Cookeville is located in middle Tennessee, about an hour from Nashville and an hour and a half from Knoxville. The small city spans about 22 square miles and is the “micropolis,” meaning the largest city of, Putnam County and the Upper Cumberland Plateau.
Cookeville was formerly Cherokee land, taken over by white settlers in 1805. It was chartered as a town in 1903 and named after one of its early pioneers and state senate members.
There are a lot of cool murals in Cookeville, and you all know I am drawn to murals like a mothlight, no matter what they are.
Cookeville is full of gorgeous outdoor adventures and green spaces. Check out Outdoor Experience before you start your excursions to pick up all the gear you could dream of.
Cummins Falls State Park is my favourite in the area, and you can read my blog about it here.
Rock Island State Park, Burgess Falls State Park, Pickett State Park, and Standing Stone State Park are all incredible. Below is the Standing Stone Monument.
Cumberland Mountain State Park was a blast when we visited last summer.
Bee Rock Overlook is another sweet spot. Check out my blog about our visit!
Cummins Falls, Burgess Falls, Fall Creek Falls, Ozone Falls, Virgin Falls, and Upper Piney Falls are just a few of the gorgeous waterfalls around Cookeville. There are also three man-made lakes here including Dale Hollow Lake, Center Hill Lake, and Cordell Hull Lake.
City Lake Natural Area is the SPOT for fishing, boating, and kayaking.
There is a nice, paved, 0.6-mile out and back trail surrounded by lush foliage and mayapple plants under a canopy of dozens of tree varieties.
My pup really enjoyed this walk in the shade, away from the direct sun and gravel of some of our previous adventures.
There are some abandoned structures on the way to the tiny waterfall, which was rather dry and low today.
Hidden Hollow Park is an adventure and amusement park. Open hours are oddly unpredictable, even during season, but I had to check out the handmade wooden sign.
Dogwood Park and Cane Creek Lake/Park are among other parks in the area. Cookeville is sometimes known as the Crossfit Capital, since there are many locations here and one is owned/operated by some world renowned tough guys. Not my thing, look it up.
Cookeville has a Bike Arch and it serves as a sort of claim to its outdoor haven status.
There are two historic districts in Cookeville; the Historic Westside District and the Historic North Dixie Avenue District. Historic Westside is “Downtown” Cookeville with all the shops and galleries.
North Dixie Avenue is where you will find older residential homes in varying architectural styles.
Read more about Cookeville and Putnam County history at the Cookeville History Museum.
For even more cool area history, check out the Cookeville Depot Museum. When passenger rail usage ended in the 1950s, the depot was left to rot until some local preservation heroes saved it from despair. It became a museum in 1985 and is on the National Register of Historic Places.
Here you can find a broad collection of railway artifacts and some early 1900s steam engines, trains bits, track cars, and equipment.
The Military Memorial Museum that is technically in Crossville is yet another source of fascinating area history, from local battles to national wars.
Parts of Cookeville are kind of kooky, and I love it. There was a Doll Museum that recently closed, but you can imagine the sort of spooky horrors it held on display. There is also a gravesite for Dammit the Dog on the Tennessee Tech campus.
The Muddy Pond community has several sects of Amish and Mennonites that contribute so bountifully to the arts, crafts, and gourmet scene in Cookeville, but their stark appearance and mannerisms add a layer of otherworldliness when spotted around town.
Ellie the Elephant is a giant pink elephant wearing shades that people love to pull over and snap a photo with for the ‘gram. You can find her across the street from the Key West Inn.
I first noticed Ellie in 2011 when June Bug Ranch hosted the first ever Muddy Roots Festival. My friend and I were heavily involved in promotions and networking for the festival, that year and many years to follow. It happens every summer and I am so looking forward to returning.
Some of my favourite places to pick up coffee, food, and other treats include Soul Craft Coffee, Seven Senses, Father Tom’s Pub, and Hix Farm Brewing.
Soul Craft Coffee is owned by a sweet hippie couple that traveled around selling coffee and settled here in Cookeville. Read more about them and their preservation efforts here.
Vertical Coffee Company (fka Broast TN Coffee Roasters) is a fun place to sip and hang out also. I love that they hang burlap coffee bags over the harsh fluorescents to create ambiance.
Red Oak Roasters in the Algood community has this amazing tea called Grandmother’s Breakfast that is made with cinnamon, cardamom, clove, and… something else magical that I can not pin down.
They are also known for their chicken rolls and sausage rolls, each mixed in with cream cheese, herbs, bacon, then stuffed into their delicious seeded bread rolls and baked.
Sweet treats are no joke here, even with several gluten free options.
I went for a GF carrot cupcake, my ultimate weakness, but the choice was tough.
Cream City Ice Cream & Coffee has become a local legend since opening in 2011.
Sample flavours like Blackberry Cornbread, Horchata, and Stellar Coffee, or click here to view all of their handmade flavours.
Ralph’s Donuts is another local favourite. It was a bit crowded when I tried to stop in, but I took great pleasure in watching couple after couple after couple of grinning elderly folks stepping out with their prize.
Across the street is Meg’s Bread, which is a specialty grocery, bakery, and cafe.
Just next door to that is Synergy Herbal Works Apothecary, which also has a sister location in Sparta, TN.
Seven Senses is the perfect place for a casual lunch or a sexy date. We split the Steak & Mushroom wrap with provolone, onions, and chipotle ranch, along with a side of roasted sweet chili Brussels.
The Brussels were my favourite, of course.
Father Tom’s Pub has such beautiful décor inside! We stopped in for a drink, but plan to return for food next time.
Look at their patio! I love all the ferns, shady areas, and rustic ornamentals. The hostess was a peach, and we had a good chat about all the art.
World Foods next door sells international grocery goods and some drool-worthy pizza.
For local beers, head to Hix Farm Brewery and Jig Head Brewing. Hix Farm Brewery shares space with Meg’s Bread, and you can smell all the yeasty goodness on the street.
The crowd here is welcoming, I adore their custom gates and painted patio, and they usually have a food truck or two on hand.
Jig Head Brewing Company is low-key fun space with a dog-friendly beer garden, good food, and chill atmosphere.
There is another brewery in town with the initials RS. I usually just omit places I do not like, but I had such a disturbing experience with the owner that I feel it would be helpful to caution others.
I walked in and saw no one except two women talking at the bar. I stood there for several minutes and no one came to me, but I stayed silent and waited at the counter. Since I was there and I have a travel blog, I do what I always do and snapped a photo. This photo was of the décor on the wall like guitars and framed articles. The women were behind me, so the photo was not directed at them. I waited a few more minutes. Since staff seemed busy, I went to get my dog and tie his lead to a table on the patio. I had intended to buy lunch and a beer.
A man suddenly ran out the door and started following me down the street. He was yelling at top volume, asking “just what do you think you’re doing?!? You need to INTRODUCE yourself when you walk into MY bar!” He said he is the owner and demanded to know why I took a picture of his decor, and that he DEMANDS that I stop and explain myself to him.
I told him I am a travel writer and wanted to include his brewery in my list of places to visit in Cookeville. He screamed at me that I need to introduce myself to him, that I don’t just get to walk in and out like that. I told him no one even came out to talk to me after I waited so I was just getting my dog. He said again “I am the OWNER and I DEMAND that you INTRODUCE yourself!”
At this point we were two blocks away from his property and I was just trying to get into my car. This man was following a lone woman down the street screaming at her like a psycho. He continued yelling until I drove away.
Every single other soul I encountered in Cookeville that day (and many times since then) was perfectly kind and not insane or threatening. In the ten years before that, and in the years since that happened, not one business owner or employee or other guest has ever behaved that way toward me so this made it seem all the more batshit.
So yah, fuck that guy. Go somewhere else.
Anyways, the Tennessee Legend Distillery is a rad place. They have other locations in Tennessee, they are all locally-owned, and they like to make a party out of letting you sample their house-made brews.
The Upper Cumberland Wine Trail is a must for any visiting wine lovers. They have a cute little card you get stamped at each of the seven area wineries, including Stonehaus Winery, Chestnut Hill Winery, Cellar 53 Winery, Highland Manor Winery, Del Monaco Winery & Vineyards, Holly Ridge Winery & Vineyards, and Northfield Vineyards.
For shoppers, Market on the Square is a multi-level complex with all kinds of home and kitchen goods, gourmet pantry stock and snacks, décor, and gifts. Be sure to stop by Wall of Books also.
The historic Courthouse Square has lots of cool buildings, architecture, coffee shops, and other nooks to admire.
You can also check antique shops like Munkey Wrench and Jones Antiques to pick up a new (to you) treasure.
Cookeville hosts many awesome events and festivals throughout the year like Art Prowl, Taste of the Town, Storyfest in the Park, Bacchanal, Dogapalooza, Putnam County Fair, Wine on the Westside, and more, so plan your visit accordingly.
In the area for a while? Follow me to Cummins Falls, Bee Rock Overlook, Ozone Falls, Cumberland Mountain State Park, and Crossville.
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