These Must-See TN Attractions Are Hitting Milestone Anniversaries in 2025

Here's the thing about Tennessee. Having lived a quick and easy drive from its northern border all my life, I've been in position to enjoy all it has to offer for several decades. I can't remember the last year I wasn't in the Volunteer State at least once.

The beauty part is that Tennessee's attractions have stood the test of time. Nashville will never know a shortage of tourists. Neither will Gatlinburg or Memphis. And everywhere in between, you'll find other quality ways to while away the hours. Multiple "time-tested" Tennessee attractions are hitting milestone anniversaries in 2025, and we congratulate them and thank them for the good times. In reverse chronological order, here we go, and we'll start in the heart of Music City, itself.

The Statue of Athena, the Parthenon - Nashville

The centerpiece of Centennial Park is a spot-on replica of the Greek Parthenon. And the centerpiece of the Parthenon is the extraordinary statue of Athena Parthenos, which was commissioned in 1982 and unveiled in 1990. Happy 35th anniversary.

Dollywood

It's hard to believe that globally beloved icon Dolly Parton's gift to the Great Smoky Mountains and all tourists everywhere is 40 years old in 2025. Just how many legacies is this woman going to leave behind?

The Cumberland County Playhouse - Crossville

Why did someone decide it was the right thing to do to build a community theatre in a small Tennessee town of about 5,000? A town without a museum or college, with only one movie theatre? How about a wildly (and perhaps surprisingly) successful performance of The Perils of Pinocchio at a local junior high school gym? That was the seed. Sixty years after its 1965 opening, The Cumberland County Playhouse continues to entertain central and eastern Tennessee night in and night out. The 2025 schedule alone is most impressive.

The Old Country Store - Jackson

Also celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2025, The Old Country Store remains a popular stop for locals and travelers looking for unique Tennessee souvenirs and a visit to its world famous buffet. Sure, you can order off the menu, but that buffet.

The Grand Ole Opry

And now for the granddaddy of them all. (No pun intended.) The Grand Ole Opry has always celebrated every anniversary like it was the big one. Well, this year really is the big one. Billed as "the show that made country music famous," the Grand Ole Opry radio broadcast began in 1925 from the venerable old Ryman Auditorium in downtown Nashville, the Opry's original home.

Today, the always-impressive line-ups at the Opry House on the Briley Parkway never play to less than a full house, a much bigger house that opened in 1974. If you visit Nashville, you must tour the Ryman. I'm not sure you can completely appreciate the rich history of country music unless you do.