The threat of coronavirus has many people in our country staying home and avoiding travel, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy some new explorations. Get a sneak preview of the following places through virtual tours and then make a note to visit in person when restrictions are lifted.
Bristol
The Birthplace of Country Music Museum will have you tappin’ your toes when you check out their soon-to-launch Bristol Quarantine Sessions. Find out details on their website and Facebook page. There’s also a YouTube Channel for Radio Bristol hat offers videos like the one below from Radio Bristol Sessions, Farm Reports, and more.
It’s also possible to tune in to live music performances with Believe in Bristol’s social distancing series. Concerts take place at 7 p.m. throughout the month of April. Check their lineup to see who is performing.
And if you want a closer look at downtown Bristol, take a virtual tour.
Chattanooga
While the Chattanooga Zoo is closed to hopefully slow the spread of COVID-19, you can still spot some of the animals that live there from the comfort of your own home. There are live cameras set up to show some of the animal areas including cotton top tamarins, snow leopards, meerkats, and sloth.
Similar online opportunities are available from the Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga. Check out the river otters, penguins, and the secret ref cam, which provides a calming view into a vibrant underwater world.
The Creative Discovery Museum continues to engage young minds with some online programs including their fee-based Distance Learning and BioEnergy Lessons. Live events on the Museum’s Facebook page include such activities as story time, cooking lessons, and hands-on, play-based activities to enjoy at home.
Gatlinburg
If you are missing the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, you can visit virtually it by clicking on one of the park’s webcams: Newfound Gap, Look Rock, Purchase Knob, and Clingman’s Dome.
The view is also beautiful from the Gatlinburg SkyLift Park and SkyBridge and you can see it when you check out some of the videos on its Facebook page. The SkyBridge is North America’s longest pedestrian suspension bridge.
There are also webcams at Anakeesta and the Gatlinburg Space Needle.
At Ripley’s Aquarium in downtown Gatlinburg, the animals are waiting for visitors to return, but you can still see some of them through live feeds and special downloadable activities.
Jonesborough
Listening to the stories of others, and telling our own, can help to make sense of the current situation. The International Storytelling Center works to preserve and enhance the world’s oldest art form. Listen to stories as well as the StoryVault podcast. There are also videos from past festivals to make you laugh and cry, like the one below.
Knoxville
Explore some history of Knoxville by taking an online tour of James White’s Fort. You can also step back in time by virtually visiting an old-fashioned pharmacy and soda fountain.
Pigeon Forge
Take a ride on the Lightning Rod roller coaster at Dollywood from the comfort of your couch. You can throw your arms up in the air without much fear. Or step aboard the ill-fated Titanic. Check out a four-part YouTube field trip to the Titanic Museum.
