Googling “day trips near me in Tennessee?” Find yourself overwhelmed with the options? Taking a road trip by car is common, but it can be a hassle. Dealing with traffic, driving at night, deer darting in the roads, other drivers’ idiocy…it can all be a real pain. Why not consider train day trips in Tennessee? There’s something sweet and nostalgic about taking a trip by train. It makes us feel like we’ve taken a step back in time, as if the world grew simpler and our minds quieted with the lack of 21st century doom and gloom. Here in Tennessee, we have five places that you can visit – ON A TRAIN – for the day trip of your life. You may just find yourself comin’ back again and again…
- Watertown
Watertown - Wikipedia Head to Watertown on the Murder Mystery Train! Regularly scheduled trips get you to this tiny Tennessee town. This is a festive day trip on a classic American streamlined passenger train. You’ll get to be part of the action in a murder mystery that unfolds right in your own car! The Tennessee Central Railway Museum offers a variety of train day trips in Tennessee, including the Murder Mystery Train. Check out their website for a schedule of upcoming events.
- Monterey
flickr/Brent Moore Editor’s Note: The Monterey Spring Festival Trip is not currently being offered, but there are plenty of other excursions available through Tennessee Central Railway. The Monterey Spring Festival Trip is the longest excursion offered by the Tennessee Central Railway, at 216 miles round trip and a total of 11 hours on the train. You get to visit this sweet rural town and enjoy the Tennessee countryside as it bursts into the green of springtime.
- Music City Star East Corridor Commuter Rail
Brent Moore - Flickr Lebanon is the origin station for the Music City Star East Corridor Commuter Rail. The train will take you through several Tennessee cities, including Hermitage and Mt. Juliet, before finally ending at in downtown Nashville. You can check out the route at the Music City Star Commuter Rail website.
- Dollywood
Charlene N Simmons - Flickr The Dollywood Express may not take you to another city, but you can definitely enjoy a day at the park and ride this old-time locomotive over and over! This 20-minute trip will take you through the beautiful Smoky Mountains. Get more information on Dollywood’s Dollywood Express Train Ride page.
- Lookout Mountain Incline Railway
Gillett’s Crossing - Flickr The Incline Railway is located in Chattanooga, and its 72.7% grade is the steepest in the whole of the US. A miracle mile up and into the clouds, if you will. It was added to the National Registrar of Historic Places on April 26, 1973. This funicular (cable car design) railway is over 125 years old! Tickets and photos are available on the Incline Railway website.
- Del Monaco Winery
Andrew Steele Another fun excursion through the Tennessee Central Railway is the regularly-scheduled Del Monaco Winery day trip! Each ticket comes with a complimentary souvenir wine glass and several tastings of wine. The train lays over in Watertown for lunch. You can see a full schedule of train excursions on the Tennessee Central Railway website.
How neat is that? Railroad excursions in Tennessee will let you see the state like never before.
Watertown - Wikipedia
Head to Watertown on the Murder Mystery Train! Regularly scheduled trips get you to this tiny Tennessee town. This is a festive day trip on a classic American streamlined passenger train. You’ll get to be part of the action in a murder mystery that unfolds right in your own car! The Tennessee Central Railway Museum offers a variety of train day trips in Tennessee, including the Murder Mystery Train. Check out their website for a schedule of upcoming events.
flickr/Brent Moore
Editor’s Note: The Monterey Spring Festival Trip is not currently being offered, but there are plenty of other excursions available through Tennessee Central Railway. The Monterey Spring Festival Trip is the longest excursion offered by the Tennessee Central Railway, at 216 miles round trip and a total of 11 hours on the train. You get to visit this sweet rural town and enjoy the Tennessee countryside as it bursts into the green of springtime.
Brent Moore - Flickr
Lebanon is the origin station for the Music City Star East Corridor Commuter Rail. The train will take you through several Tennessee cities, including Hermitage and Mt. Juliet, before finally ending at in downtown Nashville. You can check out the route at the Music City Star Commuter Rail website.
Charlene N Simmons - Flickr
The Dollywood Express may not take you to another city, but you can definitely enjoy a day at the park and ride this old-time locomotive over and over! This 20-minute trip will take you through the beautiful Smoky Mountains. Get more information on Dollywood’s Dollywood Express Train Ride page.
Gillett’s Crossing - Flickr
The Incline Railway is located in Chattanooga, and its 72.7% grade is the steepest in the whole of the US. A miracle mile up and into the clouds, if you will. It was added to the National Registrar of Historic Places on April 26, 1973. This funicular (cable car design) railway is over 125 years old! Tickets and photos are available on the Incline Railway website.
Andrew Steele
Another fun excursion through the Tennessee Central Railway is the regularly-scheduled Del Monaco Winery day trip! Each ticket comes with a complimentary souvenir wine glass and several tastings of wine. The train lays over in Watertown for lunch. You can see a full schedule of train excursions on the Tennessee Central Railway website.
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Address: Tennessee Central Railway Museum, 220 Willow St, Nashville, TN 37210, USAAddress: Watertown, TN 37184, USAAddress: Riverfront, Nashville, TN 37201, USAAddress: Dollywood Parks Boulevard, Dollywood Parks Blvd, Pigeon Forge, TN, USAAddress: Lookout Mountain, TN 37350, USAAddress: DelMonaco Winery & Vineyards, 600 Lance Dr, Baxter, TN 38544, USA
The OIYS Visitor Center
Day Trips Near Me In Tennessee August 11, 2021 Lisa Sammons What are some of the best day trips near me in Tennessee? We have some amazing day trips planned out all through the state! Check out this list and this one. No matter where you are located in the Volunteer State, there’s plenty to explore. Think you’ve seen all there is to see of Music City? Here are some little-known museums in Nashville with free admission! What are some of the best state parks in Tennessee? In a state as beautiful as Tennessee, it goes without saying that we have some amazing state parks. With 56 state parks, you could go to one a week and still not run out in the course of a year! We absolutely love Rock Island State Park. It’s got almost 900 acres of waterfalls, cliffs, and just all-around gorgeous surroundings. What are some great waterfalls in Tennessee? Plenty! If you’re not so into hiking long distances to see waterfalls, check out these six easy-access waterfalls in Tennessee. We’ve actually got a whole waterfall road trip in Tennessee planned out for you here. Ruby Falls is incredible as well. It looks like something out of a fairy tale!
The OIYS Visitor Center
Day Trips Near Me In Tennessee
August 11, 2021
Lisa Sammons
What are some of the best day trips near me in Tennessee? We have some amazing day trips planned out all through the state! Check out this list and this one. No matter where you are located in the Volunteer State, there’s plenty to explore. Think you’ve seen all there is to see of Music City? Here are some little-known museums in Nashville with free admission! What are some of the best state parks in Tennessee? In a state as beautiful as Tennessee, it goes without saying that we have some amazing state parks. With 56 state parks, you could go to one a week and still not run out in the course of a year! We absolutely love Rock Island State Park. It’s got almost 900 acres of waterfalls, cliffs, and just all-around gorgeous surroundings. What are some great waterfalls in Tennessee? Plenty! If you’re not so into hiking long distances to see waterfalls, check out these six easy-access waterfalls in Tennessee. We’ve actually got a whole waterfall road trip in Tennessee planned out for you here. Ruby Falls is incredible as well. It looks like something out of a fairy tale!
The OIYS Visitor Center
The OIYS Visitor Center
We have some amazing day trips planned out all through the state! Check out this list and this one. No matter where you are located in the Volunteer State, there’s plenty to explore. Think you’ve seen all there is to see of Music City? Here are some little-known museums in Nashville with free admission!
What are some of the best state parks in Tennessee?
In a state as beautiful as Tennessee, it goes without saying that we have some amazing state parks. With 56 state parks, you could go to one a week and still not run out in the course of a year! We absolutely love Rock Island State Park. It’s got almost 900 acres of waterfalls, cliffs, and just all-around gorgeous surroundings.
What are some great waterfalls in Tennessee?
Plenty! If you’re not so into hiking long distances to see waterfalls, check out these six easy-access waterfalls in Tennessee. We’ve actually got a whole waterfall road trip in Tennessee planned out for you here. Ruby Falls is incredible as well. It looks like something out of a fairy tale!
