Day Trips From Cookeville

Wishing that you were on a warm, tropical adventure? Me too! If there are no vacation days in sight, maybe a day trip can help satisfy your need for adventure!

Have you ever noticed how conveniently placed Cookeville is in Tennessee? It’s only an hour away from the heart of Nashville, hour and a half from Chattanooga, and an hour and a half drive from Knoxville. It’s perfect isn’t it? I don’t see why you wouldn’t want to live here. Ready to seek new adventures? Great! Get ready, get set, go!

Knoxville

Taken from KNoxville Website

Where do we start? There’s so much to explore!

For History Buffs: There’s McClungs’s Museum of Natural History and Culture which features fossils, Civil War history, Native American artifacts, and Egyptian mummies. In addition to this wonderful museum, there’s the Blount Mansion that is available for touring. There are numerous other historic sites that are tourable and can offer insight on what the beginnings of Tennessee looked like!

For Nature Lovers: If you haven’t been to Ijams Nature Center, it’s a must! It features over 12 miles of hiking trails that range from easy to hard. In addition, there are mountain bike and road bike trails. Forgot a bike? They got you covered! Ijams offers bike, kayak, canoe, and paddleboard rentals. If you need to cool off after a long day of hiking, just hop into Toll Creek or Mead’s Quarry Lake. Bored of just walking around and want to go up higher for some views? Just grab your climbing gear and climb one of 30 routes. With all these options, you’re guaranteed to have a day full of fun with friends or family! Some other options are the I.C King Park trail, Forks of the River trail, or Imerys Trail.

For Animal Lovers: Wishing that you could go on an African safari? Well, the newly expanded Knoxville Zoo has over 40 different animals, including a Malayan Tiger. It’s quite a surreal experience to see the tiger so close up. You can have fun pretending you’re on a world wide exploration, and the different exhibits represents the different parts of the world you’re visiting. Not only is that fun, but it’s also a learning experience for the whole group, whether it’s family or friends.

Of course, these are only a few highlights of what you can possibly do while in Knoxville! The options truly are endless!

Chattanooga

Taken from Blueridge country

For Those with a Green Thumb: Rock City has been advertised for years. Opened in 1932, Rock City became one of Chattanooga’s largest tourist attractions. If you didn’t know, they hired a painter to go throughout the Southeast and Midwest to paint “See Rock City” on barn roofs and walls. Not only does Rock City have beautiful gardens, they also have a lookout point where you can supposedly see seven states! It seems like one of those places you just have to go to in order to see if it’s true. Already been to Lookout mountain? No problem! There’s also the the Reflection Riding Arboretum & Nature Center. This nature center has a wide array of native plants that are fascinating to see during spring and fall. You can rent canoes, hike, or shop for native plants. What wouldn’t there be to love about this place?

For the Inner Tourist: I’m sure you’ve heard about it, but just in case you haven’t, go to the Tennessee Aquarium! It’s bound to be a fun day when admiring the amazing creatures that roam our wonderful planet. Not a fan of fish? Don’t worry, they’ve got reptiles, birds, amphibians and mammals! Just writing about their exhibits makes me want to grab my car keys and go!

For Outdoor Adventurers: Not a fan of crowded spaces with no fresh air? I don’t blame you. Why stay inside when there’s numerous hikes that are waiting to be done? There’s the Blue Blazes Trail that is a 2 mile loop consisting of old shorelines that were created by swamps. Not sure if it’s for you? Well, if you’re a sucker for an overlook, it has one! Love the eerie, yet exciting atmosphere of a cave? Look no further! Both Raccoon Mountain and Ruby Falls have caves that can be explored. In these caves you can admire and ponder how stalagmites and stalactites form!