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25 Best Things to Do in the Tri-Cities TN with Kids – or Without
If you’re looking for some of the best and most unique things to do in the Tri-Cities TN – with kids or without – you’ve come to the right place!
We’ve been visiting the tri-cities a few times a year for several decades. David’s family has lived in the area for generations.
He told me for years that there are some cool things to do in the tri-cities TN. I just didn’t believe him at first. I was so wrong!
Over the years, it seems like we’ve tried everything in the area. These are the top items on our list of things to do in the Tri-Cities TN.
I guarantee you’ll find something here that you’ll love. So let’s jump in!
Things to Do in the Tri-Cities TN with Kids
It might be tempting to skip the tri-cities area in northeast Tennessee on your way to Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, or Asheville. Or even Charlotte. Don’t do it.
There are a lot of great kid-friendly things to do in Kingsport, things to do in Johnson City, and things to do in Bristol.
1. Bays Mountain Park & Planetarium
☑️ Location: 853 Bays Mountain Park Rd, Kingsport, TN 37660, United States
☑️ Hours: 8:30 am – 8 pm Monday to Saturday; 11 am – 8 pm Sunday
☑️ Cost: $5/car to enter
This nature park in Kingsport is massive: over 3,500 acres with a 44-acre lake! It’s also (clearly) home to a planetarium, as well as a nature center with animal habitats. There are even hiking trails to explore!
Roughly three-fourths of the almost 40 miles of trails are also approved for mountain biking, too.
There are additional fees ranging from $3-$10 per person. Generally, they apply to all of the extra activities beyond just strolling or biking on nature trails.
Individuals with valid military ID are eligible for free basic vehicle admission as well as free or discounted other activities. It’s a pretty good way to honor those who have served!
Bays Mountain also has several waterfalls inside it that are pretty easily accessible. Dolan Branch Falls is pretty easy to get to by parking in the main lot near the dam.
Then, just follow the trail that is across from the dam down to the end where the waterfall is located.
It’s an easy trail that both parents and kids can enjoy. If you’re the outdoors sort, this may be a top pick of things to do in the tri-cities TN!
2. Birthplace of Country Music Museum
☑️ Location: 101 Country Music Way, Bristol, VA 24201, United States
☑️ Hours: 10 am – 6 pm Tuesday to Saturday; 1 pm – 5 pm Sunday
☑️ Cost: $13/adults; $11/kids 6-17; Free/kids 5 and under
This museum in Bristol is an affiliate of the Smithsonian Museums in Washington, DC. It is a museum that celebrates the historic 1927 Bristol Sessions.
The Bristol Sessions recorded some of the earliest country music in America. This is when the Carter Family, Jimmie Rodgers, and several other musicians recorded their music for the first time before becoming famous.
Thanks to the Bristol Sessions, a historic event known as “the big bang of country music” caused the genre to become an integral part of US culture.
The museum highlights how these recordings continue to influence country music even today.
3. Tweetsie Trail
☑️ Location: Alabama St, Johnson City, TN 37601, United States
☑️ Hours: 6 am – 10 pm
☑️ Cost: Free
This ten-mile path is a scenic route that joins Johnson City and Elizabethton. It’s named after the old ET&WNC railroad tracks that it follows between the two towns.
Due to the unique locomotive whistle sound, the railroad and its trains became unofficially yet affectionately known as the “Tweetsie.”
Pro Tip: A bike trailer could also be pretty easily accommodated for the youngest tikes.
The trail is a smooth, even grade that is excellent for walking, running, biking, or hiking. Even smaller kids can handle walking there or biking if they’re able.
The drive between all the towns in the tri-cities is pretty scenic, and so is the Tweetsie Trail.
4. Hands-On Discovery Center
☑️ Location: 1212 Suncrest Dr, Gray, TN 37615, United States
☑️ Hours: 10 am – 5 pm Monday to Saturday; 1 pm – 5 pm Sundays
☑️ Cost: $11 for everyone 4+
This museum in Gray, TN was our top pick of fun things to do in the tri-cities TN as a family. It’s just about halfway between downtown Johnson City and Kingsport.
In addition to the hands-on experiences, it is also the Eastern Tennessee State University (ETSU) natural history museum. It even has an ongoing fossil excavation! We spent several hours exploring the multiple buildings in the complex.
Pro Tip: Homeschoolers are eligible for discounted entry tickets!
As we left, our son asked if we could go back the next day. He also asked every other day or so during our 10-day visit if we could go again. In hindsight, I do wish we had gone a second time!
Pro Tip: Check their website before you go to see if there are any special events going on.
We lucked out in visiting the museum the day they were celebrating Nikola Tesla’s birthday. This meant that tickets to their Tesla Experience were only a dollar!
It was so loud that we had to wear industrial noise-canceling headphones. But my son still loved seeing it!
Between the topographic sandbox and the giant blue foam building blocks, my kid never wanted to leave this educational fun center.
5. Watauga Lake
☑️ Location: 1588 US-321 Scenic, Hampton, TN 37658, United States
☑️ Hours: 7 am – 9 pm daily
☑️ Cost: Parking is $2 per car
Watauga Lake was created in the late 1940s when the Watauga and Elk Rivers were dammed.
Because it is really only accessible by winding country roads, the lake experiences much less tourism than other nearby state parks.
Clearly, someone knows this is a great thing to do in the tri-cities TN with kids because all the visitors when we went were families. Cherokee National Forest surrounds the lake.
Watauga is easily one of the most beautiful and scenic lakes we have visited in the United States.
We visited the Shook Branch Swimming Area, which is the most accessible spot from Johnson City.
The Lake is rather sprawling and winding, so there are several other excellent swimming spots further away we were told. The parking area is paid cash on the honor system in little envelopes.
Watauga Lake is also great for boating and fishing. However, we just spent the day with several local friends. Because it was so hot, there were several other local families there. My son made some new friends, and so did we!
6. Explore Bristol Caverns
☑️ Location: 1157 Bristol Caverns Hwy, Bristol, TN 37620
☑️ Hours: 10 am – 4 pm daily November through February
9 am – 5 pm daily March through October
☑️ Cost: $17/adult; kids are discounted
Located in Bristol, TN, the Bristol Caverns is a great activity for families because it offers something for everyone.
Kids will love exploring the mysterious underground world while adults will appreciate the natural beauty and history of the caverns.
The caverns were formed by an ancient underground river and feature well-lit walkways that wind through vaulted chambers.
Visitors can explore the beautiful and majestic caverns that lie far below the earth’s surface.
The tour is less than a mile long and lasts about 45 minutes, making it perfect for those who have never explored caverns before.
7. Go Llama Trekking!
If you’re looking for a unique outdoor adventure in the Tri-Cities area of Tennessee, llama hiking is an activity that should definitely be on your radar.
Llamas are gentle and friendly animals that make great hiking companions, and there are several local companies that offer guided llama treks through the beautiful countryside.
You can take a day hike through the mountains and forests of East Tennessee. These hikes are suitable for all ages and fitness levels, and no prior experience with llamas is necessary.
The llamas carry your gear and supplies, leaving you free to enjoy the scenery and bond with your new furry friends.
Plus, llamas are just plain adorable. Who wouldn’t want to spend a day hiking with these fuzzy creatures?
8. Take a Ghost Walk or Look for Bigfoot!
Appalachian GhostWalks Ghost History Bigfoot Adventure Tours offers a variety of lantern-led walking and driving tours that explore the haunted history and folklore of the East Tennessee and Southwest Virginia regions.
But that’s not all. They also offer tours focused on sightings of Bigfoot and UFOs!
One of the great things about Appalachian GhostWalks is that it’s an activity suitable for all ages.
Whether you’re a family with young children or a group of friends looking for a spooky night out, there’s something for everyone.
The guides are knowledgeable and engaging, making sure to keep everyone entertained while also sharing fascinating stories about the area’s past.
9. Warrior’s Path State Park
☑️ Location: 490 Hemlock Rd, Kingsport, TN 37663, United States
☑️ Hours: 8 am – 10 pm daily
☑️ Cost: Free
This park is 950 acres near Kingsport, TN. There’s a campground and a golf course as well as biking and hiking trails. However, for us, the real treat is the Boundless Playground!
It’s a really good size with lots to do, with different areas divided by the intended age group. There’s also a shallow stream running alongside where kids can look for wildlife.
The playground even has a puppet theater! We couldn’t find a schedule, so maybe it’s a bring-your-own-puppets sort of thing? This play space is more than just a play structure. It’s very impressive.
The Boundless Playground was designed to be fully accessible. This allows kids of all abilities to play and enjoy themselves.
No child will be left out in this play area! It’s a great option for things to do in the tri-cities TN for families of any age or ability.
10. Bristol Motor Speedway
☑️ Location: 151 Speedway Blvd, Bristol, TN 37620, United States
☑️ Hours: Varies
☑️ Cost: Varies
If you’re a NASCAR fan, the Bristol Motor Speedway is a must-see thing to do in tri-cities TN.
While it hosts other activities, including the annual Christmas lights display and some drag racing events, NASCAR is by far its biggest draw.
The speedway hosts some really unique events, including the NASCAR Night Race. However, it also hosts large, outdoor concerts like Country Thunder.
Whether you go for the racing or the Christmas lights, or another unique event the speedway is a really special part of the tri-cities TN area.
11. Blue Hole Falls
☑️ Location: Elizabethton, TN 37643, United States
☑️ Hours: 24 hours daily
☑️ Cost: Free
Elizabethton is almost halfway between Johnson City and Bristol.
In addition to being one end of the Tweetsie Trail, it is also home to Blue Hole Falls. (Are you seeing an outdoor trend in this list of things to do in the tri-cities TN yet?)
The trail to the falls is about a half-mile. It is not very strenuous, so even kids have a generally easy time getting there.
Pro Tip: The falls are beautiful but VERY cold!
Only the bravest actually swim there. If your kid(s) dislike cool water, then this may not be your favorite thing to do in the tri-cities. However, our son is game for swimming at almost any temperature!
The area surrounding the blue hole has some shallow rocks, so it’s pretty easy to wade at an ankle-deep level.
That’s usually sufficient for most to cool off. For the very brave (temperature-wise), one can walk directly up to the falls and stand almost underneath.
In addition, the falls are pretty easy to get to by car. Take Highway 91 East (NE) out of Elizabethton, TN about 10 miles. Turn left onto Panhandle Road at the brown national forest sign for “Blue Hole.”
Pro Tip: You don’t need the address. Just put “Blue Hole Falls” into your GPS for turn-by-turn directions.
12. George Carter Railroad Museum
☑️ Location: 176 Ross Dr, Johnson City, TN 37614, United States
☑️ Hours: 10 am – 3 pm Saturdays
☑️ Cost: Free
Once we found out about the railroad museum, we didn’t have any weekend days left to visit.
It’s one of the places we most regret missing out on during our stay. The museum is on the Eastern Tennessee State University (ETSU) campus.
There are 5,000 square feet of exhibit space. It includes historic prototype railroad memorabilia, toy trains, and model railroading locomotives, rolling stock, and structures.
The four large displays are so detailed that close up, they almost look real!
13. Kingsport Carousel
☑️ Location: 350 Clinchfield St, Kingsport, TN 37660, United States
☑️ Hours: 12:30 pm – 5 pm Wednesday to Sunday
☑️ Cost: $1 per ride
The carousel is a fully renovated original, handmade by Allen Herschel. It’s on the first floor of the Kingsport Farmer’s Market. Kids under 42 inches must be accompanied by a paying adult. Safety first, after all!
I can’t believe our son is old enough to ride stuff by himself now. The carousel is smaller than some I’ve seen at mega amusement parks throughout the US. However, the character and ornate details make it worth a trip.
After all, it’s worth a buck to see your kid(s) smile with delight as they imagine their horse or frog winning the race!
Especially when it’s a really hot summer day, or you need a way to beat the winter blues, this is a truly unique way to do so.
14. Kingsport Aquatic Center
☑️ Location: 1820 Meadowview Pkwy, Kingsport, TN 37660, United States
☑️ Hours: 6 am – 7 pm Monday to Friday; 12 pm – 6 pm Saturday & Sunday
☑️ Cost: $10 for visitors over 4 ft tall; $8 for all visitors under 4 ft tall
This place is no ordinary YMCA! It’s absolutely a full aquatic center with a lot to offer! In addition to two indoor pools with diving boards AND a small water slide, there’s a huge outdoor area, too.
Outside there’s a lazy river, two tall water slides, a swimming area, a splash pad, and a water walking obstacle!
The indoors has several tables and benches for nonswimmers while the outside has lounge chairs and giant umbrellas. It also offers rentable cabanas!
Visitors under 4 ft: Can’t go on any of the water slides
Visitors over 4 ft: Permitted on all water slides.
Because it’s a YMCA, there is a membership fee. However, they also sell day passes based on height to anyone wishing to swim.
Kids like our son who are barely over the 48″ mark are given a wristband. This means that they don’t need to be remeasured each time they try to go down a slide.
Note: Besides water, no outside food or drinks are allowed on the premises.
However, the food is actually rather reasonably priced. We bought a burger, chips, and a bottled drink for only $6! This allowed us to stay almost until the waterpark closed.
Our son was so tired he almost fell asleep in the car on the way back to our house sit! For us, this is clearly the sign of a good day with lots of fun.
If we lived in the area, we would absolutely be seasonal members and it was one of our favorite things to do in the tri-cities TN as a family.
15. Tannery Knobs Mountain Bike Park
☑️ Location: 18 Tannery Knob, Johnson City, TN 37601, United States
☑️ Hours: 7 am – 10 pm daily
☑️ Cost: Free
This cool park covers 40 acres and is an easy biking distance from downtown Johnston City. It’s also less than a mile from the Tweetsie Trail. You can easily experience both in one day if you like!
Although it’s heavily wooded, the park was designed as a skills park for all ages. Riders can experience the thrill of off-road riding in a progressive environment.
Note: Helmets are required for all riders at all times.
All of the trails and features have been professionally designed and built. This ensures that skilled enthusiasts and beginners alike will find their ideal bike riding experience.
16. Buffalo Mountain Park
☑️ Location: 570 Highridge Rd, Johnson City, TN 37604, United States
☑️ Hours: 7 am – 7 pm daily
☑️ Cost: Free
This forest preserve south of Johnson City is very hilly and well-known for the panoramic views and waterfalls along its hiking trails.
The Buffalo Mountain Park Trailhead has the Huckleberry Knob overlook while the White Rock Trail Loop Trailhead has the White Rock overlook.
In addition to hiking the park is perfect for watching the sunset or having a picnic on a nice day!
17. Freedom Hall Civic Center
☑️ Location: 1320 Pactolas Rd, Johnson City, TN 37604, United States
☑️ Hours: Varies
☑️ Cost: Varies
This is one thing to do in tri-cities TN that requires a bit of planning. It’s a venue for special events. So if you just show up one day expecting to sightsee, you are likely to be disappointed.
Check their website for upcoming events, and you’re sure to have a lot of fun here.
They host almost anything from Disney on Ice and professional wrestling to concerts of well-known musicians and bands. Even Elton John has performed live music here!
18. Tipton-Haynes State Historic Site
☑️ Location: 2620 S Roan St, Johnson City, TN 37601, United States
☑️ Hours: 9 am – 4 pm Tuesday to Saturday
☑️ Cost: $5 adults, kids 12 and under are half price
Also known as the Tipton-Haynes House, this state historic site was originally built in 1784 by Colonel John Tipton. It has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1970.
Pro Tip: Self Guided tours are available at discounted rates. However, you aren’t allowed inside any of the buildings. Just pay $5 for the 45-minute tour.
There are ten other buildings on the property, including a smokehouse, pigsty, loom house, still house, springhouse, log barn, and corncrib.
The grounds also contain the home of George Haynes, an enslaved person owned by the Haynes family.
It’s a sad and interesting historical experience that provides opportunities for learning and conversation. Even for families.
19. The Inventor Center
☑️ Location: 118 Shelby St, Kingsport, TN 37660, United States
☑️ Hours: 3 pm – 8 pm Monday to Friday (non-members)
☑️ Cost: Hobbyist membership is $25/month
Located in Kingsport, The Inventor Center is a non-profit organization committed to fostering a welcoming, creative space for everyone.
They offer classes on a variety of topics as well as time to just show up and work on an individual project.
It is a maker space that offers membership-level access to machines and tools as well as a large space that many makers and artists do not have at home.
People who are not members can also use the space at limited times on certain days.
It’s a great family opportunity to work on projects for which you may not have the materials at home.
They offer everything from screwdrivers and saws to CNC machines and welding equipment as well as a variety of supplies in between.
20. Exchange Place
☑️ Location: 4812 Orebank Rd, Kingsport, TN 37664, United States
☑️ Hours: 2 pm – 4 pm Saturday and Sunday; May through October only
☑️ Cost: $1/adults; $.50/kids
The Exchange Place in Kingsport is a live-action, 1850s farm where both adults and kids can learn about what life was like in the 1800s. It’s a living history museum that was once a self-sustaining plantation.
Fun Fact: Visitors to the 62-acre farm get to see cattle, chickens, draft horses, pigs, buggy horses, and even sheep.
There’s almost always something going on at the Exchange Place. You’ll see the volunteers slopping pigs, feeding chickens, shearing sheep, and tending to all sorts of other chores.
One of the main points volunteers at Exchange Place try to get across to visitors — especially children — is just how challenging life on an 1850s farmstead could be.
Everything that was needed was grown and raised right on the farm.
21. Netherland Inn Museum
☑️ Location: 2144 Netherland Inn Rd, Kingsport, TN 37660, United States
☑️ Hours: 2 pm – 5 pm Saturday & Sunday; May to October only
☑️ Cost: Self-guided tours are free; guided tours are $30/group
This restored hotel is Kingsport’s oldest historical building.
The Inn faces the Old Stage Road in the heart of Kingsport’s Boat Yard Park, which served as a migratory spot for settlers to build boats for their westward trip during the mid-1700s.
The Inn is filled with museum furnishings that depict an intimate study of life in one of the South’s most important American frontier settlements.
Pro Tip: The museum can also be booked privately for weddings, photo shoots, and group tours.
Behind the Inn is the Netherland Inn Log Cabin Children’s Museum and Schoolhouse. It features kids’ toys of the 18th and 19th centuries.
The cabin was moved from Daniel Boone’s Wilderness Trail, where it’s believed Boone lived around 1775.
22. Minor League Baseball
☑️ Location: 510 Bert St, Johnson City, TN 37601
☑️ Hours: Varies
☑️ Cost: Tickets start at $9 each
Until 2020, Johnson City was home to a minor-league baseball team called the Johnson City Cardinals. It was a feeder team for the St. Louis team of the same name.
However, due to some league restructuring, the team is now a college-level summer league.
The team is now called the Johnson City Doughboys after the stadium’s statue honoring infantrymen who died in WWI. They play at TVA Credit Union Stadium.
Freshmen and Sophomores who want to improve their university gameplay or have their sights set on professional play can apply.
You can still buy tickets to see them play, though! They’re part of the Appalachian League.
23. South Holston Lake
☑️ Location: 553 Knob Park Rd, Bristol, TN 37620
☑️ Hours: 24 hours
☑️ Cost: Free
If you’re looking for a picturesque destination near Tri-Cities TN, South Holston Lake is definitely worth checking out.
This stunning lake, nestled in the hills of east Tennessee, offers visitors a wide range of outdoor activities and breathtaking scenery.
South Holston Lake is a reservoir located on the border between Tennessee and Virginia. It’s a great spot for hiking and picnicking!
Whether you’re an avid fisherman, boating enthusiast, or just looking for a relaxing day by the water, South Holston Lake has something for everyone.
The lake is home to a variety of fish species, including bass, trout, and catfish so fishing there is a lot of fun. You can also rent boats from local marinas or bring your own to explore the lake’s many coves and inlets.
24. Kingsport Arts Guild
☑️ Location: 1200 E Center St, Kingsport, TN 37660
☑️ Hours: 9m am – 8 pm Monday through Saturday
☑️ Cost: Varies
The Kingsport Art Guild is an art gallery, studio, and office located in the Renaissance Arts Center in Kingsport, Tennessee. Their mission is to promote the arts not only in Kingsport but also beyond.
The guild provides various activities that allow the community to experience and showcase visual arts through instructional classes, educational lectures, special events, and exhibitions.
They offer art classes for all ages and skill levels, including painting, drawing, pottery, and more.
Plus, they organize gallery showings and community events where artists can display their work and engage with the public.
25. Eat at Harvest Table Restaurant
☑️ Location: 13180 Meadowview Square, Meadowview, VA 24361
☑️ Hours: 11 am – 4 pm Wednesday to Saturday; 11 am – 2 pm Sunday; 5 pm – 9 pm Friday & Saturday
I have to give an Honorable Mention to Harvest Table Restaurant. It’s not technically in the tri-cities area. Instead, it is a 30-minute drive from Bristol in Meadowview, VA.
However, when visiting the tri-cities it’s worth a little extra drive.
Fun Fact: The restaurant is owned by author Barbara Kingsolver. I read my first book by her in high school and renewed my interest a few years ago.
She and her husband did a book tour to local libraries to talk about the anniversary of her book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. I saw them speak in the Harold Washington Library auditorium in Chicago with my neighbor.
That night was part of the reason we ended up getting chickens! Although I wanted them for a while, hearing her speak about the benefits to kids of having chickens was the clincher.
During that same night, she spoke about starting a restaurant in Appalachia. Of course, I looked up the restaurant and realized it was an easy drive from our family on our next visit. So David and I went for a date night!
Oh the Food!
The food is amazing. The goat cheese appetizer did me in. I love goat cheese, but it seemed like the freshness of it at Harvest Table added extra flavor! We kept eating long after we were full.
I was stuffed before dessert but ordered it anyway. That was a good choice because the options were delectable. It was a bad choice because we were so stuffed that the drive back to the tri-cities was a little painful.
Every single thing in the restaurant is sourced from the surrounding area, including the alcohol!
I never took time to reflect that an area seeming so remote could have a booming brewery or vineyard scene. But it does!
Regardless of when you go, it will definitely be worth the time. Don’t skip dessert!
Pro Tip: If you want to extend date night, head over to Bays Mountain Brewing Company in Bristol on your way home.
Final Thoughts on Things to Do in Tri Cities TN
This is by no means an exhaustive list of things to do in the Tri-Cities TN. However, the list here is certainly a great start!
Whether you’re a local looking for something new to do, or a visitor seeking cool activities for a long weekend – or more – in the tri-cities there’s certainly something for everyone!
So pick an activity or two from this list and get the fun started! You could even visit Rocky Mount State Historic Park (Tennessee state parks are all pretty amazing!) or check out
Are we missing anything? Contact us to tell us about it!
