With its a state slogan of "Tennessee -- America at its Best," Tennessee offers a slice of Americana for every member of your family. Enjoy rich musical culture from Appalachian bluegrass to Memphis blues and Nashville country. Civil War history buffs can explore the Antebellum Trail, connecting 55 historical sites, battlefields and plantations. No visit to Tennessee would be complete without a visit to the Great Smoky Mountains, which is just one area of the state where you can enjoy overnighting in a campground cabin.
Spend the night in a cabin that predates the Civil War at Donley Cabin in Cherokee National Forest in eastern Tennessee. The secluded one-room cabin sleeps six people, with two sets of bunk beds and a full-size metal bed. Plywood forms the base for your bedding, so you may want to bring a camping pad. Warm yourself by the fireplace and enjoy dining indoors at the kitchen table. Outside, you'll find a grill for cooking food and rocking chairs on the front porch. The cabin is a popular autumn getaway and has a three-day stay limit. There are no locks on the doors, and visitors to the area frequently like to check out the historic cabin. An outhouse is next to the cabin.
Tennessee offers 20 state parks with cabins, from rustic to luxurious. All cabins have indoor bathrooms, kitchens and living areas with a minimum of one bedroom, with linens provided. The cabins range from those built in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps to modern villas with up to three bedrooms and air conditioning. The villas include cable TV, phone and climate-controlled heating. The cabins and villas are available year-round. A minimum three-night stay is required on holiday weekends. Most of the cabins are concentrated in the central part of the state, convenient to Nashville and Chattanooga, but you can find state parks that rent cabins near Memphis and Nashville as well.
Some private campgrounds in Tennessee also offer cabins. Kampgrounds of America (koa.com) has 11 campgrounds throughout the state with camping cabins. A basic cabin has one or two rooms with beds. A deluxe cabin has separate bedrooms, a kitchen and bathroom. Each KOA offers family-oriented amenities such as hot showers, swimming pool, pet walking areas, playgrounds and cable TV. Some KOAs offer additional amenities such as large bouncing platforms for the kids or modern camping kitchens where you can prepare food and do dishes if you are staying in a cabin without a kitchen. Chattanooga is a prime camping destination, with three KOAs as well as other private campgrounds.
Cabins are available year-round. Autumn is a popular time to view colorful foliage in Tennessee, and cabins book up quickly during this time, particularly on weekends. Make reservations as early as possible. You can reserve the Donely cabin online at Reserve America (reserveamerica.com). Six of the state parks offer online reservations for cabins through the Tennessee State Parks Reservation System (tn.gov). To stay at other campground cabins, call the individual park managing the cabin for availability and reservations.