With 1,416 acres of forested hills and hollows to hike, Pickwick Landing State Park is one of the easiest day trips from Brownsville for any outdoor enthusiast. The park offers a sandy swim beach, boating, paddling, and exceptional fishing for those who prefer the water instead of the woods. With an on-site marina offering boat and paddle rentals, everyone can join in on the fun. In addition to water sports and nature trails, the park also features an 18-hole golf course. Turn your day trip into a weekend adventure with the options to camp in a tent, sleep in a cabin, or stay at the newly renovated lodge.

Website: https://tnstateparks.com/parks/pickwick-landing
Driving distance from Brownsville: 1 hour 45 minutes

Only an hour west of Brownsville is Tennessee’s second largest city, Memphis, home of famed Beale Street. Known for its rowdy nightlife and live music, Beale Street offers so much to see and do during the day. Multiple restaurants and shops line the street, showcasing everything from music records and voodoo healings to Blues bands and baby back ribs. You’ll want to take your taste buds, walking shoes, and wallet for a full day on Beale Street.

Website: http://www.bealestreet.com
Driving distance from Brownsville: 1 hour

While you’re in Memphis, you can stop at Graceland, home of music legend Elvis Presley, to explore his home, stroll through the gardens, and take a tour of Elvis’s jet, the Lisa Marie. Check out the King of Rock-n-Roll’s car collection, featuring his iconic Pink Cadillac, Dino Ferrari, 1956 Cadillac Eldorado and many more. Top off your trip at the Elvis: The Entertainer Career Museum that showcases his extensive collection of gold and platinum records, his iconic jumpsuits, movie memorabilia and more.

Website: https://www.graceland.com
Driving distance from Brownsville: 1 hour

Only 25 minutes from Brownsville is Tennessee Safari Park. Experience driving through 5.5 miles of safari roads, pausing to meet and feed animals. After your journey, you can walk through the park and a view a mob of wallabies, antelope, kookaburras, cranes, and many more animals. You can’t miss out on petting goats in the petting zoo or feeding the giraffe. There’s fun for the whole family to enjoy and experience one of the largest collections of zoo animals in the nation.

Website: https://www.tennesseesafaripark.com
Driving distance from Brownsville: 25 minutes

Get a taste of Tuscany on a hill right outside of Humboldt, Tennessee. Crown Winery is an 18-acre vineyard offering handcrafted wine, delicious pizza, and craft beer made on site. From private picnics in the vineyard to fun-filled Friday nights on the patio, Crown Winery will have you feeling like you’re on a hillside in Italy. You can choose from a variety of 17 wines to taste or take home. The winery also brews its own beer, offering a frequently rotating selection of craft beers to choose from. You can wind down with a glass of wine and live music on the patio every Friday night from May through October. Check out the Crown Winery website for more info on private events, tours, updates, and reservations.

Website: https://crownwinery.com
Driving distance from Brownsville: 40 minutes

Another hidden gem in West Tennessee is Pinson Mounds State Archaeological Park, east of Brownsville. Pinson Mounds is a national historic landmark and contains the largest Native American Middle Woodland Period mound group in the United States. When you get to the site you’ll enter through the museum, housed in a replicated Native American mound, before exiting to the mound complex. There are over 17 mounds to explore and various trails to wander. With 24 picnic sites, a playground, restrooms, grills, and picnic pavilions, Pinson Mounds is a perfect day trip. Not to mention that it is free.

Website: https://tnstateparks.com/parks/pinson-mounds
Driving distance from Brownsville: 1 hour

Named after the Chickasaw Tribe that once inhabited West Tennessee and North Mississippi, Chickasaw State Park is a short day trip for outdoor enthusiasts or history buffs. Situated on some of the highest terrain in West Tennessee, Chickasaw State Park has 1,280 acres for outdoor recreation. It has four miles of hiking trails, bicycle friendly roads, and a 54-acre lake to paddle, a day’s worth of outdoor activities to enjoy. Horseback riding is a popular activity; the park has horses available to rent.

Interested in visiting for more than a day? The park has 13 historic cabins available to rent, two sites for tent camping, and 52 sites on the RV campground. Pack your bags and enjoy the wilderness for a weekend.

Website: https://tnstateparks.com/parks/group-camp/chickasaw
Driving distance from Brownsville: 1 hour

A top tier destination for both nature lovers and animal enthusiasts, Shelby Farms Park has hills stretching as far as the eye can see. At 4,500 acres, Shelby Farms Park is one of the largest urban parks in the country. There are more than 40 miles of scenic trails to run, bike, or walk. Whether on the water, on wheels, or on horseback, there are many options to get you moving. It’s the perfect outdoor adventure for the whole family, including your fluffy friends. Shelby Farms has over 100 acres designated off-leash. For more unique adventures, try horseback riding, ziplining, or play a game of paintball, a quick drive from Brownsville.

Website: https://www.shelbyfarmspark.org
Driving distance from Brownsville: 1 hour

Discovery Park of America is a museum and heritage park located just outside Union City, Tennessee. The state-of-the art museum offers a variety of programs, exhibits and hands-on activities. From science and space to natural history and art, there are 10 exhibit galleries that provide an educational and enjoyable experience for all guests to enjoy. As you wander through the museum, you’ll see a 20,000-gallon aquarium featuring the underwater life of the region’s lakes and catch a view from the tallest observation tower in the region. Strolling through the 50-acre heritage park you’ll get a flashback to the past: a working gristmill, windmill, one-room schoolhouse, a 120-year-old church and more. There is even a turn of the century train station and depot with locomotives, cars, and cabooses to explore. It’ll be a jam-packed day for the whole family.

Website: https://discoveryparkofamerica.com
Driving distance from Brownsville: 1 hour 15 minutes

Although casinos are illegal in Tennessee, you’ll have plenty of betting to do right across the Mississippi border in Tunica. Known as the Las Vegas of the South, Tunica has six casinos and three golf courses, over 950 slots and video poker machines. While the small town spans less than 425 acres, there are still big things to do, including the Tunica Queen Riverboat and Gateway to the Blues museum. After a busy day across the state line, you can hop on the Mississippi Blues Trail and be back in Brownsville in less than two hours.

Website: https://tunicatravel.com/tunica-casino
Driving distance from Brownsville: 1 hour 35 minutes

Visit the site of the most epic struggle in the Western Theater of the Civil War. Nearly 110,000 American troops clashed in a bloody contest that resulted in 23,746 casualties; more than in all America’s previous wars combined. Explore both the Shiloh and Corinth battlefields to discover the impact of this struggle on the soldiers and on the nation.

Website: https://www.nps.gov/shil/index.htm
Driving distance from Brownsville: 1 hour 25 minutes

Reelfoot Lake State Park is in the northwest corner of Tennessee and is noted for its fishing, boating and wildlife viewing. The 15,000-acre lake was created by a series of violent earthquakes in 1811-1812 that caused the Mississippi River to flow backwards for a short period of time.

The park’s flooded forest ecosystem is unlike any other place in Tennessee. Majestic cypress trees rise above the water; below the surface are submerged cypress stumps. A variety of aquatic plants and flowers occupy the shoreline and saturate the shallow water. The lake harbors almost every kind of shore and wading bird as well as Golden and American Bald Eagles.

Website: https://tnstateparks.com/parks/reelfoot-lake
Driving distance from Brownsville: 1 hour 15 minutes