When it pertains to Instagram-able fall color– the kind that turns the surrounding landscape into a kaleidoscope of crimsons, intense oranges, and fantastic yellows– avoid the trip to New England and head for the mountains and foothills of Tennessee. Here, the Technicolor autumn surroundings is every bit as vibrant as that of our Northern next-door neighbors, and despite the fact that there’s adequate clarity in the air to get the blood pumping, you can leave the down coats in your home. Whether you’re looking to rough it at a historic hike-in lodge high in Great Smoky Mountain National Park, celebrate a special milestone with a bucket-list escape to a luxury mountain resort, or take the entire household (Nana and Papa, too) for a Dolly-approved weekend vacation, there’s a Tennessee destination for every type of fall traveler. Find yours.
The Leaf Peeping “Camper”.
Under Canvas Great Smoky Mountains.
Pigeon Forge.
from $179.
Under Canvas Great Smoky Mountains is developed for all those travelers who love the great outdoors and like the idea of outdoor camping but not actually roughing it in a sleeping bag on rocky mountainous terrain– even for peak fall color. Positioned on 128 woody acres just outside the park entrance near Gatlinburg, this outdoor “resort,” features a collection of glam safari-style canvas camping tents with downy beds, luxe linens, wood-burning stoves, hot showers, and the choice for a private ensuite restroom. Details like the Stargazer cabin’s night-sky watching window above the bed, complimentary s’mores, morning yoga, and kids’ programs produces an unrivaled outdoor experience for everyone from couples to young families.
The Southern Foodie.
Southall Farm & Inn.
Franklin.
From $459.
Whether it’s the tranquil medical spa, where natural light filters into each of the 10 treatment rooms, or the intimate dining room at January, Southall’s primary dining establishment, which features floor-to-ceiling views of the surrounding farm, or the cozy homes unobtrusively tucked into the residential or commercial property’s rolling hills, every element of the Southall experience is rooted in the land. The high-end inn is located on 325-acres of attractive Tennessee farmland, and while it was developed with the convenience of guests in mind, Southall is a true working farm– not simply the impression of one.
The True Outdoor Adventurer.
LeConte Lodge.
Terrific Smoky Mountains National Park.
from $184.
Perched near the top of Mount LeConte deep in the national park, LeConte Lodge is open seasonally from early March through the end of November. Yes, hiking is still the only way to reach the remote lodge, and at five-and-a-half-miles long, the national park’s Alum Cave trail is the most popular route to LeConte. Bookings book up quickly, send your 2025 request now or call about last-minute cancellations this fall.
The Multi-Generational Family Traveler.
Dollywood’s HeartSong Lodge and Resort.
Pigeon Forge.
from $280.
Inspired by Dolly Parton’s youth in the woods and hollers of Tennessee’s Great Smoky Mountains, Dollywood’s brand-new HeartSong Lodge and Resort opened in November 2023. The upscale lodgings include 302 guest rooms, 6 on-site dining alternatives, a spectacular four-story fireplace in the lobby atrium, and both indoor and outside swimming pool alternatives, consisting of a waterfall-flanked showstopper inside The Cove, the resort’s main outdoor event area, where kids can stop by the Imagination Library’s story hour in the early morning or roast a marshmallow before toppling into bed that evening.
Benefit: Guests at HeartSong also get door-to-door park transportation, top priority park access, and complimentary TimeSaver passes for rides like the new $25 million Big Bear roller rollercoaster– a nice perk throughout the park’s popular Harvest Festival, which goes through October 28.
The Special-Occasion Traveler.
Blackberry Mountain.
Walland.
from $1000.
With features like wood-burning in-cabin stoves, indoor-outdoor stone fireplaces, and heated al fresco soaking tubs, Blackberry Mountain is at peak coziness come fall, making it the best season to commemorate an extra-special occasion with your loved ones. And when you’re not dining at one of the Relais-Chateaux home’s 2 outstanding on-site dining establishments or sinking into the calmness of the home’s naturopathic Nest day spa, visitors are encouraged to explore the surrounding seasonal elegance of the resort’s 5,200 acres of private Smoky Mountain wilderness: trek miles of foliage-enveloped routes, browse the attractive rocky surface on the back of a high-octane mtb, check out the woodland canopy at the resort ropes course, or cast a line into a remote trout stream.
