TENNESSEE ADVENTURES
FUN,FUN and more FUN! This family hates boredom! Every weekend we are on the go. We moved from Chicago last year to a small town near Nashville. We pretty much go everywhere from close by parks to 3 hour drives. I take my camera with me at all times, so I can capture our beautiful moments. There is so much to see in Tennessee. We love spending time outdoors and hiking. I'm one of those " cool" moms that tells her kids to go outside daily, instead of playing videos games or watch TV all day. The kids don't always want to go hiking, there are days when they just want to stay home and play games, and that is okey too. Family time is very important to me, and I know my kids will appreciate these moments when they grow up. Here are some places we liked exploring.
1. FALL CREEK FALLS STATE PARK
I love this park!We woke up at 7 am and drove two hours to Fall Creek State Park. The park is Tennessee's largest state park, also the most visited one. This waterfall is one of the highest waterfalls in the eastern United states. In this picture the Waterfall looks dry, but usually after the rain there is much more water. Other waterfalls near by we visited are Piney Falls and Cane Creek Falls. There are short trails and also two long distance overnight trails. Since we were with the kids, we took the shorter trails. This park offers camping, zip lines, a small swinging bridge,cabins and a hotel,arts and crafts for kids at the nature center, and four playgrounds.
2. BURGESS FALLS STATE PARK
Burgess State Park is one of my favorites! We visited this park couple of times, we just can't stay away! It's a day use park and the trails are not that long, but it is great for kids. There is also a Butterfly Garden close to the parking area and picnic tables. We make lunch home and take it with us so we can enjoy it outdoors.
3. HARPETH RIVER STATE PARK
Harpeth River State Park is an ideal spot for hiking, fishing ,canoeing and picnicking. We hiked only a half a mile to this beautiful view! It's really breathtaking! We sat down, had a snack and relaxed before we went back down.
4. ROCK CITY, CHATTANOOGA
This place was definitely one of our favorites, and the kids loved it here!
There are so many reasons to visit this wonderful place! There are plenty of attractions like the Ruby Falls and the Incline Railway. Once you enter Rock City Gardens, you’ll find narrow pathways through large rocks, like the “Fat Mans Squeeze”, an underground cavern, Fairyland Caverns,wonderful scenic look-out points, and my favorite, the suspension bridge. Even though it is three hours away, it is worth the drive!
PERCY PRIEST LAKE
There are a lot of things to do here! There are Campgrounds, picnic areas and hiking trails.The Percy Priest Lake Marinas offer fishing, boating, water sports and there is also a swimming site. We always go just hiking and have a picnic outdoors. It is so relaxing, looking at the water really calms me, especially since I suffer from anxiety daily.
RADNOR LAKE STATE NATURAL AREA
This is definitely my favorite spot! A little bit of wilderness just outside of Nashville! There are lot of rare birds, deer, chipmunks, turkey's and an easy 3 mile loop around the lake. We love to get away for couple of hours of peace, even though it can get crowded during the weekend. I love to take walks here during Fall and see beautiful colorful leaves everywhere.
CUMMINS FALLS STATE PARK
This hike was a little bit difficult, especially if you are with the kids.The stream crossings can make the trail uncomfortable in winter and fall, and water levels are also something to consider, especially after a lot of rain. Both routes are steep with uneven terrain and have significant elevation drops. We always make sure we stay close together, if some routes seem to difficult for the kids ,we usually turn around and go a different way. The waterfall is a wildly popular swimming hole in summer, so do expect big crowds!We went during spring time, so the weather was perfect! We had a lunch break and the kids had some fun throwing rocks in the river.
