10 Things to Do in The Upper Cumberland this Winter

The first day of Winter is here! It is finally cold weather season in the Upper Cumberland. One of the many spectacular things about Tennessee is that it experiences all four seasons and there are numerous things to do for every season. Winter is no different for the cities nestled in the Upper Cumberland. Let’s explore 10 things to do in the Upper Cumberland Region during the winter. 

1. Hidden Hollow: Hidden Hollow is a beautiful place to visit during every season, but it is especially spectacular in the winter. Their annual Christmas Light Spectacular is a drive-thru light display and it starts Thanksgiving night until New Year’s Eve. It is the largest Christmas light display in the Upper Cumberland and many families have the ongoing tradition of touring the lights! The water wheel house displays Christmas lights that are synchronized to Christmas songs. There are pony rides on Friday and Saturday nights, a Christmas Sleigh Wagon photo op, and a full snack bar. In addition to the drive-thru Christmas Lights tour, they also have places to grill out, feed ducks, play mini golf, and sit by the waterfalls. It’s a quiet and peaceful place to visit in the Winter and all season long!

2. Tennessee Tech Lights Up the Quad:The Christmas lights on Tennessee Tech’s quad are breathtaking. It’s worth adding this stop to your Upper Cumberland winter bucket list! The lights are turned on each night at 5 P.M. Be sure to head there and walk around Tech’s campus to enjoy the light display. 

3. Dogwood Park lights: Dogwood Park is a green oasis in downtown Cookeville, located at 30 E Broad St, across from the City Municipal Building. There is always a beautiful display of Christmas lights and a spectacular oversized Christmas tree by the lit up fountain. Don’t let the cold weather stop you! There is a playground for children and an ample amount of walking paths to stroll down. Set up a hammock and get cozy by the fountain! 

4. Visit Local Coffee Shops: There are several local coffee shops worth making a visit to in the Upper Cumberland area. Poets is located in downtown Cookeville on the Square and they opened in 1994. It has become Cookeville’s living room! Poets serves a variety of delicious specialty drinks, classic espresso drinks, and yummy food options. Red Oak Roosters is Algood’s coffee cafe. They have a full espresso bar, muffins, cinnamon rolls, cookies, pies, scones, and sandwiches all baked fresh in house. The Coffee Collective is another great coffee shop located in Sparta, Tennessee. They have green coffee beans from Ethiopia, Columbia, Brazil, Guatemala, as well as many other regions, that are all roasted on site. There are all kinds of delicious coffee drinks, breakfast foods, and lunch items to choose from. 

5. Visit Lazy G Ranch: Lazy G Ranch has 120 acres and raises approximately 150 Bison. They provide tours that consist of wagon rides around the fields, and enjoy snacks at the event center while learning the history and future of Bison. They have an annual live nativity and Christmas lights, stew cook, and concerts. It’s worth visiting this ranch! 

6. Tour The Upper Cumberland: Tour the Upper Cumberland is a shuttle service that makes life easier. They offer Christmas lights tours for Upper Cumberland Locals or in Nashville. Some tour ideas on their website includes: Holiday lights, New Year’s Eve outings, holiday sip and shops, brewery or distillery trips, ugly sweater pub crawls, Titans games, and Preds games.

7. DelMonaco Winery: DelMonaco Winery is a local winery in Putnam County that sits on over 52 acres. It is a showplace that would become a point of pride for the community and a destination for wine lovers! Bundle up indoors and try 3 wines for free (we recommend the Blackberry and Strawberry wine) or brave the cold and tour the vineyard, it’s worth it! In January, DelMonaco Winery will present their Death of a Gangster Murder Mystery Dinner Show that you will not want to miss, 

8. Hot Yoga at A Better Me Yoga: Warm up this winter season with hot yoga! Mary, the owner of A Better Me Yoga, is a 300-hour certified yoga instructor and a Cookeville resident. Mary and the staff make everyone feel welcomed and comfortable. Book a Hot 26 class where you will practice a set sequence of 26 beginner postures and 2 breathing exercises in an infrared heated room, or relax in the Restorative Yoga class that is designed to allow your muscles to fully relax, the brain to quiet, and help release deeply held tensions from the body and mind. 

9. The Table: Looking for something to do indoors to escape the cold? Visit The Table in Cookeville! They are a board game lounge with over 600 games to choose from. They definitely have a game for you and your friends or family to play. 

10.  Ralph’s Donuts: Ralph’s Donuts has been open for more than 60 years. This downtown donut shop is legendary among locals and tourists alike for its delectable treats. It has been repeatedly named among Tennessee’s best donut shops, Ralph’s is a stop you cannot miss when you are in Cookeville!