Outdoor recreation, river cruises and urban attractions are all located in the Tennessee Valley, which is the Tennessee River's drainage basin. The valley stretches throughout Tennessee and includes areas such as southern Kentucky and Northern Alabama. During the summer, Tennessee Valley parks offer chances for fishing and hiking, while the Valley's mountainous regions--Lookout Mountain and the Great Smokies--facilitate skiing in the winter.
Wheeler Lake in Alabama is the largest lake in the Tennessee Valley area at 67,100 acres. This lake provides bass, catfish and bream fishing. An Alabama license is required for fishing in this reservoir. Boating ramps and fishing piers are available at one of Wheeler Lake's major parks, Joe Wheeler State Park. Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge near Decatur, Alabama, features kayaking and birding activities.
Huntsville is the largest city in north Alabama and home to the Marshall Space Flight Center, a division of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, or NASA. The Flight Center offers guided tours and youth space camps.
Huntsville's International Springs Park is in the downtown area and hosts annual events, including the Big Spring Jam in the autumn and April's Panoply Arts Festival. The park also features a Japanese-style bridge on the lake and the Huntsville Museum of Art.
The Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area is in western Tennessee and southern Kentucky. This national park is between two large lakes, Lake Barkley and Kentucky Lake; both lakes are approximately 220,000 acres combined.
The recreation area has 16 parks with boat ramps. Land Between the Lakes is also home to Wranglers Campground, which features shower facilities and an equestrian center. Over 100 miles of riding trails are available within the park.
Lookout Mountain is at approximately 2,400 feet elevation and the site is shared by Northeast Alabama, Southeast Tennessee and Northwest Georgia. Lookout Mountain Parkway offers scenic drives on Lookout Mountain. In the spring and summer, this parkway is surrounded by wildflowers.
Skiing opportunities are available during the winter at Cloudmont Ski Resort. This mountain is also home to Ruby Falls, an underground cavern with a 145-foot waterfall.
Chattanooga, Tennessee, is at the base of Lookout Mountain in the southern region of the state. This city rests on the Tennessee River and provides day and dinner cruises, via the Southern Belle Riverboat. Other Chattanooga attractions include the Tennessee Aquarium and the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum.
Restaurants can be found in the historic downtown district. A possible lodging option is the Chattanooga Choo Choo, a boutique hotel that was converted from a 1908 railroad station.
Located in eastern Tennessee, the Great Smoky Mountains, or the Great Smokies, are an offshoot of the Appalachian Mountain range and extend into North Carolina. The Great Smokies is home to a variety of cabin rental resorts.
Cades Cove offers glimpses of early pioneer life in the Great Smokies. This park features hiking trails and restored 19th-century buildings. Other tourist attractions include the Dollywood amusement park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, and Ober Gatlinburg recreation area in Gatlinburg, Tennessee.
