From strange roadside attractions to wonderfully weird museums, Tennessee is home to the quirky and downright bizarre. Giant pink elephants? Yep! The world’s largest Rubik’s cube? You betcha. There’s even a festival dedicated solely to tomato art!
Whether you’re visiting for the weekend or just passing through, take a detour to some of these funky attractions and festivals.
Roadside Attractions
Aviation enthusiasts should be on the lookout for the Airplane Filling Station in Knoxville. In 1931, Henry and Elmer Nickle constructed a filling station in the shape of an airplane on the side of Clinton Highway, thinking that it would catch the eye of motorists passing by on their travels and entice them to stop for gas. Modeled after Charles Lindbergh’s plane, “The Spirit of St. Louis,” the filling station closed in 1970, but it still attracts tourists looking for the perfect photo op.
If you find yourself near Bluff City, do yourself a favor and check out the Backyard Terrors Dinosaur Park. Opened in 2007, this park is home to over sixty homemade dinosaur sculptures, from a towering T-Rex to a stegosaurus and triceratops. Stop by the fossil dig site and explore a variety of exhibits where kids can be paleontologists for the day. Don’t forget to check out their gift shop and take home a souvenir – they’ve got everything from fossil dig kits to dino plushies!
From afar, it might just look like a bunch of metal. But once you get closer, you’ll see that Billy Tripp’s Mindfield in Brownsville is quite the work of art. Work on the art installation started in 1989, and the shape and size have evolved over the years as more pieces of salvaged metal have been added. Each piece represents Billy Tripp’s emotions and feelings during significant events in life. Today, the twisted metal structure is more than 13 stories tall and resembles a cross between a rollercoaster and a power station. You’ll want to add this attraction to your itinerary if you appreciate abstract and unusual art.
Located near an antique mall on the side of the road in Cross Plain, you might find something you don’t see every day – a massive statue of a pink elephant with a martini glass. One of many pink elephants in the United States, these colorful mastodons started popping up in the late 1960s. This particular elephant is believed to be a replica of another elephant that used to be in a putt-putt golf course in the 1980s. Take a photo with this tipsy mammoth, and check out the antique shop afterward!
If you love your weird attractions with a side of terror, the Bell Witch Cave is a screaming good time. Located in the small town of Adams, you can tour the historic cave, which is believed to be haunted by the spirit of Kate Batts – a witch who tortured the locals. Take a lantern tour of the cave and explore the winding tunnels and rock formations that lead to an ancient Indigenous American burial site. You might just catch a glimpse of Kate’s spirit causing mischief.
Looking for things to do in Knoxville? Check out the World’s Largest Rubik’s Cube. On display inside the Knoxville Convention Center, the cube was a gift from Hungary presented at the Knoxville World’s Fair in 1982. Check out the ten-foot-tall colossal cube if you like this popular puzzle game.
Museums
You’ll feel like the king of the world when visiting the Titanic Replica in Pigeon Forge. Known as the world’s largest Titanic museum attraction, you can explore recreations of the first- and third-class passenger rooms and the Grand Staircase. Interactive exhibits let you experience what it was like to be aboard the ill-fated maiden voyage of the unsinkable ship. See a reconstruction of the boiler room and a flooded stairwell. You’ll also find a collection of artifacts and memorabilia from surviving passengers, such as a pocket watch, instruments and passenger room keys.
How many salt and pepper shakers do you have in your house? It’s probably nowhere near as many as this place. At the Salt and Pepper Shaker Museum in Gatlinburg, you’ll find a collection of over 20,000 unique salt and pepper shakers from all over the world. From shakers shaped like fruit to cola bottles and sushi, you’ll be able to find it all in one place in this unusual museum.
If you enjoy a good cup of tea, stop at the Trenton Teapot Museum inside Trenton City Hall. The collection includes over five hundred porcelain teapots from around the world, earning the city of Trenton the nickname “The Teapot Capital of the World.” You’ll find ornate teapots, short and tall teapots and four teapots that belonged to Napoleon!
Festivals
Love for tomatoes knows no bounds at Nashville’s Tomato Art Fest. Held every August, this two-day celebration is an all-out tomato extravaganza. Not only does this festival showcase art honoring this beloved fruit (remember, it’s not a vegetable), but you can dance to live musical performances, watch a tomato-themed parade, and attend a Bloody Mary Garden Party.
Every June in Bell Buckle, a festival celebrates an old Southern favorite snack combo – an RC Cola and a MoonPie. Served up at the RC Cola-MoonPie Festival every June, guests can dine on this sweet combo and enjoy live music, arts and crafts. Don’t miss the big parade – a crowd favorite that ends with the crowing of the RC Cola and MoonPie King and Queen!
Goats and music (yes, you read that right) come together in perfect harmony at the Goats, Music & More Festival in Lewisburg. This annual fall festival brings together live music, vendors and artisans selling their goods and, of course – goats! Taking place in Rock Creek Park, you can enjoy bands on the main stage, dine on delicious cuisine from local vendors or check out the goat tent. Be sure to try out goat yoga if you’re feeling adventurous!
Every spring in South Pittsburg, locals gather for the National Cornbread Festival. A week-long event celebrating this sweet and savory baked confection, you better leave your scale at home and prepare to loosen your belt a notch or two. Take a stroll down Cornbread Alley and sample different varieties of cornbread, from sweet to spicy. Check out the cornbread cookoff to see who takes home the title of National Cornbread Champion. Beauty and baking come together at Miss National Cornbread Pageant, and there’s even a week-long carnival, fireworks and street dancing!
