Tripadvisor
1 / 30#30. Downtown Franklin
- Rating: 4.6/5 (1,472 reviews)
- City: Franklin
- Read more on Tripadvisor
Highest-rated free things to do in Tennessee by visitors
Being an American can be incredibly expensive. While workers in the United States have seen a 1,015% increase in wages over the past 50 years, those gains haven't caught up with the ever-growing cost of living, according to a 2025 report from Consumer Affairs. Between 1973 and 2023, the national consumer price index increased by 586%.
Although Americans have about 63% more purchasing power than 50 years ago, that quickly dissipates when factoring in the increased costs of housing and education. Housing costs have jumped about 1,045%, private college tuition has risen by 158%, and public college tuition has increased by 177%.
That imbalance has put a huge strain on the average American. In 2023, a record-high 42.9 million households were cost-burdened, according to an analysis of Census Bureau data by the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies.
It's no wonder that maintaining savings, paying down debts and mortgages, and regular expenses are taking precedence over vacations. But not everything that's enjoyable has to come at a high price. In fact, there's a roster of completely free things to do in Tennessee.
From touring landmarks and historical sites to getting out into nature, you can find all this and more without swiping your credit card or crossing state lines.
To help you find your next free activity, Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated free things to do in Tennessee using data from Tripadvisor. Tripadvisor ranks places using a combination of metrics, including overall rating, reviews, and number of page views. As a result, an activity with a 5 out of 5 overall rating might rank lower than one with a 4 out of 5. Data is as of Aug. 18, 2025. Only locations that received at least 20 reviews were included.
Read on to start planning a weekend of free fun near you!
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Tripadvisor
2 / 30#29. Tanger Outlets Sevierville
- Rating: 4.4/5 (2,520 reviews)
- City: Sevierville
- Read more on Tripadvisor
Tripadvisor
3 / 30#28. Laurel Falls Trailhead
- Rating: 4.5/5 (1,617 reviews)
- City: Great Smoky Mountains National Park
- Read more on Tripadvisor
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4 / 30#27. Grotto Falls Trail
- Rating: 4.6/5 (956 reviews)
- City: Great Smoky Mountains National Park
- Read more on Tripadvisor
Tripadvisor
5 / 30#26. Hillside Winery
- Rating: 4.8/5 (2,855 reviews)
- City: Sevierville
- Read more on Tripadvisor
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Tripadvisor
6 / 30#25. Ijams Nature Center
- Rating: 4.7/5 (876 reviews)
- City: Knoxville
- Read more on Tripadvisor
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7 / 30#24. Centennial Park
- Rating: 4.4/5 (2,196 reviews)
- City: Nashville Davidson County
- Read more on Tripadvisor
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8 / 30#23. Opry Mills
- Rating: 4.2/5 (1,498 reviews)
- City: Nashville Davidson County
- Read more on Tripadvisor
Tripadvisor
9 / 30#22. Gatlinburg Scenic Overlook
- Rating: 4.7/5 (1,387 reviews)
- City: Gatlinburg
- Read more on Tripadvisor
Tripadvisor
10 / 30#21. Alum Cave Trail
- Rating: 4.8/5 (480 reviews)
- City: Great Smoky Mountains National Park
- Read more on Tripadvisor
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Tripadvisor
11 / 30#20. The Village Shops
- Rating: 4.6/5 (1,012 reviews)
- City: Gatlinburg
- Read more on Tripadvisor
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12 / 30#19. Walnut Street Bridge
- Rating: 4.7/5 (2,959 reviews)
- City: Chattanooga
- Read more on Tripadvisor
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13 / 30#18. Burgess Falls State Park
- Rating: 4.7/5 (514 reviews)
- City: Sparta
- Read more on Tripadvisor
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14 / 30#17. Mountain Valley Winery
- Rating: 4.8/5 (2,853 reviews)
- City: Pigeon Forge
- Read more on Tripadvisor
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15 / 30#16. Tennessee Homemade Wines
- Rating: 5.0/5 (7,042 reviews)
- City: Gatlinburg
- Read more on Tripadvisor
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Tripadvisor
16 / 30#15. Ole Smoky Distillery - The Barrelhouse
- Rating: 4.9/5 (6,043 reviews)
- City: Gatlinburg
- Read more on Tripadvisor
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17 / 30#14. The Peabody Ducks
- Rating: 4.2/5 (6,426 reviews)
- City: Memphis
- Read more on Tripadvisor
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18 / 30#13. Beale Street
- Rating: 4.0/5 (8,901 reviews)
- City: Memphis
- Read more on Tripadvisor
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19 / 30#12. Market Square
- Rating: 4.5/5 (2,994 reviews)
- City: Knoxville
- Read more on Tripadvisor
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20 / 30#11. Kuwohi
- Rating: 4.7/5 (3,170 reviews)
- City: Great Smoky Mountains National Park
- Read more on Tripadvisor
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Tripadvisor
21 / 30#10. Great Smoky Mountains National Park
- Rating: 4.8/5 (2,636 reviews)
- City: Gatlinburg
- Read more on Tripadvisor
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22 / 30#9. Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail
- Rating: 4.8/5 (3,159 reviews)
- City: Great Smoky Mountains National Park
- Read more on Tripadvisor
Tripadvisor
23 / 30#8. Ole Smoky Tennessee Moonshine
- Rating: 4.9/5 (8,328 reviews)
- City: Pigeon Forge
- Read more on Tripadvisor
Tripadvisor
24 / 30#7. Cades Cove
- Rating: 4.5/5 (5,677 reviews)
- City: Great Smoky Mountains National Park
- Read more on Tripadvisor
Tripadvisor
25 / 30#6. Downtown Nashville
- Rating: 4.4/5 (10,140 reviews)
- City: Nashville Davidson County
- Read more on Tripadvisor
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Tripadvisor
26 / 30#5. Gaylord Opryland Garden Conservatory
- Rating: 4.5/5 (6,169 reviews)
- City: Nashville Davidson County
- Read more on Tripadvisor
Tripadvisor
27 / 30#4. The Island in Pigeon Forge
- Rating: 4.5/5 (12,358 reviews)
- City: Pigeon Forge
- Read more on Tripadvisor
Tripadvisor
28 / 30#3. Sugarlands Distilling Company
- Rating: 4.9/5 (30,460 reviews)
- City: Gatlinburg
- Read more on Tripadvisor
Tripadvisor
29 / 30#2. Ole Smoky Distillery "6th & Peabody"
- Rating: 5.0/5 (6,896 reviews)
- City: Nashville Davidson County
- Read more on Tripadvisor
Tripadvisor
30 / 30#1. Ole Smoky Distillery - The Holler
- Rating: 4.8/5 (15,971 reviews)
- City: Gatlinburg
- Read more on Tripadvisor
This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Jill Jaracz, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 51 states.
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