I get it, there are usually too many choices, you don’t want to make the wrong choice, you want to find fun, unique food experiences when traveling and all your concerns are important. 

Luckily, I have the answers for you.

There are, of course, many more options in the region, but these are the ones we enjoyed during our visit.

The only issue I see is deciding where to eat first.

If you are looking for things to do in Loudon County, be sure to check out our picks for the 13 Best Things To Do In Loudon County.

If you are a fan of haunted houses start planning your trip for October so you can visit Dead Man’s Farm: The Scariest Haunted House in Tennessee You’ll Ever Visit

Restaurants in Lenoir City, TN

One of the best things about visiting an area with a large lake/river system is the number of waterfront dining options and we were fortunate to enjoy one in Lenoir City and one in Loudon. 

Ugly Mug

Good coffee, good food, great indoor and outdoor seating areas. A place where you’ll want to pull up a chair, grab a cup of coffee and stay a while. 

Here you’ll enjoy a cup of fair trade/organic coffee and drink it knowing that Ugly Mug is on the forefront of making sure every step of their process from coffee bean procurement through to the empty disposable cup in your hand is good for the environment.

Here’s a peak at how they are doing their part:

“In our company we believe in recycling and reusing everything that we can. Our chaff ( the leaf that comes out of a coffee bean in the roasting process) is used as compost and fertilizer material for local urban gardens and botanical gardens. in fact, we have our own “Ugly Garden” which is 100% organically grown.

Furthermore; our burlap sacks are great for keeping in moisture and weed control. We even have contracted with immigrants from Burundai to make purses from the sacks to sell on line and in our stores, with much of the proceeds going back to the people.”–UglyMug.com

Ugly Mug works closely with coffee farmers to bring coffee connoisseurs delicious coffee, which is roasted in Memphis and shipped to their locations in Nashville and Lenoir City. 

Short on time? There is also a drive thru if you want to grab a cup of joe to go.

Calhouns at the Marina

When you check in be sure to ask for a spot on the covered deck overlooking the marina and Fort Loudoun lake. Then settle in for a relaxing evening of good food and conversations with friends. 

Calhouns is known for the BBQ, but everything on the menu looked fantastic. We enjoyed some of their non-BBQ options and it was fantastic.

After dinner make your way to over to their Tiki Hut deck and, if the stars are aligned, you might get lucky to enjoy some live music. Order a post-dinner cocktail, pull up a chair and simply enjoy. Note, the Tiki Hut is only open on weekends.

Restaurants in Loudon, TN

So many choices, so little time, as is usually the case when traveling, but here are some of my top picks.

Tanasi Bar & Grill

Offering both indoor and covered outdoor seating, but when the weather is good always pick outside. A perfect place for lunch overlooking Tellico Lake.

Stop ‘n Shop Over-the-Hill Grill

It’s a gas station, convience store, and, more importantly, server of some of the best catfish you’ll find in the region. Top that with live music every Thursday night and located right off I-75 and there’s no excuse not to pull off the interstate and stop for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

However, if you can make it for lunch or dinner order the catfish, one order is easily enough for 2 people. Oh, and if you’re not driving, grab an ice cold beer out of the cooler to enjoy with your meal.

Take exit 72 and in less than a 1/2 mile you can being indulging in some incredible catfish. 

Side note: You’ll be really close to Sweetwater Valley Farm, less than 10 minutes, (see below) so make sure to save room for dessert.

Carmichael Inn

Built in 1821, it is one of the area’s oldest homes and now offers southern comfort food, a full bar and both indoor and outdoor dining. 

The building originally served as a home, stagecoach stop and railroad inn. Later it was simply a residence, but has since come full circle and is being used as intended as a stopping place to enjoy a pint and a bite. 

Plus, you just know, that building has to have a ghost or two wandering it’s halls. I didn’t see anything, but not for lack of trying 😉

Tic-Toc Ice Cream

Long before the Tic-Toc social media platform was a thing, there was Tic-Toc Ice Cream, voted Southern Living magazine favorite way back in 2004 and it continues to be a favorite today.

Offering up 20+ flavors daily and often you’ll find a line out the door, but it’s totally worth the wait. So good, we visited twice during our visit and have no regrets.

Restaurants in Greenback and Philadelphia, TN

These two options are absolute DO NOT MISS restaurants. Seriously, just go, you’ll regret nothing.

Greenback Diner

Located in the tiny, tiny town of Greenback, TN the Greenback has been a community staple since 1923. Serving up great diner food and a community favorite, the Griddled Honeybun.

Seriously, just go for the Griddled Honeybun.

Because you’re in the south they are going to slap that honeybun on the griddle, top it with a big slab of butter and fry it up on each side. Once they plate it they’ll top it with vanilla ice cream and chocolate syrup.

Order one for the table and get ready to enjoy a one of a kind treat.

If you’re there on a Tuesday morning walk across the street for the weekly farmers market.

Seed to Sandwich Cafe at Sweetwater Valley Farm

A robotic dairy farm, working cheese factory, home store and seed to sandwich cafe. I’ll share more below but let’s talk food! 

You’ll want to order a gourmet grilled cheese and/or a shake. Order at the counter and if you’re unsure what to order or can’t decide they are happy to make recommendations.

The struggle was real but I finally decided on the Buttermilk & BBQ and a mini shake and was very happy with my choices. 

Saturdays are incredibly busy days at the farm so be prepared to wait or download their app and order online so you don’t have to wait in line. Outdoor and indoor seating is available.

PIN RESTAURANTS IN LOUDON, TN TO PINTEREST

As many of you may know, spending time outside when the weather is nice is always one of my favorite things to do.

I’m already planning ahead to retirement where I chase 70 degree temps across the U.S. for a couple years before settling down someplace warm.

Until then I’ll enjoy a vacation in a great place for outdoor recreation, and scenic views of the great smoky mountains.

Things To Do In Loudon County – Outside

Get on the Water 

Boat, kayak, or paddle board. The mode of transportation doesn’t matter as long as you can spend some time enjoying the miles of shoreline and the blue waters of Tellico Lake, Fort Loudoun Lake and Tennessee River. 

We decided to enjoy the water via kayak.

My friend Laura joined me on this trip and, if you can believe this, she had never been kayaking before and was a bit apprehensive about trying it. 

I’m a big fan of trying new things on trips so after my repeated encouragement and reminders that she was absolutely going to love it she kayaked like a pro.

We launched in the morning and paddled the smooth waters of Tellico Lake. I’m not sure what it is but there is something so very calming and peaceful about kayaking when its quiet.

I highly recommend going on an early morning week day when there is less boat traffic. Ask the outfitter for a map or recommendation for where you should paddle and set off on a relaxing adventure.

As we paddled along I wondered why I didn’t start every day this way. I really need to live at a lake 😉

Where To Launch or Rent Kayaks

If you bring your own kayaks or SUPs you can launch them at Clear Creek or Poplar Springs boat ramps.

If you don’t have you own vessel you can rent kayaks and paddle boards at River Sports Outfitters in Lenoir City. 

Take A Hike

There are plenty of trails to hike in the area, but we found one that fit our schedule, was easy to traverse, had incredible views and a bit of a surprise at trail end.

We hiked a part of the East Lakeshore trail, where we maybe hiked a mile round trip.

There were glimpses of the lake through the trees as we made our way to the rocky cliff overlooking Tellico Lake.

We scrambled up on the giant rocks for an even better view of the lake.

The views are incredible and the hike is so easy there is no reason not to carve 45 minutes out of your visit to take this hike.

There are a number of trip hazards along the path so if you have to mobility issues be extra careful or pick one of the beautiful paved walks you’ll find at a number of the waterfront parks.

For the Brave: Take A Plunge

If you are the brave sort you can make your way down to a slightly lower ledge outcropping (follow the trail) and jump into the water FAR below.

There is a trail to make your way out of the water and back up the side of the cliff, but that is NOT an adventure I was willing to try and if you give it a try you do so at your own risk. 

That being said, we did watch a guy take the plunge and he acted like it was not big deal and survived the jump and easily swam back to his boat.

Remember, if you don’t have a boat waiting for you, you’ll have to make the scramble back up the rock cliff. 

Take a Selfie With A Million-Dollar View of the Smokies

This is a great spot to have a picnic or simply take a selfie. The million-dollar view of the smokies is incredible. We went during the day and again at sunrise and both times offered up incredible views.

Another fun selfie-spot is in downtown Lenoir City where you’ll find a beautiful wings mural by local artists at 506 Bon Avenue, Lenoir City.

Drive-In Movie Theater

Loudon is taking the drive-in movie theater experience to an entirely new level with the brand new LoCo Drive-In, featuring a 35-feet by 63-feet LoCo Tron™. 

The video board LED technology will have day and nighttime capabilities. That’s right, day time capabilities. Imagine, enjoying the drive in during the DAY. Perfect for families with littles. 

The modern era drive-in plans to present movies, sporting events, concerts and more, catering to all ages and demographics while connecting local area communities. 

Things To Do In Loudon County – Inside

Stimpson Seashell Museum

Explore the largest, privately-owned, seashell collection in the world at the Stimpson Seashell Museum.

Hundreds of miles from any ocean shoreline, you’ll find a collection of thousands of seashells from around the world.

Colors and patterns so gorgeous and intricate unlike anything we’d seen before. To say we were stunned was a complete understatement.

Located in a historic home, the seashells are nicely displayed in glass cases. At first, you might think there isn’t much to see here, but once you start perusing the shells you might become completely intrigued by all you see.

You’ll want to visit each case at least 3 times and each time you’ll find something different that you missed the first time.

While you’re soaking it all in be sure to look up at the giant shells on the shelves up high.

If you’re lucky, Dr. Stimpson will be there. He is the owner and curator of the seashell museum and knows the name of every single shell in the museum.

Not only does he know the name and genus of each shell he can tell you where it came from and how rare it may be.

He is so famous in the seashell world that he has a number of shells named after him and he’s even been invited to name some seashells, which he named after his wife.

Seriously, this is such a hidden gem in Loudon, I had no idea I would be able to get my seashore fix in a landlocked state but get my fix I did.

Ghost/Historic Tour

Take a tour with Loudon County’s very own historian, Bo Carey, as you wander the streets of Loudon.

Hear tales of ghosts that are said to haunt the buildings and properties along the way. The area is steeped in deep, deep history and each building carries the weight of days gone by.

From tales of native Americans to settlers to train robbers, this small town is packed with characters from days past and Bo brings those characters to life through his storytelling.

Be prepared to meander for about 2 hours stopping frequently. It’s an easy stroll with plenty of opportunities to sit along the way.

Contact Bo to set up your own historic or haunted tour.

Sweetwater Valley Farm

It’s cheese, cheese and more pounds of cheese at Sweetwater Valley Farm, the areas largest dairy farm for cheese.

Here they grow the feed for the cows that they robotically milk that gets turned into beautiful, delicious cheese, milk and ice cream. 

If you’ve spent any time driving I-75 in Tennessee it’s most likely that you’ve spotted a sign for Sweetwater Valley Farm. Do yourself a favor and next time make time to stop and take a tour, taste some cheese, and enjoy some delicious ice cream.

Farm tours, which happen in an enclosed, air conditioned building, happen Tuesday-Saturday from 10-3 at the top of each hour. 

Guided tours take about an hour during which time you’ll watch cows being milked by robots. Their 8 robots milk around 500 of their Holstein cows.

Learn about the process, what happens to the milk, how they ensure the milk stays clean and safe and so much more. It’s an interesting tour for kids and adults alike.

After your tour, grab some lunch or a milk shake at the cafe. While you’re waiting for your food browse the beautifully curated gift shop.

Don’t leave before you stop over to the cheese factory and sample one or all of their 30+ cheese flavors.  If you didn’t pack a cooler to take cheese home, you can buy a cooler and ice so you can enjoy a taste of Sweetwater Valley Farm at home. 

Dead Man’s Farm 

There are other haunted houses in Tennessee, but, in my opinion, this is the scariest one in Tennessee and maybe the scariest in the United States.

If you find yourself in the area in October AND you like to have the bejesus scared out of you do NOT miss going to Dead Man’s Farm.

This popular haunted house attracts people from all over for it’s creative haunted house horror theater to the haunted corn maze (YES, I said haunted corn maze, if the haunted house wasn’t enough for you, you can go into the corn) to the 5-minute attractions like an escape room and being buried alive.

The atmosphere around all the attractions is a fun carnival setting with fire eaters, bomb fires and more. F

or those who enjoy the horror genre this is an absolute must visit.

Tennessee Valley Winery

Enjoy a free tasting at Tennessee Valley Winery. This is one of the oldest operating family-owned wineries in Tennessee.

With its more than 20 wine varieties, Tennessee Valley has earned more than 900 national, regional and local awards.

You can take a tour of the winery or just buy a bottle, sit outside and soak in the scenic views.

Be sure to check their Facebook page if you’ll be in the area. They host live music throughout the summer.

Boutique Shopping the Main Streets of Loudon County

Sadly, I didn’t have time to do more than window shop on this trip. However, there are a number of boutique shops I wouldn’t mind coming back to visit.

One-of-a-kind antique shops like The Lacy  and it’s sister shop, The Lacy General Store.

A stop at the eclectic boutique Sparkly Pig and the Markets on Broadway is a must.

You’ll also find a variety of art, furniture and jewelry at The Shoppes on the Square and fine antiques and vintage linens and quilts at Past Tyme Antiques.

The area  is also home to a portion of the U.S. 11 Antique Alley, which begins in Lenoir City and continues south through Loudon County.

Take in A Show At The Historic Loudon Theatre

Nothing better than taking in a show or a concert at a historic and, most likely, haunted theater. First built in 1911 and going through a number of shutdowns it underwent renovations in 2018 and reopened to the public offering up movies, concerts and theaters.

Things To Do In Loudon County – Eat

For a full run down of all the perfect spots to eat in Loudon County see our full upcoming review, but some of our favorites include:

• Ugly Mug in Lenoir City
• Tic Toc Ice Cream Parlor in downtown Loudon
• Greenback Drugstore in Greenback (a historic pharmacy that is now a popular diner, see why here)
• Tenasi Bar & Grill at the Tellico Village Golf Club
• Calhoun’s overlooking Fort Loudon Marina, one of the largest marinas in the state and at the intersection of Fort Loudoun Lake, Telllico Lake, and Watts Bar Lake. This is also a perfect place for live music
• Carmichael Inn–Serving up southern comfort foods in a historic building from 1821
• Stop ‘n Shop Over-the-Hill Grill — Serving up some local flavor via delicious catfish

Things To Do In Loudon County – More Popular Attractions

I didn’t have time to enjoy these but you may want to add these to your itinerary:

• Work on your golf swing at one of the many golf courses
• History buffs will want to visit nearby historical sites and the Lenoir City Museum
• Try your hand at ax throwing at East Tennessee Axe Throwing