Thrills abound in the Volunteer State, from pro basketball in Memphis and football in Nashville to hang gliding in Chattanooga, ziplining through the Smoky Mountains or white-water rafting in the Tri-cities region. No matter where you meet, it’s easy to get the blood pumping with memorable adventures.
Nashville
Music City USA is best known for keeping the beat with world-famous tunes, but groups can find their own rhythm in Nashville’s parks.
“We have an incredible green parks and greenways system throughout the county,” says Butch Spyridon, president and CEO of the Nashville CVC. “A few spots that offer great hiking and walks include Radnor Lake State Park, Centennial Park, Percy Warner Park and Edwin Warner Park.”
Bike rentals are available through Nashville B-cycle, a public rental service with approximately twenty stations located around the city, with most of them centered in downtown. With more than 80 miles of bike paths and multipurpose trails, groups can set up their own rides, or use the bikes as transportation to a ride-up reception at the Parthenon in Centennial Park.
Once attendees have stretched their own legs, it’s time to watch the pros in action. Nashville is home to two major sports franchises: the NFL Tennessee Titans football team and the NHL Nashville Predators hockey team. The CVC can assist planners in securing blocks of tickets to games, and LP Field, home of the Titans, is also available for group events, trade shows, meetings and other activities when games aren’t scheduled. The LP Club offers 13,000 square feet of space, or planners can arrange activities on the grounds.
Memphis
Like Nashville, Memphis is also best known for its musical heritage, but the city offers up an amazing array of outdoor and sports-related fun. Basketball fans will be thrilled with a group experience involving the hometown team, according to Carly Knight, senior manager of promotions and regional marketing for the Memphis CVB.
“The Memphis Grizzlies and FedEx Forum have many experiences and opportunities available for groups that visit our venue and attend our games,” she says. “Pre-game shot arounds, fan tunnels and receptions, to name a few, but we are also happy to create custom experiences as well.”
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The Memphis Redbirds, the AAA-affiliate team to the St. Louis Cardinals, also offer several group options at AutoZone Park, from an event at the Third Base Party Deck to a High-five Tunnel interaction with the players before they hit the field.
At Memphis International Raceway, attendees can watch the racing action in comfort or take it into their own hands down on the track.
“We have suites available and we can do a VIP experience where groups can meet the drivers and see the cars,” says Craig Wack, public relations and marketing director for the Memphis International Raceway. “We also have the Rusty Wallace Driving Experience as a teambuilding exercise where [attendees] receive instruction and drive a race car.”
For those who prefer a slower pace, Shelby Farms Park is an ideal destination. As the largest urban park in the U.S., it offers a six-mile horseback riding and hiking trail, fishing areas, outdoor picnic pavilions and the Go Ape Treetop Adventure, a zip line and ropes course tailor-made for teambuilding. The 4,500-acre park is so large, it’s home to a herd of American bison on the grounds. Attendees can learn more about the herd through a guided walk.
Knoxville
Finding natural fun is easy at the Outdoor Knoxville Adventure Center, located in downtown Knoxville along the Tennessee River. The facility offers rentals for canoes, bikes and even stand-up paddleboards, plus maps of hiking and walking trails in the area. There are three miles of greenways located in the downtown area and approximately 50 miles of greenways stretching across the metro region and outlying county, so attendees can enjoy a brief afternoon ride or participate in a teambuilding fitness challenge across the city. The center is located at Volunteer Landing, which offers a spacious park space for outdoor events. Just a stone’s throw away is the University of Tennessee’s Neyland Stadium, where attendees can cheer on the Vols football team after a meeting or event on-campus.
Another sports-minded venue is the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame, which features historic exhibits, memorabilia and three courts where attendees can test their own basketball skills. Planners can choose from several spaces, including a boardroom, the Urban Playground-themed room or the elegant Rotunda.
Chattanooga
Planners looking for something different and a little edgy will find plenty of true adventure in the Chattanooga area. While the region offers hiking, biking and other activities, there’s also fun to be had high above the earth and down below.
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Lookout Mountain Hang Gliding, located 20 minutes away, lets attendees soar above Lookout Valley with a tandem flight or learn about the sport through the facility’s flight school. Lookout Mountain can handle up to 12 for the flight school and up to 40 for flight adventures.
Ready for a challenge? Head underground at Raccoon Mountain Caverns for a Wild Cave Expedition, a hands-on, expertly guided tour guaranteed to get attendees muddy. Participants will see underground waterfalls, tunnels and chambers while learning about the delicate ecosystem of caves.
Smoky Mountains Region
Set amid the stunning backdrop of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the Gatlinburg-based A Walk in the Woods Nature Guide Service takes groups through teambuilding programs such as whitewater rafting, ziplining, scavenger hunts and other challenges. Foxfire Mountain Park in Sevierville also offers a range of adventures including rafting, four-wheeling and a two-hour zipline canopy tour.
Meanwhile, Ober Gatlinburg, featuring an amusement park, ski area, wildlife encounter and aerial tram, is another popular option for groups.
For something completely different, the Smoky Mountain Alpine Coaster in Pigeon Forge gives attendees a thrill on the longest downhill ride in the country, with more than one mile of track. Riders are in control of each car’s speed, so the experience can be tailored to any adventure level.
Group adventures also await at Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, offerings more than a dozen thrill rides and coaster experiences. Attendees can try the Thunderhead, a wooden coaster rushing over the treetops between two mountains, or the new Wild Eagle, a swooping ride mimicking the flight of real eagles above the Great Smoky Mountains.
Tri-Cities
Water is the key to a great time in the Tri-cities region, according to Gavin Andrews, director of sports development for the Johnson City CVB.
“The Nolichucky River is great for white-water rafting and kayak tours,” he says, adding that several companies offer white-water adventures through the Nolichucky Gorge.
After attendees have dried out, the NASCAR experience awaits at Bristol Motor Speedway. Packages can include track tours, self-guided tours of the pit area before the race, meet and greet sessions with drivers, driving schools and much more. The speedway also has a variety of meeting and event spaces for up to 10,000.
In Kingsport, groups can take advantage of hiking and biking through Warrior’s Path State Park, or the adventure ropes course at Bays Mountain Park, the state’s largest city park.
