This program was made possible by contributions to your PBS station from viewers like you.

Thank you.

This project is funded by Putnam County with support from a grant provided by the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development.

In the heart of Tennessee, there's a little slice of heaven you've just got to see.

[♪♪] Oh, man.

Wish you were here.

Hi everyone.

I'm Shan Stout.

Your guide as we discover boutique stays unforgettable outdoor adventures a dining experience inspired by 250 years of American hospitality and the breathtaking natural beauty that makes Tennessee's Upper Cumberland a destination unlike any other.

Let's begin today's adventure with an unforgettable America 250 inspired outdoor dining experience, where great food, breathtaking scenery, and the spirit of exploration come together to celebrate 250 years of America's history at The Wandering Local.

It's about more than just the meal.

It's about creating unforgettable moments, from intimate private dinners to thoughtfully curated outdoor experiences, every gathering brings together exceptional food, beautiful surroundings, and the simple joy of sharing a table with others.

Before catching up with our Wish You Were Here field correspondents, let's gather around the table with the Wandering Local and experience how beautifully crafted outdoor dining transforms a meal into an unforgettable celebration of food, nature and connection.

[♪♪] Now, of all the dining experiences that we've hosted on Wish You Were Here, this is absolutely the coolest.

I am here at the Liberty Hill Schoolhouse at Fall Creek Falls State Park.

Did not know this place existed.

So charming, so unique.

And we are going to have a dining experience with the Wandering Local.

I have owners, MiKa and Abby.

Thank you so much for having us!

And welcome to the Wandering Local.

Girls, I have so many questions.

First off, I've been following you on social and you look like you're having such a great time.

But you're not always in this location.

It is called the Wandering Local.

So let's talk about the wandering and your origin story.

Once upon a time, Abby and I were, we work with the chamber.

We do a lot of work for the Chamber of Commerce here in Van Buren County.

And we have the idea for an outdoor dinner.

And after a two hour phone call, the Wandering Local was born.

And we knew that we wanted to bring people into our community and all of these special places that we have here.

And that's exactly what we did.

Okay, so, Abby, you are creative thinkers, obviously, and here we are at the Liberty Hill School on the grounds about to have this beautiful patriotic themed dining experience.

Tell us a little bit about what's going on today, because we are so close to the 4th of July and celebrating America.

250 and obviously the schoolhouse is named Liberty Hill.

We just felt as though there was no better name for the dinner and theme.

Okay, so we're talking themed parties, famed events.

What else do you have on the horizon?

What what are your growth opportunities here?

Because it looks like the sky's the limit.

It is.

And we have a lot of ideas and we kind of have to ground each other every once in a while.

[laughter] We are actually planning on working with visit McMinnville in order to bring a fall dinner series to different locations in McMinnville.

Wonderful.

So, Abby, this question is to you because you were passionate about this piece of your business plan, which is talking about historical references and kind of the roots behind these locations.

And since we're at the Liberty Hill School, what's tonight's journey going to look like?

So whenever we come up with a dinner idea, we always make sure that the location has a story behind it.

Whenever we thought of doing the dinners, we we wanted to have somebody that has a connection to the location open the dinner with a little something about where they are at.

How nice.

So tonight we actually have a lady named Jan Mitchell, and her mother used to live in this house.

No way.

Yes.

And she is going to be opening this.

This was actually their family home.

Oh that's amazing.

And so the people joining us for dinner are going to be able to ask her all the questions.

And the curiosity will just expand into dinner conversation.

I love everything about this.

Okay.

Now, you were also, you know, we've touched on a little bit about people having parties and that sort of thing.

You know what all do you offer so that, you know, there might be someone, one of our viewers might say, ooh, I'd like to use them for this, but I'm not sure.

So right now we have these big elaborate dinners.

We have the themed dinners.

You know, we want you to come and take part in this, but we want to celebrate with you.

So whether it is your birthday or your anniversary, we've done both of these so far.

We have small intimate gathering, sparkly parties, anniversary dinners.

Dinner for two.

Dinner for four.

We have done birthday parties for seven.

So whether it's a small dinner or, you know you want to get your closest friends together, we can.

This feels like a great proposal/engagement party to me.

Yes, yes, we had yet to do one right?

Yes.

And we could pull it off, let me tell you.

But that is one of our favorite things.

We can make a special place for you.

Or we can go to a place that a special to you and make something memorable.

So that is another part of the beauty of the Wandering Local.

We can go anywhere, but we can make these memories happen for you.

And a special place too.

Sounds like the sky's the limit.

It really is.

Well, I'm not going to hold you back because I know you've got a job to do.

We've got some food to eat.

Do you mind if I join you?

Of course.

Yes, ma'am.

[♪♪] Just minutes from sunset Marina on beautiful Dale Hollow Lake, The Lakeside Inn is a boutique retreat where modern comfort meets the laid back charm of lake life.

Freshly renovated with stylish accommodations and thoughtful touches, it's the perfect home base for days spent boating, fishing, paddling, or simply soaking in the natural beauty of one of Tennessee's most treasured destinations.

Whether you're chasing adventure on the water or unwinding after a day of exploring, every stay invite you to slow down, relax, and experience the best of Tennessee's Upper Cumberland.

Let's meet up with field correspondent, Mirlie Larose, to discover what makes the Lakeside Inn at Dale hollow a favorite getaway for lake lovers, outdoor enthusiasts, and weekend travelers alike.

[♪♪] I'm here in Monroe, Tennessee at the Lakeside Inn with owner Rachel Smalling.

Rachel, thank you so much for having us.

Yeah.

Of course.

Glad to be here.

Can you tell me what inspired you to purchase and renovate this inn?

Yeah, absolutely.

So my husband and I ,his name is Alex, used to have a boat on Sunset Marina.

I say used to, because after we bought this place, we didn't really have time to go out and boat anymore.

So that's sad, but we would drive by this, what was then the OB River Inn, that had recently closed down on our way home every weekend we just felt like, oh, that's that's sad.

I feel like it's a great location.

It's a great place.

Super close to the Marina.

Convenient off of highway 111.

We bought the place in August of 2020 and basically it was a complete gut job.

We were up here every single night and weekend.

Lots of help from family and friends.

And then in May of 2021, we opened to the public.

Now, can you tell me how many rooms does the inn have and what type of accommodations can the guest choose from?

So we have nine rooms here at the lakeside.

Every room is a little bit different.

A lot of our rooms have two queen beds, so they will sleep four people pretty comfortably.

Right now we're standing in the Dale hollow room, so it's a little bit more spacious.

It has a dining room table.

If you need to do some work for the weekend.

A little bit of a larger fridge for your kitchen needs for the weekend.

We have rooms that have king beds as well, so if you're doing a couple's getaway and you want that king bed, we have three rooms with that layout.

Most of our rooms are pet friendly, so if you get on our website and you go to the booking link and you just click the little tab that says you have pets, that will automatically pull up all the rooms for you that are pet friendly.

And then we also have a two bedroom, two bath suite that has its own living room and a full kitchenette available.

Could you share a little bit of the history behind this property?

Yeah of course.

So when my husband bought this property in 2020, we kind of dived in and asked the previous owners a little bit about it.

And turns out it was actually built in the mid 80s, the original block building, and was set up as a kind of gas station restaurant in the late 80s, early 90s.

Yeah.

And then in the mid 90s, they turned it into a motel, which is, I think, a great location right here off of 111.

Great idea.

And then in the early 2000s they did another add on, which is this room that we're standing in now and one of our other rooms.

And then I actually have my manager who lives on site here, actually has an apartment below us.

So that's awesome.

Yeah.

This is an awesome location.

It's nice and peaceful.

Very relaxing.

Yes.

Now, what are some of the most popular activities that guests like to do when they come here?

Obviously we are just three fourths of a mile from Sunset Marina, so that's going to be the most popular.

We're also really close to Star Point Marina, so close to two really big marinas.

So obviously a lot of weekenders with their boats, families coming in for the weekend to celebrate summer holidays.

And then we are also within an hour's drive of five different state parks.

So if you like outdoors or the lake or maybe you want to come up for a fall hike or a spring getaway up in the mountains, this is this is a great place for you.

Let's talk about food.

What are some of the popular restaurants or local spots that you recommend?

I don't know about you, but one of my favorite things to do for a weekend away is to discover little towns that aren't super busy or aren't overcrowded, and I think that's the perfect spot, both in Livingston, which is just ten miles south of us here, or in Bird's Town, which is five miles north.

One of my favorite little local spots.

It's been around forever.

It's called the Dixie cafe, and they actually have live bluegrass music on Friday and Saturday nights.

That's a really fun event to go to.

And then the Livingston Town Square, which has a bunch of historic restaurants, a lot of great antiquing, boutiques.

So it's just the perfect little spot to come for the weekend and enjoy some restaurants.

All righty.

Thank you so much, Rachel, for sharing the story behind the Lakeside Inn.

Now, before we wrap this up.

Do you think we can go ahead and go take a tour around the Inn?

Yeah, of course.

Let's go!

[♪♪] Up next, we're making our way to Cookeville, Tennessee, where the call of outdoors meets those ready to explore at Outdoor Experience.

Whether you're hiking scenic trails, paddling pristine waterways, camping under the stars, or exploring Tennessee's incredible outdoors.

This locally owned outfitter has the gear and passion to help you make the most of every adventure.

More than just an outdoor shop, it's a gathering place for explorers of all experience levels, inspiring people to get outside, discover new places, and create lasting memories along the way.

Let's join field correspondent Shaun Scantland as he steps inside Outdoor Experience to discover why it's become a trusted destination for outdoor enthusiasts across Tennessee's Upper Cumberland.

And if there's an adventure waiting just around the corner, you can bet I'll be ready to grab my gear and join in.

[♪♪] Hello!

We're in Cookeville, Tennessee at The Outdoor Experience.

I have the owner here with me, Heather.

Call.

Heather, thank you so much for having us in today.

Thank you for joining us today.

Welcome to the Outdoor Experience.

For those who know me, I'm a big comic book nerd and so I love a good origin story.

I got to know what inspired you to open the Outdoor Experience here in Cookeville, Tennessee?

Well, in 1992 I moved here to Cookeville to go to Tennessee Tech.

At that time, I wasn't quite sure what I wanted to do, but I got really into sociology and psychology and ended up with a master's in psychology.

Upon graduating, I went and worked as a child therapist for several years, and then I thought I would like to be an entrepreneur.

So then thinking about what type of business I might like to do.

I love everything about the outdoors, all all the different sports, all the different things.

So I thought, let's open an outdoors store.

And who knew you'd be staying in therapy?

Because what better therapy than to get out into the the wild?

Absolutely.

Absolutely.

So for someone like me, I'm a I'm a noob at the outdoor experience.

I may not know.

Camping from glamping, hiking from biking, a wild yak from a kayak.

What can you do when someone like me walks through the door and is needed some help?

Well, we're lucky enough to have a great staff here.

We would talk to you, figure out what exactly your interests are, what you want to do, and guide you in the right direction.

I know the outdoors can be thought of as kind of rugged, right?

You know, the only time I've been accused of being rugged is just these good looks.

So you got to have high quality, durable items here.

So what are some of the more popular brands that you have here that your customers are lining up to get?

When starting the shop I did make the conscious decision that I was only going to carry brands that I truly believed in and knew that they would last.

Now, in doing that, the brands just tend to be a lot more expensive, which did lead to a challenge, you know, introducing really expensive brands into the Upper Cumberland region.

But we look for things that are either going to last or they're they're made environmentally conscious, have most things have a lifetime warranty.

So how has the outdoor culture evolved in Cookeville?

Especially during Covid yearsú everybody got a renewed interest in being outdoors and trying to find things to do.

So things just kind of exploded.

As far as people wanting to get into kayaking or different outdoor sports, there's several nonprofits here that are working hard to to make sure we get more trails in the area.

Upper Cumberland Sauble works on mountain bike trails, and we have the Tennessee Central Trail trying to expand our greenway.

And then, of course, you know that all of our great parks we have around and places to recreate.

For those that just want to rent something, you got something at Meadow Creek.

Do you do that here as well?

Tell us a little bit about both of those.

Our rentals here are called Take and Go Rentals.

And basically that just means you would come here, pick them up.

We help you get them on your car.

And if you're getting a kayak, you take it where you want to go, for getting a bike, Of course, you either ride it out from the shop or load it in your car as well.

And then we do have The Outpost in Monterey.

We are open Saturdays and Sundays right now, May through October.

And there it's kind of nice because you don't have to worry about loading it up.

You just show up and we bring it to the water for you.

We'll even offer some instructions and some guided tours or some mountain bike clinics.

So it's a fun place.

As I was walking in your beautiful storefront, beautiful, I saw Caney Fork Cycles.

Are you associated with them in any way?

It's kind of neat that all this outdoor experience is right next to each other.

Right.

Well, in 2017, I had the opportunity to to purchase Caney Fork Cycles, which was across town a few blocks away and add it to The Outdoor Experience.

So yeah, it's a part of our shop and it's been neat to add the biking elements along with everything else that we carry.

So as we finish up here today, I want you to show me around because I got a lot to learn about all this stuff.

But also, I haven't wrote a bike in forever.

I've been told that you never forget how.

Right.

I don't know how your liability insurance is up, but I think we could go ride around Dogwood.

Of course, of course.

Let's do it.

Let's go.

[♪♪] If you're searching for breathtaking views, there's no better place to take it all in than at Fall Creek Falls State Park, designed to be ADA accessible, this stunning new Cane Creek Cascades Overlook makes one of Tennessee's most spectacular waterfall views easier for everyone to experience.

From its welcoming, accessible pathway to its sweeping panoramic vistas, the overlook invites visitors of all ages and abilities to slow down, soak in the scenery, and discover the timeless beauty that has made Fall Creek Falls a favorite destination for generations.

Whether you're capturing the perfect photo, enjoying a peaceful moment, or simply marveling at the power of nature, every visit is a reminder that the outdoors is meant to be enjoyed by everyone.

And right now, our field correspondent, Jason Grider, is making his way to the overlook to discover what makes this exciting new addition to Fall Creek Falls State Park a must see destination.

I have a feeling these views are going to leave us speechless.

[♪♪] I'm in Spencer, Tennessee at the Fall Creek Falls State Park.

I'm with the tourism coordinator here, Valerie Sochocki.

Valerie, thank you so much for having us today.

And thanks for the shade.

We'll get to the overlook here in a minute, but thanks for having us.

I appreciate you coming out to visit us at Fall Creek Falls State Park.

We have so much to offer.

No kidding.

And you've got people that come year after year after year to Fall Creek Falls State Park.

What do you think it is about Fall Creek Falls that keeps people coming back?

I think a lot of it is that we have so much to offer.

Not only do we have the beautiful scenery like you see here, and we're going to take a view of over on the newly built platform, we have five different falls.

There is 56 miles of trails to explore.

There's just so much for you to do each year.

You can come back and do something different.

With the overlook, how has that improved accessibility for for visitors?

I know that's been a big push for state parks in general, but how has that improved that?

The overlook gives everyone, regardless of their disability, an opportunity to see what beautiful scenery we have to offer and see what it is like without those barriers.

Right.

Now, other than the famous waterfall, I mean, everybody knows that.

What are some of the other like maybe hidden gems that we can find here at Fall Creek Falls?

One of the favorites is the George Hole.

Okay.

What's that?

It was the old swimming hole.

When they built the swimming pool, they kind of busted that up to dissuade people from swimming over there.

It didn't.

It is still one of the favorite places to go.

However, it is deep.

It is rocky, and you really need to know how to swim if you're going to get on that side.

Now, if you really want some beauty.

Yeah, walk across the road on the other side of the bridge and go down to the creek down there.

Some of the most beautiful scenery in the world.

You get to wade in the creek and see how cold it is.

No.

Well, that might be good today.

Hot summer day.

Be for sure.

Now, if you're coming here to Fall Creek Falls, and maybe you're staying here at one of the great lodges, but you want to get out and about a little bit, In Spencer, Van Buren County, what are some of the things that people can do around Fall Creek Falls?

Okay.

One of the first places that I'm going to suggest is our Mennonite community.

Okay.

You'll find a Mennonite community that provides produce, quilts, handmade goods.

And we have a new restaurant.

Well, it just celebrated its one year anniversary.

It is the Ugly Mug Bar and Grill, and he has some tremendous food offerings, and they're really good.

Let's say someone can't get into the Fall Creek Falls Lodge.

We know they get booked up pretty quick.

Is there any other place?

The Lodge does stay booked about a year and a half out.

If you want to stay there or any of the cabins and lodges, you do need to plan in advance.

But if you can't book in Fall Creek Falls, we do have a bustling Airbnb business around here.

We have Folk Stays.

We also have a place down off the side of the mountain called Firefly Acres.

That is absolutely beautiful.

What tips if someone's thinking about coming to Fall Creek Falls and have never been here before.

They don't know much about what Fall Creek Falls is.

They probably look some things up on the internet, but what are some tips that you would give someone who's been here a long time doing this?

First, I'm going to say look at your weather and plan accordingly with your wardrobe.

I am melting at the present time.

Me too.

But anyway, dress accordingly.

Also, you need to plan activities you're going to be doing while you're visiting, because that is also going to determine how you're going to dress.

Right.

I would suggest if you're going to be off of the paved pathways, do not wear sandals or any kind of flip flops that requires hiking boots.

Some gear like that because the terrain gets rough.

And not only that, if you go look at some of the pictures in Fall Creek Falls, you'll see that some of the paths go down rocky little areas.

Snakes like to hide under those little, little ledges.

Flip flops aren't the best for that.

You're right.

No.

And climbing back up in a pair of flip flops, they just go everywhere.

So that's not recommended.

And other than that, I would suggest you bring plenty of water.

Absolutely.

Well, Valerie, thank you so much for having us here today.

We of course love Fall Creek Falls.

Would you mind showing me around a few places?

I would love to.

Thank you so much.

[♪♪] Boutique stays unforgettable outdoor dining adventures geared for every explorer.

Breathtaking overlooks and unforgettable moments in the great outdoors.

Today's journey reminds us that some of America's greatest adventures are waiting right here in Tennessee's Upper Cumberland.

From Pikeville to Livingston, Cookeville to Fall Creek Falls, every stop has celebrated the people, places, and experience that make this region so special.

And in this America 250 year, there's no better time to get outside, explore and discover the beauty that's been here all along.

Thank you so much for traveling with us today.

I'm Shan Stout and until our next adventure will be saving you a spot right here in the heart of Tennessee's Upper Cumberland.

Wish you were here.

[♪♪] Before catching up with our wish you were here.

Oh my word, Tessa, we cannot start this with you.

With here.

I've just got, like, this permanent list.

Griz.

Hey, hey.

Sorry.

There's not a back row that I'm yelling at, so I got a TV.

[laughter] This project is funded by Putnam County with support from a grant provided by the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development.

This program was made possible by contributions to your PBS station from viewers like you.

Thank you.