As the peak boating season is coming to an end, now is the perfect time to take a trip on the lake and enjoy the fall scenery. There is nothing more peaceful than boating along the river among the Tennessee mountains and hills with the reflections of fall scenery off of the water.
1Center Hill Lake
One of the best places in Middle Tennessee for boating is Center Hill Lake. You can leave off from Sligo Marina and head north to Davies Island. From there you can choose to go east to Burgess Falls. There is a ton of beautiful scenery including multiple waterfalls for viewing. You can make an awesome day trip on the lake with a small budget easily. If you don’t have a boat of your own, check out the options at Nashville Boat Club. Most hold somewhere between 13-15 people. The trip to the falls would be somewhere between 20 and 25 miles round trip.
2Cumberland River Cruises
Another good option is the Fall Color Cruise with Cumberland River Cruises. September through October, Tuesday through Sunday 3:00 PM and 5:00 PM or any time for parties of 8 or more with advance reservations. The times change as the sunset time changes so that the last cruise is usually a sunset cruise. Tours originate from Gallatin Marina in Gallatin.
3Blue Heron Cruises
Blue Heron offers nature cruises boarding at Fate Sanders Marina & Restaurant in Mt. Juliet. Passengers will enjoy beautiful scenery and wildlife. Blue Heron Cruises last about an hour and a half. For more information, visit the Blue Heron website.
4Southern Belle Riverboat Cruise, Chattanooga
If you’d like to take a little trip outside of Middle Tennessee, there are some fantastic options in East Tennessee, such as fall river cruises in Chattanooga and Knoxville. Chattanooga has a couple of great options along the beautiful Tennessee River Gorge, known as the Grand Canyon of the South. The Gorge is known for having a great variety of trees with traditional pines on one side and deciduous trees like poplars on the other. The unique split is due to the light that plays on the river. The Southern Belle Riverboat offers three-hour fall cruises with music, games, and a buffet-style lunch.
5Tennessee River Boat Cruises, Knoxville
If you’re going to be in Knoxville for games or just a visit, there are a couple of great options for cruises through downtown Knoxville and The University of Tennessee Campus. Tennessee River Boat Cruises offers a Fall Cruise in late October and in November.
The cruise will depart from downtown Knoxville and go up the mouth of the Tennessee River. From there you will be able to see the Holston River and French Broad river coming together to make the Tennessee River.
The Holston River begins in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains and flows for 274 miles through Virginia into Tennessee. The river ends at the confluence of the Holston and French Broad rivers to form the Tennessee River. The French Broad River flows 218 miles from North Carolina into the State of Tennessee. Its confluence with the Holston River is the beginning of the Tennessee River.
This story was brought to you by Nashville Boat Club. The Nashville Boat Club is a private, members-only Boating Country Club®. For nearly 1/3 the cost of owning a single boat, you can enjoy a fleet of new upscale boats. These meticulously maintained boats are for the EXCLUSIVE use of its members. Visit them at nashvilleboatclub.net.
