You may not know what the Lost Sea is, but your friends from East Tennessee will. In the pursuit of learning more about the state I live in and its people, I went on a field trip to Sweetwater, Tenn. In a little less than three hours — a little more once you’ve made the mandatory stop at the Crossville Buc-ee’s — you’ll find a town big enough to have a Walmart, but small enough for you to accomplish all there is to do and see in a weekend. Exactly my speed. As part of our own (very tame) Lost Sea Adventure, we found a charming downtown square, extraordinary lodging, a milkshake and a free movie. In the foothills of the Smoky Mountains, the scenery turns everything up a notch.
Stay
Few people have a gift for hosting the way Wendi Olson does. Her family’s Whistlestop Manor was the most memorable part of our trip. A medium who once stayed at Whistlestop told Wendi the house had a good energy (thank God), which I would have to agree with. We stayed in the Ladies’ Room, which can also fit up to five twin beds for sleepover vibes. Wendi has several gifts: One is curating a maximalist and antique-lover’s dream decor in the 1859 home. Another is her cooking: Whistlestop started with murder-mystery dinners, and attendees inquired about having more of the dinner part. (The murder-mystery costume room is available to guests too!) Another of her gifts is her ability to connect with people.
Whistlestop Manor
A pandemic side effect: Sometimes I bristle at being in close quarters with others for an extended period of time. Sharing a room at the Whistlestop and hanging out with Wendi and her family healed some of that. Turns out humans are built for community and collaboration.
Needless to say, we’ll be going back for a murder-mystery dinner.
Do
We kicked off the trip with the most sought-after attraction of the area, the Lost Sea Adventure,an underground lake that draws tourists from around the world. It’s actually the perfect summertime activity, as the cave stays at about 58 degrees Fahrenheit. If you want to exercise the stalactite/stalagmite knowledge that lives in the recesses of your brain, this is the place to do it.
I have this problem where sometimes real things feel like Disney park attractions to me, and this is definitely one of those times. With the strategically placed spotlights and school-trip vibes, the Lost Sea may feel a bit contrived to a science nerd. (They have wild cave and flashlight tours for people looking for something more authentic.) I personally thought the red light to signify the Devil’s Hole was a nice touch.
The lake is stocked with trout, which now live in my head rent-free. They’re regular, except they don’t mate, they lose their color because they’re in the dark all the time, and they live longer because they have no predators. Ultimately, they serve no purpose other than just being fun to see. (Hold while I become a fish-rights activist.) There even used to be a bar down there, the delightfully named Cavern Tavern.
The Lost Sea
To celebrate 90 minutes of finding the Lost Sea, we hit up downtown Sweetwater, which boasts plenty of little shops for my favorite activity: perusing. There’s a gazebo blasting 1950s music, which added ambience, and a defunct train where I wish we’d eaten our lunch to-go. While Sweetwater’s giant flea market is no longer, just down the road visitors can scratch the itch at Market at the Mill.
I might make a return trip to Sweetwater just for the spicy honey cheese bites at The Lazy Beagle. I had a cocktail with local honey in it that was killer too. We heard that Fat Hats Grill and Sweetwater Crossings are also very good. (Or you could also ask Whistlestop Wendi to make you some gumbo for an extra fee.)
Part of the rural experience of Sweetwater is driving 20 minutes to get to things. The LoCo Drive-In in Loudon, Tenn., is worth the trip. It’s free this summer, but cheap the rest of the year. Purists should know the films aren’t projected onto a screen — rather they’re shown on a jumbotron, which actually works quite nicely to allow movies to start before dark.
Another 20-minute drive will get you to Sweetwater Valley Farm, where I got probably the best cookies-and-cream milkshake I’ve ever had, plus several cubes of sample cheese. I’ve seen way more than my fair share of cows in this life, but a tour of the farm could be a treat for kids or city folk. To keep the sweet-treat train going, hit up Towns Toffee for one of the saltine-cracker toffees — they’ve really mastered it.
Tsali Notch Vineyard
Tsali Notch Vineyard boasts a beautiful view and is an ideal place to try another thing East Tennesseans seem to know about: Tennessee muscadine grapes. The grapes are naturally very sweet and high in antioxidants. I quite enjoy a juice-like wine, but if you like dry wine, keep that to yourself here and get a sweet taste of East Tennessee.
After a peaceful weekend free of FOMO in Sweetwater, my Volunteer State native friend and I headed back to the capital city. As we drove, I told her I couldn’t believe she used to see scenery like this on her way to school. It’s a far cry from the gray-and-brown flatness of my native Ohio. She said she didn’t appreciate it until she got older. For all the nonsense that this state’s politics can offer, driving through East Tennessee can bring the blood pressure down. I added “My Tennessee Mountain Home” to the queue.
Our recommendations for five weekend getaways — from Athens to Corinth and beyond
