeks. Great place for a 2 night stay. Restrooms are clean and water is hot.We completed Bear Hair Trail.. a 4 mile hike and a challenge for the kids, but definitely worth the view of the lake below.

We camped for 4 nights and it was great! Campsite were all gravel and easy to level the camper. Bath houses were super nice! Campground is quiet. Definitely will be back!Mini golf, hiking, and visitor center were all very nice and we had a good time!

Very beautiful park. They are doing some construction at the moment but it didn’t interfere with our stay. I love that they have tank empty at the campsite. My favorite ranger was Tom at the visitation center - he was very helpful friendly and funny.

Amazing state park with $5 entrance fee per vehicle. The park offers numerous shelters, event halls, picnic areas, and restrooms.You can reserve shelters, halls, and cabins through their website.Friendly staff at Visitor center.There's civilian conservation corps museum, mini golf, fishing, swimming , paddle boats hiking trails, mini golf, riding bikes around campground. Dogs are allowed. Worth for the beautiful view.

Vogel state park is one of the nicest state parks we have visited. The visitor center staff and camp host were both quick to help and knowledgeable. The lake was beautiful and we even caught a few fish. Great trip we will be back.

Beautiful and peaceful lake with a nice trail around it. There's a dock and a nice area cordoned off for swimming. There's also clean bathrooms and campsites there.There is a waterfall right beside it. It's pretty, but there's not much of a trail by it. Luckily the waterfall is right off the road across from the lake making it easy to at least see it.

Beautiful, peaceful park. Several places to walk with different levels of difficulty. Easy staircase access to an amazing waterfall.

You can enjoy the lake view from the picnic area. There is also a restaurant where you can book your table and do events like birthday parties. You can easily hike around the mountains and also enjoy the view of the fountain. There is also a visitor center where you can get information. Parking is free in the off season. You can drive to the park.

Hidden paradise of Union county, in GA. Park entrance is off of highway 19. You need to pay to get in the park. It has very nice and clean lake . People enjoy swimming and fishing. Camping is available too. Cottages are available to rent.

4.8

(4061)

4.5

(670)

405 Vogel State Park Rd, Blairsville, GA 30512, USA

Absolutely beautiful double waterfall. You can see it from the road, but it is definitely with the short hike to see it up close. There are two viewing platforms right next to the falls.

Great falls to see but make sure you go all the way to the end of the trail. The trail is well maintained. It is gravel road drive with 2 creeks to cross if you come in from the East side.

A wild ride in from the main road traveling 2 miles on gravel Rocky road. Cars can make it, but be careful. One lane roadway all the way in with a few pull offs to pass. Small parking area. Easy hike about 5 minutes from parking to waterfall. Nice views lower and upper side of the waterfalls. Deck platform for viewing. Nice waterfall. Would recommend seeing.

This very pretty set of falls is easily accessible from the road. The short trek from road to falls is down, then up. It consists of wood steps, dirt/mud, and rock. Bring shoes you can get muddy. The parking lot has about 10 spots, so I’d recommend an off-season visit (we just went in early February in a Ford Escape with no issues). If you have a sedan, you probably want to enter from the from hwy 19 near Vogel State Park. If you have a 4x4, several posts mention a good time crossing the creek. That entrance is rt 348.

Beautiful falls. There was good water flow when we went Thanksgiving week. There were some uphill parts and tree roots you must climb over along the trail and some parts that incline, but our 19 month old did much of the hike by himself. My 74 year old parents were not able to make it but they said they could see some of the falls from where they sat at the top of the trail. There are no bathrooms here. Make sure to go all the way to the top platform as it has the best view! The parking lot has about 10 parking spots and we easily got one on a Wednesday.

This is a great place to swim. A nice area to chill in. The trail is very short and easy to get to a waterfall. Takes 3 minutes to walk from parking.

These waterfalls were so gorgeous! There are two different levels. Not much hiking to them after driving through the sketchy route and having to drive through two creeks. I wouldn’t recommend going in a sedan. But we’ll worth the drive!!! And I would recommend going early before the crowd hits!

Absolutely spectacular!To the thief who stole my walking stick I hope you get a splinter.My 5 year old nephew and 74 year old mom made the hike. Entered from the Vogel State park side. Nicely graveled and no water to drive thru. Multiple levels and pools of water to play in. Nature at its finest!

Amazing place to visit with two areas to see the waterfall. You can swim and walk in the water. Just have to be careful though because it’s very slippery

Absolutely gorgeous waterfall!! Road to get to it is ROUGH and only one lane! I wish the sign would have given a little more detail on the road to get there after you turn off.

What amazing falls!!! If this isn't on your bucket list, it should be. If you want to wade, swim or only take pics, the falls offer it all. It's free! Parking is limited. Two ways to get to falls but one way requires crossing two creeks. You can hike to lower and upper falls. Gets very busy during warmer months. I live in this area and these are a must see! Please, please, please take your trash with you!! Enjoy! ❤️

A beautiful and unique set of falls that is challenging to visit.It does not matter which way your navigation program sends you, it is a rough road to get to these falls. We went in from SR 348 and came out onto US 19. I believe the path is shorter if you come from the US 19 part. The roads are both from 2-5 miles and are single-lane with lots of rocks and bumps. Namely, this is a hard to get to location. Once you arrive, the parking lot is fairly small with only about 6 spots. The falls are visible from the parking lot, just barely. The walking path is not very far (about 200 feet) to arrive at the walkway to get to the falls. The path has almost no handrails and is about 1.5 people wide but it is worth it. The distance from the trailhead to the falls is about 200 yards with the falls easily visible to the left of the path. There are 2 platforms up to the falls with interesting views at each and one path going down. It is worth going to all three viewing areas. We visited during the time when the falls were not very busy (weekdays) and the falls did not have much water flowing (dry season) but it was a wonderful site that I would recommend to visitors in the area.

Absolutely loved this place! The fall colors are still on and it was stunning. The trail head to the falls is just right past the parking area on the left and a short but very scenic walk down and around to the the falls. It is definitely not handicap friendly, lots of stairs spaced very far apart and some slick rock on the path. The drive up and down is the worst part. It’s basically a one way dirt road but it’s not one way! Just be cautious and go slow. Oh, also, you do drive through some shallow creek beds with running water. Don’t be alarmed, keep on truckin! Enjoy!

We had a nice visit, I thought the falls were very nice. There was a gravel road for about 2 miles, not to bad taken slow.

Difficult drive up- about 2 miles of driving at 10 mph into it, is gravel to dirt road and some parts were really narrow only one car can fit at a time, and there were 2 places when I had to drive through a about 10 feet distance of shallow stream/ river (no more than a 6-12 inches deep). There is about a 6 car parking area and a 5-10 min climb/ moderate hike path up to the falls. There needs to be a bit more upkeep as the path has quite a bit of braches/ broken trees in the way that you had to jump over or duck under.❤️I loved the falls. It was beautiful! ❤️ I was lucky to be there by myself later in the afternoon and just enjoy nature!

Hilton creek falls is one of my favorites to visit, no 4x4 needed well maintained road and fairly easy short hike to both falls. It does get muddy after it's rained so best to go when dry.

Awesome drive through 2 creeks to get to it and a short hike to the falls!

2 things I wish I had known so sharing with others. The gravel road to the falls is very narrow with limited wide spots, when bypassing oncoming vehicles your passenger will experience a sweat breaking moment being on the edge of the mountain drop off, exiting no problem as you hug the right side. when parking look for wooden sign & don't miss the tiny arrow. look sharp 👉 right there are mud steps (no railing) leading to falls. 1/4 way trail becomes more secure with railings & wooden steps. The thrill & beauty of gods waterfall was worth the scary ride in 😊

4.7

(381)

4.5

(358)

Georgia 30512, USA

1 list

This is such a cool place! I suggest climbing up the mountain just for the experience. It is quite a hike but worth it! If you don't want to walk up the stairs, you can drive up. My 4-year-old, 65-year-old Dad, 40-year-old husband and I made the walk up and survived!Don't forget to visit the All Nations Cross while at the top. It's a long walk from the top of the Ten Commandments mountain but there are some amazing views from there too! You can also drive up there.Next up, Prayer Mountain. We drove to the top then walked down. Then we checked out the replica of the Garden Tomb. There were live bats in there (not to worry it was like 3 and they were undisturbed by us).Lastly, check out the gift shop and bring a picnic lunch. Feed the fish in the pond!Overall, just a great place to visit! Donations encouraged for upkeep.

First time here. Impressive. Walked through Bible hill, prayers Hill, and cross of flags. Informative. Free admission. Saw several be baptized."Against the use of tobacco of any form,etc"

My visit here was nothing short of amazing. The spirit fell on us as we prayed on prayer mountain filling us with great joy knowing that God is in control. Faithful and obedient believers will truly have a spiritual awakening.

What a surprise to just run upon this Beautiful place! I had heard of it, but had no idea we were going to pass it on our weekend destination! God’s presence is surely in this Place! You can drive to the top of each mountain but to walk it and read the scriptures is amazing! So blessed that my knees let me do the steps! There were 4 of us on this trip and I was the only one who could do the steps! It is totally free and Beautiful! They ask for donations!

Visited here for a car show. Was a benefit to help support Fields of the Wood. Absolutely amazing place to visit and see in person. Everyone is so friendly. Please go if you get a chance! Worth the experience!

Very nice stop. Gift shop is a bit pricey. Might be a little difficult if you have to push a wheel chair. There is Some places it's walking only. But I'd definitely recommend a visit.

Really nice place to visit. A lot of interesting things to see based on the Bible. Also a great view from the top of the Ten Commandments monument.

We where sight seeing and cam across this area. It's in Murray NC back road. We were so excited to visit this. Awesome place go by an look or your self. I couldn't walk up the steps have bad knees. I would go back for sure.

It is a great place to visit! All the different scriptures posted on the stones on the sides of the mountains. They have a reptical of the tomb that Jesus was buried in. They have the ten commandments on the side of the mountain. The gift shop is outstanding. Lots of walking and lots of climbing but there are roads that can take you to the top.

We come here every year in the fall.It's very beautiful!Lots of monuments featuring different times in Jesus life, and other stories in the bible.The 10 commandments on the hill are really neat as well!Make sure to drive or walk up to the top of the mountain to see the beautiful view and all the flags in the shape of a cross.

Beautiful place. Easy access. Inspirational. I stopped by at sunrise and the gates were open. It was memorizing! It's free to go in. Perfect place for meditation or picnic! They can certainly use any donations. I see minor repairs needed here and there. I love this place!

This was a wonderful and spiritual place. My wife and I enjoyed our visit here very much.I would certainly recommend visiting.

Nice park. Very serene and you definitely feel close to God and his beautiful creations. If in the area definitely worth the stop. No food on site but several nice picnic areas.

This is a place where you just need to get away from the modern world and develop your time between yourself and your God!

Unique place to stop. For those of the Christian faith it place to stop and meditate. For others it gives you some insight into the Christian beliefs. Worth the the time the place is well kept.

It's free to visit. Donation. I love this place. Lots of walking and stairs but you also can drive up the hill.

We absolutely loved this place. Needs some paint but is a beautiful experience.

My husband and I visited the park on Easter 2024 and we loved it. I've never been to a religious park and I found it very impressive. The location is beautiful and the "exhibits" are well cared for. It's a very tranquil and quite place and everyone visiting seems to respect the grounds. There's tons of walking and steps so sneakers are your best bet. If you have difficulty walking or are looking for ADA accommodations, you can basically drive up to anything you'd typically walk up to so no worries there. I would definitely go back again, probably on another religious holiday, it was wonderful. They take donations, no entrance fees.

I love the Word of God, and this beautiful place is a memorial, that the Word of God not become silent on the earth. I loved, 10 Commandment Mountain, I loved prayer mountain, and all the monuments giving directions that everyone needs to hear, and heed. My concern is with the neglect, that will lead to such a wonderful blessing disappearing from the earth. With time organizations, like denominations, loose sight of what is truly important. Thank you for making this place available to the hungry. I have been blessed.

Such a great, inspirational place to see! We loved it! An awesome dedication to the scriptures and truths of our faith! Thank you to those who built it and those who maintain it for all these years. Much appreciation to you all! ✝️🛐❤️🙏🏻

Went for my brother and his family, but enjoyed it. The views are very nice. Bring your lungs and hiking legs. The stairs are definitely not for everyone. You can drive to the top though and enjoy it anyway. Kids loved feeding the giant fish and huge turtles at the gift shop. (You can buy the food from little vending machines for a quarter.)

We had a nice time here. It was a good hike from the lower parking lot up 300+ stairs to the top of the Ten Commandments. There are great scenic views from the top. We walked down and then over to the gift shop. They have a lot of items from coins, t-shirts, coffee mugs and much more. From the gift shop we walked up the other set of stairs to the to of the prayer hill. In all we were there about 2 hours.

4.8

(1781)

4.5

(474)

10000 NC-294, Murphy, NC 28906, USA

This is a really great spot because there are shuttles to get you to the top if you can’t physically walk it. However the trailer to the right of the road is very steep but stunning to walk as well if you want to give it a try. It’s $7 to park and the views from the top are just stunning and not to be missed.

The trail to the top is only 0.5 mi. It was so beautiful!It had been raining for the whole week, that's why we didn't see much - it was all covered in fog. But it was so magical, so amazing! We had fun going up there when it was foggy and raining.The restrooms are near the visitor center. There's a shuttle to a top, but you can go on foot.Everything closes at 5. The last shuttle was at 4:30.There are several trails in the area and a museum on the top.

This is the highest peak in Georgia and it’s amazing! You can see mountains for miles and miles around! That was well worth it and very beautiful! You can either have them shuttle you the last little stretch to the top or there is a steep trail to take by foot. It’s nice for all ages!

Beautiful mountain top. Amazing views. Was on top of this mountain on the night of July 4th,so go to watch Helen fireworks festival from here. They look so tiny yet beautiful from here.Great place for star gazing if you are lucky that day. Even other wise, it's worth a night visit any day. Even in summer it was cool that night and even day time. So great place to spend summers here. Wish they had couple more picnic tables on top. Only one exists so far.

I loved this place! We went at sunrise. This is before hours so you have to do the honor system and put money in the envelope/box at the entrance to the parking lot.After that, we started UP the summit trail. It’s 0.6 miles up the whole way. There are many rest points with benches and the path is wide and paved. It’s a challenge but totally worth it. Going back to the parking lot is all down hill and much easier!The sunrise and views were absolutely amazing!

Amazing view from the top of the tower, great lookout. Stunning colors in fall from the top and along the way. Lake between crest and troughs and great mountainous background makes surreal. Besides a nice steep hike. One can reach at top by shuttle provided there. One can see large range of mountain from the top in every direction. Sometimes views gets shrouded by clouds so better see weather prediction before going.

What a cool place. Was crazy foggy and couldn't see much but the uphill climb to the Nature Center at the top was worth it either way. A must see in the area!Be aware of the walking trail if you can't exert yourself much, take the van to the top instead. It is somewhat demanding of an incline.

Even on a cloudy day, you're on top of the world. So worth the trip. Nice folks, nice place, nice weather, great experience. Don't skip the exhibits.

Great walk up the hill. They also have transportation up if needed. There are park rangers there that have great info. Beautiful views! It does cost to get in.

One of the best places to hike and enjoy a panoramic view of sunrise or sunset. 4150 feet up with short hike of 0.6 miles to the visitor center. The view from the top is simply gorgeous. Georgia’s highest peak! Smokey at its best! You get to see all three states (GA, TN and NC) sharing this majestic land. I recommend spending at least a couple hour up there. There is shuttle from entry gate to the visitor center; running till 4:30. Shuttle fee is included within park entry fee! If you are not using the shuttle, you can stay up there as long as you want. The museum up-to is also very cool and informative! So all worth a great funday for all ages!

Very blessed to de able to vacation in blue ridge mountains, we took a drive to Brasstown Bald it does cost to park $3.00 per person, the day we went the park was closed, what that means is there’s nobody there working and there’s no shuttle the road from parking lot to the top is blocked off, you can hike the paved path up which is pretty steep, we had to stop a few times a take a breather 😐not bad at all for a 60 year old guy 😱 at the top is breath taking views, I think walking back down the path would be kinda hard on the knees if your knees are sensitive. Do expect mountain driving up and down! Love to go back some day! ❤️

One of the highest GA's peaks. Short hike to the top from the lot. Incline can be challenging for many. Bathrooms were closed for the winter season. Worth the visit if you are in the area. Final resting place for my dog's ashes.

We had such a great time here. It’s so pretty and the small museum at the top is very informative. Go on a day when a tropical storm is coming across Ga and wear a rain jacket. It’s worth the wind rain to have it to yourself and the experience.

The state national park is the highest place in Georgia. It’s $8/person. They offer shuttle up and down during the day. However hiking up and down make this trip fun hike. The trail are mostly shaded. The elevation is high, so for 0.5 mile trail, it could take about 30-40 mins. Once up to the top, there’s a museum filled with info along with restroom and water station. The view was breathtaking even though the day we went had the Canadian wild fire smoke all over it. Keep in mind, there were slim to non cell signal around that area.

Let me preface this by saying the views are 5/5 and probably worth the drive depending on your patience level and whether or not you drank/ate too much before making the drive up to Brasstown Bald.Like me, you will probably be confused why your GPS tells you that it's a 1 1/2 hour drive to go 40 miles, but the roads going into this place are pretty crazy. Lots of switch back turns and steep grade, not a drive for the faint of heart. There are also a lot of other parks in the area like Desoto Falls and Vogel State Park, so the traffic through here, especially in the Fall, is nuts. Recently there has also been this "Instagram Crowd" that stop on the shoulder, try to get posed shots of themselves in the middle of the road, and all kinds of other craziness with the crowds, so allow yourself plenty of time to get there. We saw 4 young women today nearly get hit by a tour bus because they were trying to take a posed shot of them across the road with the mountains in the background.Once you actually get to the park area, your real battle begins. Expect anywhere from 1-3 hours to drive the 2 miles up the mountain to the parking area and then possibly another hour+ wait to get on the shuttle if you want to go to the top. We are talking hard idling on steep incline in most places, so this can be brutal if you have a motorcycle, have a car on the verge of breaking down, or a weak 4 cylinder engine that doesn't handle mountain driving well. If you don't want to wait for the shuttle and you can handle a decent incline, you can take a 0.7 mile trail up to the top after you reach the parking lot. It's pretty short, but if you are out of shape it will get the heart rate up. It's probably a 1.5 mile round trip if you include the distance from your parking spot to the trailhead behind the gift shop. We went today and it was 2+ hours to go the 2 miles up to the parking lot. Several people turned around and went back. I feel like this is a detail many miss out on so people aren't expecting a huge wait once they get there, but it's a reality.Crowds have been an issue each visit and the restroom facilities(located at the parking area and also up at the main tower) are always overcrowded and filthy with long lines. Employees in the gift shop are a little slow with customer service, you can certainly tell this is a government job post where they are just going through the motions to get their pension/retirement benefits. The gift shop is pretty sparse and doesn't offer much outside your standard overpriced t-shirts. When you reach the summit, they have a fairly nice facility with exhibits(though most of them were powered down/broken) about the area and animals that frequent the surrounding forests.The views are about the only thing worth going for if you aren't hitting up the local hiking trails, so you will have to ask yourself if a 2-3+ hour trip is worth about 15-20 minutes of gawking at the incredible mountain views. If it's crowded it can be tough to get decent photos, and the weather can change really quickly. On our visit the sun was out and everything was beautiful, but by the time we actually made it to the parking area the clouds had moved in and the temperature dropped a good 10 degrees. Make sure you have appropriate clothing if you get cold easily. There is a small picnic area in the parking area and access to a few other trails, but the main attraction is the views at the top. The observation tower has been closed almost every time we've been with the excuse of the elevator being broken. I think this place could use some government funds to make a few upgrades to the restrooms and to fix the elevator. There is nowhere to eat, but the gift shop does offer some limited snacks and drinks, mainly slim jims/soda type thing and there aren't really any local restaurants, so bring your own food if you want to snack on anything.Overall great views, but I think once you've been a time or two you don't need to waste your entire day sitting in traffic to get there. I'd also add there are no EV charging facilities anywhere close.

Paved but steep trail with the option of taking a shuttle during park hours. A quick walk but you will get a good workout. Great view. You are above the clouds. But if it’s a cloudy day be aware you may be IN the clouds. And visibility will be zero.

WOW! Such an amazing visit from the drive there to being at the peak. It was absolutely breath taking. $8 per person covers parking and a shuttle to the top. Kids are free! The museum was cool to see aswell. Me and my family all loved it, well always go back when we visit the area

The highest peak in Georgia! The hike is just 0.6 miles but an exhilarating steep one though. All the same, it is a rewarding view on the top and leaves you spellbound. The view was hazy due to the mist and clouds and cleared off to showcase the wonderful landscapes and mountains to view. We spend a lot of time enjoying nature at its best. They do have a shuttle facility to reach the top in case walking is not preferred. The entry is charged at USD 8 per adult.

Great view of the Georgia mountains. Was there at the right time to see fall foilage. The views are good even during the early winter seasons. It's worth the drive and waiting time for entering the parking. Though there were plenty of parking spots, there was a long queue of cars because of the slow ticketing process.Tickets are charged per persons (based on the shuttle to the top, I believe). But felt worth it.Got a trail to reach the top for those who like.Restrooms are available both near the parking lot and at the top.

This is Georgia’s highest peak. The 360 degree view from the observation deck is amazing. There is a fees to enter the park. You can hike up from parking to a very steep paved trail. The trees around while hiking give a nice feeling. Fall season is the best time to visit and see colors all around. They have restrooms downstairs. This place is know for star gazing so at special events specific to meteor showers or comet there are people all night

Amazing view! Staff are not operating on Tuesday or Wednesday but you can still hike up. The elevator doesn't work. 1/2 hike from the parking lot. It was a tough little hike but well worth it. ...Beautiful...

Beautiful view, and nice educational displays at the peak. Some parts feel a little outdated and in need of updating, but the experience of being at the highest peak in Georgia is worth it

First time experience such a beautiful sunriseReached exactly at sunrise time ..!Highest point in Georgia to admire the beautyDidn’t phase any hastle getting there or for parking spot as I went early. If possible I would suggest to have a sunrise 🌅 lookWould plan again in fall and recommend to be there before sunrise when weather is good

Breathtaking views, calm and serene.Bathrooms available at the top and by parking$8 parking feeVisiting center is quite informative. Brasstown history small movie is also played in the theater.Hiking trail is fully paved. Highly recommend!Shuttle from parking to the top is frequent.

Can hike to lookout or ride the bus up kid friendly with beautiful 360 degree views of multiple states, souvenir shop and inside information about area. Drink boxes available near restrooms. Cost 8.00 for adults.

We came, we conquered, and we enjoyed the view. This is my second time coming here, and despite being a year ago (the first time) , this time around, it didn't feel as bad going up and down as it did the first time. It was super cold..for sure, but the beautiful view is worth it.

Decided to hike the highest peak in Georgia on a nice April Sunday. Paid the parking fee and headed up the paved trail to the top. It is steep, but easy with the pavement. The views from the top are incredible with a deck that goes in all directions. The rocking chairs were perfect to grab a bite to eat and have a drink before going into the museum about the area history.

Great views. Highest peak in Ga. Parking isn't free but it's worth it. You can take a hike up or you can take the shuttle. Even more beautiful in the fall. I ALWAYS recommend riding a motorcycle up there but I'm partial. In the fall there may be a wait to get into the park. Certainly worth seeing once!

Awesome place where you can see NC mountains from. Shuttle takes you up both ways and you can choose to walk. You will have to walk up stairs because atm the elevator is broken

4.8

(1119)

4.5

(1173)

Georgia 30546, USA

1 list

This place is "Starting" to grow on me. Much better atmosphere than my visit back in November 2021. Masks are encouraged but not Forced on you. The Food court has gotten back into it's groove and the options are plentiful and given a 4 Day 3 night stay we had tried just about everything with no complaints. The main Restaurant was superb, my Steak couldn't have been cooked any better and exactly as I requested. Medium with no seasoning only salt and hint of cracked pepper. This place still has plenty of real table games(it's nice have a real human for a dealer). They still have a mix of virtual table machines but the balance was much better than a lot of other out of the way casino resorts are going. Great selection of slots but still like all the other casinos, they are very tight. The areas for those not able to gamble was open and they had plenty to do to keep them busy. I recommend you check out their website to see all the options and entrainment available to anyone traveling with young people. I seen quite a few on this trip and they seemed quite happy and talkative. In all, we enjoyed this visit but I still miss my Wisconsin favorites. However, this one will definitely grow on you. Enjoy and definitely Good Luck! You'll need it, Lol.

Went to the casino. Did not stay at the hotel. If you sign up for a players card you get $25 free play. Very cool. Player tiers pretty easy to access. If you like to gamble everything easy to get to. The table games were full but the couple that were not, did offer to teach me. You don't always get that at Hard Rock. Harrah's is very friendly and the bar prices are reasonable and close by. All the staff was nice and were joking with us. Wish it was closer!

My husband and I had a wonderful 2 night stay at Harrah’s Valley River in Murphy, NC. The hotel was extremely clean with comfy beds and with amazing views. The casino is small but very clean and well situated. We loved it. Everyone was kind and helpful. Super nice food court. We’re already planning a trip back there.

Drove from Georgia. Love this casino. Only downsides are no free drinks and no poker. Gotta buy drinks for $10. If you want to play poker, gotta go the neighbor casino 20 minutes away.Bathrooms were clean. Staff was friendly. Dealers also teach. Gave out masks at entrances.

Really nice getaway place for a short visit with adults. Good food, mountain lifestyle an culture, historic location, and plenty of gambling games to bet on. Cost of total stay is pretty much whatever you want it to be an if you get real lucky the trip could prove very lucrative. I will be visiting here again and again.

This place is always fun. Love the free play they give out sometimes. They're doing construction to improve, so parking is a little wonky right now. Great place to possibly make a few dollars or at least be entertained.

Cheapest rooms on the area. They are under construction so the hotel guest have to park in the casino guest parking in back. Friendly valets and front desk staff. Check in was quick and easy. Room was clean and the temperature was already set at 68 degrees (was nice to not walk into a hot room). Clean bathroom with a very big walk-in shower. The shower head could have been raised higher to accommodate tall people. But overall, a very nice atmosphere and nice view of the mountains.

The staff is excellent! The waitresses are so nice , the hot chocolate and vanilla cappuccino’s on the casino floor are so good ( tip your waitress she running all over the casino floor) this location is my favorite to bring my mom , easy to get around if you have a walker or wheel chair. The food court is really good. very clean , the staff cooking and serving work hard to keep the lines moving. The selection of slot machines are great , they are always getting new ones , fun to play .Stayed here for a few days last spring, Hotel rooms are very nice, great beds and comfortable pillows. Very relaxing environment, great place for a vacation or weekend trip.

Nice hotel and casino setup. All very new and clean. Casino area is pretty small and can feel overcrowded a bit. Was hard to get on to machines we wanted to play, as there were always others on them and waiting. But overall a nice experience.Was disappointed about the craps table minimum. A $25 minimum makes it very hard to play for a casual player. Would love if there was a $5 or at least a $10 min option.

I’ve been a hotel guest on many occasions and each time it was a great experience. The hotel is clean and the atmosphere there is inviting, to say the least. The staff are incredible, the casino is well-run and although the hotel is under renovation, it’s quiet. There’s not much to improve upon, it’s very impressive how well the hotel treats the guests, every time.

My first visit to the casino 🎰 hidden in the mountains of North Carolina in a nice quiet town of 🥰 Murphy. My only complaint was there was any sitting chair in my room. I like to read.📕Sherrie was very nice and helpful. And a big shout out to Bill and Travis at the bellhop

Very adorable with great views. The room was comfortable and roomy. They had many different food and dinning options. Staff was very accommodating to your need. If you like to gamble this is the perfect place. It is also a great place to stay even if you don’t gamble which worked for us. It’s close to many different surroundings towns.

Didn't do any pictures, but we really liked their food court options. More affordable & easily accessible than at Cherokee. We just did a day trip for a fall mountain ride. Smaller casino, so easier to navigate, but it appears they are expanding. An enjoyable & relaxing day trip from Cherokee

My wife and I visited here over the weekend for the first time.This is the most peaceful location of any casino we have ever visited!The grounds are manicured with flowers in bloom everywhere.When you step outside, the quiet and beauty of the surroundings bring a feeling of calm.Every member of staff we encountered was welcoming and helpful.The room was very clean and well appointed.The casino floor is wide open with lots of room between the sections of slots.It's much easier to get casino floor beverage service here than it's sister location in Cherokee. However, they need to reinstall the beverage service buttons on the slots. I was told this feature was removed some time ago.We look forward to returning soon!

I had a great overnight stay. The room was spacious and clean and with great views! The slots were kind to me also! Every employee that I interacted with was very friendly and helpful. I would love to go back New Years Eve, but Ihate driving in the dark. I had a lovely time. Next time I will take pictures.

Rooms are overpriced but clean, well equipped and quiet. Staff is friendly and accommodating. Casino is small but clean and has most of the games you would see at any casino and it’s not very crowded. The food choices are all fast food but will work in a pinch. The VIP bar is my biggest complaint as I’ve never sat at a more uncomfortable bar. Everyone agreed and the staff said the owners were aware but did not plan to update it. This is a shame as we would have spent much more time there but our backs and knees were killing us from hunching and crowding to reach the machines.

Slots were tight as a virgin. Payouts & bonuses were very minimal to none. Music was depressing. Felt like I was at a security guard convention with an over abundance of security guards for such a small place. Heard they are planning to expand. Place has tons of potential, but needs reworked. Prefer the other Cherokee Casino and probably won’t be back until changes are made. Clean and friendly environment. Food court was great. Hotel rooms were decent, plenty of rooms. No smoking and no valet. Plenty of parking. Would be a great place to come and watch sports. Drinks are pricey. Beautiful location.

I visited this location for the first time with my elderly mom. The first night was fine. The next night the room was fill with strong cigarette coming from the headboard. I was given an option to use a machine to take out the smoke and if we change rooms it would be faraway from the elevator, no access to transport items and too far for my mom to walk. We took the option of the machine and few hours later the room was full of smoke again. I have acute asthma and now have to get treatment for inhaling all of this smoke. I would like to be compensated for my last two nights and ensure if I visit again that they implement some time questionnaire if you are. Smoker so they are not house in the same area with non smokers.

Rented cabin nearby so didn't experience rooms but enjoyed the casino. Currently under expansion but has enough slot machines to play. Has compactly for large crowds. Has been busy the times I have went but has enough varity of new popular game machines to go around. It does serve sandwiches etc now with more to come.

Save money and time. Go to Dave and Buster's. We thought about staying the night and asked to see a suite. No suites. We were shown their biggest room. Not so big and only available for comped high rollers. Even though it is only a 90 minute drive from me I have absolutely no desire to go back. We did have dinner in their only sit down restaurant. Skip that too.

Just went to gamble. Didn't win anything. Not even a little line pay when we went. My husband hit $100.. I hit $0. Panda Garden was good!! It's in the mountains. Pretty location and a long ride for us. It's been a while since we went and planning on giving it another try. Didn't stay the night or had any service. Can't rate that.

Decided to check out this casino a couple of days ago. Wish we would have just not! I have heard such good things about it, but none of that held true. The casino floor is not very big at all. We were there early in the morning, but still could not play the slots that we wanted to because they were very limited and people just stayed on them the entire time! Did not see a co*cktail waitress the entire time that we were there, so that was disappointing as well. Definitely will not be coming back again! I will stick with Cherokee!

Great trip and time in the casino. The rewards program is highly beneficial. The room was nice, spacious and clean. The employees who helped us get checked in and to our room were also great . That said once we got home, not only did we discover you don't get your full deposit back, we were also charged the deposit twice. When we called to dispute this problem the response and desire of that staff member to help resolve the problem was less than desirable and now we are stuck disputing it. Outside of that, the time in the casino was Fantastic and so were the people who helped make the experience memorable.

Been there quite a few times. Hotel staff friendly, room was nice. Landing Cafe service great need more variety on menu. The food is great though. I like it because it's a short drive for a quick getaway. I have never walked away a winner but that's gambling right. Just wish money lasted a little bit longer . Looking forward to another getaway soon.

My husband and I celebrated our anniversary here, and it was an amazing experience! It was a very relaxed environment, and open to beginners (like me!) We had dinner at the Landing Cafe and sat at the bar. Their team (Stevie & Alex) were doing a fantastic job on a busy Saturday night. All of the staff in the casino was knowledgeable, all facilities cleanly, and all of the guests seemed to be having a great time like us! We will definitely be going back since it was close to our home in Tennessee. Very convenient location and great for an extended trip or a day trip!

We didn’t stay here so I cannot comment on the rooms. We gambled here. They don’t have many tables. And bar service was slow to come around. But we like to go here when we visit the mountains. The food is good at the food court but a little slow or understaffed. Everyone is very friendly though. They root for you to win.

All the employees I encountered were friendly and pleasant. Casino was clean and non smoking. Didn't come away with winnings but had a good time.

DO NOT STAY HERE WHILE UNDER CONSTRUCTION!! Booked everything directly through Caesars and hotel directly yet Zero mention they'd be doing big time construction at 730am!! Absolutely INSANE to be woken up by extremely loud construction starting at 7am-730am literally right outside your window!Totally mind boggling they gave 0 warning of this! Who pays good money for a short get away just to be forcefully woken up at 730am!?????.THE CONSTRUCTION IS NON STOP! THEY CLEARLY DO NOT CARE ABOUT THEIR CUSTOMERS WHATSOEVER!Update: notice how the "owner" only replies to the good reviews and completely ignores the low star reviews! Tells you all you need to know about this location! Lack of proper customer service is appalling and disrespectful. Only reply to good reviews and totally ignore those who had any issues.

We stayed 3 nights to include New Year's eve. We also stayed over New Years last year. You throw a great New Years eve party! Even though the place was packed with thousands of people, there was no evidence of anyone being obnoxious or staggering drunk. It was just a really good time with a well behaved crowd. The music provided by the DJ was fantastic and had people dancing and singing along everywhere I looked, including me. It created a really fun party atmosphere. Unfortunately, the music from the band was a bit of a downer. Maybe next year you could just stick with the DJ? Not to be ungrateful, just a suggestion. Thank you for all the hospitality, including the beautiful clean rooms, and friendly staff. See you next year, or before.

My wife and I went to Harrah's to celebrate our retirement. Had dinner at Landings Cafe the food was fabulous. Popcorn shrimp for an appetizer, rib eye for me, my Sweetie had the pork tenderloin. Everything was great. Our waitress, Desiree, was super. She was polite, thanked us for coming in, was there to answer questions, but never rushed us. Great employee with stellar customer service skills. Stopped in the casino to donate a few bucks. It's nice,clean and the employees are very helpful.

The room was great checking in was great. The casino itself is terrible. Very small a horrible variety and very tight payouts. Also, the security is terrible. You have to give them your ID every time. Very inconvenient. Definitely will not be back at this location.

Casino was fine. Enjoyed it being smoke free!! Was disgusted when we took a shower the next morning and the shower was filled with mold!! It takes a while for the black to accumulate on the grout in a shower!! Was upset when we checked out! Talked to a Supervisor and showed her pics, and was told ,"Sorry, will talk to housekeeping ". That was it!!! I said if I had noticed the shower when we checked in, we would have asked to change rooms. Makes you really wonder if the rooms are really Clean!! Will NEVER go back again!!

My experience here was nothing less than fantastic. I lost my money but the amount of entertainment I received for my money was very well worth it. Will recommend to my family and friends. Actually , Harrahs Cherokee resorts needs to drive down the road and see how entertainment is supposed to be. Everyone was very upbeat and the atmosphere felt like you had a shot at winning. Which is a beautiful thing. There are plenty of games to keep you entertained.

Fun birthday trip. Won a jackpot and witnessed many other winners while there. Staff is friendly and helpful. Rooms are clean. The water pressure meh, but we didn't let it ruin an otherwise great experience. The double window room in the hotel was a bonus view from the 5th floor.

I would of given a high review had the beds had fitted sheets and were not so firm. And the smoking section NOT been at all the entrances. The hotel has the making of a higher scale hotel but those issues need addressed. Walking elderly in on oxygen and kids makes it very difficult for us to stay. And the hotel stated they do not have fitted sheets. Aside from those things it not only gives the adults entertainment it makes for a good location for vacationing.

I'm not too far away from Harrah's-Murphy so I can't provide any input on the hotel, we only go to play the electronic craps. Unfortunately we went recently and found the table had been removed. We liked it because the limit was lower and there was usually room to play. We wanted to play but they only had one craps table open (Thursday afternoon) and there wasn't any room to play. Even if I'm local I don't want to drive there if there's no room to play at the tables.

The casino is currently under construction and there were a lot of games offline and areas completely closed off. For court is limited and could offer better selection. Glad I checked it out, but probably won't stay there again until construction is completed.

"My first trip to this casino was nice. Although it's a small casino, it's exceptionally clean and smoke-free. The staff is amazing. I'd like to thank Angel, the young lady who checked me in early. Angel offered us water and the opportunity to stay on a higher floor for the view. Sunshine, one of the bartenders, provided excellent service and engaging conversation. I appreciated her enthusiasm. I also received excellent service from Cris, another bartender, and Kenny. Special thanks to Paul, Oneida Alejardro, and Trevor, the slot techs and attendants, for making it a fun time. Hopefully, next time, I'll get a handpay! Sunshine deserves a raise and full-time benefits. The food service was excellent, but the food itself didn't meet my expectations. Thanks to my waitress, Dawn, and Brian in housekeeping for their smiles. I'll be back once the casino has a pool."

Had a great time at this casino. Midafternoon, it wasn't too busy. Music was good. It's smoke-free, which made it really nice to visit. The entry was clean. Security was helpful and kept the place safe. I'll definitely visit again in the future.

4.2

(8721)

4.0

(1359)

777 Casino Pkwy, Murphy, NC 28906, USA

Okay let's start off by saying what a great place to stop get all the information you could possibly want The cleanest restrooms you going to find and the most friendliest staff I stopped there every time I had the tellico plains it's more now just to see what new merchandise they have you can't beat their prices or the quality of the stuff they sellThanks Randy

Nice welcoming center, the girl in the front desk was friendly, gave us map of the area and the 25th anniversary coin, restrooms were very clean, the interactive area for the kids was fun.If you are in the area don't miss this stop.

Excellent visitor center. Good historical area with excellent artifacts from days of the old South. Including from early America.

Staff is very knowledgeable of the area. Gave great lunch recommendations. And let us know the status of road work and construction on the Skyway so we could plan our trip over.

Super place! The attendant was very knowledgeable and gracious...made us feel right at home. We got a map of the area (Cherohala Skyway) and a brief overview of it. The gift shop had some great looking shirts to buy, but best of all, there were some locally made items to purchase. We selected an item made by a local potter (Mudslingers) that will make a quality, unique gift for a friend. They also have a nice little area for a picnic lunch or snack out front.

Nice little store the wife found a few items she purchased. Friendly staff and very clean restrooms. The museum was very interesting worth a short walking tour.

Museum was outstanding. Awesome gun collection!

These people were so awesome! If you are in the area this is a must stop. Great information and a really nice place to visit. Staff was amazing.

Didn’t go to the center didn’t know about it but accidentally ended up at Cherohala Skyway and loved it so much. Waterfall and very scenic drive with certain spots to swim at like little falls. Picnic area. Very windy road.

Great atmosphere, and I was greeted the moment I entered. Lots of good information to be found. Can't wait to come back and ride the full Skyway!

Start at the Cherohala Skyway Visitors Centerin Tellico Plains, TN. Absolutely beautiful fall colors!!!! Stay on the TN side for the most color at this time. When crossing over to NC, the trees had lost their leaves or color had passed due to higher elevation as of this writing. Several places to pull over for pictures or picnics at the picnic areas. Be respectful of others as you park or gaze at the beauty so others can also have their turn!!

You can visit skyway center and get a free map of the skyway. The route has scenic locations of falls and river and lookouts. Do not miss Bald river falls and the beach at camping grounds.Good place to visit during fall! We visited this place in beginning of October, colors were almost there. I recommend to visit this place by end of October. The colors were good as we go to the top. But, once we crossed TN and entered NC on the top, there were no leaves. So I recommend to start taking the skyway from tellico plains instead of Robinsville, NC.

Our family had fun checking out the museum, visitor center. Bought some freeze-dried candy and souvenirs. Friendly customer service

Very friendly staff in a visitor's center. Restrooms and a generous gift shop. Take advantage of the wifi if you need to connect online for gps.

Beautiful ride in the Miatas! The views are amazing. We went a little too early for the colors on the trees but it is still breath taking. My only complaint was the dual sport bikes passing on double yellow lines! There's a posted speed limit of 40. The car in front of me was doing that and I counted 7 bikes that pasted and squeezed between us and then passed each of us, we were three and the car in front of us made 4. We didn't let it ruin our day though! Still worth the ride! Start in Tellico Plains and end coming across the Dragon! Be sure to wave at the cameras! Have fun and be safe!

When we lived in Chicago, people would make a pilgrimage to Michigan each autumn to "see the colors." While quite beautiful, that experience pales in comparison to East Tennessee and the Cherohala Skyway. The drive was blissfully peaceful, and the views breathtaking, spectacular. Y'all probably have one or two weekends left. This is a must see to experience the splendor of God's creation.

Never got a chance to go in. We were greeted in a not welcome way in the parking lot as soon as we pulled in. Was plenty of parking spots open and someone told us right as we pulled into a parking spot and ready to go in if we could move because they were saving room for a trailer. We were there in the morning of 11/5/23. We had never been this way and made it park of our fall drive. This was our first stop coming from 2hr, 40mins away. After we were not greeted so welcome we just left. Maybe don’t stop here on a weekend and only on a week day or only if there is no cars in the parking lot then maybe stop in. Sadly we won’t be back this way.

Wonderful Source of Information!! They are prepared to tell you about the #TotalityInTellico Event. Free maps, where the free camping in the Cherokee National Forest is [but be forewarned - the Cherokee National Forest site says they will close when full], and where other local atractions are. Right next door are the two buildings of the privately-owned Charles Hall Museum, which documents regional and Appalachian history. The Visitors' Center has a nice gift shop with a wide variety of items, including beautiful Totality In Tellico T-Shirts while they last!The staff is very friendly and helpful, but they told me I'd have to ask about parking for the event next door, because the Charles Hall Museum is hosting parking. It will be in the grassy area behind the buildings of the Museum, across the small creek, and will cost you %5. But, the Museum is free, and a great way to spend a few hours learning about life before electricity, and the early days of electronics! The weekend before the Monday, Aug 21st eclipse is filled with fun activities for the whole family! No alcohol will be allowed during the event.Back to the Visitor's Center., It is run by Monroe County, so anything you buy there benefits the small communities here. Tellico Plains only has less than a thousand souls!If you are mobility challenged like I am, you'll be pleased to know that both the Visitor's Center and Charles Hall Museum buildings are very accessible. I came with my walker because I couldn't lift my wheelchair, and had no trouble getting around. Rest rooms in all 3 buildings are accessible and very clean. They are well-lit and there is plenty of space to get between displays to look, even if I was in my power chair.Staff is very helpful, friendly and welcoming! There is a nice variety of items for sale, including Eclipse Glasses for $3 a pair while they last. I didn't notice any duplicate items between the Visitor's Center and the Museum, so be sure and check out both places for souveniers! Don't wait till the 21st to buy. With a couple thousand extra people [probably a LOT more] there might not be anything left!The building is not very big, but has a lot of items and prices were reasonable. While I was there, a steady stream of folks from all over the country came through, some looking for eclipse info, and others here to visit Cherokee National Forest. Apparently a lot of motorcycle buffs visit here year round, too! If motorcycles are your thing, there;'s a bike shop in the Museum's Gift Shop, too.Camping is normally abundant in this area, but due to the eclipse, most places and paid campgrounds are full. Free spaces are first come, first serve, and the Cherokee National Forest will close when it gets full. Most motel rooms anyplace near the Zone of Totality have been booked for a couple years because astronomers are coming from all over the world to see the eclipse! Somewhere in the world, there's an eclipse about every 18 months. But, total eclipses are few and far between if you don't travel. The last eclipse to cross the country like this one does was 99 years ago! For lodging, you might check with relatives who live in the Zone, places like AirBNB, and small motels. You might get lucky! Book early!! Leave early!! Travel on Aug 21 is predicted to be bad.Aside from the eclipse, it's a great place to visit, and you can learn about all the neat places to visit all around! They have many, many brochures on local attractions, detailed maps for sale, and many interesting items. They are used to fielding questions from people who are visiting the first time, and are good at giving enough, but not too much, info. There's an art to that! If you want more, they give more. If you have enough, they are good at spotting that, and give you time to browse.I've been in a lot of visitor info centers in my 58 years, and this one is definitely near the top of my list, if not THE top. I'll definitely be back, and recommend you stop by, too!

Beautiful scenery and so much beauty to see. If you go make sure to hit bald river falls you won’t regret it!

We stopped by here and loved it. We stayed here for hours. Between their musuems and history stuff and great gift shops with a very large selection we thoroughly enjoyed this place.

4.8

(810)

4.5

(137)

225 Cherohala Skyway, Tellico Plains, TN 37385, USA

1 list

We love the trails and natural water features here. The trails are clearly marked and are fairly accessible. Some parts are paved. If you continue north and cross the river, the dirt trail continues on and leads to a fantastic natural pooling area with lots of options for the kids to explore and enjoy. The trail crosses the river again just a little bit beyond, but beware the slippery rocks and swift current. There was a beautiful grove of wildflowers and then another river crossing that we navigated before turning back.

Beautiful picnic area right next to the falls and along the water. There is an outhouse restroom. You can park right in front of the first waterfall you see. Several paved walking paths, as well as dirt paths to explore more up the mountain. Was a beautiful day can't wait to go back again during the blooming of the mountain laurel and rhododendrons! We'll go back in the summer also to Wade into the water, will be some good fishing spots also!

Nice picnic area near the water. Parking and picnic areas were clean. While some of the trails are paved, there was a big tree blocking on (impassable with a stroller). The view of the “falls” wasn’t very impressive.

Love this place! So quiet and beautiful and the trails are good for all experience levels. Be prepared to get your feet wet though, the trail goes through the river at several points making it really fun, but very wet. My Great Dane loved it too.

One of my favorite local picnic areas. Cool and shady. And my dog loves to go wading here.

Very nice area with a couple of easy trails, one paved and the other not. Trails are about a total of 1.5 miles. Would be a great place to have lunch.

I love this place. So remote amd great access for primitive camping near a vehicle.

This place is well off the beaten path, but the area is covered in beautiful Mountain Laurel trees. The park has multiple secluded areas with a table and grill, which are only steps from the creek.There is even a waterfall that you can go up to. There are multiple spots along the river with chest high water levels that you can swim and enjoy the cold refreshing waters.

It is very family friendly, has a great place to swim, and is a nice area.

Nice place and perfect spot to enter the water and tube. Water is so clear and beautiful. If you go to tube, i recommend wearing water shoes so you can stand in water without hurting feet on the rocks. Several trails and spots to go down to the water and swim. Very peaceful place

Absolutely beautiful! Crystal clear water. There are fun short and long trails. One if them goes to the top of the falls. It appeared to continue around the waterfall after a walk through the small creek at the top, we didn't want to get our hiking shoes wet. A couple parts of the trail have a moderate climb but it was overall easy. There are restrooms and trash cans at the parking area.

Kids loved it…walked about a mile and found a great bend in the river where the little kids could swim. Well worth the walk.

Great place to kick back and relax.

Great place to go for a leisurely hike. The water is beautiful. Lots of tables available for picnics. This time of the year is good for tubing although the water is a bit chilly. There's a great hiking trail that goes above the falls. Fun for dogs too but per law they must be kept on a leash.

Beautiful scenic trails! Stroller/wheelchair accessible (paved) for a good distance from the parking lot. Great views of Leatherwood Falls also.

There are picnic tables even through -out the trails. The walking trail is beautiful and covered in trees along the river. The waterfall is smaller, But lovely. The river was very peaceful and there is a restroom provided.

Nice quiet day use area with picnic tables, grills and vault toilets. Waterfall and other great things to see once you cross the bridge where you'll find more picnic tables.

Such a beautiful area! We were able to capture my daughters pregnancy photos here, it's perfect!Such a peaceful scenery!

4.9

(304)

4.5

(168)

-1899, 1767 Fires Creek Wildlife Rd, Hayesville, NC 28904, USA

During the fall season it was completely astonishing and the colors were truly remarkable. Something I have only seen in books or magazines. It was busy but never seemed to be over crowded. The path next to the waterfall was beautiful. It went to the top along one side, which was a fairly easy hike. And along the other side you hike to the bottom to see the white water rapids. Where we did see a few people kayak. We do plan on a future trip when it is warmer to try this. It look really fun!

It's worth the drive! This is a beautiful spot and the drive to the falls is breathtaking. The road is a little narrow so take your time to enjoy nature. You will want to cross the bridge to reach a parking area.Most people will walk on to the bridge for that perfect photo!There are steps that will lead you up to the very top of the falls, just be sure to have good walking shoes on and watch your step.If you're in the area this is a must see stop! We really enjoyed our visit.

Wonderful place to visit. My only complaint is all the people and a serious lack of parking. However if your patient and don't mind a little walk you should definitely take the time and make the trip. Personally my friends and I took our motorcycles and got some killer pictures. There are trails to hike and paths down to the water if you would like to swim. We'll worth the frustration of finding a parking spot. Also don't let me forget the drive there is very nice and scenic.

Beautiful falls, very pretty drive by the river and the water is super clear in the river. Numerous tiny waterfalls everywhere and you are treated by this wonderful water fall right by the road. Drive up another 100 feet and you will see another 6 foot waterfall.

Absolutely gorgeous 90 foot falls in the Cherokee National Forest!! Family agreed it was well worth the time to get there. You drive right past the falls and there is no hike so it would be perfect for those with mobility issues. Absolutely wonderful piece of nature.

We visited the Bald River Falls on our third annual Autumn drive on the Cherohala Skyway. The Falls is about 6 miles off the Skyway on the Tennessee side. You could view the Falls from your vehicle, but that would be a mistake. The parking lot is located just past the bridge overlooking the falls. The multi-level fall with a 90-foot drop into a rocky riverbed is stunning. The falls can be viewed from the bridge, or you can walk under the bridge for a broad perspective. The view left me wondering why I hadn't been here before. The Bald River Falls Trail can also be accessed from here for a 5.6-mile hike along the river.

Beautiful waterfall near Tellico. Park after the bridge and you will see stairs up the top of the falls. Worth the trek. That takes you to trail 88 as well.

This is a little out of the way, but if you are near Tellico Plains, it’s worth the stop. The water fall is beautiful from the bridge, but there is also a trail up to the top where can relax and enjoy the sound of the water in the shade or on the rocks. Not a strenuous hike at all. Only takes a few minutes.

One of the Best waterfalls I've ever seen!! A small hike to the top is worth the view as well! The sound is so relaxing. Next time we will take chairs to sit at the bottom.

I love that visitors can drive right up to the falls and park. This makes enjoying nature easier for people with limited mobility or limited time. For those who can, the hiking trail to the left of the falls will take you to the top. New vistas and places to carefully wade await you at the top.UPDATE: River Rd to the falls is washed out and will be closed until 2025!Conasauga falls is accessible if you have a raised 4x4 or a dirt bike.

Waterfall is right at the parking lot, you can walk to the bottom on both sides and near the top in the left. Careful not to let any kids or pets run to the top, there is no safety rail to prevent anyone from walking too close and slipping down! This is located about 10 minutes off the Cherohala Skyway. I look forward to doing the trail behind the falls, it’s about 10 miles total. I read that 4.7 miles in is a picnic area overlooking cascades!

Bald River Falls, Cherokee National Forest, Monroe County Tennessee. Bald River Falls which is from 80-100 feet tall flows into the Tellico river. The falls is visible from a bridge across the river from the Tellico River Road 6 miles from its start off the Cherohala Skyway. Easy hike to reach the top of falls, plenty of parking and a beautiful drive to reach the falls. Consider liking my review and pictures and follow along with me on all my adventures. Jeff Mullins Photography Get Your Adventure On!

Most beautiful relaxing waterfall I have ever seen. It is directly off the roadway. I could spend many hours of prayer and enjoying the awesomeness of nature.Can’t really do that because it is so wonderful many tourists visit it as a scenic place. It gets a bit noisy because people like to share what they are seeing and feeling about its beauty while they are there.There is entry therefore no wait time. No tickets necessary no fee. Free as all God’s gifts.Remember to take your trash with you so it stays beautiful.

The road up is NOT for lower sitting cars. Even SUVs that sit lower need to take their time up. I made it in my car but it took a while. Lol. Love this spot, it never disappoints!

Incredible! Best hike of my life so far. The waterfall is right there when you park so if that's all you're after, it's easy. But if you want an amazing, relatively easy, hike just go up the stairs to the top of the waterfall and follow the trail. There are more falls and unceasing beauty beyond. I went about 2.5 miles back before turning around. Absolutely stunning!

2 stars only because there was no way of knowing it was closed until I got within 5 miles of the falls.😞Sadly, we did not get to see the falls because the road was closed but the drive to it following the river was beautiful. Hope that the next time I take that drive the road to the actual falls will be open.

What a beautiful place. Bald River Falls is located in Tellico Plains, Southeast TN. Great place for a weekend getaway or a day trip. Plenty to do and see. Hiking trails, kayaking, fishing, 🚴🏻‍♀️ and more. The drive to the park is beautiful. The waterfall, water streams and rivers are breathtaking and the sunset around the area was amazing. Enjoyed the trip. Will definitely go back in the spring/summer. #NeverStopExploring ❤️

4.9

(2042)

5.0

(385)

River Rd, Tellico Plains, TN 37385, USA

+1 other list

5.0

(636)

The tour was amazing. I never knew what technology went into milking cows. The family that runs the farm is amazing, you can tell they really care about their animals. The tour guide was a part of that family. He made the tour a perfect amount of humorous and educational. Large quantities of cheese selections!

Lots of different varieties of home made cheese. We were in there on a Sat around noon and they were very crowded, buying up the cheese. Also next door they have a cafe that makes guess what....grilled cheese sandwiches with all kinds of different varieties of cheese and you can add ham, turkey or BBQ pork. We didn't eat anything on this visit but will be returning to give it a try.

A fun little place to shop and eat. They have tours of the farm as well, but we didn't do that. The cheese shop has free samples and so many cheeses to choose from. We bought a lot because YUM!!! They also have a cafe and shop next door inside the original barn that has been repurposed we were told. Definitely worth a trip if you like cheese!!

Lovely pit stop for lunch and a little browsing while on the road- just a short drive from the interstate. Charming shop/cafe, all personnel very kind & pleasant, clean restrooms, beautiful setting. Delicious grilled cheese👌🏼 Loved it🤗

Great grilled cheese sandwich! Fabulous milkshakes. Everything is super clean and the staff is very nice.Had lunch and went to the cheese shop.Bought some cheeses and sourdough bread.Will definitely be back!

Down home country service with a smile.We live in Lenoir City and finally made it here while on spring break (yeah big trip we know).All of our sandwiches were great and fresh, not to mention the cheese on them was amazing!!! I got the BBQ Sandwich, pulled pork and buttermilk cheese, it was a perfect amount of meat and cheesiness. My wife got the Meat Melt, turkey and cheese, and she loved it.It was Saint Patrick's day so we got the Shamrock Shakes and they were wonderful. The straws they actually give you with a shake accommodate a milkshake, meaning you don't have to strain to drink your milkshake or wait until it's fully de-thawed to drink it.We walked around the little country store attached to the cafe area, it was very pleasant. The prices were a little high, but it is a specialty shop so that's not overly unexpected. Cute stuff that will bring those city folks into country living, that anyone would like to hang up in their kitchen to make them feel a little less hurried these days.We'll definitely be making the trip back to this place again in the future probably more frequent though.

This is a lovely place to visit! They have a cafe on site with grilled cheese sandwiches made with their cheese. They also have soup/chili to pair with them and kid friendly choices. They do have more "gourmet" options like the Grilled BLT or the Buttermilk BBQ. The bbq is my personal favorite and what sandwich is pictured. Attached to the cafe is a quaint gift shop full of local wares that are very country chic! Then directly across from the barn, where this is all housed, is the cheese shop. That tasty sandwich you just had doesn't have to be a memory, cause you can find that same cheese there along with a lot of other flavors!! They do have samples so you can be sure you like it before you buy it. They have a viewing window in the shop that kind of gives you a behind the scenes sneak peak of the cheese making. They do offer daily tours if you would like to see more!

We thoroughly enjoyed our tour of the sweet water valley farm. We learned so much about the process of how they take care of dairy cows there at their facility and we were able to watch how they milk the cows. We also got to see a brand new baby cow which my kids were enthralled about! The tour guide was friendly and informative. Afterward, we enjoyed some delicious grilled cheese, and some of the best ice cream we ever had, a Samoa cookie milkshake and a pina colada milk shake. Every worker was extremely friendly and helpful!

Super cute we had a great time the cafe is a must great grilled cheese of many kinds every there was super friendly

We visited SVF for the first time today and took a tour as well. I was super impressed with the cleanliness, knowledge, and care exhibited throughout the facility. Our tour guide was patient with our big group of kids. He genuinely wanted to answer all of our questions. It was obvious that the treatment of the cows there was top priority. The process of voluntary milking was dubbed "fascinating" by my 8 year old. My 13 and 5 year olds had no problem staying interested as well. The food at the Cafe was delicious (maybe not the pbj). We brought home some cheese as well! Well worth the trip! Definitely recommend the tour.

Great place for families! Must see Robots and Cows. Very tasty cheese. And delicious food.We had a great time there.🥰

This place is so interesting. We thoroughly enjoyed our tour. The robotic milking facility is amazing and very high tech. They have happy cows! There is a gift shop that sells many varieties of cheese and other items. The cheese is delicious!

Awesome look at High Tech milking!!David was a great tour guide!!! We had a wonderful time and great food n cheese afterwards. I bought $100 worth of different cheeses made there!!! Definitely a place worth visiting.

This place is awesome. I took their tour of the automatic milking systems and am impressed with the care that is given to the cows. The tour guide is very knowledgeable and can answer any questions you might have.The food products they sell are worth every penny. I had a shake, bbq grilled cheese sandwich and pimento cheese sandwich. All were reasonably priced and delicious. The staff was very kind.

Went today to visit and loved it! My husband is a milkshake connoisseur and he said the peanut butter milk shake was probably the best one he's ever had! Ofcourse they use the milk they produce! I had a grilled cheese with bacon, tomato, and pickle and it was sooo good! Love the atmosphere and they have a very nice gift shop in the Cafe. Across the parking lot they have the different cheeses they make and they have so many different flavors! I definitely suggest a visit to anyone who hasn't gotten out there yet! The cafe is open Tuesday through Saturday.

Best cheese sandwich ever! We just love this place! Stop in enjoy the great selection of milk shakes and/or sandwiches along with a fine variety of cheese made right there!Edit: Went back four months later for the tour. Kudos to David for a job well done and then some! Very enjoyable!

We had eaten the great cheese from Sweetwater Valley Farms for years but never been to the actual creamery and cheese shop. They have a great café with awesome cheese based sandwiches of course and ice cream. Lots of cheeses to sample. Well worth the stop and close to the interstate.

We loved the farm! (And our tour guide) Educational and entertaining. Breathtaking landscape all around. Great restaurant!

4.8

(1442)

4.5

(151)

Cheese Shop, 17988 W Lee Hwy building 1, Philadelphia, TN 37846, USA

It's a great location in the middle of endless curves, mountain trails, and fishing.Large garage to put group motorcycles is a huge asset.We even had a hot tub at the end of the day to warm up and relax muscles in.House works well for groups with 4 bedrooms in the treetops house, but needs some TLC on windows.Looking forward to coming back again someday.

The owner, property, cabin and garage are fantastic. Best place to stay and we are already planning to return.

I can't begin to describe how perfect this place is.The location, the amenities... I will update when the trip is done.

Great place for a large group to stay. Nice amenities and close to tons of great roads.

Great place to stay. All the amenities you could possibly want. Excellent location.

4.9

(10)

4.5

(1253)

1189 Lucinda Reed Rd, Robbinsville, NC 28771, USA

What a beautiful State Park! Nice well maintained trails, amazing views! What a great way to end a hike down by the water at the Picnic Area! Stop by the Gift Shop get a map, staff informed and polite. A wonderful place to take the family and learn a bit of history. Get out and enjoy nature.

We really enjoyed visiting. The grounds are open to explore. The visitor center has a lot of educational history and artifacts. There are trails to walk and explore. Picnic tables and benches. I wish we had more time to explore that day. We will definitely be visiting again. The restrooms are in the visitor center, and the visitor center closes at 4:30 pm. Donations are encouraged, and it is definitely worth it to keep up this nice place.

Very well maintained replica of a fort! Located on a quiet and beautiful riverbank. Museum is full of history and artefacts, short video is awesome, don't skip it! Great staff.

This historic park is great. We learned so much here. It is beautiful here, they have a great visitor center, and the staff we spoke to are so friendly and helpful!

Was a fun little outing for the family. We showed our daughter the old buildings people used to sleep and work in. Would love to see it in spring or fall.

This is a great historical state park. I forgot the scale of the British influence in the back country of the young U.S. The French and Indian War, Native Americans, trading, and war. Although the site was rebuilt, the details are great and what is really nice is examples of how the place may have been furnished with barracks bunks, barrels for food, blacksmith and many other buildings full of stuff. Also, there was a ton of trillium flowers blooming. It was a little to early for the may apples

I was expecting the buildings to actually be from the 1700s. But they were rather historically accurate replicas. Still cool, but not as cool as if they had been original.The museum (Visitor Center) was closed when we arrived, so we didn't get to see that part of the Park. But we did get to experience some of the walking trails. They were very nice, and a pleasure to walk on!Overall, it was a good experience. I recommend it to anyone, local or tourist, who enjoys history. I certainly enjoyed it!

This dog friendly historical fort is the very best I've ever visited in my life, and my father, a history teacher, dragged me to A LOT of forts in my lifetime. The geography is stunning, the fort itself is beautifully rebuilt according to historical details. You can walk into each building, and get a feel for the quarters and facilities. The interior of the buildings is immaculate and sturdy. All structures are well maintained, the grounds are clean, and the views are gorgeous. Dogs are welcomed and accommodated. The museum is unique, intriguing and features a beautiful collection of artwork and artifacts. The rangers are educative, outgoing, personable, and happily answer any questions. They even let you bring a leashed dog into the museum! I am so thankful for such a lovely interactive experience that my children and dog could enjoy!

Great stop with my teens. I wish we would have allowed more time for kayaks. Interesting 12 minute video.

#AmazingAdventure Again!Love the history in the East! Amazing recollection of the French and Indian War at Fort Loudoun State Historic Area gorgeous scenery, awesome visitors center, and beautiful waters!Earl demonstrated a fantastic prelude to the In Visitors Center Documentary you can watch... he's like Robin Williams! Super engaging, informative and hilarious! A wonderful experience!If you get the chance! Go!

Loved this state park. It was a living history weekend with folks dressed in period clothing, shooting the canon, and explaining things. Highly recommend this great park. Was the Western most outpost of the British in the 1750's

Quiet, peaceful. Great display of artifacts from the founding of the fort.

Interesting Colonial fort that was rebuilt during the New Deal! Beautiful area to picnic and kayak. Small, well-done visitor center and museum with friendly, knowledgeable staff. Also close to Sequoyah’s birthplace (a separate museum).

I have been in Knoxville for 12 years and never knew this place was so great. They really do a fantastic job with things there. Take the kayaks out around the area. Beautiful views, especially of the Smokies in the morning.Some of the best park staff too!!

4.8

(1271)

4.5

(129)

338 Fort Loudon Rd, Vonore, TN 37885, USA

5.0

(189)

North Carolina 28771, USA

+46 other lists

4.5

(495)

Townsend, TN 37882, USA

+8 other lists

You can't visit Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge without a stop by Cades Cove. The scenic views and amount of local wildlife can't be found many other places around the area.We visited on a Tuesday morning and still sat in quiet a few backups. The entire loop took us around 3 hours, with stops to visit the churches, cabins, and mill.While we weren't lucky enough to see any Elk on this visit, we were greeted by deer, Turkey, and six different bear throughout the loop.If you have little ones make sure they use the restroom before starting the loop, as the next restrooms aren't until the Mill (about half way through the loop).Also, pack plenty of snacks and water so that you can picnic and enjoy the nature on your visit to the Smokies.

If visiting the Smoky Mountains National Park, Cades Cove driving loop is a great experience. It is a 12 mile one way driving loop through a valley that had many 1800s homesteads with buildings that still remain and can be walked into. Went early morning and saw two bears, lots of deer and turkey and a Piliated woodpecker. Also at visitor center are preserved buildings that include old homestead/general store, a working restored grist mill that is water powered and several log barns and a blacksmith shop that had working blacksmiths on the day visited.

Beautiful place! Was quite congested but it was ok, this is a place you do not want to hurry through. Just a tip: there is a restroom at the beginning, go before you do the tour. There is a bathroom 1/2 way through, which we stopped at. The scenery is magnificent, pictures do not do it justice. Take your time and enjoy. We didn't see bears but we did see turkeys and a baby brown snake. We'll be back in the Spring!! ❤

The visitor center is a great stopping point on the Cades Cove loop road, especially if you're ready for a flush toilet. There are several historic buildings to see as well. If you get the opportunity, I also highly recommend visiting when they're doing demonstrations such as making sorghum syrup.

We love Cades Cove and make sure to drive through here any time we're in the area! This trip we got up early and made the drive through. The wildlife was out like crazy and the weather was perfect!! We saw deer, bears, turkeys, a hawk, and so much more. We love to stop into the visitor center to get magnets!!

Oh my! The views are spectacular! The sites are amazing. My daughter got engaged on this trail!! We totally loved it! Highly recommend as a MUST SEE on a trip to this area!

One of the coolest national parks I have been too. I would highly recommend going.But we went on a road that was a out, and it did not say thatSo don’t make that mistake And go to Townsend from the park. Don’t exit out the park on a one way.There are bears we saw five of them. so definitely not a hiking park.

Beautiful stop in Cades Cove.Toured all the old buildings.Man sat on porch & played music.The mill doesn't work anymore but the water still flows. It was a working mill when my kids were young. They used to have all kinds of demonstrations & music there. They may still have some in summer but don't know.Still worth the stop just to walk around.

Really appreciates the audio tour that you can buy before entering the mountain. Very insightful and informative and helpful when we didn’t have service for navigation. Place is very clean and incredible views. Would definitely say it’s one of the top national parks and definitely should visit

Always a great stop when in the cove. They offer souvieners of the park and all money spent goes directly to the park. It's a great stop to view the grist mill. They also have a restroom in the area. Highly recommend the stop always worth it and great for information of the park.

Every time we go to Cades Cove, we have an amazing experience different from the previous one. They are all great adventures. We either go in the mornings or late afternoons. These are the best times to see bears 🐻. The scenery is always awesome. Everyone should visit at least once, and you will come back.

Took us two hours to get around the loop. Saw one coyote on the ride, which was cool. But definitely not worth the time IMO. You get stuck behind people in the back of trucks or hanging out the window and people constantly stop (even though you're not supposed to). We also got stuck behind people on bikes, which is also not allowed, but there was no one to enforce it.

More than a visitor center with some antique cabins, creek, and wildlife. The shop itself not that big but the surrounding places are mesmerizing. Suggest to stop by during cades cove visit.

Best bike ride ever. We saw more bears on this bike ride than in 10 years living in Tennessee. The idea is absolutely gorgeous, but be careful as there are many steep hills. Bring an Ebike or be prepared to push uphill a lot ;-)

Great park. We saw groups of people young and old run across a field to take pictures near a momma bear and her cubs. We watched for a while to see who was the slowest runner in the group.

If you want to visit Cades Cove, don’t be in a hurry. Most of the 11 mile loop road will be at 5 MPH or less. Keep a distance from the car in front of you so you don’t end up in a huge train of cars. It’s more relaxing that way.

One of the best places to visit in all the Smoky Mountains! Mountain views across beautiful valleys, historical sites, and plenty of opportunities to see wildlife.

Everything in the park is beautiful. I can't look anywhere without seeing something you want to take a picture of. We saw plenty of turkeys, some bears, and a coyote. It's really worth driving all the way through.

We love this place! It's absolutely beautiful and so peaceful! There is so much to see!

Cades Cove is the treasure of Townsend. This is a nature preserve and scenic loop. The Cove has many old settlements and an old mill. You can expect to see deer everywhere and sometimes black bears and elk. Bring your camera and be ready to be amazed at the well-preserved beauty of this historic site.

This is definitely the place to go to see Wildlife, beautiful views, fields of Goldenrod & other native wildflowers as well as see & enjoy up close a piece of history.Wasn't disappointed in any way.Saw numerous Turkey, 2 coyotes & 5 bears in under an hour.Clean, stocked restrooms, nice giftshop.

We were most fortunate to have heard over a rangers radio that there were bears headed our way at the visitor's center. Next thing ya know the parking lot was filled! Rangers did a great job at managing the crowd, who were very pushy. But it was an amazing experience and produce some awesome photos.You can find more on Instagram @rileyv.photography

I love Cades Cove! We come here each time we visit the Smokies. If you want to actually see wildlife, you have to drive through very slowly and stopping at the many pull offs and viewing areas. Sit, wait, watch! I watched lines of cars drive right past a buck deer, never seeing the deer, which was standing 50 yards away from the road! You have to take your time.

Excellent historical area. Loved the old churches and old cabins. Lots of wildlife there. Wild turkeys and foxes and loved seeing mama bear and her 3 cubs!!Great visit in the smoky mountain National Park.

4.8

(5458)

4.5

(667)

5686 Cades Cove Loop Rd, Townsend, TN 37882, USA

22 lists

Our second time coming back. Last time was about 7 years ago. Always a great experience. The rock formations are amazing!! The underground river is awesome, with water so pure you can even drink it. The best part was in the “Great Room” when they shut off all the lights. Pure darkness. Our tour guide was Chance and he was very informative. Lots of stairs for sure but well worth it.

We absolutely LOVED coming here. It was my husband's first time going to a cavern and I'm so happy that this was his first experience. I loved how it was natiral+rugged while still feeling safe walking through.Only downside is there were some teenage boys who trailed behind the group and would splash into the water to drink some. Little annoying but didn't ruin the experience or anything!

Our tour guide was Jonah he was great! He was genuinely excited to show us the caverns and really loved his job. He made the experience even better. There are a lot of stairs and slippery paths and it's consistently 58 degrees so bring a jacket. There's lots of great views and opportunities for photos and you can even taste the spring water in the second part if you want. Would definitely recommend!

Never would have thought that this was a great MUST DO on my list.The family owned operations is welcoming and are so nice. The gift shop and history of the area are so interesting.It's well worth the money for something so interesting and a great exercise with over 400 steps and over an hour under the ground.

We had a wonderful time. It is not sites you see every day. Our tour guide Ore was funny and very knowledgeable on the history and the cave features. He engaged the whole group. From the youngest to the oldest. We will definitely go again.

Such a cool place to visit! Word of caution for cave goers. 409 stairs total, not for people who have vertigo or height issues. There's a few tight places where you have to bend over. 4ft clearance. My 6' 5" husband made it just fine though. I had my 9 month old baby on my back in a hiking carrier the whole time and did fine.

I'm not sure where to begin with my experience At Tuckaleechee Caverns besides saying it was such an amazing experience! I'd highly recommend this tour. Our tour guide Brandy was the perfect guide for this adventure. Her enthusiasm and countless puns made for a very memorable day. I've walked through a few caves in my life but nothing like this. Oh, and wait till she turns the lights out! A very calming and peaceful experience in itself. Also the echoing in the caves are neat too. I will walk this tour again one day. Thank you so much TC and Brandy for an unforgettable experience!

Lizzie was our tour guide and she was phenomenal. Our kids had a great time and I would go again there are some tight squeezes My boyfriend is 6 foot and he made it through fine and so did my 80 year old grandpa and you do see off some ledges so if you are afraid of heights, I would not recommend also, there are quite a few stairs, so keep that in mind ! I would definitely recommend taking a sweatshirt with I was in shorts and I was so glad I had my sweatshirt or I would’ve been freezing. It is about 50° down there And breezy we also seen a bear right by the parking lot so be cautious and don’t approach them

My family and I went and we had a blast. Our tour guide was awesome and did a great job educating us all about the cave, its history, even some geology and chemistry as we were walking through! I also appreciated that it was family owned/operated and that many of the fam members were there working that very day. Lots of steps, wasn't hard for me, but if you have any mobility issues it could be daunting.

This was such a great experience!!!Very comfortable to get here from Townsend (lots of signs guiding you throughout) and they had ample parking space out front.We bought our tickets (no online reservation was necessary) in the shop and bought some fudge and a Smokies shot glass as we waited for our turn. The fudge is really good!Lizzie was our guide and she was very knowledgeable. We saw many formations in the caves that have developed so beautifully over the years. The highlights of the tour are when they switch off the lights in the cave and of course, the pretty waterfall. The cave has quite a few steps up and down and in some areas you'll have to bend and walk as the roof of the cave is very low.We highly recommend this wonderful experience!

This was a very cool cavern! It's very well lit, so bringing a flashlight is unnecessary here. The tour guide was very friendly and energetic and informative the entire time we were there. I decided to bring my two toddlers, which was a gamble that turned out well. The cavern includes a waterfall, a wishing well, and a spring running through it. The path can be a little damp and there are lots of stairs so make sure to wear good shoes.

Absolutely amazing spot. They are a guided tour which is actually a must, because this place is MASSIVE! you will have an amazing experience and love it! There will be a few times where u need to watch your head because it gets to about a 4 foot clearance. Well worth the $22 to enter and I don't day that lightly. You go over half a mile into the tavern, there is a double waterfall inside with crystal clear water, and pictures that are amazing. 100% worth the entrance.

What an amazing experience! Friendly staff and tour guide. Love hearing the history. One of the best caves I've been in! Highly recommend!

This place is an amazing experience! Not only are you seeing incredible works of nature that are underground but you also get to do it for a very affordable price! We explored a massive cavern, saw an underground waterfall, and got to experience total darkness!The only side note is, it is a decent count of walking and stairs, so be prepared to take your time while down there.

As someone that's been to Mammoth Caves, this is a small cave, but 100% worth seeing while in the area. The sounds of the stream running through it is beautiful, with an underground waterfall as well! I had seen another review saying the water in the stream was drinkable, I asked my tour guide and he confirmed. The water simply tastes like... water lol. Would be an excellent retreat from the heat in the summertime as it's nice and cool in the cave.

Went with 4 kids from 7 month old to 11. Cool temps inside and would recommend a light sweatshirt for kids or older adults went as a party of 8 with oldest being 67. Some low passages at about 4 foot tall. Amazing views inside. 410 stairs total some of which were steep. Not suitable for a child's stroller. Best to use a baby carrier for this adventure(able to use both railings this way).shoes would definitely be best. I would definitely return back again.

These caverns were absolutely amazing and our tour guide did a great job at explaining everything and telling us the history of the Taverns. This is one of those places that I highly recommend, however once you visit one time, that will suffice. If you were claustrophobic or have a problem with Steps, this is not the place to go to. Luckily we had an amazing time it was fun and we got a great workout in. However there were some taller people that were struggling and people that are not good with steps had a little bit of a difficult time because there are over 400 steps that you have to take throughout the whole tour. However this place was awesome!

A wonderful cave tour. Lots of different geological sites to see. The tour was roughly about a mile and took us about 1hr 30 min to complete. I never felt unsafe or in any dangerous situations. There are a quite few steps, but nothing too strenuous. Our guide Brandy did an awesome job and you can tell that she loves what she is doing. Our teenage boys found the tour to be interesting. A good morning well spent’

This was the second cavern I have been to but I really liked this one. Tour guide was pretty good but just make sure you have some warm jacket or sweatshirt on as it gets pretty cool on the cave. Good shoes will help as you walk a lot and walk on stairs or uneven surface. Overall experience was 5 star

Wonderful tour that was very informative. Probably one of the biggest cavern tours I've seen, there was a lot covered in the hour long tour. The steps weren't too bad for us and the bats stayed away for our visit! Also we got the peanut butter fudge which was delicious.

I had a great time. Had I researched it/planned it and known what to expect.. I'm not sure I would have done it. 🤣😂 I have a lot of anxiety, and I'm a little claustrophobic. That was REALLY far down and a lot of steps through some sketchy but stable paths... Once I got to the bottom... panic set in... just how far down I was.. and I'm not in the best shape... I talked myself silently out of a panic attack... 😛🥹🤣 told myself people do this all the time!!!! -- BUT, I DID enjoy the tour! It was informative because the guide had a lot of information... It was amazing looking in there, and I can say "I did it!" It was very pretty!!!

I have done a lot of caves, and this is one of the best! I absolutely loved it. Our younger male guide (blondish longer hair) was so sweet and very informative while keeping the cave protected. I loved it. If you can't do stairs very well, be cautious. There are like 200 plus stairs. I did t them easily. Don't miss out! Enjoy!!!

Fantastic cave to visit. We've seen quite a few all over the world but this one is definitely among our favorites.It's so varied with the water stream next to you, the huge cave and the river sides.Can highly recommend going here. The talk about the steps was a bit silly, it's very doable for pretty much all people. Just take your time if not too fit, why hurry anyway?

Definitely worth a visit! Guided tour was very informative. The walk is not strenuous but there are quite a few steps on the first half of the tour. The second half is very flat and easy. You do have to walk up the same steep steps you walked down to start the tour. Temperature was good. No jacket or long pants required unless you just want to have them along.The geologic formations are just incredible. The underground river is beautiful. Children would love this. So educational. Pictures don’t do it justice. Highly recommend.

This cave was one of the best caves I have been too. The guides are knowledgeable about the different types of rocks, and this cave has 87 stairs down. So if you have knee problems or can’t make 87 steps it might be difficult. There is a big room and waterfall, which are unique to the cave. I highly suggest going to this cave.

Had an amazing time on this tour. It was absolutely beautiful. Our tour guide was Orey, I believe his name was, he was funny, knowledgeable, and made the tour great for the kids and the rest of us! Definitely a must visit if you’re in the area!

Really cool caverns. Guided tour was an hour and a half and included large cavern rooms, underground spring, waterfall, and all sorts of rock formations. A must stop in my book. Great option for a rainy day during a Pigeon Forge or Gatlinburg stay especially.

This cavern was beautiful, especially the area towards the waterfall. It really is one of the best, if not the best, caves I've ever been to. I don't regret going at all, but I would never go back, not would I really recommend it either.You buy tickets when you get there, which I thought was odd, because I wondered how would they keep track of how many people per group? THEY DON'T!Our group had 50 people and the group behind us had 80!?! It was so crowded in the caves, it was pretty hard to take some pictures. At one point during an intersection, three guides (including ours) had to debate and figure out who should go where. It was so overwhelming. We couldn't even hear the tour guide at many points because they were so many people talking and moving around.It all felt very chaotic and not organized at all. It felt rushed many times throughout as 'another group is coming up behind us'. We spent a lot of time just waiting around for another group to pass. We often felt like sardines just squished together, waiting around. It was so anxiety inducing.Another strange thing is that they encourage people to touch formations and the water. You're not supposed to touch anything in caves? I've been on so many cave tours and that's always been the number one rule. The guide didn't even mention any of the creatures in the cave, I had to ask and just got very short answers. It feels they only care about the commercialization of the cave, rather than the history and preservation of the cave. It's really sad.They also should warn people BEFORE they purchase tickets that the tour is so strenuous (410 stairs). We had no idea until after, when we saw the signs, and 2 of our group had to stay behind. It really wasn't so bad (we're pretty active), but we got pretty anxious because of all the people and it got to a point that we really just wanted to leave.Like I said, it really was beautiful, but it would be so much better if they had smaller groups per tour.

The day we visited was very busy and had a line out the door, but we only waited in line for tickets about 10 minutes maybe. The tour lasted a little over an hour. The guides were very knowledgeable and did a great job managing group passings down below. My favorite part was the beach, but the big room was pretty cool too. There's a waterfall, and some very unique formations to see as well. In the lobby are fossils and animal bones on display that have been found in these ancient caverns. Theres also a gift shop with drinks and fudge for sale. Highly recommend putting this on your list of things to do while visiting the Smokey Mountains. There's also a horse riding place on your drive in and out to the caverns owned by the same family. Same level of expertise and professionalism there and another fun activity to do.

This place is amazing! The caves are beautifully lit up and left natural in most places, and the walkways were relatively easy for cave walkways. The underground river and waterfall were beautiful, and there were lots of interesting limestone formations. The staff and tour guides are friendly and very knowledgeable and conversational. Our guide, Abby, was super fun to talk to! Entrance fee was $25 and we got out tickets by showing up on a less busy day, but they also have reservations if you feel you need them. They said they are usually busiest on rainy days. Gift shop is cool and reasonable as well, lots of minerals and memorabilia. 10/10!

This was our first visit to any cave and it was an amazing experience. I can't imagine what it must've been like for the boys exploring it in the early days with lanterns. I wouldn't recommend it if you have trouble with stairs or if you have trouble walking. It wasn't difficult but it wasn't easy either. I would also recommend you use the bathroom somewhere else before you go because I think they predate the cave.

Beautiful sights and amazing to see a part of our earth we don’t see often. We loved it! Lizzie was our tour guide and she was phenomenal. The walk was not too intense. The stairs were very steep, but definitely manageable. Once you get past the first half, it’s easy from there. Definitely recommend.

Amazing, above expectations!Compared to other caverns, this one is very wide and open. The largest and longest we’ve seen so far!The Big Room was HUGE! And the waterfall at the end was a very pleasant surprise.The tour was not rushed, which gave us enough time to look around, appreciate the beauty of the cavern and take pictures.Our tour guide Chase was very kind and willing to answer to all our questions. (Remember to bring cash with you for tips!)A must do if you’re in the Smoky Mountains!

The guide that told us the history of the caverns was very knowledgeable and answered any questions we had. We went as a school group. The caverns themselves were a sight to behold. The constant flowing water through the caverns was both awesome and soothing. Be prepared for some healthy walking. There are quite a few steps/stairs. But, continued railing to help you along.

I had not heard a lot about these caverns when I lived in this area. I visited with some friends as a reunion and thought they were fabulous. There is a underground river and waterfall. Highly recommend visiting! Kid friendly as we had several young children in the group. Visited April 2023.

I’ve been to the caverns twice now. Both time I had Ivan as my tour guide. Both times he has been super friendly not only to me and my family; but to every person in the group. He gave amazing information and taught everyone many new things people typically don’t know including me.Now to the cave, the actual cave was amazing. very beautiful inside and a lot of interesting things amongst the cave as well.overall, the small family owned business is such an enjoyment to go and see. everyone was super friendly and gave great information. thank you to everyone there who maintained a positive attitude and made my time at the cave unforgettable!!

Great place for the whole family to have a history lesson/ science lesson. If you can't walk 400 plus steps this place is not for you. If you need to get your kids to burn off energy this is the place to go. It's a little over a mile hike , going down about 500 feet

My son Aiden enjoyed it so much he gave our guide Brandi a huge hug and said he loved her at the end. She was very welcoming and punny. We had a smaller group so we were able to spend more time which was good for my parents in their older age I was worried when she told us about the over 200 steps and just over a mile walk because the both of them had a heart and a lung surgery a year prior but they did fairly well. The sights are like no other and learning the history of the cavern was just as interesting as the sights themselves. I personally enjoyed it more than ruby falls because they had white lights and you were able to see the natural colors of the stalactites and stalagmites. The world’s largest big room was my favorite part. Brandi cut the lights and we experienced complete darkness one by one when she turned the lights back on and as ironic as it sounds it was eye opening to sit and appreciate God’s beautiful work. I would love to return again and bring more friends and family to experience this beauty. How blessed we are to live in such a beautiful world? I hope to be lucky enough to have the same guide next time. They also allow and even encourage you to touch the structures. There is a underground “beach” where you can feel the cool water and if your lucky enough you may see a crawfish or salamander. Thank you so very much brandi you definitely made our day with your funny puns and your kindness. ps. I absolutely loved your cave puns and the fact you referred to the water drops as cave kisses made me not mind it as much because that is just so cute. God bless your big heart and amazing personality.

Loved this. Never been to a cavern before and fell in love. Our guide was a young girl in college that played basketball and she was very knowledgeable and well versed and FUN. Beware, there are a lot of steps. Be ready for a leg workout. But beautiful

What a great place to visit. Parking was easy. The staff from purchasing tickets to the guide to the souvenir shop were friendly and engaging. Our guide was awesome, but I can't remember her name to give her a shot out. The caverns are beautiful. There are 203 stairs. Remember what goes down must come up! You didn't do them all at once which is a good thing. Definitely a must see.

4.8

(3791)

5.0

(2943)

825 Cavern Rd, Townsend, TN 37882, USA

3 lists

Chaperoned my son's kindergarten field trip to the children's museum. This is a cute little local children's museum with a lot of interesting things to see and do. Admission also includes the Manhattan project museum which I found quite interesting. All in all this is a fun little trip if you're looking for something inexpensive to do.

My kids love this place! So many fun exhibits for kids that also provide some really interesting history about the area for adult. I'd recommend getting a family pass if you plan on coming a few times a year. Prices have gone up but honestly it's certainly worth the price of admission.Would be nice to see a few new exhibits. During the years I've been coming here, it's pretty much the same, but my kids are the age that they certainly don't mind.My family of five normally spends around 2 hours here and the kids enjoy every moment.

I found this place to be kind of goofy. It is part Children's Museum part National Park Service. Your park pass is no good here and I wasn't interested in paying for a Children's Museum. I really wanted to see the prefab house they have that housed Oak Ridge workers during World War II, but was not open for visitation. So I walked next door to Highland Park went to the back and took a picture from there.

Entertaining for kids but definitely showing its age. The building dates back to the 1940s and was a school back then. Plenty for kids to engage with but more play than learn--not that that's a bad thing. The colocation with the Manhattan Project National Historical Park visitor center (TN) adds an extra level of interest for history buffs. Even so, while interesting, it's nothing to write home about. Picky's Recommendation: If nice outside, enjoy the sunshine and visit here on a rainy day (which is what we did).

Great place to take your kids to explore, learn and play! There were so many fun rooms and my kids had a blast. They especially loved the giant doll house, the water room, and the rocket ship. We plan to bring family next time they come to town.

Great historical theme for the kids to play at and adults to see

Very unique children's museum! It is housed in an old elementary school and they use the school room layout brilliantly to house different-themed rooms. There are some nice sections on the Oak Ridge National Lab's Manhattan Project contribution (which is what brought us to the museum to begin with). Our favorite section was the Appalachian heritage displays and the model train.

Great place for learning and playing. I brought 4 kids 10 and under by myself and they all enjoyed themselves with the learning play and with all the many different types of exhibits and activities. If you or your kids like history or really any other activity then this is a good place for you. Tickets were cheap - adults $10 children( 3+) $8 and children under 3 free.

Took my daughter and some friends. The kids had a great time. It was a good hour and a half that they played.

My kids are preschool age and they love it here, especially the Dollhouse Room. Very interesting exhibits and love how interactive so much of the museum is. We bought an annual pass because we visit so often.

A great place for kids and parents in Oak Ridge.Oak Ridge has a rich history from its WWII starts as a secret city. You can find maps of the various sites to visit at several locations throughout the city. We picked up one of these and the Children’s Museum was one of the first and closest places that we came across. It is in the heart of Oak Ridge and is a true haven for kids eager to explore, learn, and have a blast. The entrance has a foyer where you are greeted by staff that offer suggestions and collect a fee to visit the museum. This is really designed for kids so adults may find few parts of it as interesting as the children will. The museum's interactive exhibits are very nice and are designed to provide children with hands-on experiences that engage all their senses and show a history of the area. From the fascinating Science Lab, where budding scientists can conduct experiments, to the colorful Arts and Crafts Corner, where creativity flows freely, every corner of the museum offers a unique experience. The museum does a very good job of incorporating education into the exhibits. The exhibits focused on STEM fields, history, and nature, children can broaden their knowledge while having a fantastic time. In conclusion, the Children's Museum of Oak Ridge is a gem in the realm of interactive exhibits. If you have children this is probably a good place to visit.

This place just keeps going and going! We went with our 2 and almost-4 year olds and they had a blast. Lots of fun exhibits, both educational and play based. Our favorites were the life-sized doll house, the spaceship to mars, and the farm-to-table play area. This is very reasonably priced for how long you could spend here. Also, if you have a national parks passport book, bring it for some stamps at the front desk from the Manhattan Project info desk.

Awesome place for families. Tickets were pretty cheap. Interactive exhibits. There is a life size doll house for kids along with a jungle boardwalk, riverway water play, historical dress up, pretend grocery store, space ship, puppet theater, and play classroom. Could spend hours here. I enjoyed it as much as the kids. Good bathrooms and friendly staff. Also, connected to national park site and has a playground outside.

We absolutely loved this place. I didn't grow up in Tennessee and I didn't know this was even there but we had a ball on a school field trip

Nice little museum. Not somewhere I’d travel hours to go see, but if you’re nearby, it’s certainly worth a trip. Great place for kids but a lot to learn as an adult as well. Would highly recommend!

It was a great place to make kids understand the science and geopolitical importance of the nuclear bombs. I am fascinated the way NPS manages to curate sites for specific audiences, in this case, children

I love how they are allowing u to rent there space for family dinner 🍽 gathering love it great spot an alot of space 👌 clean bathrooms 🚻 clean kitchen an everything 👌 thank u again

4.6

(739)

4.5

(143)

461 W Outer Dr, Oak Ridge, TN 37830, USA

9 lists

I never had the chance to visit the museum in its previous location, however I can reinforce previous reviews that say this museum is very small. It's also hard to tell what age group this museum is catering to. The front half of the museum is very wordy, mature, and packed with information. The back half features many interactive displays obviously geared towards children. It seems like it would make more sense to have more interactive, kid-friendly displays throughout, rather than packed in the back of the museum.The staff at the museum seemed very friendly and knowledgeable, with some members being long-term residents and/or employees in Oak Ridge with firsthand experience related to the exhibits in the museum. One staff member approached us multiple times to share anecdotes relating to Oak Ridge, which was nice and unexpected!Overall, I liked the musuem. However, it was small and didn't have as many artifacts and relics as I had hoped. Unfortunately there were a lot of exhibits that only had paragraphs on the wall to read and didn't include the physical objects that really catch your eye and hold your interest.If you're looking for a museum exclusively relating to Oak Ridge or the Manhattan Project, I think the K-25 History Center down the road is slightly better, as it's roughly the same size and manages to pack more information and more artifacts into the museum. But if you're in the area and looking for things to do, it can't hurt to visit both as they both have their strengths and weaknesses!

Super nice and clean little place. The activity areas were nice (although some things were broken). The portions about the history of Oak Ridge and the atom bomb were interesting, but honestly, nowhere near as good as the old museum. My kids missed seeing all of the bombs that used to be there. They would love to go back however.

Very fun, educational museum for all ages. Great information about the role of the uranium development for the “little boy” bomb during world war too. We learned lots that we don’t know before and they make it kid friendly so they learned a lot and were asking questions. Learning about our history is important for the upcoming generation. They have STEM classes for kids, including homeschool science classes. Definitely plan to bring our kids back for future classes.

Enjoyed this place. And a 3D printed Jeep. Come on. Informative.Manhattan project. I believe the bomb saved 1000s of lives.

Four adults and my grandson went. It was very interesting for all of us. Not too crowded on Monday. Some interactive stuff like programming a mechanical mouse in the lab. Lots of nuke history.

This is a wonderful place to get the basic knowledge of general science and nuclear science. Best suited for kids and younger generations. The museum has information about the history of the nuclear bomb production and the world war. Also has information and history about the Oak Ridge National Laboratory.The gift shop at the museum has variety of books and information about the Manhattan Project and world war information. Also had plenty of small gift collections.

Had a great time and learned a lot of fascinating history. Our children had a great time too with the interactive exhibits and static electricity demonstrations in the auditorium. Lots of learning and laughs. Highly recommend for anyone interested in physics, science, engineering, national defense, and history.

This was inexpensive and informative stop! It's small, but don't let that fool you. There is a lot to look at and try.We gave the robotic arms our best shot and tried the brain games in the back. I wish I had taken a pic of the periodic table of games. It was such a fun room!All the examples of 3D printed objects were neat to see too.Can you imagine keeping an entire city secret in today's connected society?!

Loved the video at the beginning of the museum that tells how the area was used and that a lot of women were employed to watch the equipment. Plus, they talk about the effect that the atomic bomb had on Japan and how it ended the war. They also as you make your way through the museum talk about how nuclear energy is used in today's world in ways that have nothing to do with bombs. Again, age limit on this I think would be 13+ just because it has a lot of reading and I think younger kids would be bored in fact someone had two young kids as we were finishing the museum who were already bored and yelling. This site sits in an odd place as it's in a shopping center. They do have plenty of parking and if you are planning on doing the K25 Museum on that same day hold onto you receipt show it at the next museum and admission will only be $5.

Wonderful experience surprised my spouse. Very informative did the bus tour. The tour guide was very knowledgeable as all the people were. Learned a lot.

This museum gives an overview of the history and current role Oak Ridge, TN plays in the nuclear power and technology fields. There are some interactive displays that are entertaining and educational for older elementary aged children up to adults. I spent an hour and a half at the museum and was able to see all of the exhibits. I would recommend a visit!

The American Museum of Science and Energy is a fantastic place that is just jam packed with information, displays, and interactive features throughout - all related to science and energy contributions that the Oak Ridge National Laboratory were instrumental in making. The amount of information will keep you there for a couple of hours, and there are some games and such in the back that could keep you there longer. It's relatively inexpensive and well worth the admission price. Staff are very friendly and knowledgeable. I'd highly recommend this museum.

Incredibly small, but the fee for entry isn't terrible at $10.00. You could absolutely see everything they have here in less than one hour. There are not a lot of actual relics, but they have a wide variety of 3D printed replicas of items of interest. Weekdays are full of school field trips so be prepared for a bit of noise if you visit during those times.

This was an awesome BSA Scouting trip with our awesome troop. The museum had many fun and interactive activities. We attended A demonstration of the Van de Graaff generator to learn about electricity. This is the hair raising activity that everyone loves so much! The gift shop was so fun with lots of interesting selections. Staff at the museum were so nice and accommodating.

A neat and fun place to learn about nuclear energy and science. Several good hands on exhibit options.You won’t be bored and will learn and have fun at the same time. Fascinating and informative video worth viewing. Learn about nuclear submarines and neutron detectors, and have some fun with Archimedes Screws. Learn more about the Secret City and life during WWII.Exhibits are well laid out, and a lot of time and money was put into this museum and it shows. Gift shop has all sorts of interesting items for sale as well, most reasonably priced. Bring in a few quarters to play the pinball machine. See an entire Army Jeep completely made on a 3D printer (how did they even do that?) as well as a small car and an old robot. Such a unique mix of items that will keep you entertained as you explore the museum. Don’t let the fact that it is at the end of a mall fool you. This place is large and has something for everyone and very reasonably priced to enter. Even if passing through at least put this museum on your list.

An excellent museum in the heart of Oak RidgeOak Ridge has a rich history steeped in science and helping to build the atomic bomb and win WWIIThe Oak Ridge Museum of Science and Energy is a captivating destination that offers a fascinating glimpse into the rich history and groundbreaking scientific advancements of Oak Ridge, Tennessee. The museum provides an engaging and educational experience for visitors of all ages. It showcases the remarkable contributions of Oak Ridge to the fields of nuclear science, energy research, and national defense. Through informative exhibits, interactive displays, and engaging multimedia presentations, visitors are taken on a journey through time, exploring the city's pivotal role in the Manhattan Project during World War II and its subsequent impact on science, technology, and society.One of the highlights of the museum is its comprehensive collection of artifacts, including historical documents, photographs, and equipment used in early nuclear research. These exhibits offer a tangible connection to the past and provide valuable insights into the scientific breakthroughs achieved in Oak Ridge.The museum offers educational programs, workshops, special events that further enhance the learning experience. There is a bus tour that leaves from here to take some visitors around Oak Ridge on a tour of the various key historical sites. Knowledgeable and friendly staff members are readily available to answer questions and provide additional information, ensuring a fulfilling visit.Overall, the Oak Ridge Museum of Science and Energy is a must-visit attraction for those interested in the history of science and technology.

Takes just over an hour to visit all the exhibits. Senior citizen rate $5. Cool gift shop w plenty of history books and gadgets. Perfect for me to geek out while the wife went shopping nearby. Thanks AMSE

4.5

(1455)

4.5

(532)

115 E Main St, Oak Ridge, TN 37830, USA

12 lists

My wife and I went tubing here for the day and it was a great experience. There are two separate outposts, and you can do both (and you might as well because you pay for it) and they're within a mile of each other. Definitely kid friendly and even pet friendly (you can put your dog in a special tube if you want) the staff were very cheerful and helpful as well. If you make a reservation online you will save approximately $5 per person. The main stretch takes about 2 hours to float down the river from start to finish while the second one is only about an hour. (2 miles, and one mile, respectively). Highly recommend if your on vacation or even just a relaxing day on the river. You need to either bring water shoes with you or purchase a pair there because when the water is low you have get out of your tube and walk short distances on slippery rocks. I would also recommend bringing a long walking stick or buying one there to help push off rocks if you get stuck. Overall has a great time here would definitely recommend.

Absolutely phenomenal day on the river! We had a large family ranging from 7 to 45 years old. The whole operation was run so well from the moment we checked in, to the shuttle ride back. Every member of the staff was super knowledgeable and patient.We are a water family, with a ton of whitewater guide experience, and we were so impressed with every aspect of our day. The kids LOVED the rock jumping portion, while the adults enjoyed sitting in the cool, clear water. The rapids were a perfect combination of thrilling and safe, and the calm parts so relaxing.We highly recommend spending an afternoon floating with River Rat!!

We had a great time, water was cold but felt good to me with the heat, very clean facility. Easy and quick pick up at the end of ride so you can go again. Price was awesome, would suggest getting one of the paddles to help you control your tube, can't take anything as far as ice chest is just you on a tube that has 2 handles and the life jacket they require you have, you don't have to wear it but have to keep it with you.

Took a large group of 14 ages 5-69! Water was low so some of us went slower and got stuck on rocks, but overall very fun time! Point A is for all family and has a spot to stop and jump off rocks for those brave enough to do so! Very busy, so don't go if you want a serene float down river. Point B has more rapids and is shorter but with low water it was difficult to navigate. Would try again when water is at normal level. More peaceful because less people on river. Float by lots of busy campgrounds and people are in water having fun, but still peaceful. Cost is very reasonable for all day adventure, but make sure to purchase prior to visit.

We had a blast! We went down the family friendly side with my family and we all had a great time. I highly suggest to buy a stick or paddle, it helped us several times. Sometimes the water is very low and you get a little stuck within the rocks and need a little push, or you might come to an area that the water is not moving as much and need an extra little push with the paddle. In the area where the rocks are for you to jump off, keep a close eye on your tubes. We had an extremely rude grown man take our tubes after I repeatedly told him it was my husband and sons, he did not care and walked over me and stole them from us. It might be helpful to have staff keep an eye on this area as I felt very uncomfortable having a grown man walk over me and take my belongings.

This 2as one of our absolute favorite things too do... We would have done it a 2nd time if we hadn't already made plans for something else.. it was awesome, beautiful views.. calm floating and then several awesome rapids, definitely plan on getting wet... I recommend getting a paddle or stick.. 10 out of 10 of things to do on Vaca!! Definitely bring a bad to keep your items dry, plenty of calm rafting for pics.. we might go back and bring the dogs🐶❤️..

This is a great activity for many ages. They provide a tube and life jacket. If you'd like a river stick for when you get stuck it is $8. Lockers are $5. You could walk your items back to your car, but you will need some waterproof case for your car keys. Water was pretty low for us, but we did alright. Wear some type of water shoes or plain sandals. These work well as paddles if needed. We found a stick on the bank we used to push off when we got stuck. Bus was prompt in picking us up and taking us back. Mostly shaded for us except maybe last 20 minutes. There are two river establishments you can use to go tubing all day if you like. Just won't drive you between the two establishments. Cheaper if you buy tickets online the day before and show on your phone. Wear sunscreen! Goes past the Abbey restaurant which we ate at twice! Great fries! Great Pulled Pork. Great Fish & Chips! Skip the burger.

Even with a long line and humidity, wait time moved along quickly and we were greeted with a cold water hose and friendly staff. Perfect place to experience Tennessee with family visiting from out of state. Found our new favorite place in the warmer months. We will for sure be coming back.

Great place for family's to have a good time. There was a food truck available to get some snacks with a little picnic area to sit. The store had sunscreen, hats and water shoes available to purchase should you need them. All the staff was very helpful and friendly. The process to buy tickets was quick and easy. Everyone in the group had a blast.

Outstanding service from ALL employees, beginning to end.No need to buy trip needs from Walmart etc... not only is trip reasonably priced, buy shoes, oar for pushing, dry bags, all competitive prices, they don't trap you at last minute for buying there.Do not fret crowds, always looked packed when we drove by, we live here, but finally decided to try it with grandchildren visit, looks crowded, is not, plenty of parking, fast moving ticketing, life vest dressing (no add charge), tube and river entry. Crowd breaks up and go at your own pace. All this at july 4 week... wish we had gone sooner.

River tubing was an absolute blast! Outpost A took about 2 hours and was pretty smooth except for a few bumpy parts. Outpost B took about an hour but had more intense rapids. I highly recommend getting a push stick to help you along the river (they sell them for $7 in the gift shop). Also highly recommend a waterproof phone pouch to take on the river with you

The whole experience was fun. I recommend a paddle or a stick. Don't take anything like towel, purse, just you swimming suit and waterproof phone case that goes around neck. It was 6 of us. 2 of my girls are 6 and 8 and enjoyed it. The staff is wonderful and kind and answer any questions.

Really fun for all! Came with my 5 year old nephew. We did outpost A & B. A is more calmer waters & B is more rapids and way shorter float time. You pay for both though. PAY IN ADVANCE ONLINE. They sell out fast and you will have to wait. The whole thing last about 2-4 hours. Pretty views. Check the website for water levels because we went when the water was average and there were spots we had to get out and walk or we got stuck. They sold “push sticks” and paddles for this reason. So if water is super low it may not be the best time to go. Plenty of spots to swim and there is a really good burger restaurant next to outpost B ! Check it out!

This is the outpost A for the tubing.We got the day pass where we can get unlimited tubings for both outpost A and B ~$34/personSuper fun! The river here is calmer, lesser rapids, friendly for kids and dogsAdults do not have to wear life jackets but you need to have it with you (it acts like a ticket to exit).There is a shop before you get to the river where they sell snacks, drinks, bags, phone pouch, sticks (to help push away from rocks)

Great experience for the whole family! 52-11 years old. Business is very well organized and clean. They have everything you need for a cruise down the river!Watch out for address, GPS sent us to the wrong place. They still accommodated our whole group. Fun time!

This was our second visit and so worth it. One of my favorites. Great family experience for all ages. Staff is very friendly and a very organized process, all the working parts move smoothly. Recommend booking online and at least a day in advance. Will save you money and guarantee you will have a spot. We booked the day of on our most recent trip and we were still able to get our group of 8 but it is extra per person to book the day of. The scenery is beautiful and a nice mix of lazy, chill floating and other areas that move faster and a little bumpy. The water is cold but very refreshing! About half way down the river is a neat spot to stop and there is a deep hole where they have installed a ladder on a piece of rock. You can climb out and jump in. Nice bit of adventure along the way. There are picnic tables you could pack a lunch and eat on the property before or after you float down the river. The grounds are surrounded by beautiful mountain views and everything is kept very clean. The shop items are very reasonably priced for water shoes, paddles and sticks to use while you tube if you forget to bring any items. Life jackets are provided for all sizes. There are changing rooms as well. You could make a whole day of it if you wanted. Between both our trips we had my 3 sons, my nephew and nieces between ages 5-16 and they all thoroughly enjoyed themselves.

We reserved a cabana for all day tubing and relaxation to celebrate Father’s Day. Friendly and efficient staff and clean restrooms. River was mostly calm with small sections of exciting rapids at Outpost B. Great family activity!

Super fun!!! We went when the water was considered low, definitely would be easier if we would have got a stick to push us along when we got stuck on a rock or two. Overall super great time, midway we stopped for a while and jumped off the rocks. We had kids aged 9-17 and adults as well. It even rained a bit but it was warm outside so it didn’t really affect us. Took us a little bit over 2 hrs to get down. The bus takes you back, took a few minutes.

This was soooo much fun and such great value for money!! We purchased the tickets in advance and this helped us save about $10 per ticket and also helped us keep our appointment time (others were asked to come back 1.5hrs later as slots was completely booked). There is ample parking space and restrooms/changing rooms in both outposts A and B.We went on a holiday so the queue to check in was really long. We realize later that there is also a check in at outpost B that is relatively less crowded.Outpost B is a shorter route and definitely more adventurous with 3 amazing rapids. It is less crowded than Outpost A which is more popular, longer, has many smaller rapids and the rock jumps. We started with outpost B (went through it twice) and then went to outpost A.Having a stick really helps push yourself in the calm waters! Happy tubing.. we would love to come back here someday.

We had a wonderful time tubing down the river. Access to the river was very easy with a good concrete ramp at both the entrance and exit. The staff was absolutely wonderful and answered questions. Changing rooms and bathrooms were clean. Didn't need any push or paddles for our group but could see them being handy on a lower flow day. Floated on a sunny day at 165 cf/s.

We come every summer to make this ride down the River possible for our family! River Rat never disappoints. The staff is helpful and knowledgable and it's always a solid day of fun. Can't recommend it enough! PS be sure to bring a wet/dry bag!

The float was nice, except for the fact that the current is not strong enough to keep you moving if the water level is "average". My group was perfectly capable of getting ourselves downstream, but anyone who cannot easily get themselves in and up from the float should not be allowed to go. Our group had to help 3 separate older people get to the exit. They were unable to move because the water wasn't flowing in some areas and they were trapped. Two people were pushed from about halfway and another was helped from the end to the exit. One of the people had previously suffered strokes and his left side was limp for the most part. Why on earth would they allow someone to go if it puts them and anyone helping them in danger.?. They need safety precautions in place and to ensure those going understand they need to be strong enough to get themselves downstream in some areas.

Such an amazing experience! We did both outpost A and outpost B. A is 2-hours and is very leisurely. There are spots along the route where you can swim and even a few locations where you can jump off a boulder into the river. B is much more adventurous. There are several pretty rough rapids along the 1-hour route. Definitely a lot of fun! The water was low when we went but we never had to walk out tubes. Overall, I would absolutely recommend to anyone looking for a tubing experience around Townsend!

Great reasonably priced family fun!Can’t help but relax and enjoy. Friendly staff, nice change area, overall a very nice experience! Highly recommend!

Such a fun experience! Our Guide Liam was super awesome he gave us the best white water rafting experience! Would go back again!

Great time. We did upper river. Rapids were perfect excitement and we did a Cabana that was a fabulous option although we did not use it much. It was great to have it to come back to after being on the river all day. Would definitely do this adventure again.

Our family went on the Lower course with Wilson as our guide! First of all, shout out to Wilson for the safest trip possible! Our daughters who are 10 and 8 had a great time. We had a family of boys in our raft also who were roughly 6 and 4 years old and they also did perfect. I would recommend this to anyone who has small children as their first experience rafting! Took about 2-2½ hrs.

There was many companies to choose from but I'm glad we chose river rat tubing. They were very thorough with the explanations. Attentive throughout the entire ride and friendly. Just be punctual so you can hear the training and don't cause your groups to leave late. Facilities are clean. They sell just about anything you may forgotten for your trip. They even have food trucks nearby to eat at before you leave. Our guide, Taz, was awesome. Glad to have gotten to do my first rafting experience with a guide who has been doing it for so long.

4.6

(2817)

4.5

(1756)

205 Wears Valley Rd, Townsend, TN 37882, USA

+53 other lists

Visited the Asian Festival. It was so wonderful to experience the different cultures along with experiencing the different foods and enjoying the dances and the music. Also enjoyed the Sumo Wrestlers.

First time visiting Knoxville,and was pleasantly surprised to find how beautiful this area is. Fountains, walkways and so many great picture spots. There are also public restrooms with vending machines with icecream,snacks and drinks.

This was a fantastic stop while heading to Pigeon Forge. Very beautiful area with the fountain, green space, and use of water. I would have really enjoyed going up into the Sunsphere. There is a fair amount of parking in the lot designated for the park. Definitely cool that the World's Fair was held here and there is information around for education.

Went to visit Knoxville in March with friends, the Worlds fair park was really nice, I like how it’s pretty much walking distance right next to downtown. It was great

Great small park in the middle of downtown Knoxvile at the site of the 1982 World's Fair. There's a playground on one end with a really good Veterans Memorial. Security is present and the atmosphere was great!

A lovely park that brought back fun memories as a kid at the worlds fair. Seems to be so much untapped potential, but enjoyed our time.

So much to do and just enjoy being outside. Great playground for kids, and a splash pad for kids big and small

It is a must see if your in the area. Beautiful park with lots of walkways, fountains, & of course the Sunsphere. Only downside is where the parking is too get to the park. Hours are 6am to Midnight. They have security. Solar lights along the walkway. & the amphitheater which is really cool as well. The bridges are painted & the one has birds all along the wall & ceiling. U can drive all the way around the area. It was fairly busy. Kids playing in the fountain area which shoot up pretty high. The Veteran Monument is there as well & a must see if you have the time to get out and stroll around. U won't be disappointed. Just be careful when it gets a lil late I saw a homeless man sleeping in the area around the Sunshpere. Thn while leaving & driving across the train tracks a guy came running up to my back window scared me to death I just took off. So be careful when it gets close to midnight. But it's breathtaking during the day & esp at night & so peaceful.

World's Fair Park in Knoxville, Tennessee, is an enchanting oasis that captivates visitors with its scenic beauty. The picturesque landscape, adorned with lush greenery and vibrant flowers, provides a perfect backdrop for a leisurely stroll. The tranquility of the park offers a refreshing escape, making it an ideal spot for those seeking a peaceful retreat.During my visit, I encountered a delightful surprise—a cute corgi prancing around with infectious joy. This unexpected furry companion added an extra layer of charm to the park experience, creating heartwarming moments that lingered in memory.Whether you're admiring the stunning views, enjoying a leisurely walk, or encountering adorable four-legged friends, World's Fair Park in Knoxville promises a delightful blend of natural beauty and unexpected delights. It's a haven that invites you to unwind and savor the simple pleasures of life.

Took my fiance for the first time and she loved it! Great place to visit and take great pics.

Recently visited the World's Fair and had an overall great experience! Here are some highlights and tips to help you plan your visit:- Plenty of free parking nearby, which was a huge plus!- I went on a non-peak day and had no issues getting tickets, but the attendant recommended buying tickets ahead of time, especially during major holidays like July 4th.- Speaking of the attendant, they were super helpful and provided valuable information to make the most of my visit.- The tower visit was a bit short, but the views were absolutely stunning!Overall, I'd definitely recommend visiting the World's Fair. Just plan ahead, buy your tickets early, and you'll be all set for a great experience!

4.7

(3385)

4.0

(702)

525 Henley St, Knoxville, TN 37902, USA

+38 other lists

4.5

(2987)

Knoxville, TN 37902, USA

+47 other lists

There's no where in Knoxville better than the historic Tennessee Theatre to see a show!!! Whether it's a rock concert, a Broadway musical or watching a film...the Tennessee Theatre is the place to see it. There's not a bad seat in the house, the sound is incredible and the architecture is absolutely brilliant and beautiful.If you get the chance to see ANYTHING in this historical theatre, DO IT!!! YOU WON'T REGRET IT!!!

It has been called the South's most Beautiful theater, and it's easy to see why! Check out my pictures.Opened in 1928. On my visit, I experienced organist Freddie Brabson, GREAT!, and band, The Vertical Birds! Fantastic singer, DJ Morrison, is also a talented songwriter and guitar player! His band is great! Enjoyed my visit to this gorgeous theater.

We went for the first time to the Tennessee Theater to see the Bonnie Raitt concert. The Theater is elaborate and so beautiful! The staff are very helpful in finding seats for you. The bathrooms are large and their are not long waiting lines. The acoustics in the theater are excellent. I hope to go there ma \ny, many more times.

So beautiful! I'd pay just to sit here. Saw Righteous Brothers. Even with having to show covid card/ test the lines moved fairly quickly. It was easy to get from parking lot to theater. Book signing after show went smoothly. I would love to visit this theater again!

Beautiful theater. Clean, great acoustics and amazing architecture. Built in the 1920's. Staff were accommodating and professional. Great experience and just a short drive to TN. Gem in the mountains! Saw a great concert by Homefree!!! Enjoy!!

AWESOME CONCERT AT TENNESSEE THEATER TONIGHT!! ZZ TOP! I have to say seeing a concert in this kinda of venue was a totally different experience than being in a huge stadium. Of course both have their pros and cons but here it's a more personal experience. Something that you can't achieve in a huge venue. LOVE LOVE LOVE!! Oh and the history that goes along with it, makes it that much more enjoyable! 1000% recommend!

I love this venue! The building is amazing and beautiful, the staff are above and beyond, the sound is great, and it's in a great location in the old city. There is always ample parking within a block or two at most also. What more could you want?-The photos are from the Kansas concert on August 18, 2023 (50th anniversary tour).

Great concert venue, great staff. The architecture inside is something to see all by itself. I come for comedy and concerts/the symphony. Crowding at the concession area can sometimes be too much, especially if shows run too close to each other and people are let in late to the second show (happened with Daniel Tosh shows recently).

We have been several times over the last 6 months. This concert was absolutely amazing. Never saw them before but will definitely see them again. Saw Foreigner there also & the Nutcracker. Was able to check a couple shows off my bucket list. Great theater sound is great & you have great view of stage no matter where u sit.

First timers and we couldn't be more impressed. Such a beautiful theater and the show was outstanding!! Everyone was helpful and welcoming. Looking forward to becoming a supporting member. See you again soon!

We went to see A Drag Queen Christmas at the Tennessee theater yesterday evening. My husband and I had a blast as well as watching everybody else's loving energy in the Tennessee Theatre during this beautiful performance. A thank you to all the drag queens in the performance, the manager of the theatre and especially the people that stood out front shielding us from the idiots across the street. They evidently came up from some church in Lenoir City to protest. A very tiny minded little group of hateful people had to endure the love from the counter protesters. Organized religion, what a crock! I hope you enjoy the photos of these beautiful entertainers!

Enjoyed the concert on Monday July 3rd. The organ music was great and the Singing Seniors from the O'Connor Senior Center were great too.

Let me start by saying.. This place is beautiful! The architecture and craftsmanship are amazing. Now, I guess you're wondering why I only gave 3 stars? I have been wanting to see Tom Keiffer since the 1980s and never got the chance. When I seen he was coming to a venue this close, I decided it was time to finally get to see him. I bought the best seats I could afford. My wife and I were so excited! We got to the show and found our seats. They were fantastic! The band came out and..... You couldn't hear Tom or the guitars or anything that was supposed to be coming out of the line array. You could only hear the subs and some sound off the stag and stage monitors.Then you could hear the array for a second and it would cut off again. I don't know if it was a compression problem or a short in the cables but it totally ruined the show. We were honestly ready to leave after the first 2 songs. The only reason we stayed was to support the band.

I love attending shows at this venue. It's a gorgeous setting and easy to get to downtown. My husband and I were there to see Stomp on May 9th. This show was fantastic without any of them ever having uttered a word. I've never been more happy to hear so much noise from everyday items like brooms, a box of matches, paint cans, lighters, shopping carts, inner tubes, hubcaps, and even a kitchen sink! These performers put their heart and soul into the show, and you can hear it! If they ever come back to Knoxville, I'm going again. ❤️💙💜🩷❤️

I took my fiancé to a Beethoven violin concerto hosted by the Tennessee Theater. First off, parking was $10 in a lot just across the street. Once we got in we were blown away by the ambiance and decor. The place is very elegant, classy, and extremely clean. The staff was friendly and very helpful. The guards heckled me to chug a beer because you aren't aloud to take out drinks during a smoke break, lol. The prices for alcohol weren't bad, I've seen them more expensive in movie theaters...yeah you AMC in Johnson City. Overall we were extremely pleased. The music sounded great, everything lived up to one's childhood dream. Another experience crossed off the bucket list.

This venue never fails to deliver! The acoustics are good and the shows are great.My daughter bought us tickets for The Simon and Garfunkle Story... a tribute band.All staff we encountered were friendly and helpful. Don't fail to visit soon!

First time experiencing Tennessee Theater. Saw LAa Traviata. It was awesome. Packed house. Gorgeous setting and powerful show. Usher very helpful and courteous. Easy access. Loved it and already looking fir an excuse to return. Everyone should have this experience.

An excellent, historic theater. Every seat is a good one. I've seen two concerts here, sound and lighting was great both times. Staff is helpful and courteous.

Theater is located downtown and there is free parking in the State Street Garage directly behind the Theater. Entrance was by electronic ticket on your phone. Went very smoothly. Theater is very ornate and appealing. Bathrooms on the upper and lower levels. Staff was super friendly.

Came here to see Charles Lloyd and John Paul Jones during the Big Ears Festival 2024. The theater is gorgeous with so many seats. Love the experience overall!

A much cherished place amongst the locals, this gorgeous theatre with its iconic Tennessee sign is definitely worth a visit. They often do concerts and stage productions, but we went to one of their summer movies, to see Sleeping Beauty. The theatre has been well-cared for, and it is still a glamorous place. The staff were all very friendly too. Before the movie, we got to see their organist play the Wurlitzer organ, which is a magnificent instrument. He rose up out of the floor, and played several Disney songs. It was a perfect prelude to a Disney classic.

This is a great piece of history. The building is full of well preserved relics of the past. It was a great venue to see the comedy show. I will say the seats are small and tight, and not very comfortable but can be tolerated for a couple of hours. The staff members were pleasant for the most part. It's pretty easy to get to with lots of parking garages nearby.

Saw Brit Floyd last night and it was amazing. This was my first time at the theater and I loved every moment. The beauty of the theater itself, the friendly staff and a fantastic performance made for a perfect night.

4.9

(3187)

5.0

(716)

604 S Gay St, Knoxville, TN 37902, USA

+77 other lists

I love my visit to this site! There is so much to see and do at this location. There’s no way I think anyone could hike it all in one day. Is you like to hike and be in nature, this is a great place to do it. The only reason I am not giving this place 5 stars is because of how hard it is to navigate around the center and on the hiking trails. All the different trails are not clearly marked, and it can get easy to get turned around. I definitely recommend buying a guide map for $1 in the visitor’s center and keeping it with you, because even the map can be a little confusing. As long as you keep your wits and have a good sense of direction you’ll be fine. It’s well worth the visit!

A friend recommended this was a must and they were so right! Such a beautiful place to escape it all. Short drive from downtown and amazing trails and views! This is a must!

Having only spent one night in Knoxville, I decided to make this one of the few places to check out. I have to say, the pictures don't do this place justice! It is absolutely stunning! The nature center is small, but they do have some cool exhibits. $5 gets you 12 hours of parking, which is reasonable. This place will get busy, even on a weekday morning, so try to come early if you can. It also gets muggy/humid in the summer and you will want to put on some bug spray. The best trails are going to be the river trail, which will give you the views with the boardwalk, and the keyhole loop. The keyhole will give you the views of the old quarry. You will also want to check out the pink marble and Tharp trace trails as these also give outstanding views.

Ijams nature center has something for everyone. For this review I am discussing Meades Quarry. The park roped off a section for privacy during the wedding I was performing. The only sad thing was the trash floating in the water. Go visit and please respect the space.

Very nice place for a nature hike. They have added so much to this place over the years it's amazing. Tons of trails. Amazing play structures. Kayak rental, treetop rope course, and so much more. Beautiful views, if you are a nature lover or looking to teach your kids more about the great outdoors it's a wonderful place to visit. Very helpful staff also and if you are just looking to hike it's free but they do accept donations to help run the place. They also have a nice little gift shop here.

Nice place with nature surrounding. The admission is free. There is visitor center located here with gift shop, exhibit and restrooms available. Plenty of parking space available. There are several trails available here some offering lake and River views. There are couple of ponds. One of best hike would be to take storybook trail and then take north cove trail. Continue on north cove trail to river trail or river boardwalk trail. One will get to see some beautiful view of the river from the boardwalk. You can then either return back or continue further to take tower trail to return back to visitor center. Overall a nice nature place to spend few hours around.

Fun nature center. We only did the riverwalk/tower hike, but there are many more trails to explore. Also you can rent a variety of boats to use on the river. Friendly/helpful staff. Please note: trails are not well marked, so just keep google maps open/active to make sure you are going the right way.

Date of visit: Sunday, 06/16/2024Use Google Maps to locate.Parking was paid via QR code. No trouble finding parking.Nice nature center with lots of trails for exploring. We hiked the Tower Trail which leads to the River Trail and back to the center, in total about a 1 mile hike. There are some steep spots on this trail, including some steep stairs. Once you get to the river, it is beautiful.Nature Center building has some exhibits as well as a gift shop. It looks like there might also be meeting rooms.They have a calendar full of fun activities. We got to enjoy some bluegrass music in the afternoon.Restroom was clean.Definitely recommend, especially if you like to hike.If you deem this review helpful please give it a 👍.

A Knoxville gem!Ijams is a part of the Knoxville Urban Wilderness and a true gem within city limits. It resides on something like 300 acres off of a narrow, winding road in south Knoxville.There are a handful of trails and outdoor events for families and individuals and a variety of playgrounds for kids.The gift shop offers snacks, outdoor necessities, and local products.While you’re here, check out the indoor exhibit with the turtles, then hit the trail for some fresh air and the secret pond.

Great place for a day out with the family and kids. Nice walking trails and interpretive centre with hands on activities for kids. Nice escape from the city with plenty of wilderness. Definitely worth a visit if you enjoy the outdoors.

On of the best hikes of my life. Clearly lots of love and care have been continually put into this place. Incredibly clean and well maintained. I wish I lived closer!

Gorgeous trails, amazing and incredibly affordable gift shop with unique and pretty items, cool indoor exhibits with restroom and water facilities, dog bowls for pups outside (very dog friendly). Biking, walking, fishing, and kayaking/paddle boarding. Unique events week by week. FREE TO GET IN!!!!!! <3

8.30.23 Parking is free. Exploring the nature center is free. Walking the river boardwalk is free. Renting a SUP paddleboard is $15 and a float/tube is $5 in the Quarry area. This is a beautiful and peaceful place. If you love nature or want a place to relax, this is your spot.

Ijams Nature Center: Urban Oasis Awaits!Ijams Nature Center is a hidden gem in Knoxville, offering a stunning escape for nature enthusiasts of all stripes. Whether you're a seasoned hiker or a casual paddler, Ijams has something for you.Here's what makes Ijams stand out:**Variety is the Spice of Life:** Hike through serene forests, bike challenging trails, or launch your kayak onto the Tennessee River. The options are plentiful!**Difficulty Dialed In:** With a range of trails from easy strolls to challenging climbs, Ijams caters to all experience levels.**More Than Just Trails:** Take a break from the trails and explore the sunflower fields (seasonal) or visit the informative visitor center.**City Slicker Savior:** Despite its diverse offerings, Ijams is conveniently located just minutes from downtown Knoxville.**Budget-Friendly Fun:** Parking in the park is only $5 a day, or you can snag a year-long membership for just $50, granting you free parking for your visits throughout the year.**Insider Tip:** If you're bringing your furry friend, remember to keep them leashed while exploring the trails.Ijams Nature Center is a must-visit for anyone seeking a dose of nature within the city limits. With its stunning scenery and plethora of activities, Ijams is sure to leave you feeling refreshed and invigorated.

Spending a few days in Knoxville for the first time and ijams was probably one of the most recommended activities. It did not disappoint. SO many trails. Very nice views of the Tennessee River and Mead Quarry Lake. Multiple places to put in boats. Some cool animal exhibits at the visitor center. People were very helpful in advising which trails to take. Definitely check it out if you're looking for an outdoor activity in the Knoxville area.

This very beautiful place is going to make your visit more memorable with the friendliness and genuine serving attitude of the staffs. They are really suitable for this job. The lady I met in the information table was consistently helpful and friendly as I have seen her talk to several new visitors including ofcourse myself.Huge place but properly maintained. There are various parts of this big land so make sure you plan your way. A certain portion was closed when I went due to the falling rocks from the mountain whose video even went viral as some people were able to witness it live.Bathroom and filtered water available at the Visitor’s Center and even a free wifi

So many trails and we only went on a couple! The Keyhole was really cool and not too far from the parking area. The staff at the welcome center were very helpful and friendly too. Definitely worth a trip back to see more.

Ijams is a wonderful space that's free to visit located right on the border of Knoxville. All I did during my visit was walk the river trail and added a few of the shorter trails on as I wandered around the grounds. There's climbing, a canopy adventure area, kayak rentals, and children's activities. If you're just passing through like I was, this is somewhere I'd highly recommend even if it's just to stretch your legs. The grounds and trails are very well maintained and bathrooms were clean.

Being new to Knox, this place is beautiful. FIDO friendly, lots to do for all ages. Great hiking or just perfect is you want to walk around and look at all of the beautiful animals, sitting areas or if you want adventure, you can visit the zip line. Beautiful walkway around the water. This is a must see if you are in the Knox area.

Was looking for a hike near knoxville so we didn't have to drive all the way down to the smokey mountains and this didn't disappoint!The attendant was superhelpful, the sights were incredible, and the trails we went on were well taken care of.

Definitely worth the visit if you are in Knoxville. For me, the river boardwalk trail is a unique element. You need to hike a trail down hill to get to the boardwalk, and it's worth it. Admission is free, but there is a charge for parking ($5). There are other trails around the main office. For me, the scenery around the quarry was not as appealing, but I hear there are several trails around the quarry (which I did not walk) that are nice. There are also boat activities on the quarry, which were not in operation when I visited (late March).

All-time favorite hiking location near downtown Knoxville! I’ve been coming here for years, just exploring around, and continue to be amazed each time. I highly recommend going to the Nature Center to pick up a map first, as there’s so much to see. Each trail has an incredibly cool feature on it, and some trails took me years to find. Some are paved or have gravel, while others are full-on hikes. There are two locations to park at - the nature center, which has most of the shorter hikes, most with pavement or gravel, plus high ropes course (the Navitat). Or at the quarry down the road on the opposite side, which has the quarry/water, longer hikes, two hidden quarries behind the main one, mountain biking, natural rock climbing, etc. They just recently started charging for parking, but only a couple of bucks. Very dog and family friendly!

Beautiful place to visit. Nice walking along the river, seeing the boats and kayaks go buy. The wildlife all around. Love being so connected to nature. Trails are well kept. Peaceful and quiet. Very enjoyable, easy walk.

Last visited 2/15/24. Decided to stop in and see what the River Landing Walk was like. Wife and I had a great time just puttering around and enjoying the nice day.

Went bike riding. Rented bikes from the park and helmets. The trail starts in the middle so you can take one and come back then take the other and come back. Has some nice hills to go down but riding back up is tough. Trails are concrete and shared with walkers. Be sure to yell which side you are coming up on the walker so they can move over. Beautiful ride. Great exercise. Have fun. Went on a Sunday. Get there before lunch and their were maybe 8 bikes for rent. When we got back from our ride, they were all out. You have to pay for parking. It's like $12-$15 for the whole day.

A wonderful nature center with multiple trails, some paved and others not paved.We really enjoyed the River Trail.Main building and paved trails appear to be wheelchair accessible. All other trails do not appear to be wheelchair accessible.

What a gem this place is. We finished visiting the Knoxville Botanical gardens quicker than expected. I had this marked on the map and took a chance. This was a highlight of our trip. Definitely take the Riverwalk / board walk. the amount of spring flowers in bloom was amazing, trilliums covered the hillsides. The river walk had a feature we've never seen before, a geologic fold. that was an amazing thing to see first hand. If we lived nearby, we would definitely be checking out all the many trails.

4.8

(2229)

4.5

(871)

2915 Island Home Ave, Knoxville, TN 37920, USA

+49 other lists

One of the best zoos I've been to. The animals seem happy and active, and not only are the exhibits top notch with multiple view points, some of which are inside (with A/C!), but the walking paths are engaging with thoughtfully placed water misters and shade! So much care for the animals and guests. Plenty of attractions to keep kids happy, the food is actually good and reasonably priced. Definitely worth a trip!! 10/10

I live about 45 minutes away from Knoxville and yearly we get memberships to the zoo. I highly recommend doing so if you live in the area! The zoo is smaller than many zoos, but still has a lot to do and see for kids of all ages. They’ve recently renovated their habitat for reptiles and it looks great! They host seasonal events and activities (Boo at the Zoo, dinosaur takeover, etc.). The splash pad is great, the petting zoo and play area are cute, and the food at the restaurants are (expectedly) overpriced, but good quality. They do well in their maintenance and cleanliness and it seems like the animals are well cared for.

I went for the first time over this past weekend with my children who have previously been. I enjoyed myself as did the kids but we didn't get to see all of the animals with it being so busy, but we made the best of it. My favorite part was probably feeding the turtles, they were very cute and took the leaves so gently. We ate at the beatro which was good but pricey. It was a hot day and the mist fans were great. I'd definitely go again!

We love Zoo Knoxville! My daughter adores all her animal friends who live at the zoo. She is a big fan of monkeys, red pandas, ghiraffes, otters, and tigers. The zoo is well arranged for ease of visiting. This zoo's trails run in loops and the animals have reasonably large well appropriated paddocks. There is plenty of shade for the animals and humans that are at the zoo. The zoo has sunscreen and hand sanitizer dispensers throughout their facilities for sanitizing and preventing children from getting sun burnt. There is also a splash pad for children and parents to cool down during the hot of the Summer. This zoo is definitely a world class Zoological Park.

We love this zoo! The staff is so friendly, and very knowledgeable. We had the opportunity to go to a party hosted privately after hours, and to have the zoo to ourselves was such a wonderful experience. The guided tours, refreshments along the way, feeding the giraffe and a catered dinner, just wow! They pull out all the stops!

For about 10 yrs we have bought yr passes...we have skipped a year here and there before openings of new exhibits...we are such a big fan of knoxville zoo...they have some neat exhibits and fun experiences...till September you can walk the trails and see the dinosaurs and some move...the new outer space is one of our favorites. Being up close to red pandas and a sloth is pretty cool too! Not to mention riding carousel.

It was a wonderful day with my son, their Uncle Wesley, and 2 & 3 yr old granddaughters. Their parents were on a BD and Anniversary get away. It was miserably hot so the misters were nice to walk through. All the animals were out and we seen them all but the Bears. We actually noticed how Healthy all the animals looked too. We are so very proud of Knoxville Zoo. The moving and roaring Dino's throughout was exciting. I wish we had known more about the Dino Eggs while we were actually there. But my 3 yr old found them anyway. The old Safari Jeep was a perfect idea for kids to play in. It was truly a wonderful day to spend with my grown son and our little ones.

We had a great time at the Zoo Knoxville. We went with three kids under 5 and three adults on a weekday morning. We did not have a wait to get tickets or enter the zoo. The zoo is very well laid out with easy to navigate paths and signs, with bathrooms / changing rooms always close by. There was something for everyone in our group with fun exhibits and explanations for all the fun and unique animals. We brought in our wagon and alternated from pushing our kids or letting them run along the paths to the next exhibit. The zoo has a variety of animals in exciting enclosures, a petting zoo, splash pads (not open when we went), a kids playground, and lots of photo opportunities.There are many food stands, restaurants with indoor and outdoor eating areas, however many of them were not open when we were visiting.The other unique set of displays in this zoo is their dinosaur exhibits where there are large robotic dinosaurs that move and make noise. My kids really loved those!Overall the zoo took us about 2 hours to complete, which was the perfect time for short - attention spans and we ended right before lunch. I would definitely go again to explore the splash pad and playground areas as well as to see the well cared for animals again.

We love this zoo so much!!! Great reptile exhibit indoors for inclement weather. Love the new otter habitat too! Plenty of good food options and places for kids to play between visiting the animals. Kids got to feed a sloth one time too!

A pretty decent zoo for the price. It's about $25/person to get in, and you can easily spend a few hours here. They have a good amount of things for small kids to keep them busy. There's a nice play area, petting zoo, carousel, and a splash pad. The assortment of animals is pretty standard for a zoo. I did appreciate the turtle and frog section they have set up. The gift shop is very pricey, so get your stuffed animals elsewhere and skip the markups.

Great experience. Lots of animals and very spacious. This is one of the better zoos that I've been to. I think the directions are a little difficult to follow, But ultimately you will manage I really enjoyed the up close and personal tiger area and then the lion area.

Giving a three stars simply because 3-4 exhibits was empty. We wasn’t able to see the zebras, tiger,otters, rhinos they where no out. I’m unsure what was going on but my little girl was so sad about the zebras. The dinosaur exhibit was truly wonderful. We have a Dino obsessed little boy and he was amazed. They made the whole trip worth it just to see him smile. Over all nice zoo would recommend updating the strollers too they were a little run down. But I do like that they have that option to be able to rent one. Parking was a mess but not the zoos fault it was just a busy time.

The Knoxville Zoo is a great place to spend the morning before the day gets too hot. Even when the animals are too hot, you can still see them indoors as these spaces have glassed viewing areas. My daughter and I spent around 2 1/2 hours viewing the animals and reading about the various conservation programs such as the Red Panda Preservation. Surprisingly, the Dinosaurs at Dawn exhibit was also a favorite and we were impressed by their animatronics. Parking was free and easy. The other visitors seemed to be local parents/grandparents with small children.

My husband and I went for my birthday on 6/18. It was hot and slightly crowded. I enjoyed the animals until I reached the Gorilla's, and boy did that big guy tug at my heart strings. He looked so bored or sad. I'm guessing because it was hot, they couldn't go outside. idk, but his actions made me cry. 🥺 I still recommend this place, especially for small kids.

Nice little Zoo. (I'm from San Diego, and our Zoo is very large and more than one park, which is why I said little Zoo.) They do a nice job with the enclosures. Fun outing to take the Grandkids for the day! They're doing a little remodeling, so there were a few interruptions to the flow around the park. They have the natural habitat type of enclosures, which I appreciate. Lovely weather, we had a lot of fun! I also appreciate the fact that they have free admission for Veterans! Good job!!

This was my first visit to the Knoxville Zoo, and I have to say that I was expecting a much better experience than the one I received. I'll start with the low points:The animals seemed...sad. Most of them were sleeping or hiding. So, you don't get to see half of the animals that are advertised. And the ones that you do see (for the most part) seem exhausted and miserable. The glare on some of the exhibits make it nearly impossible to see in when the sun is out. Accessibility appears to be limited in some areas of the Zoo. Lastly, the gift shop isn't even worth visiting in my opinion, there's hardly anything related to the zoo itself.My favorite and what I consider the best part of the zoo was the amphibian and reptiles exhibit. But beware, it can get very hot in there due to the humidity and crowding. So, I would avoid it if you have breathing issues. I really enjoyed it though. They have some cool snakes, lizards, turtles, and frogs. Plus that's where their sloth is located! Loved him. Would have totally stolen him if he wasn't so high up. The Gorillas are also amazing. I could have stood and watched them for hours. They have so much personality.That's about all I have to say.

Went to the Knoxville zoo today with my kids. We went up to get our tickets and the girl charged me for my two year old who should have been free. After I corrected that she also charged $5.00 for parking. The lot was so full we had to park over by Muse and we still got charged for parking. So for four of us we paid $80.85. That's kind of steep for a zoo this size. Once inside we realized many of the animals were not outside. Many enclosures had nothing to view and several people were commenting on it. Also couldn't help but notice lots of the concessions stands were closed as well. It's spring break and it was very crowded. My kids rode the train and the merry go round and both were an additional $4 per kid per ride. They did however enjoy both. What animals we were able to see my kids enjoyed. They also loved the dinosaur a lot. The petting zoo was a favorite of the kids as well. I gave three stars because my kids did enjoy the experience. My girl and I were somewhat disappointed and probably had a two star experience. They need more animals and more viewing opportunities for the animals they do have. The kids were entertained and I guess that's all that counts. Being forced to exit through the gift shop with kids felt like a final cash grab. Water for $3.50 in the vending machine with all the water fountains off was frustrating. I would reluctantly recommend a visit but not really enthusiastically. We wished we had a better time but we're just being honest.

Great zoo. Nice place for the family to enjoy an outing. Lots of cool animals. Make sure to visit the Arc building. It has several snakes and neat things.

Had a great time at Knoxville zoo today. We took advantage of BoA museum on us to get free tickets for every cardholder. Not too crowded, and kids played at splash pad. Loved there. It was fun to watch zoo keeper feeding bat fox with worms.

The Knoxville Zoo is a fantastic place to visit. With a diverse range of animals and well-maintained habitats, it provides an enjoyable and educational experience for all ages. The staff is knowledgeable and passionate about conservation, and they offer informative talks and feeding sessions. The zoo's layout is easy to navigate, and there are plenty of shaded areas to take a break. It's a great destination for families, animal lovers, and anyone looking to support wildlife preservation. Don't miss the red pandas and the reptile exhibits – they are a real highlight!

The Knoxville Zoo is always a blast. If you have kids and/or love animals, I highly recommend visiting. Some of these pics are from their temporary Planet Prehistoric exhibit, which is pretty cool.

Zoo Knoxville was great, however some of the enclosures did not have any of the animals posted that was supposed to be in them (just a few enclosures). We did get to see several animals which did make for the empty enclosures. We stepped into one of the cafes got in line to grab a drink. The cashier was putting souvenir cups together and putting the straws in them with her bare hands (should of been wearing gloves) we saw this and left the Cafe. Our experience was great but could have been better. We will come back to the animals.

We absolutely love the zoo. The staff are beyond amazing! So informative and polite. The animals are almost always out and about. There is so much for kids to do also! Prices are good and atmosphere is outstanding. Love the misting fans in the summer also!!!

So fun! We thought we were done in 2 hours then quickly realized we missed a whole section of the zoo in the back with elephant and rhino and more! We will definitely be back.P.s. - $5 for parking unless you're a member!

What an amazing zoo! My toddler loved that for many of the animals there were multiple views you could look through to see them! There were many cool activities throughout the zoo which made the experience even better! We will definitely be going back!

Great place to take your kids of any age! Yes some days the animals are hiding and you don’t see much but other days they are out and about it’s amazing to see! Some times they even have zoo mascots come out and interact with the kids! I think the food is a bit pricey but overall a great zoo experience!

Stopped in Knoxville on the way back home from Panama City Beach Florida. I had my 12 year old daughter and her 2 friends, so we went to the zoo. They had a blast exploring the zoo and seeing all the different animals. They have a monkey enclosure and there was a baby monkey dancing and showing off for us. I would definitely recommend visiting if you get a chance. Also there is a lot to do around the city.

We love coming to the zoo. We first started our excursions because we were socializing our Service Dog and what better place to introduce distractions? The animals all loved our dog and made the trips more exciting. Now we enjoy coming with family, in particular our little niece and nephews. Well worth the price and time spent. Members get food and gift shop discounts, so that's a plus too!

We love the Zoo! We are season pass holders if you are a family and plan on going more than once get the pass it’s totally worthy it. They have great events (Boo at the Zoo) and you can even get married there! I’ve officiated 3 weddings there. The staff is always friendly and willing to help you. They also have a great kids area with a sand pit, a little water feature (not together) and an aviary that you can going and touch the birds!

Nice selection of animals, it's nice how big the exhibits are. Just a lot of walking. As well as the gift shop was nice just seemed high price but still bought from. .kids enjoyed the zoo.

Absolutely beautiful zoo. It is kept very clean and the animals seem very well taken care of!! Also we visited the day after Tonka was euthanized. So sorry for your loss :(

Very clean. They have fun interacting animals And they also have extinct animals like this One that Is mixed with a Tiger bear and has horns on his head. And they're also coming out with a dinosaur Except they have fun interacting. Little rides for the kids like under 4 or 5 or 6. And you can put them on the little scooters that are shaped like animals and you can ride with them around in the park. They also have a petting zoo a playground and the sandbox for them. You should go.

Have been to many of the zoo's throughout the US and this has become our favorite! At the end of our 1st visit we bought memberships and going back regularly. Love the layout of the animals and allows you to feel like you are up close and personal. The animals all look so healthy and happy with their unique enclosures. Even on a cooler cloudy day, the zoo is a great place to visit and enjoy a walk. A must go for everyone, it won't disappoint.

4.5

(11199)

4.0

(1392)

3500 Knoxville Zoo Dr, Knoxville, TN 37914, USA

This is a great place to visit! Be prepared to have several hours to spend there as there is so much you'll want to see and enjoy. My kids loved the peaco*cks roaming around! There's a lot of nice things in the shop as well. We definitely want to go back so we can eat in the restaurant and walk the grounds again.

I definitely underestimated how large this museum is. You can spend the better part of a day here if you wanted to. The museum has an easy to follow layout in which you follow a path to get to the next building on the list. Some buildings have extensive exhibits inside. This is a great place to reflect on what life used to be like.

Great place to learn some history of the people of Appalachia. People and the way they lived through visuals displays and descriptions of what you are looking at. And Peaco*cks!

Cannot say enough good things about this place. We attended the July 4th Anvil Shoot. So much fun! Lots of demonstrations by folk artists and historians. Great music; some anvils shot 30+ feet into their air; lots of great historical displays of the area. This was our first visit and will not be our last.

The Independence Day demonstrations and activities were informative and reminiscent of stories from my grandparents,who were born near the Appalachian mountains. It's a living museum, with livestock and gardens and bee's. I went for the Bee keeping demonstration, the folks cancelled, still enjoyed the day with a new neighbor.Look on the roof...

This place is beautiful and very well taken care of. You could literally spend hours and hours here reading and looking at all the history. I enjoyed our time here and the gift shop is nice and they have a lot to choose from.

Look guys, I travel full time and there are a LOT of pioneer museums out in the world and there is a bit of romanticizing the poor aspect to the whole endeavor, BUT the Museum of Appalachia has a particularly good collection of buildings, including Mark Twain's childhood home, a 1800's log cabin used in the filming of a Daniel Boone show, a huge mill, and loads of cabins and barns.But I think the best part of the collection is in the very first building, the hall of fame. The original director of the museum collected so many great stories - almost too many to read in one visit. It really brings everything to life and makes the museum stand above the rest.There's also a small cafe that is very popular with the locals (go early!) and a really lovely gift shop with a lot of fun items, including a whole wall of jellies and fruit butters. Everyone there is super nice, and there are a few animals on property - some free-ranging chickens and peaco*cks, some goats, miniature horses, and sheep. There's a one-way path through the whole thing so you don't miss anything.My only complaint is that it's all a bit pricey. Lunch in the cafe of chicken and dressing plus two sides, a slice of good cornbread, and a slice of hummingbird cake was almost $18. (It comes out *very* fast, btw.) The museum itself is $20. (I was told by my hosts that museum admission was free with a meal, but if that was ever true, it's not anymore. Everyone seems to come just to eat.)

One of the best kept secrets of TN. To tour this venue is to literally step back into a period of time when lanterns provided light and fireplaces were the single source of heat. The innovations of the pioneers are on display as cabins are trimmed with authentic pieces from the days of the settlers and carry an almost palettable sense for the history conveyed inside those walls. The gift shop is full of beautiful crafts and serves good food as well.

I wish we had visited sooner after being locals for the last 8 years but I am so glad we finally made it! This was one of, if not, THE best and most interesting museum in the Knoxville area. Even my 4 and 2 yo were interested for 2+ hours. The stories warmed our hearts, the artifacts were fantastic, and the gift shop/staff were so nice. Loved their shop kitties too. 10/10 for us!

When I purchased my ticket I thought $18 sounded like a lot for a museum about Appalachia, but boy was I wrong! It was well worth the money. So much to see and do. The exhibits were fascinating, very well done. The walk around the grounds was very relaxing. It felt like I was walking back in time.The restaurant inside is worth the stop. The food is delicious, homemade served on real dishes. The prices are also very reasonable.

Well worth the admission!We enjoyed strolling the property and found the building displays filled with what would have been used in their natural habits very interesting.We visited during Heritage Days, and to our surprise, the grounds were filled with 1200 school kids and parents. At first, we thought, let's pass, then thought, let's go for a little while. Well, three hours later we left completely impressed by the lay of the land, the staff, and the volume of artifacts.

I had no idea this museum and Appalachian village existed. So worth the trip. So much to learn and read I am going to have to come back. Extremely well taken care of..... The grounds and the buildings! They keep the thermostat low in the winter so make sure and wear a good jacket and maybe a hat.

Such a wonderful place to visit, especially in spring! Great museum, we will definitely come back soon!

We had a great time at this Smithsonian affiliate museum. Come prepared to spend 3+ hours if you want to see everything and especially if you want to grab a bite to eat in the restaurant. The maps given at the welcome center are helpful in getting around the grounds, and the exhibits are in numerical order along the foot paths. A few of the buildings house permanent exhibits, like the Appalachian Hall of Fame, which highlights different aspects of “old” Appalachian culture like daily life, cooking, music, community, and stories about people. The other buildings are historic ones that have been moved to the Museum of Appalachia, like the cabin of Mark Twain’s parents. There is a nice outdoor seating area near the welcome center with picnic tables and rocking chairs. Some chickens or peaco*cks might come by to say hi. The restaurant offered typical comfort food from the region like chicken and dumplings, pinto beans, etc. Overall the museum was incredibly informative and very well curated. One of the things I appreciated most was the level of detail put into the descriptions for each artifact displayed, which is not something you find at every museum.

My husband and I had an AMAZING time here! We stopped randomly on our way home from Pigeon Forge, and so glad we did! The staff were super friendly, and the grounds were beautiful. So many great animals & picture spots. Also stop by the gift shop for some lotions, soaps and lip balms from The Naked Bee especially the orange scent they are incredible!!! 💕

Good southern cooking. The exhibits are very interesting of local personages who had national and international impacts on politics, music, religion, business, culture. Not wheelchair accessible in most of the outdoor exhibits (gravel paths). Some paved paths to the first 9 of the 31 outdoor exhibits. Looks like a subdivision is being constructed next door which will diminish its rural character.

There was real human history here. Real people's stories that brings it to real life. Amazing. Oh and the peaco*cks and hens roaming were fun to watch. LOVED the gift shop!

4.7

(813)

4.5

(374)

2819 Andersonville Hwy, Clinton, TN 37716, USA

This is a very beautiful little park in Tennessee. We just stopped in for the day, and the scenery is just amazing. Even though the dam is kind of the "selling point", there was still just so much beauty around it. The forests that you can walk through were stunning. We visited the grist mill, even though the shop was closed, and they also have a thrashing barn and a museum. I think you can swim here somewhere but I never saw the spot. We went to one of the playgrounds and ate lunch at the picnic tables and it was a very cute, beautiful area.

Loved our stay in the east campground. Plenty of playgrounds for kids to play on, clean bathrooms, nice bath houses, and reasonable prices for primative, improved, or cabins.The Dam was neat to look at, and the trails were nice with fall colors and great views since the trees are thinning out.

Clean trails. Camped here at West Campground for 2 days. Well worth the money! Very quiet. Bathrooms were really nice with Air Conditioning after the trip to Florida, it was a welcome relief. Beware that some of the sites have steep drops & RV campers really need to be prepared for the switch-back curves. Plenty of trees and cover here, East campground has no trees or cover.

We enjoyed an evening painting with Ranger Hayley. Tennessee State Parks offer a wide range of activities led by park rangers. Go to their website under events to plan your next adventure.

This dam & the areas surrounding it are definitely worth visiting! Also while your there Check out both Museums! Ones small at the top on the left right before you go over the dams bridge! The other is at the bottom it’s bigger & definitely more informative! The guy working there was so nice & accommodating! All facilities & grounds are well maintained & kept clean!

This is my most favorite place in East Tennessee!! You must stop by !!Just beautiful any time of day or night

Nice older campground. Campground has two, a east and a west. We stayed in the east. Bathroom was dated but clean. Grounds were clean . Drove through the west and it was packed in preparation of Halloween festivities. Lots of trails and history in the area. Plenty to explore. Would recommend the campground. Would personally recommend the east for larger rigs!

The first thing I noticed is how clean the park and lake were. Almost no litter anywhere. The cabin we stayed in was awesome. The staff was awesome.1 star removed because none of the museum parts were open. It was the first week of June.The trails are great. We saw plenty of wildlife and swimming from the boat was amazing.You can't really access much of the lake unless you are on a watercraft or at their beaches because the banks are pretty much drop offs so if you don't own a boat or plan to rent a boat the lake is a lot less appealing.

Great Trails, beautiful water. If you park right beside the dam there is a little short hike storybook. It is made for kids as you walk the trail you pass pages of the book! Super cute. Once you pass this it connects to several other trails with lovely lake views. The visitor center was very helpful and clean. Lovely park.

Why to the Norris Dan State Park for my nieces wedding. We arrived at night and were welcomed with a beautiful view of the dam, all lit up at night. When we arrived at cabin 22, it was cute and inviting. We had a fantastic experience here and are already planning on returning next summer with the kids when we can spend more time hiking and exploring the lake.

Oh wow, I can't say enough about this park or the area. So much to see, so stunningly beautiful. Heck, even the dump station at the park is lovely.

Beautiful state park with lots of trails, 2 campgrounds, visitor center, gift shop. We stayed at the west campground. Most sites are either blacktop or cement (ADA compliant). The outer edge sites are on the smaller side and have edges that are steep, but are mostly level. The inner sites are longer and some are more level than others. The bath house is in the center and has 4 single shower/toilet combos, all unisex. They are clean and spacious but a little older. Would stay here again, but would pick one of the inner sites.

The site and campground were great. Clean grounds, bathrooms, playground. Great for families with kids, but if you want Peace and quiet not the best for quiet time.... Lol Overall really great.

The cabin accomodations at Norris Dam were exquisite. We rented two cabins, a smaller one for the wedding couple and a larger one for myself and another friend. We all ended up extending our time as it was so enjoyable. The flora and fauna were beautiful. There were fire pits at each campsite. Wood and fire color packets are available at the office. This made for fun nights around the colorful fire. There are outside BBQ grills, making it nice for family in the area to visit and share a meal. It was a beautiful few days at Norris Dam.

My husband and I love visiting this Park. We always stop to fish and sight see. The water here is always so beautiful and crystal cleaner.

The park is beautifully forested in the hills of easter Tennessee. Lots of trails , picnic areas and waterfront if you have a boat. Very quiet and serene. The perfect place to "unplug" from the stress of the life we live at other times. Close enough to Knoxville for entertainment and dining. Don't forget to go into visitor center for talk with historian about the one town that was relocated and learn the history of the area. This is part of the TVA system.

Beautiful campground and very nice rangers. The bathrooms are super clean, amazingly so for a campground. Highly recommend this area.

Fairly old and dated. Stayed at the West Campground. Terrible roads leading in and out from the campground. Spaces are tight. Six attempts to back it in to fit. Had to use four wheel drive to back up into the spot due to the angle and road drop off as i had to go off the road to try to maneuver the trailer. Slopes downward to where we had to raise the front jack all the way up plus use blocks to level. Never had to do that before. Front stabilizer jacks extended all the way on three 4x6 blocks. The road to the campground was 90 degree turns with numerous blind spots and the road was washed out making it a one and a half lane road vice room for two way traffic. Crazy!!! Or maybe I'm just picky. I don't know.Did not use the restrooms or showers, so can't comment on those.

We enjoyed this campground with all of its history. If you are camping in a bigger rig, the roads to both the east and west campgrounds are tight, winding and steep. There are some low hanging branches. The picnic shelters are super nice with flush toilets and very nice playgrounds. It does appear that there has been some delayed maintenance at the campground. The people that answer the reservation phones are SUPER nice and very helpful, especially Diana who helped us out of the issue we had.

Norris Dam State Park is a great place to spend the day enjoying historic buildings and nature. The dam is surrounded by woodlands in the valley and up on top of the cliffs. The Dam was built by CCC personnel, and the remaining pieces of their camps are in the woods. My wife and daughter both seem to enjoy the views and taking picnics and walks inside the park. We have rented a cabin and spent a relaxing 2 days in the park. The beds are comfortable and warm as well as the shower was quite nice. We have visited the grist mill and museum. I enjoy how the museums celebrate the lives of people who farmed and lived in the East Tennessee Valley. Overall, it was a fantastic place to hang out. Hopefully, I will get to return many times for more exploration and adventure.

We just LOVE Norris Dam Park.We have been there twice and we stayed in both the CCC cabins and the new cabinsThe new cabins are very comfortable, they have 3 bedrooms, 1 large bathroom, dining room and living room with a fireplace and a large kitchen with everything you need.The 2nd time we stayed in CCC cabin #19 and had a great time. It was more of an experience of staying in an old cabin but I actually prefer the others. It's a matter of taste because in both of them you have a great time.Here is a description of what a CCC cabin has:1 room only (efficiency)A complete kitchen, stove and oven and a large fridge.A/C and HeaterCoffee maker (bring filters and coffee)Super small bathroom with towels and there is a cabinet to put things on1 queen bed with 2 pillows, sheets, thin duvet and 1 blanketNight table with lamp1 couch1 table with 2 chairsA hanger in the entrance but no hooks to hang clothes1 tv with cable that works greatKitchen with everything you need + dishsoap and sponge2 drying clothsVarious socketsScreened terrace with a rocking chairOutside fire pit, picnic table and 3 chairs plus plenty of parking space.Everything was clean and we had a great time. For sure we’ll come back!

Attended a wedding here, reception in the Tea Room, and stayed in the CCC cabins. Every detail was excellent, and the park was immaculately clean. Beautiful views and lookouts. We just wish we had more time to spend here!

We enjoyed the bird watching! Recommend using Merlin ID app to automatically identify bird calls.

Norris Dam is a place we stopped and visited on our trip back home from Tybee Island, where we vacationed. Norris Dan is a place we'd most definitely return to and bring our pontoon boat. We really enjoyed the beautiful scenery of the huge lake. We loved the lake with all it offers to hikers, boaters, and fishermen. All the little coves that come off the lake. With all natural springs that feed onto the lake from the mountain sides. Then it goes from Norris Lake to Norris Dam, which then feeds into a river.

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4.5

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125 Village Green Cir, Rocky Top, TN 37769, USA