La Follette Day Trips: Top 5 Can’t-Miss Adventures

So, La Follette, Tennessee, a town with lots of stories and seriously pretty scenery, sits just right for those who are keen to get out and really explore. It’s almost like it’s set between rolling hills and shimmering lakes, making it just great as a kind of starting point for really memorable day trips. From diving into local history to seriously getting into some really outstanding outdoor fun, there’s plenty near La Follette just waiting for you to see. Let’s see about highlighting some of the really better trips that are, in a way, easy to do in a single day, filling it with fun, relaxation, and, yes, of course, that exploration thing. Let’s see where we might wonder off too!

1. Norris Lake: Lakeside Fun and Adventure

Norris Lake, one of Tennessee’s biggest and most seriously attractive lakes, is that jewel that’s only a pretty quick drive from La Follette. It’s like, famous for its super clear waters and miles and miles of pretty coastline, really. Norris Lake is, in a way, great for everyone; really it is whether they like messing about with boats, wetting a line to do some serious fishing, or just kinda kicking back on a boat soaking up the sun, this really outstanding lake has everything. The lake has tons of marinas that offer boat rentals, so it makes a day of boating extremely possible even if you don’t own a boat, in fact it helps with it more or less. The shores that surround Norris Lake include plenty of spots for camping, having picnics, and simply swimming. Add to that all of the water sports, well then, you can have some very adventurous fun too!

And, is that you can really choose whether to make your day at Norris Lake one big adventure or one where you fully chill, is that you will still likely find a day on the water seriously restorative. Bring along some stuff for grilling so that you can use one of the area’s many picnic spots, or just eat at one of the really local lakeside restaurants too, that’s worth considering also. Norris Lake will easily become like your go-to place when you wanna kinda escape the everyday life with the really simplest breath of fresh air and a cool splash.

Read our full review: Norris Lake Tennessee Full Review and Details
See Prices, Availability & Reserve Now (Norris Lake)

2. Cove Lake State Park: Nature and Recreation

Cove Lake State Park, so like, only a hop, skip, and a jump from La Follette, offers a seriously pleasing kinda refuge for those who simply are into enjoying a nature getaway. Around Cove Lake itself, the park really has several trails perfect for hiking and spotting some pretty amazing wildlife. Really bring binoculars ’cause then you may actually see so many more kinds of birds. Those into fishing can totally make use of the fishing piers; in some respects, it caters to those who would rather take in beautiful lake views as they just patiently fish too. There is also a great big playground that’s designed for children, if you have some! A bunch of picnic spots around the park are great to simply spend time with family. So if you don’t feel like really straying far from La Follette then this park offers you lots of easy options just to relax. You can find trails just great for any walking, whether it’s light or slightly strenuous! The overall easy location from La Follette plus so many things that are offered really makes Cove Lake State Park like a gem!

Read our full review: Cove Lake State Park Tennessee Full Review and Details
See Prices, Availability & Reserve Now (Cove Lake State Park)

3. Cumberland Trail State Park: Hiking Paradise

Is that for hikers and outdoors people, and like, if there’s this ultimate experience near La Follette it just might be on Cumberland Trail State Park. Well, that is to say, really its long-distance hiking trail cuts right through east Tennessee offering some absolutely unbelievable views plus some experiences that really only avid hikers tend to see, really it’s almost a trek for those dedicated outdoor people. But like, it has sections really close to La Follette are doable as day hikes, allowing hikers from basically anywhere to, just a little, try this seriously prestigious trail without like, dedicating days and days to it. Each of these trails basically goes into old-growth forests, skirts beside ravines and seriously has some spots where you can view basically everything around, that you will, for sure, find to be gorgeous spots. Just like, remember to bring a water bottle along that has more than enough, put on some shoes that can do pretty much anything on a serious trek, and totally charge that phone because like you are for sure going to want tons of photos.

Cumberland Trail is like, calling the type of people who just cannot wait to get on that adventure, go get yourself just totally emerged and lost in basically all the awesomeness of that Tennessee landscape, I mean really who could even miss out on this. Those looking for just total days outdoors will really find this day-trip worthwhile. Make a list of these points, go through all of it one at a time so that when it is actually trail-time for that Cumberland Trail, all your things are at the ready.

Read our full review: Cumberland Trail State Park Tennessee Full Review and Details
See Prices, Availability & Reserve Now (Cumberland Trail)

4. Royal Blue Wildlife Management Area: Off-Road Adventure

Now for those who, just a little, fancy off-the-beaten-path adventures, the Royal Blue Wildlife Management Area is that place. Almost it’s more of a really wide open area perfect to like just ride a bike that can seriously tear through off-roads. Actually there’s, more or less, thousands of acres here to roam so it does seem to be just great for these things and if that sounds really exciting well pack all those off-road goodies for it will be an amazing day. In a way there’s this option to pack like your really old tent and camp under the night’s sky for that ultimate feel to all this excitement but be sure to sort of make sure all like the permits and guidelines match. You can literally sort of expect the unexpected since lots and lots of wildlife here are totally comfortable roaming the whole wide area and more or less you will get to feel how everything just meets each other very seamlessly. With trails for, you know, ATVs, hiking, and like simply being surrounded by nature it can be, kinda, quite like what one needs and that total chance of exploration kinda shows what makes the region super popular to begin with.

Royal Blue WMA can absolutely, very totally, add just some zing for folks like that adventure really bug. Like don’t forget the helmets ’cause even being just really casual like the most fun thing you can just do to be outdoors also actually can come from staying just fairly thoughtful and safe at the end. So, you might want to prep for that amazing experience.

Read our full review: Royal Blue Wildlife Management Area Tennessee Full Review and Details
See Prices, Availability & Reserve Now (Royal Blue WMA)

5. Middlesboro, Kentucky: History and Charm

Just for something different from La Follette, head slightly north, almost, into Kentucky to the town of Middlesboro. Well, that’s almost because, see it’s this pretty great spot set within the only really biggest meteor crater found in North America! The area is sorta full of both great history and this local kinda charm that make it amazing when thinking about just a small road trip. See, Bell County Historical Society Museum has tons of really awesome stuff to see to fully discover lots about just that cool town so it might just seriously be amazing to see. After this be sure, please do, just walk through the absolutely gorgeous downtown to visit those totally one-off shops, also make a quick bite at the many great eating spots. Like, also those like into hiking may totally wish to seriously take off to the Pinnacles that seriously does gives super insane scene to all who just enjoy it and its pretty.

This day, almost done traveling, will offer both the scene and those bits that tell what was to basically know just that community and where it sits in history. And kinda to know what made that place tick over time is totally great way to pass the moments. Just a tiny travel there has pretty things just at every spot whether that scene thing is from on peaks or just seeing the totally cool local stuff in places like Middlesboro in fact does make for just an ultimate day-outing that lots could wish for.

Read our full review: Middlesboro Kentucky Full Review and Details
See Prices, Availability & Reserve Now (Middlesboro)