Indeed, the Bristol area offers natural wonders, country music, shopping and dining, even casino gambling and local wine. Looking for some ideas? Here are a few things to check out while you’re in town.
Birthplace of Country Music Museum
In the summer of 1927, a record producer named Ralph Peer recorded 76 songs by 19 artists in Bristol, using equipment considered state of the art at the time. Johnny Cash later referred to the Bristol Sessions as “the most important event in the history of country music,” and in 1998, Congress officially designated Bristol as the Birthplace of Country Music. An affiliate of the Smithsonian, the Birthplace of Country Music Museum commemorates those sessions and Bristol’s enduring legacy in country music, along with rotating exhibits that celebrate this very American art form.
101 Country Music Way, Bristol, Virginia. 423-573-1927.
birthplaceofcountrymusic.org
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Historical downtown Bristol
The heart of the city, downtown Bristol offers a series of picturesque streets lined by local restaurants, boutiques, galleries, breweries and more. Stroll down appropriately named State Street and see the markers that run along the state line — with half in Tennessee, the other half in Virginia. Enjoy the State Street Farmers Market, held every Saturday morning from May to October. Snap a selfie in front of the famed country music mural, the sign that has declared Bristol “A Good Place to Live” since 1915, and enjoy everything this bustling downtown area has to offer.
Bristol Caverns
Sure, the mountainous scenery of East Tennessee and western Virginia is lovely, but just wait until you see what lies underground. The site of an ancient underground river, Bristol Caverns is a series of vaulted subterranean chambers that dates from 200 million to 400 million years old. There are stalactites and stalagmites, massive columns that stretch from floor to ceiling, natural arches, and stone formations of various size and shapes. Rich veins of minerals burst forth in red, blue, gray, brown and white. It’s an altogether strange and memorable experience, all of it cast underground in solid stone.
1157 Bristol Caverns Highway, Bristol, Tennessee. 423-878-2011.
bristolcaverns.com
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Virginia Creeper Trail
A roughly 34-mile route that stretches from nearby Abingdon, Virginia, to Whitetop, North Carolina, the Virginia Creeper Trail is a converted former rail line that’s become a haven for cyclists and hikers. Although a central section of the trail near Damascus Virginia, sustained considerable damage from Hurricane Helene, its western section originating from Abingdon remains open, according to the U.S. Forest Service. The trail runs though scenery that includes farmlands, fields, dense forests, Christmas tree farms, rushing streams and creeks. The Abingdon terminus includes a welcome center, and local bike outfitters are available.
300 Green Spring Road, Abingdon Virginia.
vacreepertrail.org
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Hard Rock Hotel and Casino
Opened in the fall of 2024, the new Hard Rock Hotel and Casino on the Virginia side of the border offers nearly 1,500 slot machines, more than 50 table games, a sportsbook, more than 300 hotel rooms and seven dining options — including, of course, a Hard Rock Cafe. The resort also features a 2,000-seat live music venue, designated nonsmoking and high limit areas, and the type of memorabilia the Hard Rock brand is famous for. Befitting the birthplace of country music, the theater regularly hosts country artists in addition to comedians, classic rock bands and more.
500 Gate City Highway, Bristol Virginia. 276-696-3660.
casino.hardrock.com/bristol
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Twin City Drive-In
Looking for something a bit more nostalgic? The Twin City Drive-In, which dates from 1949, is the only surviving drive-in in the region. It offers double features on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. Many of the movies are first-run films, with pictures cast in digital projection and stereo sound available through car speakers. Set on 29 acres with a mountain backdrop, the drive-in weathered a tornado that destroyed its original wooden screen tower in 1977.
$10 (ages 11 and up), $5 (ages 5-10), free for kids under 5. 2512 Volunteer Parkway, Bristol Tennessee. 423-764-8033.
twincitydriveintheatre.com
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Nicewonder Farm & Vineyards
Indeed, they do cultivate wine in the Appalachian mountains. In 2013, the owners of the Nicewonder Farm & Vineyards resort on the Virginia side established a vineyard that now spans 13 acres and offers five varietals, including chardonnay and petit verdot. Wines from Nicewonder Vineyards have won statewide awards, and the tasting room offers food options and live music to go along with the mountain surroundings. It’s all part of the larger 450-acre resort tucked into a corner of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
22010 Nicewonder Drive, Bristol, Virginia. 276-644-4466.
nicewonderfarm.com/
