2 terrific nights in Tennessee 2023
Two nights. Two different locations. In our 2-night trips blog series, we hit the road to show that you can pack a whole lot of fun into a short amount of time. We hope some of these places end up on your travel list, too.
An old Chevy truck sits outside the restaurant at Short Mountain Distillery.
Every time we visit the Volunteer State in our camper van, we find more and more to love.
First, it was Chattanooga, where we often stay the night on the way to someplace else. And, where we always fill our bellies with an amazing breakfast before we hit the road again.
Then, it was the stunning scenery along Hwy 74, on our way to the Carolinas. Ocoee River, Parksville Lake and Ocoee Lake. My eyes were so full of delight.
This time, though, Tennessee was it — our only destination, for two nights. And, it didn’t disappoint.
Night 1: Tennessee camper van trip
Short Mountain Distillery
(A Harvest Hosts location)
Woodbury, TN
66 miles southeast of Nashville
Apple Pie and Charred Shine moonshines from Short Mountain Distillery.
Making moonshine in Tennessee dates back hundreds of years. Including on this very property.
Legend has it, Al Capone visited during Prohibition to conduct a little, ahem, business.
Today, it’s a fully legit and fully legal operation. And, totally awesome.
There’s lots of moonshine, of course. Along with bourbon and other whiskies. Plus, some great tales from the olden days.
But, it’s not just a distillery.
The property is in the midst of a transformation, with the goal of becoming an eco-tourism spot. It would be fun to stop by once a year or so and check out the progress.
Depending on when you visit, you can treat yourself to:
Cocktail making class
Distillery tour with tastings
Lunch or dinner
A little shopping — grab a bottle or two, along with a t-shirt
Mule-pulled carriage ride — includes a roadie (aka to-go cocktail)
Distillery cats
Overnight stay through Harvest Hosts
Buying a Harvest Hosts membership gives you access to distilleries, wineries, breweries, farms, museums and other locations that offer RV stays at no additional cost. Usually for just one night, and usually boondocking (no hook-ups, showers or other camping services).
Be sure to sign up in advance for activities like classes and tours at Short Mountain Distillery. You can purchase them online. And, don’t forget your designated driver.
How to book your stay at Short Mountain Distillery
Become a Harvest Hosts member if you aren’t already.
Send Short Mountain Distillery a message through your Harvest Hosts account or app. Be sure to check their hours and visit on a day when they’re open.
When you show up for your stay, the RV spots are on the right-hand side of the driveway, just off the road.
Tip: The RV spots at Short Mountain Distillery do not have any shade. You’ll need your generator to keep the dogs cool on hot days while you nip into some ‘shine.
The Harvest Hosts spots at Short Mountain Distillery are just a short walk to the distillery.
Night 2: Tennessee camper van trip
Edgar Evins State Park campground
Silver Point, TN
26 minutes north of Short Mountain Distillery
65 miles east of Nashville
Bonnie and Clyde enjoy the wooden RV platform at Edgar Evins State Park.
Being paddle boarders, we love a lakeside campsite. We can walk right down to the water, hop in and paddle out.
Edgar Evins takes lakeside camping to the next level with wooden platform RV spots. It’s like having your own lakefront deck where you can park your van or small trailer.
Each site has a picnic table, firepit and separate charcoal grill. Along with electric and water.
The bathhouses have flushing toilets and showers. There’s a playground. A dump station. And, trails, including one to the marina. Oh, and cabins.
This is a gem of a state park, whether you want to paddle board on Center Hill Lake or just grill and chill. Or, both.
How to book your stay at Edgar Evins State Park campground
Go to the Tennessee State Parks website.
On the Edgar Evins State Park page, enter your dates to see what’s available.
Select your site or cabin and check out — you’ll pay in full.
You can book a campsite or cabin up to a year in advance of your arrival date. That means you don’t have to wait for your entire block of dates to open up. Just the first date of your stay.
At the time of this posting, there’s no need to create an account in order to make a reservation.
Tip: You can buy firewood at the campground, and you can even use a card. Though the bundles are very small.
Lakeside RV platforms offer easy access down to the lake.
Of course, you can stay longer than just two nights in Tennessee. There’s plenty of destinations and attractions. We definitely will next time.
Tennessee was the 11th state we took Camper Van Beethoven.
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