Top Tennessee Bird Watching

This guided tour of the Belle Meade Mansion offers an unforgettable experience at one of Nashville's most iconic historic sites, with a wine tasting. Explore the impressive 1853 Greek Revival Mansion on a guided tour, then enjoy a complimentary wine tasting at the on-site Belle Meade Winery. Your admission also includes access to the scenic grounds, historic outbuildings, outdoor games, walking trails, gift shops, and the delicious Belle Meade Meat & Three restaurant.

The Tennessee River’s Chickamauga Dam is a marvel of engineering, holding back floodwaters while producing hydroelectric power. Experience this impressive structure up close by kayaking through the dam’s lock on this remarkable guided tour. Over the course of around three hours, you’ll paddle into the lock, watch the gates close, and slowly sink down some 50 feet before paddling back out into the river.

Take to the water for an adrenaline-fueled whitewater rafting adventure along the Upper Pigeon River. Enjoy spectacular views of the Smoky Mountains as you paddle through the gorge, tackle more than a dozen thrilling Class III and IV rapids such as ‘Snapdragon’ and ‘Powerhouse’, and perhaps jump in to cool off with a swim.

Observe the winter migration of sandhill cranes while you paddle down the Tennessee River on this special bird-watching kayak tour near Chattanooga. Some 15,000 cranes nest in the area for the season after fleeing the frigid winters of the far north and your perspective from the river is the best way to see them in action. Your guide will provide everything you need, including kayaks, paddles, cold-weather gear, and binoculars.