Part of the reason we love Tennessee is for its massive coffer of teensy-tiny towns, cities with kind folk, and ties to American history. We’re proud of our state, but we love our people. They’re who make Tennessee what it is. Here we’ve found eleven towns that truly make Tennessee unique. So here is our list of our favorite rural towns in Tennessee.
- Lynchburg
Brent Moore - Flickr Famous for the Jack Daniels distillery, but other notable residents include Davy Crocket (1811-1813) and rock and roll artist Little Richard. This charming little town is perfect for a summer road trip.
- Townsend
wsilver - Flickr As one of the gateways to the Great Smoky Mountains, it is noted for being the “low-key” entrance to the park, identifying as the “Peaceful Side of the Smokies.” Townsend is beautiful and if you have ever been it is easy to see why.
- Adams
Brian Stansberry/ Wikipedia Adams is the home of the Red River Baptist Church one of the first churches founded west of the Cumberland Plateau in 1791. The town saw an influx of traffic in the ’20s due to its location on US Route 41, which connected Chicago with Florida. Adams is also home to the Bell Witch.
- Etowah
Brent Moore - Flickr Etowah was founded as a depot along the Louisville & Nashville Railroad line as a direct route between Atlanta and Cincinnati and continues to be a fun thoroughfare for tourists today.
- Covington
Brent Moore - Flickr We’ve mentioned this sweet spot before, for its kind people and ties to Tennessee and American history.
- Paris
Jimmy Emerson, DVM - Flickr One of the best places to find a fried catfish and a replica of the Eiffel Tower, Paris happens to be a rural town with a bit of a southern reputation.
- Bluff City
Brent Moore - Flickr Tucked away in East Tennessee, Bluff City has some of the most beautiful vistas and stunning overlooks in the east. As a part of the Tri-Cities conglomerate, you’re not too far from a couple of larger towns as well.
- Tellico Plains
幻影留梦 - Flickr Check out Bald River Falls, a bit of the Cherohala Skyway or Conasauga Falls Trail while in Tellico Plains - it’s situated in a stunning bit of the state, y’all. It is true that Tellico Plains is surrounded by natural beauty.
- Erwin
DM - Flickr The county seat of Unicoi County is most certainly a pretty little thing. Although it may have a controversial history, Erwin is a town that deserves an infusion of contemporary understanding - it’s beautiful, the people are kind and it is most definitely a day trip for Tennesseans.
- Nolensville
Shawn Ide - Flickr Great for antiquing and family walks, Nolensville is a darling place that the family will fall in love with. Grab a pie from the Amish bakery or find a special bit of furniture for your home - Nolensville is Tennessee unplugged, and it’s darling.
- Sewanee
Michael Hicks - Flickr Known for the university and stunning fall foliage, Sewanee is tiny with a big natural voice. God didn’t skimp on the beauty out here.
Did your home make the list? What are some other great rural towns in Tennessee? let us know in the comments.
Brent Moore - Flickr
Famous for the Jack Daniels distillery, but other notable residents include Davy Crocket (1811-1813) and rock and roll artist Little Richard. This charming little town is perfect for a summer road trip.
wsilver - Flickr
As one of the gateways to the Great Smoky Mountains, it is noted for being the “low-key” entrance to the park, identifying as the “Peaceful Side of the Smokies.” Townsend is beautiful and if you have ever been it is easy to see why.
Brian Stansberry/ Wikipedia
Adams is the home of the Red River Baptist Church one of the first churches founded west of the Cumberland Plateau in 1791. The town saw an influx of traffic in the ’20s due to its location on US Route 41, which connected Chicago with Florida. Adams is also home to the Bell Witch.
Etowah was founded as a depot along the Louisville & Nashville Railroad line as a direct route between Atlanta and Cincinnati and continues to be a fun thoroughfare for tourists today.
We’ve mentioned this sweet spot before, for its kind people and ties to Tennessee and American history.
Jimmy Emerson, DVM - Flickr
One of the best places to find a fried catfish and a replica of the Eiffel Tower, Paris happens to be a rural town with a bit of a southern reputation.
Tucked away in East Tennessee, Bluff City has some of the most beautiful vistas and stunning overlooks in the east. As a part of the Tri-Cities conglomerate, you’re not too far from a couple of larger towns as well.
幻影留梦 - Flickr
Check out Bald River Falls, a bit of the Cherohala Skyway or Conasauga Falls Trail while in Tellico Plains - it’s situated in a stunning bit of the state, y’all. It is true that Tellico Plains is surrounded by natural beauty.
DM - Flickr
The county seat of Unicoi County is most certainly a pretty little thing. Although it may have a controversial history, Erwin is a town that deserves an infusion of contemporary understanding - it’s beautiful, the people are kind and it is most definitely a day trip for Tennesseans.
Shawn Ide - Flickr
Great for antiquing and family walks, Nolensville is a darling place that the family will fall in love with. Grab a pie from the Amish bakery or find a special bit of furniture for your home - Nolensville is Tennessee unplugged, and it’s darling.
Michael Hicks - Flickr
Known for the university and stunning fall foliage, Sewanee is tiny with a big natural voice. God didn’t skimp on the beauty out here.
These are our favorite rural towns and now check out our list of favorite downtown areas in small towns.
OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article.
The OIYS Visitor Center
Small towns in Tennessee September 15, 2022 Chris Dodge What are some other great rural towns or small towns in Tennessee? If you know anything about Tennessee then you know that we have some of the nicest people in the country. Getting outside of the big cities and into these little towns, you will find kind people who love to help others and are always willing to show you some southern hospitality. So, let’s get out to some of these small towns and see what it’s all about. Here are a few suggestions for you … The little town of Bell Buckle may be small but it has a huge personality. This small town in Tennessee was named after the nearby creek and is filled with art. The town hosts interesting festivals throughout the year and has one of the best little restaurants downtown. The town’s downtown area is also worth sticking around for a day of shopping. For our next suggestion, the little town of Jonesborough is an excellent place to visit. This is the oldest town in Tennessee and was actually once the capital, even if it didn’t last very long. There is a lot of very important history surrounding this town and the downtown area is an absolute must to visit. This small little town also has the claim of being the storytelling capital of the world. That was all made possible by an annual storytelling event the town hosts every year. These are just a few of the small towns that we have in our wonderful state to visit.
The OIYS Visitor Center
Small towns in Tennessee
September 15, 2022
Chris Dodge
What are some other great rural towns or small towns in Tennessee? If you know anything about Tennessee then you know that we have some of the nicest people in the country. Getting outside of the big cities and into these little towns, you will find kind people who love to help others and are always willing to show you some southern hospitality. So, let’s get out to some of these small towns and see what it’s all about. Here are a few suggestions for you … The little town of Bell Buckle may be small but it has a huge personality. This small town in Tennessee was named after the nearby creek and is filled with art. The town hosts interesting festivals throughout the year and has one of the best little restaurants downtown. The town’s downtown area is also worth sticking around for a day of shopping. For our next suggestion, the little town of Jonesborough is an excellent place to visit. This is the oldest town in Tennessee and was actually once the capital, even if it didn’t last very long. There is a lot of very important history surrounding this town and the downtown area is an absolute must to visit. This small little town also has the claim of being the storytelling capital of the world. That was all made possible by an annual storytelling event the town hosts every year. These are just a few of the small towns that we have in our wonderful state to visit.
The OIYS Visitor Center
The OIYS Visitor Center
If you know anything about Tennessee then you know that we have some of the nicest people in the country. Getting outside of the big cities and into these little towns, you will find kind people who love to help others and are always willing to show you some southern hospitality. So, let’s get out to some of these small towns and see what it’s all about. Here are a few suggestions for you …
The little town of Bell Buckle may be small but it has a huge personality. This small town in Tennessee was named after the nearby creek and is filled with art. The town hosts interesting festivals throughout the year and has one of the best little restaurants downtown. The town’s downtown area is also worth sticking around for a day of shopping.
For our next suggestion, the little town of Jonesborough is an excellent place to visit. This is the oldest town in Tennessee and was actually once the capital, even if it didn’t last very long. There is a lot of very important history surrounding this town and the downtown area is an absolute must to visit. This small little town also has the claim of being the storytelling capital of the world. That was all made possible by an annual storytelling event the town hosts every year. These are just a few of the small towns that we have in our wonderful state to visit.
