Given the state’s many travel destinations, it’s no wonder tourism officials love to create theme-based trails in Tennessee. Golfing, hiking, fishing, various historical periods – they’re all there.

In 2017, the Tennessee Whiskey Trail joined them, bringing in visitors and connecting them not only with a particular site, but also the local community.

“The trail is for anyone who’s 21 and over, but we’re seeing a lot of engagement from people between 35 and 55,” says Charity Toombs, director of marketing for the Tennessee Whiskey Trail. “What makes the trail really unique is that our trailblazers are really immersing themselves in the communities and amenities that surround the distilleries they are visiting.”

Some of that might involve an overnight stay or local shopping and dining. It also may tap into available outdoor recreation, and it’s all good for the overall economy, Toombs says.

“We are seeing that people like bite-sized itineraries, so they may just be going to one or two distilleries versus doing the whole trail,” she says. “While they are there, they want to see the entertainment and other things they can experience. That’s why we’ve created some unique itineraries on our site, such as ‘Waterfalls & Whiskey,’ which plays on ‘watering holes’ to show places to go as well as tell the story of how water plays a big role in the development of whiskey distilling in Tennessee.”

Visit the Trail: www.tnwhiskeytrail.com