TENNESSEE TOURISM ANNOUNCES WHAT’S NEW IN 2023

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – (Dec. 15, 2022) Tennessee promises unique experiences in 2023 with new attractions, restaurants, distilleries, hotels, exhibits, milestone anniversaries and renovations, as well as trends with farm stays that take relaxing and learning new skills to the next level, chef-driven restaurants and hands-on experiences.  

NEW RESTAURANTS & RETAIL

Memphis – Memphis is known for its unique and renowned cuisine, including new restaurants for 2023 like Amelia Gene’s, Cocozza American Italian, Ya Mas! Taverna, Three of Cups wine & cocktail bar, Ashtar Garden and Anima Coffee & Amaro Bar.

Nashville – Iconic names take over some of Music City’s newest restaurants, including Eric Church’s Chief’s, Garth Brooks’ Friends in Low Places and Sinatra Bar & Lounge. Check out the complete list of new restaurants, from high-end chef-driven concepts to hip cocktail bars.

Shelbyville – Humble Baron will open in spring 2023 at Nearest Green Distillery. It’s slated to be the world’s longest bar, with 17 bartender stations, live music, dining and a dance floor.

Clarksville  - Shelby’s Trio opens early 2023, a three-story restaurant with a different theme on each floor, including a 50s burger joint, fine Italian dining and a rooftop bar with 360-degree views.

Murfreesboro – Overflow Brews & Bakes, a locally-owned, veteran-owned scratch bakery offers premium coffee, freshly brewed tea, and bubble tea located in the historic downtown. Also, M.L. Rose Craft Beer & Burgers expands with a fifth location in Murfreesboro, featuring 36 local and craft beers on tap, craft burgers, snacks, happy hour, late night drinks and weekend brunch.

Springfield – Mystic Picnic Wine & Whiskey Bar is an upscale neighborhood wine and whiskey bar that features TN and KY wines, an organic focused/internationally sourced wine list, and elevated snacks utilizing regional ingredients.

Winchester – Chef Jim Filo serves up Modern American, made-from-scratch comfort food with the finest locally-sourced ingredients at Filo’s Tavern in the historic downtown.

McMinnville – Snag a sweet treat at Oh Sugar, a bakery with cakes, cupcakes, cake pops, chocolate-covered strawberries and seasonal goodies like hot chocolate bombs.

Lewisburg – BB’s Boutique on the downtown square carries women’s, men’s and children’s clothing and offers personalization, including engraving and monogramming.

Crossville – Dirty Girls Nursery is a unique spot for beautiful flowers, plants, hands-on classes and Mud N’ Grub Kitchen, which rotates the menu weekly with dishes from what’s grown on the farm.

Chattanooga – Mac’s Kitchen & Bar focuses on working with local farmers to create a farm-to-table restaurant that uses seasonal produce to create a one-of-a-kind experience in quality and flavor.

Knoxville – Come inside and off the trails to 71 South, located within Knoxville’s Urban Wilderness. The casual restaurant features new American cuisine, located inside the original, nearly 100-year-old sanctuary of Sevier Heights Baptist Church.

Clinton – Get your vintage candy fix at Evans Candy Company, a candy, snack and soda-pop shop which includes an old-fashioned and retro section.

Pigeon Forge – Celebrate, order a slice, grab a beer from the beer wall, watch a game on one of 14 televisions and try axe-throwing at West by God CoalFired Pizza & Country Roads Axe Co.

Kingsport – Two Dad’s Downtown Deli & Ice Cream Parlor specializes in diner classics like hot dogs, sandwiches, soda floats and ice cream treats. Also, The Crumbum is now open, an artisan bakery combined with a fine art gallery.

NEW BREWERIES, DISTILLERIES, WINERIES & SPIRITS

Memphis – IBIS, a new cocktail bar in the South Main Arts District neighborhood, features a rooftop deck, a speakeasy in the basement, a patio and events featuring gospel music, DJs and burlesque.

Henderson – Forty Cannons Winery, a small craft winery located on Stillwaters Farm, is expected to open spring 2023 with small batch and experimental wines and Crow’s Nest Tasting Room.

Hendersonville – TailGate Brewery Hendersonville, a taproom and lagerhaus overlooking Old Hickory Lake has 22 beers on tap, a kitchen and a dog-friendly patio. In spring 2023, guests can experience a larger taproom, expanded patio, two-story deck and 10-barrel brewing system.

Murfreesboro – Cedar Glade Brews, founded by four local beer lovers, has a mission to produce high-quality craft beer that recognizes the traditions, land and culture of Middle Tennessee.

Gainesboro – A mother/son do everything by hand, down to the labeling at Roaring River Distillery, and work to preserve the history of their downtown building and stories that come with it. Master distiller Chad Hunt was featured on Discovery Channel’s “Moonshiner’s Master Distiller.”

Knoxville – The founder of Drop Zone Distilling is Rod “Sarge” Parton, a fourth-generation moonshiner with family recipes going as far back as 1934 belonging to his great-grandpap. The distillery features a tasting bar and retail area.

Sevierville – From a family recipe to your glass; combat veteran, pilot and niece of Dolly Parton, Danielle Parton brings her love of moonshine and unique blends like Red Velvet to Shine Girl, a female-owned and operated distillery.

Kingsport – Fizzy Fairway Mini Golf Bar is a 9-hole indoor interactive miniature golf course featuring over 60 arcade games on 10 machines along with a variety of beer, seltzer, ice cream and craft sodas.

Statewide – Sample wonderful wine with a chance to win prizes along the new Tennessee Wine Trail featuring more than 40 wineries, meaderies and cideries.

NEW HOTELS & PLACES TO STAY

Memphis – Memphis Aloft Hotel, expected to open spring 2023, will be a perfect spot to stay downtown in a musically-designed boutique hotel by Marriott.

Nashville – Music City celebrates growth with new hotels like Cambria Hotel Church St. (Sept. 2023), BNA Airport Hilton Hotel (Late 2023), Hyatt Place Green Hills (Nov. 2023) and the new Four Seasons Hotel Nashville (opened Nov. 2022) for travelers looking to experience the upscale side of the city.

Franklin – A luxury resort with a focus on living off the land, Southall is now open with rooms, suites, cottages, a spa, well-being journeys with transformative treatments, mindful rituals, adventure activities and a signature chef-driven restaurant.

Chattanooga – A luxury treehouse resort, Treetop Hideaways, on Lookout Mountain overlooking Chattanooga at Ruby Falls, will be available for online bookings spring 2023. Each treehouse is built with artfully curated reclaimed materials, elevated amenities and private fire pits with s’mores kits.

Chattanooga – Rest up at AVID Hotel, which focuses on sound sleep with high-quality mattresses and bedding, black-out roller shades, sound-reducing headboard, free breakfast and freshly ground 24-hour bean-to-cup coffee.

Knoxville – What’s old is new again at Hotel Cleo, a 16-room boutique hotel on Gay Street downtown inside the storied 1898 Hope Brothers Building, once home to a shoe store, bank and jewelry business.

Knoxville – A new campground, The Drop Inn, is opening in an amazing spot bordering Ijams, Marie Myers Park and Bakers Creek Preserve, with access to 50 miles of trails and wooded wetlands to explore.

Loudon – Discover a boutique luxury resort on over 500 acres in the heart of the Tennessee Valley at Windy Hill Farm & Preserve. Enjoy world-class upland quail hunting, kayaking, paddleboarding, archery, wine hikes, meditation and dinners featuring heirloom ingredients imaginatively prepared.

Rockwood – Rockwood Marina & RV Resort, set to open spring 2023, features nearby trails for mountain biking, hiking and trail running, with walk or bike access to town to local restaurants and shops.

Pigeon Forge – Dollywood’s HeartSong Lodge & Resort, opening fall 2023, is a five-story resort with themed suites and loft rooms, epic indoor and outdoor pool, a picture-perfect outdoor cove with family gathering spaces, communal firepit and screened-in porch, the perfect Smoky Mountains getaway.

Pigeon Forge – DreamCatcher Hotel, coming to the heart of the Great Smoky Mountains, features 200 AAA-Rated Four Diamond guest rooms, rooftop restaurant and world-class guest experience.

NEW ATTRACTIONS, EXHIBITS & EXPERIENCES

Memphis – Memphis Sports and Events Center, located inside the heart of Liberty Park outside Memphis’ Liberty Bowl Stadium, will include indoor basketball and volleyball courts, outdoor turf fields, entertainment, shops, café and concessions.

McEwen – Something Wild Riding School focuses on programs to help riders learn how to ride horses safely and offers camps and pony horse training days.

Nashville – The new Rock Hall at the Ryman exhibit pays tribute to the iconic Ryman Auditorium, including stories about Elvis Presley, James Brown, Dolly Parton, the Foo Fighters and today’s hitmakers.

Nashville – FanDuel Bracket City Live (March 16-18) comes to Nashville for its first festival centered around music, basketball, and action. Later in the year, the National Hockey League’s draft (June 28-29) and awards (June 26) will be hosted for the first time in the same city since 2006.

Leiper’s Fork – Enjoy shopping, music, locally-sourced fare from Hen House Food Truck, classes in beekeeping, floral design, jamming and biodynamic farming at Patina Home & Garden, by design duo Brooke and Steve Giannetti.

Franklin – A new vintage trolley hop-on, hop-off tour allows guests to experience and explore Franklin and the village of Leiper’s Fork. Expert guides on Franklin Hop point out and share stories at over 50 points of interest like the historic downtown, The Factory at Franklin, Carnton, Carter and Lotz Houses.

Clarksville - F&M Bank Arena opens Summer 2023, offering concerts, hockey and events for all ages. It’s also the future home of Austin Peay State University Men & Women’s Basketball.

Murfreesboro – Classy Cactus Farm, a greenhouse and plant nursery, offers classes, workshops and social events like Succs & Sips, as well as the perfect succulent and cactus gifts.

Cookeville – Tour the Upper Cumberland specializes in custom shuttle bus tours and private bookings, highlighting the scenic beauty and unique points-of-interest of the 14-county region on the Cumberland Plateau of Tennessee, as well as day and evening trips from Cookeville.

Granville – See the nation’s largest whiskey decanter beginning May 6at the Whiskey Decanter Museum featuring 5,000 decanters. Also experience the Cornbread & Moonshine Festival featuring a cornbread cook-off, Tennessee Whiskey Trail event with tastings, live music and more.

South Pittsburg –Lodge Museum of Cast Iron takes visitors on a journey of how cast iron is made, why it matters, celebrates food, culture and stories –and features the World’s Largest Cast Iron Skillet. On site, Big Bad Breakfast, a restaurant with custom-created meals, fresh biscuits and preserves and more, is set to open Jan. 2023.

Knoxville – The Southern Fried Poetry Slam (June 7-10) hosts one of the largest Spoken word and Performance Poetry tournaments in the world and showcases extraordinary writers, orators and artists.

Chattanooga – Rock the Riverfront presents Los Trompos, an art installation featuring eight larger-than-life three-dimensional, woven spinning tops in a variety of shapes and colors, opening March 2023 as both an art piece and gathering place for relaxation, social interaction and entertainment.

Pigeon Forge – A sweet addition at Titanic Museum Attraction, TITANIC’s Frozen Custard & Chocolate Attraction, set to open fall 2023, will feature a chocolate machine, custard, decadent desserts and special merchandise.

Sevierville – SkyLand Ranch transports guests via a scenic chairlift to the top of SkyLand Ranch, where hours of fun await, including a mountain coaster, suspended bridge, canopy walks and a variety of miniature animals like cows and donkeys, which are all rescues.

Kingsport – Celphie, a new selfie museum and private event venue, offers more than 20 unique, interactive selfie scenes with updated themes to create stunning photos for your next photo opp.

Statewide – Tennessee has two new colorblind viewfinders, including at The Lodge at Montgomery Bell State Park and Paris Landing State Park, for a total of 15 colorblind viewfinders with special lens technology that enables colorblind visitors to see a broader range of clear, vibrant colors.

RENOVATED OR REIMAGINED

Memphis – Tom Lee Park’s massive renovations include an open 20,000 square-foot canopy for events like Memphis in May, landscape improvements at Beale Street Landing, pavilions, a café overlooking the river, meditative paths, 1,000 new trees, pollinator plantings and endangered butterfly habitat.

Nashville – Flying in and out of Nashville International Airport (BNA) will have a new look and feel with new local eateries, local gifts at Music City Shop, new state-of-the-art International Arrivals Facility, a nine-story airport Hilton hotel, fourth major concourse and a massive terminal parking garage complex.

Nashville – Famous for its Nashville hot chicken twists on classic dishes and boozy slushies, Party Fowl will expand its downtown location into a new, larger space in 2023. Party Fowl has six restaurants in total with additional outposts in Nashville International Airport and Nissan Stadium.

Nashville – Von Elrod’s Beer Hall & Kitchen expands to include a new indoor/outdoor pavilion opening spring 2023 to include live music and events. Guests can enjoy a fast-casual option with a walk-up, concession-style bar and grill featuring steins of beer, cocktails and its own wood grill.

Murfreesboro – With a $14.5 million dollar expansion, Siegel Soccer Complex and Community Park includes seven new synthetic turf fields and an indoor soccer training facility with increased seating at the Championship Field.

Monterey – Stay awhile and relax at Belle Ridge Campground, which features new luxury cabins and overlook lodging, 50 full hookup RV sites, bath house, swimming pond and a pavilion.

Chattanooga – Chattanooga Choo Choo Hotel and Gardens are undergoing a $10 million restoration for 2023. The renovation will feature 102 hotel rooms in the original building and 25 Pullman train car rooms.

Chattanooga – The Signal, a live music and event space, will be renovated to feature a state-of-the-art concert hall and event venue, opening April 2023 at its new home on the Chattanooga Choo Choo grounds.

Knoxville – Kern’s Bakery, opening summer 2023, is being reimagined into a social gathering food hall with culinary offerings from local chefs, unique goods from independent makers, bar, multiple rooftop patios and outdoor event lawn to be home to games, movies, live music and more.

Clinton – Historic Downtown Clinton has undergone multiple revitalization efforts, including a greenspace initiative to allow more parking, a pavilion to host outdoor concerts and new events like Tasty Tuesday’ Food Truck Rally and A Sip of Summerfest.

ICONIC ANNIVERSARIES

• 10th anniversary – Discovery Park of America with special celebrations – Union City
• 10th anniversary – Johnny Cash Museum – Nashville
• 10th anniversary – Big Ears Music Festival (March 30-April 2); Knox Asian Festival – Knoxville
• 15th anniversary – The Wilderness at the Smokies resort will expand its Wild WaterDome indoor waterpark, add a Cloud Coaster, XD Theater in the immersive Adventure Forest and build 12 villas as part of its $40 million expansion.
• 20th anniversary – Market Square Farmers’ Market - Knoxville. Cafes, restaurants, and sweet shops kick-off the entire month of May with creative specials featuring locally sourced fruits, vegetables, over-the-top cocktails, scrumptious salads, luscious ice creams and desserts.
• 20th anniversary – Stax Museum of American Soul Music – Memphis. Each month, Stax Museum will host a series of free events, lectures, film screenings, a birthday party in May and, in July, a concert series of intimate performances known as “Live in Studio A.”
• 25th anniversary – Nashville Shores celebrates the milestone with the new Riptide Racer, the largest slide of its type in the world, giveaways, discounts, birthday party, fireworks and special events yearlong.
• 50th anniversary – CMA Fest (June 8-11) – Nashville
• 50th anniversary – Dunbar Cave State Park – Clarksville – The state park celebrates its milestone anniversary with special events all summer long.

ABOUT TENNESSEE DEPARTMENT OF TOURIST DEVELOPMENT

Tennessee is the home of the blues, bluegrass, country, gospel, soul, rockabilly and rock ‘n’ roll— delivering an unparalleled experience of beauty, history and family adventure, infused with music that creates a vacation that is the “Soundtrack of America. Made in Tennessee.” Explore more at tnvacation.com and join other Tennessee travelers by following “TNVacation” on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram and YouTube and “Tennessee” on Snapchat.

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Media Contact:

Jill Kilgore

Jill.Kilgore@tn.gov