Quick answer: Tennessee is a landlocked state, so its “beaches” are lake and river beaches, mostly on reservoirs built by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and the US Army Corps of Engineers. Good options include Percy Priest, Old Hickory and Cheatham lakes near Nashville, The Cove at Concord Park near Knoxville, and state-park beaches at Big Ridge, Rock Island and Paris Landing. Folly Beach and Isle of Palms are in South Carolina and Arkabutla Lake is in Mississippi; they are listed separately below as out-of-state trips. Swimming areas and lifeguard cover vary, so check before you swim.
Tennessee has no sea coast, but it has dozens of large lakes with sandy swimming areas, picnic grounds and boat ramps. They make easy day trips from Nashville, Knoxville, Chattanooga and Memphis. An earlier version of this article listed Folly Beach and Isle of Palms as Tennessee beaches; both are on the Atlantic coast of South Carolina. They are kept in this guide as road-trip ideas, clearly labelled.
Middle Tennessee and the Nashville area
1. Percy Priest Lake
Percy Priest Lake is a 42-mile-long reservoir on the Stones River, formed by J. Percy Priest Dam about 10 miles east of downtown Nashville. Managed by the US Army Corps of Engineers, it has campgrounds, many day-use and picnic areas, and boat ramps, making it one of the most convenient lakes for a beach day from Nashville.
2. Cook Day Use Area, Percy Priest Lake
Cook is one of the Corps of Engineers’ day-use areas on Percy Priest Lake. It is a small, family-friendly spot for swimming and picnics, with shaded picnic sites, grills and lake views.
3. Old Hickory Beach, Old Hickory Lake
Old Hickory Beach, on Old Hickory Lake northeast of Nashville, has a sandy swimming beach, a playground, a boat ramp and a large picnic shelter for group gatherings. The lake is popular for boating and for fishing for bass, catfish and crappie.
4. Cheatham Lake
Cheatham Lake, on the Cumberland River near Ashland City, northwest of Nashville, is a favourite with locals. Its recreation areas have picnic sites with grills, boat ramps, playgrounds, volleyball courts and restrooms.
5. Cordell Hull Lake
Cordell Hull Lake is a Corps of Engineers reservoir of about 12,000 acres on the Cumberland River near Carthage, about 40 miles east of Nashville, named after the former US Secretary of State Cordell Hull. It is known for scenery, camping, hiking, fishing and picnicking. (An earlier version of this article placed it in “East Nashville”.)
6. Center Hill Lake
Center Hill Lake, near Smithville, is a deep, 64-mile-long reservoir on the Caney Fork River with about 415 miles of shoreline. Parts of its shore are in Edgar Evins, Burgess Falls and Rock Island state parks, so it combines swimming, boating, kayaking and fishing with waterfall hikes nearby. (An earlier version of this article said it has 400 miles of shoreline and “three historic hulls”.)
7. Rock Island State Park
Rock Island State Park, where the Caney Fork meets Center Hill Lake, is one of Tennessee’s most scenic parks, with clear water, bluffs and waterfalls. It has a sandy swimming area and facilities for camping, hiking, boating, fishing and picnicking. Obey all warning signs near the falls and the dam.
8. Dale Hollow Lake
Dale Hollow Lake, on the Tennessee–Kentucky border, was completed by the Corps of Engineers in 1943, mainly for flood control and hydropower. It is known for its exceptionally clear water, which makes it popular for scuba diving, and it holds the world record for the largest smallmouth bass ever caught.
East Tennessee and the Knoxville area
9. Cherokee Lake
Cherokee Lake is a TVA reservoir on the Holston River, completed in 1941 and named after the Cherokee people who once lived in the area. It covers about 28,780 acres across Grainger, Hamblen, Jefferson and Hawkins counties, below the Clinch Mountain range, and is known for bass fishing. (An earlier version of this article gave its shoreline as 463 miles; TVA-based figures put it at nearly 400 miles.)
10. Douglas Lake
Douglas Lake, a TVA reservoir east of Knoxville in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, offers swimming, fishing, boating and birdwatching. Much of its shoreline is farmland and homes, so use public recreation areas for access.
11. The Cove at Concord Park
The Cove at Concord Park, at 11808 South Northshore Drive in Knox County, sits on Fort Loudoun Lake, on the Tennessee River. Knox County lists a swimming beach, playground, picnic pavilion, restrooms and sand volleyball courts, and paddleboards, canoes and kayaks can be rented in the warm months. (An earlier version of this article called it “The Cove at Harmony Park”.)
12. Melton Lake Park, Oak Ridge
Melton Lake Park, in Oak Ridge, sits beside Melton Hill Lake on the Clinch River. It is popular with rowers, kayakers and stand-up paddleboarders, and has space for walking and beach volleyball.
13. Big Ridge State Park
Big Ridge State Park, on Norris Lake north of Knoxville, has a well-kept sandy swimming beach and clear water, plus beach volleyball, sports courts and hiking trails.
14. Chickamauga Lake
Chickamauga Lake, a TVA reservoir on the Tennessee River near Chattanooga, is one of the most popular lakes for recreation in the state, especially at its southern end. Boating, fishing, swimming, water-skiing and paddleboarding are all popular, and there are parks with playgrounds along its shores. It is named after the Chickamauga Cherokee.
15. Grundy Lakes, Tracy City
Grundy Lakes is part of South Cumberland State Park on the Cumberland Plateau. Its small lake has a swimming area, and the park preserves the remains of 19th-century coke ovens and coal-mining works, including a prison stockade where convict labour was used. Hikers can explore rock formations, streams and waterfalls in the wider park, including the Fiery Gizzard Trail.
West Tennessee
16. Paris Landing State Park
Paris Landing State Park sits on the shore of Kentucky Lake in northwest Tennessee. It has a sandy swimming area and calm water, and is a good base for fishing, boating and water-skiing. The park also has an 18-hole golf course.
17. Kentucky Lake
Kentucky Lake was created in 1944, when TVA’s Kentucky Dam impounded the Tennessee River. At about 160,300 acres, it is the largest artificial lake by surface area in the US east of the Mississippi River, and it stretches from western Kentucky deep into Tennessee. It is a top destination for fishing, hunting and boating. (An earlier version of this article said the lake covers 15,000 acres and was created in 1938, and placed it only in “Southwest Kentucky”.)
Out-of-state beaches within a drive
18. Arkabutla Lake, Mississippi
Arkabutla Lake, a Corps of Engineers reservoir in northern Mississippi, is one of the closest lake beaches to Memphis. It has swimming beaches, camping and picnic areas, and is known for crappie fishing.
19. Folly Beach, South Carolina
Folly Beach, on Folly Island south of Charleston, South Carolina, is an Atlantic beach town with a long fishing pier, surfing, fishing and boating. It is a long drive from Tennessee, but popular for a seaside holiday. An earlier version of this article called it “the best Tennessee beach near Knoxville”.
20. Isle of Palms, South Carolina
Isle of Palms is a barrier island near Charleston, South Carolina, with a wide Atlantic beach and a beachfront county park with picnic space and a playground. Like Folly Beach, it is in South Carolina, not Tennessee.
Tips for Tennessee lake beaches
- Check swimming rules. Many lake beaches have no lifeguards, and some recreation areas are seasonal or charge a day-use fee.
- Watch for drop-offs. Lake bottoms can deepen suddenly. Children and weak swimmers should wear life jackets.
- Mind the dams. Water levels below dams can rise quickly during releases.
- Check official sites: Tennessee State Parks, TVA and the US Army Corps of Engineers publish opening dates and rules.
Planning more US beach trips? See our guides to the best Alabama beaches, the best Mississippi beaches and the best North Carolina beaches.
Frequently asked questions
Does Tennessee have real beaches?
Not ocean beaches. Tennessee is landlocked, but its many reservoirs have sandy swimming areas at state parks and recreation areas.
What is the closest ocean beach to Tennessee?
The nearest ocean beaches are on the Gulf coast of Alabama and Florida, or the Atlantic coast of Georgia and the Carolinas. Which is closest depends on where in Tennessee you start.
Which lake beaches are near Nashville?
Percy Priest Lake, Old Hickory Lake and Cheatham Lake are all close to Nashville.
Which lake has the clearest water in Tennessee?
Dale Hollow Lake is known for its high water clarity, which makes it popular with scuba divers.
Details checked in October 2026 against Tennessee Valley Authority and US Army Corps of Engineers lake records, Knox County Parks, and published records for Tennessee’s state parks and reservoirs. Swimming areas and rules change each season, so check before you go.
