Spring is in the air and you wish you could travel and experience the scenic beauty, music, history and culture, cuisine and family fun across Tennessee. We wish you could, too.
As we're following guidelines to stay home and practice social distancing as recommended by the CDC and health professionals due to COVID-19, world-class museums, attractions and exhibits are getting creative to connect you with virtual tours, concerts, digital offerings and live webcams. See what's available for you and your family to experience from the comfort of your home.
BRISTOL Birthplace of Country Music Museum
BIRTHPLACE OF COUNTRY MUSIC MUSEUM
Go back in time to the "big bang of country music."
The museum is sharing a series of behind-the-scenes videos with stories told throughout the museum as well as a closer look at the unique instruments on display. Students can participate in several activities, from songwriting to learning about important figures from the 1927 Bristol Sessions. Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion music festival hosts a Bristol Quarantine Sessions . Radio Bristol's Farm and Fun Time will begin airing on Blue Ridge PBS 7 p.m. ET April 4.
Enter to win a pair of tickets to a future show.
Need a creative outlet? Download, print and color this Paramount Bristol coloring sheet. Add an artist or show you'd like to see at Paramount Bristol in the marquee. Post your artwork to social media and tag using the hashtag #PBColoring Challenge. One lucky winner will win a pair of tickets to a show of their choice in the fall.
Socially-Distancing Concert Series (April 2-30, 2020)
Support the arts and practice social distancing with Believe in Bristol's live daily virtual concerts at 7 p.m. ET.
Virtual Tour of Shop Main Street
A WEEKEND IN BRISTOL, TENNESSEE
Walk through this historic street and spot the shops in downtown Bristol virtually.
CHATTANOOGA Bluff View Art District
Explore this arts and culture district.
Explore a Google Maps Virtual Tour of the historic district.
Charles H. Coolidge National Medal of Honor Heritage Center
Explore the exhibits virtually and complete an Online Scavenger Hunt. Aimed to inspire the next generation of heroes, the Heritage Center's “Adventures in Valor” virtual learning environment includes an online scavenger hunt to better understand the history of the Medal of Honor, an essay contest and a list of 10 discussion questions.
Live streams include meerkats, snow leopards, sloth and cotton top tamarins.
Kids will love these online activities.
Access online activities like Distance Learning and Biofuels Lessons Online. Join Facebook Live broadcasts including story time, Culinary Corner kitchen lessons and other hands-on, play-based activities to do at home.
Lookout Wild Film Festival - Social Distancing Series
Enjoy all the outdoor adventure and conservation films from the comfort of your couch.
Music & Other Performances
Follow @VisitChatt on Facebook for regular live music broadcasts from Chattanooga artists.
See the largest underground waterfall.
Go behind the scenes with Facebook Live tours to see the largest underground waterfall in America.
Get a guitar and a history lesson.
Check out the Vault Sessions, an episodic online video series featuring one-of-a-kind guitars, rare instruments, guitar lessons, folklorists, musical historians, writers, instrument manufacturers and educational discussions. Catch up on the latest behind-the-scenes episodes from the Songbirds Podcast.
See animals frolic at Tennessee Aquarium.
Aquarium at Home: Download activity sheets and links to aquarium video series.
Facebook Live Moment of Zen broadcasts
*Follow @VisitChatt and the hashtag #ConnectChatt on social media for daily live and virtual experiences.
COLUMBIA President James K. Polk Home & Museum
Walk the halls of a president's home.
Step into the halls of the James K. Polk home in historic Columbia, the only remaining home of the nation's 11th president on part one and part two of a virtual tour.
CROSSVILLE Grinder House Coffee Shop
GRINDER HOUSE COFFEE SHOP, LLC
The live music venue will produce a live “Stuck in the House” singer-songwriter concert series. Each show will be 30 minutes and will have a virtual “tip jar” with donations paid directly to the artist.
FRANKLIN Gallery 202
Take a virtual tour of the diverse art gallery in downtown Franklin with an array of artistic styles and mediums including paintings, antiques, glass, jewelry, pottery and sculpture.
Get all your Civil War questions answered.
Eric A. Jacobson, the CEO of the Battle of Franklin Trust, will lead a 45-60 minute tour of Carnton and take your questions Thursday, April 2 at 11 am (CT) for a special Facebook live event.
GATLINBURG Gatlinburg Sky Lift Park
See the sunset at the longest pedestrian suspension bridge in North America.
Photo Credit @gatlinburgskylift
The SkyLift Park and SkyBridge would like to bring you joy and a smile during these times of solitude. Check the Facebook page of views from the SkyBridge, North America's longest pedestrian suspension bridge.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK
When you need a little moment in nature, check out these great webcams operated by the national park. Watch the park's many species of wildlife living in their natural habitat in real-time, check in on the weather or catch a beautiful Smoky Mountain sunset at the end of the day. Follow the latest updates from the park service.
Webcam at Clingmans Dome (Operational April – October because of winter weather conditions)
Webcams in the Mountains
Local businesses provide views of Gatlinburg of the Smoky Mountains, including Anakeesta and the Gatlinburg Space Needle.
Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies
RIPLEY'S AQUARIUM OF THE SMOKIES
Watch cute penguins and other creatures.
Explore Ripley's Aquarium at Home and learn about the creatures that call the world's waters home. Meet aquarium staff educators, who will be your guide to live feedings, educational encounters, story time and much more.
#VirtualGatlinburg
Live your Gatlinburg vacation from the comfort of your couch. Tune in to dozens of live streams, webcams and virtual experiences as they are announced at Bringing Gatlinburg to You.
Learn about the Gateway to Music City in a Colonial Beginnings exhibit, go on a nature scavenger hunt and other fun virtual activities at Visit Goodlettesville's YouTube channel.
GRAY Hands On! Discovery Center
Get up close to fossils found in Tennessee.
Photo Credit @visitnortheasttennessee
The all-ages science center offers fun, at-home activities each day on Facebook to help keep science and art alive for everyone. A resource page coming to their website soon and will provide additional interactive and educational activities, including Fossil Friday.
Take virtual trips every day on Facebook Live @GreenevilleTN #StaycateGreenevillTN and #VirtualVaca2020.
HENDERSONVILLE Hendersonville Hometown Jam
Tune into the Hendersonville Hometown Jam Facebook page featuring a different artist every day at 11 a.m. CT.
Photo Credit @centuryfarmwinery
Find inspiration to plan a future weekend visit to Jackson, including the West Tennessee Farmers Market and live music at the AMP, Southern Legends of Music at the Carnegie, Rusty's TV and Movie Car Museum, Century Farm Winery, Samuel T. Bryant Distillery, Pinson Mounds State Archaeological Park and more.
Fishing guide Jay Girardot takes you on a morning fishing trip on Cherokee Lake in East Tennessee.
JONESBOROUGH International Storytelling Center
INTERNATIONAL STORYTELLING CENTER
Hear tales from some of the best storytellers.
The International Storytelling Center serves as the vanguard of the storytelling movement, helping preserve and enhance the world's oldest art form. Hear stories, listen to the StoryVault podcast, watch Youtube videos from past festivals.
Visit Kingsport wants you to step out on your front porch or yard each night at 6 p.m. ET to wave to your neighbors. We are all in this together, so get outside and say hello (a safe six feet away!). Check out the first Neighborhood Wave! Follow Kingsport Strong on Facebook for updates about Kingsport's Wave Movement and share your waves.
KNOXVILLE Dogwood Arts Festival
The beloved arts festival is going virtual after having to postpone the public event. Dogwood Arts Festival showcases 109 artists online from around the U.S. who were juried in to participate this year. Browse and support the arts from the comfort of your home.
Get a history lesson from your couch.
The executive director of the museum takes you on a tour and tells stories of the historic site in the original 1786 residence of James White, the founder of Knoxville.
Searching for ways to connect? Muse Knoxville, a non-profit children's STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) museum, hosts activities and ideas to keep your family learning at home, like Story Time from Space. Check out the Muse Knoxville Facebook page.
Step back in time at this old-fashioned pharmacy and soda fountain. Recall a time when ice cream sundaes had unique names and a fizzy soda was to be savored.
Learn how beer glasses are made.
Artisan and owner Matthew Cummings uses his artistry to create singular hand-blown glasses to serve up his handcrafted beers and sodas. Cummings shows you how a beer glass is crafted using traditional glass blowing techniques.
Zoo Knoxville
Follow Zoo Knoxville on Facebook and Instagram for virtual experiences, zoo encounters and more.
LAWRENCEBURG David Crockett State Park
Experience the beauty of David Crockett State Park with bird feeder observations, virtual warm-ups, trails and other offerings on their Facebook page.
Spend the day virtually visiting McMinnville.
In a new series by Visit McMinnville, Seed Stories: Every Bloom Starts with a Seed uncovers the inspiration behind local businesses and how they tie into the culture and scenery that define McMinnville. Follow Visit McMinnville on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for new stories.
MEMPHIS Belltower Artisans
The Belltower Artisans offers take-home pottery lessons.
Cocktail-Making Classes
Mixologist Morgan McKinney is setting up online cocktail-making classes.
Indie Memphis launched the Indie Memphis Movie Club with suggested films and online Q&A sessions.
Memphis Public Library
The Memphis Public Library is doing Facebook live streams for story times.
Follow @MemphisZoo on social for unique, at-home experiences, behind-the-scenes looks and virtual animal encounters from their Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook pages.
National Civil rights Museum
Commemorate Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy.
Photo Credit National Civil Rights Museum/Justin Fox Burks
The National Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine Motel will present a virtual commemoration in honor of Dr. King's life and legacy onthe 52nd anniversary of his death 5-6:30 p.m. CT Saturday, April 4 on the museum's website, Youtube, Facebook and Livestream platforms. The museum has retooled its original event to produce digital content and a virtual broadcast entitled, “Remember MLK: The Man. The Movement. The Moment.”
Opera Memphis will host 30 Days of Opera, a virtual opera festival, starting on April 1.
Learn about physics, science and nature with Museum to Go. There are “Activities at Home,” “Curator's Choice” highlighting the museum curator's favorite artifacts, a free streaming movie link to the documentary America's Musical Journey that has scenes shot in Memphis on Beale Street and the Arcade Restaurant downtown and a free streaming of The Sun, Our Living Star planetarium show. The Museum will add more shows, coloring books, fun educational activities, podcasts and more.
Stax Museum of American Soul Music
STAX MUSEUM OF AMERICAN SOUL MUSIC
Experience the legacy of Stax Records with Deep Cuts: Rare Items from the Stax Archives.
Urban Art Commission
Check out its social-distancing-friendly temporary art installation.
Memphis Brooks Museum of Art invites you to create and share your wildest sidewalk art with #Chalkfest2020 March 30-April 3 for your chance to win prizes. Create sidewalk art, share photos with the hashtag #Chalkfest2020 and tag @BrooksMuseum on Instagram and Facebook.
MURFREESBORO Murfreesboro Center for the Arts
Take an exclusive backstage virtual tour of the center which presents theatrical productions, visual art exhibitions, music concerts, dance performances and educational classes.
Earth Experience, the Middle Tennessee Museum of Natural History
EARTH EXPERIENCE - MIDDLE TENNESSEE MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY
Take a virtual tour to see fossils, gems and more.
Take a virtual tour of the museum with displays from all over the world. See dinosaurs, fossils, gems, minerals, rocks and archaeological relics and a rare, 38-foot T-Rex.
Gateway Island at the Fountains
Take in the nature and sounds of Gateway Island at the Fountains, part of the Murfreesboro Greenway System with a trail, a lake overlook and a variety of wildlife.
Middle Tennessee State University
Curious what one of the largest and fastest-growing undergraduate campuses in Tennessee looks like? Tour the campus, home of the Blue Raiders. Check out the Artistic Quilting exhibit at Todd Art Gallery through MTSU's Department of Art and Design.
Hear the deep history behind this home.
During the Civil War, Oaklands Mansion was occupied by both armies and it survived. Check out live footage of the museum. It's also a popular venue for special events, engaging community programs and weddings.
Stones River National Battlefield
STONES RIVER NATIONAL BATTLEFIELD
Learn more about the Civil War.
Explore the battlefield and home of the oldest Civil War monument in the United States on a virtual tour.
Tennessee Philharmonic Orchestra
Attend a virtual performance of this orchestra, a staple to the culture of Rutherford County.
The Walnut House
Take a tour backstage and through the ages at the state-of-the-art live music and concert venue, which has been on the Murfreesboro Square for more than 100 years.
NASHVILLE Adventure Science Center
Explore space and do science projects.
Browse their online collection of do-it-yourself science projects.
Andrew Jackson's Hermitage: Home of the People's President
ANDREW JACKSON'S HERMITAGE: HOME OF THE PEOPLE'S PRESIDENT
The home of the 7th president of the U.S. shares its deep history through virtual tours, a new video or livestream, mansion tours and behind-the-glass discussions on Facebook.
Cheekwood's Tots! program has moved to online activities for families to access online. They plan to share one activity a week. Enjoy virtual garden tours on Instragram by following the hashtags #cheekwoodinbloom and #ourgardensyourhome
Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
COUNTRY MUSIC HALL OF FAME AND MUSEUM
See the vast collection at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.
Enjoy the video collection, including pre-recorded live performances, interviews, songwriter sessions and podcasts. Also, explore the Digital Archives which includes photos, sound recordings, printed materials, and objects of their collection. There's also an Oral History and a Photography Collection.
The Frist's Youtube channel has archives of lectures, instructional videos, short features, and the entire performance of Nick Cave: Feat. Nashville, which took place at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center.
The Opry's television and video network, Circle, brings the Opry show to the world starting at 8/7c Saturdays online and in select local markets on Facebook and Youtube.
Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum
MUSICIANS HALL OF FAME & MUSEUM
Hear stories, interviews and more.
Enjoy a collection of interviews, interesting stories, and more.
Enjoy their Puppet Shows.
Three social media posts a week focus on Music Education tools for parents to use at home with their children on the symphony's Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.
Get a daily dose of cute animals, learn fun new facts and watch regular live streams with keepers on the Nashville Zoo's Facebook and Instagram. For the next few weeks, they will send out an email each Monday letting you know when to catch live streams that week.
Explore Tennessee's extensive history.
The “Search the Collection” online portal lets visitors search and read about artifacts. Check out the video archives from the museum's lectures, panel discussion and Lunch and Learn events. The "Stories" blog contains articles featuring topics on Tennessee history. Download and print #ColorOurCollection sheets that feature artifacts.
Winners Bar & Grill
Enjoy live music from talented writers and artists with the Winners Bar & Grill's Whiskey Jam Livestream Series. When the event first launched in 2011, the first few months saw guests artists like Kip Moore, Brett Eldridge, Chris Young and Dustin Lynch.
Virtual Concerts
From their homes to yours, Nashville artists and local music venues are livestreaming concerts so you can still feel the music – safely at home. Hear what's playing.
Virtual Cooking
Well-known Nashville Chef Sean Brock, is offering virtual cooking classes from his home. He works with clients on the dish they want to cook and they cook together via FaceTime. All proceeds go to his teams at his restaurants Audrey and newest venture, Joyland, which is offering carry-out and curbside service. Joyland, located at 901 Woodland St., features cheeseburgers, shakes, fried chicken on a stick, and biscuits.
Check out the complete list of virtual offerings from other Nashville attractions.
Pigeon Forge Titanic Museum Attraction
TITANIC MUSEUM ATTRACTION IN PIGEON FORGE
Step inside the Titanic in a different way.
Step on board the Titanic for a four-part virtual tour series via Youtube that takes you through the exhibits with stories and interesting facts.
RUGBY R.M. Brooks General Store
Learn the history and take a virtual tour of the community landmark and meeting place, R.M. Brooks General Store, operated by five generations of the family.
SEVIERVILLE Travel inspiration
Get inspiration for a trip to see the fall foliage in the Smokies with virtual fall driving tours. Fill your plate with traditional recipes handed down through generations from regional favorites like Applewood Farmhouse Restaurant and Tony Gore's Smoky Mountain BBQ & Grill. Visit Sevierville virtually with stops at Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tanger Outlet Center Sevierville and Wilderness at the Smokies.
This museum brings aviation history to life through artifacts tracing aviation and military history, uniforms, aircraft models and memorabilia. Get “Schooled by Jules,” as Aviation Docent and WWII Veteran Jules Bernard explains the Stinson L-5 or check out other videos on their Youtube channel.
SEWANEE Mountain Goat Trail Stories
Enjoy four stories about people who use and enjoy the Mountain Goat Trail, a multi-modal rail-trail that connects communities along the historic path of the Mountain Goat Railroad, which carried coal and passengers between communities on the South Cumberland Plateau from 1856-1985. A 5-mile section of the Mountain Goat Trail connects Sewanee to Monteagle, Tennessee.
UNION CITY Discovery Park of America
Carve out time for "Moments of Discovery."
Follow Discovery Park of America on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Youtube for great content like “Moments of Discovery,” an “Artifact of the Day,” artifacts and stories with the hashtag #ThisDayinHistory, the weekly release of the popular “Reelfoot Forward: A West Tennessee” podcast, “Wildlife Wednesday,” Discovery Park's blog, and “Fossil Friday.”
What do you get when you mix together two sassy women, pecans and a whole lot of southern flavor? You get one of Watertown's staple restaurants and confectionaries, famous for their Sticky Doohickeys. Read all about them.