East Tennessee is entirely located within the Appalachian Mountains. East Tennessee is home to Knoxville and Chattanooga (near the Georgia border in southeastern TN), as well as the "Tri-Cities" of Bristol, Johnson City, and Kingsport located in the extreme northeastern part.

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There are several scenic roadways in East Tennessee, including the Foothills Parkway, the East Tennessee Crossing Byway, the Norris Freeway, Cumberland National Scenic Byway, the Tail of the Dragon, the Cherohala Skyway, and the Ocoee Scenic Byway.

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Chattanooga is home to the Tennessee Aquarium, the world's largest freshwater aquarium, Rock City and Ruby Falls, the latter two known for their unique advertisements painted on barn roofs across the southeast.

 

Over 14 million people visit the Great Smoky Mountains National Park each year, making it the most visited national park in the country. It also anchors the tourism industry in nearby Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, and Sevierville, which is the third largest in Tennessee. In Tennessee, Dollywood is the most visited ticketed attraction followed by Ober Gatlinburg and Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies.