Jonesborough Is One of Tennessee’s Most Charming Small Towns
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When you're rambling through the Smokies (cue the music) "heading west from the Cumberland gap to Johnson City, Tennessee," there's a small-town stop you've just got to make. It's Jonesborough, Tennessee, a quiet town with big charm located west of Cherokee National Forest and just a stone's throw from the aforesung Johnson City.
Jonesborough's calling card is its beautiful, tree-lined downtown. A meander down Main Street, which is lined with shops in historic red brick buildings, brings visitors to many must-visit spots, including the Historic Eureka Inn, Main Street Café and Catering, Kaley's and Co Clothing, Gigi's Pantry, Pink Whale Boutique, Downtown Sweet, The Lollipop Shop, Jonesborough Antique Mart, Mauk's of Jonesborough. Nearby, you'll find railroad tracks rumbling through on the Watauga Valley Railroad and Jimmy Neil Smith Park, which is filled with winding paths for wandering.
Jonesborough calls itself Tennessee's oldest town and also the storytelling capital of the world. It's home to the International Storytelling Center, which hosts concert series, educational programming, and storytelling workshops along with the National Storytelling Festival, which has been happening in Jonesborough for nearly half a century. Jonesborough is also home to the Jonesborough Repertory Theatre and the McKinney Center, Jonesborough's Mary B. Martin Program for the Arts, which supports budding artists and artisans with educational programming and exhibitions.
This Tennessee mountain town is big on charm and is home to a community that's passionate about where they live. To learn more about Jonesborough and to plan a visit, check out jonesboroughtn.org.
What's your favorite small town in Tennessee? Have you ever visited Jonesborough?
