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Attractions hub

East Tennessee Attractions

Theme parks, off-road trails, Secret City history, mountain overlooks and river-town landmarks — the big draws, all in one place.

East Tennessee packs a lot between the Smokies and the Cumberland Plateau. This hub gathers the major attractions we’ve written guides for — from Dollywood in Pigeon Forge to Windrock Park above Oliver Springs — so you can plan a day or a whole week. Each card links to its own page with tips, history and nearby stops.

The big two

Dollywood

Pigeon Forge · Sevier County

Dollywood

Dolly Parton’s theme park in Pigeon Forge: coasters, the Engine 107 steam train, Smoky Mountain crafts and big seasonal festivals. Opened under the Dollywood name in 1986.

Read the Dollywood guide →
Windrock Park

Oliver Springs · Anderson County

Windrock Park

One of the largest off-road parks in the country, high in the Cumberland Mountains: ATV, side-by-side, Jeep, dirt-bike and mountain-bike trails, plus cabins and camping.

Read the Windrock guide →

Dollywood opened in 1986, and Windrock’s trail system spans tens of thousands of acres of former mining land. [S1][S7]

Outdoor icons

Cades Cove

Great Smoky Mountains NP

Cades Cove

The Smokies’ famous valley loop: wildlife, cabins, churches and a working mill.

Visit this page →
Kuwohi (Clingmans Dome)

Great Smoky Mountains NP

Kuwohi (Clingmans Dome)

Tennessee’s highest point and its observation tower.

Visit this page →
Appalachian Trail

State-line crest

Appalachian Trail

Walk a piece of the AT’s highest miles along the Smokies crest.

Visit this page →
Norris Lake & Dam

Anderson & Campbell

Norris Lake & Dam

TVA’s first dam and one of the clearest lakes in the region.

Visit this page →
Obed & Lilly Bluff

Morgan County

Obed & Lilly Bluff

Sandstone gorges and an easy overlook near Wartburg.

Visit this page →

More mountains: Smokies hub · more plateau: Cumberland hub · every lake: Lakes hub. National park facts from NPS. [S2]

History attractions

Oak Ridge: the Secret City

Anderson & Roane

Oak Ridge: the Secret City

Manhattan Project sites, the American Museum of Science & Energy and the K-25 History Center.

Visit this page →
Fort Southwest Point

Kingston · Roane County

Fort Southwest Point

A rebuilt 1790s frontier fort on a bluff over the Clinch and Tennessee rivers.

Visit this page →
East TN museums, ranked

33 counties

East TN museums, ranked

Museum of Appalachia, Museum of East Tennessee History, Birthplace of Country Music and dozens more.

Visit this page →
Jonesborough

Washington County

Jonesborough

Tennessee’s oldest town (1779) and home of the National Storytelling Festival.

Visit this page →

Oak Ridge is one of the three sites of Manhattan Project National Historical Park; Jonesborough was founded in 1779; Southwest Point guarded the frontier in the 1790s. [S3][S4][S8] More on the History hub.

From our shop · My East Tennessee

Souvenirs from the history stops

See every souvenir in the shop →

City landmarks

Knoxville & the Sunsphere

Knox County

Knoxville & the Sunsphere

The gold-glass tower left from the 1982 World’s Fair, Market Square and the riverfront.

Visit this page →
Chattanooga & Walnut Street Bridge

Hamilton County

Chattanooga & Walnut Street Bridge

The 1891 bridge turned pedestrian walkway, Lookout Mountain and the river gorge.

Visit this page →
Gatlinburg

Sevier County

Gatlinburg

Walkable mountain town at the park’s main Tennessee entrance.

Visit this page →

The Sunsphere was built for the 1982 World’s Fair; the Walnut Street Bridge opened in 1891. [S5][S6]

Plan around the attractions

Trip ideas

Itineraries by season and style in Ideas for your trip.

Where to stay

Pigeon Forge for Dollywood, Oliver Springs for Windrock — where to stay.

Before you go

Parking tags, roads and seasons — before-you-go checklist.

What’s happening

Openings, closures and events on Area news.

From our shop · My East Tennessee

Souvenirs from East Tennessee’s big attractions

Buying a print or a little merch helps keep these guides free.

Oak Ridge: The Secret City — Oak Ridge posterPrintful · poster & moreOak Ridge: The Secret CityOak RidgeView on Printful →Sunsphere — Knoxville posterPrintful · poster & moreSunsphereKnoxvilleView on Printful →Walnut Street Bridge — Chattanooga posterPrintful · poster & moreWalnut Street BridgeChattanoogaView on Printful →Look Rock — Foothills Parkway West posterPrintful · poster & moreLook RockFoothills Parkway WestView on Printful →Fort Southwest Point — Kingston posterPrintful · poster & moreFort Southwest PointKingstonView on Printful →Wartburg Bridge — Wartburg posterPrintful · poster & moreWartburg BridgeWartburgView on Printful →Jonesborough Main Street, 1909 — Jonesborough posterPrintful · poster & moreJonesborough Main Street, 1909JonesboroughView on Printful →Rhea County Courthouse — Dayton posterPrintful · poster & moreRhea County CourthouseDaytonView on Printful →

Browse the full East TN souvenir shop →

Sources

Facts on this page were checked against these sources on Oct 29, 2026 (ET). We summarize in our own words and link out — re-check hours, fees and road status before you go.

  1. S1 Dollywood — official site ↗
  2. S2 NPS — Great Smoky Mountains National Park ↗
  3. S3 NPS — Manhattan Project National Historical Park, Oak Ridge ↗
  4. S4 Tennessee Encyclopedia — Jonesborough ↗
  5. S5 Tennessee Encyclopedia — 1982 World’s Fair ↗
  6. S6 Tennessee Encyclopedia — Walnut Street Bridge ↗
  7. S7 Windrock Park — official site ↗
  8. S8 Tennessee Encyclopedia — Southwest Point ↗

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