Tennessee
Beat the heat at a waterpark! 9 places in Tennessee to find cool summer fun
The Edge dueling watercoaster opens at Soaky Mountain Waterpark
Ride the all-new Edge watercoaster at Soaky Mountain Waterpark in Sevierville!
Calvin Mattheis, Knoxville News Sentinel
Temperatures are scorching this summer thanks heat waves, humidity and heat indexes. Splashing and relaxing at a water park is a fun way to beat the heat.
Luckily, Tennessee has several water parks around the state, including two that were named among the best in the country this year by USA TODAY’s 10Best awards. East Tennessee is home to Dollywood’s Splash Country and many other water parks, but some can be found in Middle Tennessee, too, such as Nashville Shores Lakeside Resort.
Here’s a roundup of nine popular water parks in Tennessee. Now imagine yourself enjoying the refreshing cool water as the sun continues to beam this summer.
- Boro Beach features two giant water slides, a splash pad, a climbing wall and a floating bridge.
- Admission: $5+
- Address: 2310 Memorial Blvd., Murfreesboro, Tennessee
- Splash Country landed at No. 10 on the 2024 10Best water parks list. It features 16 water rides, including Big Bear Plunge, Mountain Scream, Raging River Rapids and Fire Tower Falls.
- Admission: $54.95+
- Address: 2700 Dollywood Parks Blvd., Pigeon Forge, Tennessee
- This is “Nashville’s biggest water park,” with more than 1 million gallons of summer fun. Nashville Shores has 10 thrilling water slides, water treehouse and playground, and a lazy river and beach for summer leisure.
- Admission: $39.99+
- Address: 4001 Bell Road, Nashville, Tennessee
- The 50-acre water park was ranked No. 8 on the 2024 10Best water parks list. It has water coasters, including The Edge, a dueling coaster that opened in 2023, water slides, an adventure river and a wave pool.
- Admission: $41.99+
- Address: 175 Gists Creek Road, Sevierville
- SoundWaves is a four-acre, three-level upscale indoor/outdoor aquatic experience at Gaylord Opryland Resort, featuring thrilling water rides and relaxing water attractions for the entire family. The outdoor area has a 45-foot slide tower. There also is a wave pool, adults-only pool, bars, private cabanas and food trucks.
- Visit soundwavesgo.com for packages and day pass information.
- Address: 2800 Opryland Drive, Nashville, Tennessee
- Nashville’s Wave Country is an outdoor water park with three water flumes, two speed slides, and a kiddie pool with water-dropping features and a playground.
- Admission: $10+
- Address: 2320 Two Rivers Parkway, Nashville, Tennessee
- Wetlands has several water slides, including 80- to 200-foot flume slides. There also is a lazy river, zero-depth wading area and a children’s area.
- Admission: $10+
- Address: 1523 Persimmon Ridge Road, Jonesborough, Tennessee
- Wild Bear Falls is an indoor water park with a retractable roof. You can float along the lazy river, glide down a giant water slide or explore the interactive treehouse. The water park is accessible even without booking a room at the adjoining Westgate Smoky Mountain Resort.
- Tickets: $35 for ages 14 and older, $17.50 for ages 4-13 and free for children 3 and younger
- Hours: 11 a.m.-7 p.m.
- Location: 915 Westgate Resorts Road, Gatlinburg
- There are two outdoor water parks at Wilderness at the Smokies. Lake Wilderness has the new Treehouse Springs and tall thrill slides, The Wall, Wild Vortex and Cyclone Racer. And Salamander Springs features 150-foot-long body and tube slides and a multi-level play and spray structure.
- Wild WaterDome, the indoor water park at Wilderness, features Ridge Runner, a three-story water coaster.
- Check wildernessatthesmokies.com for day passes and booking options.
- Address: 1424 Old Knoxville Highway, Sevierville, Tennessee.
There are no major water parks in West Tennessee, but Shelby Farms Park, Kroc Center, Eiffel Tower Spray Park and Suggs Park, all near the Memphis area, have water attractions worth checking out according to tnvacation.com.
Devarrick Turner is a trending news reporter. Email devarrick.turner@knoxnews.com. On X, formerly known as Twitter @dturner1208.
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Tennessee
Tracking severe weather for Middle Tennessee and Southern Kentucky
FOX 17 News is in a Code Red weather alert for potential severe weather on Saturday.
Severe thunderstorms impacted Southern Kentucky late this morning and additional storms are possible throughout the day.
The storms should reach the Nashville area between 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. and continue moving east, reaching the Plateau by near dinner time.
The worst of the weather is expected to clear the Plateau by 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Severe weather outlook for Saturday March 7, 2026. (WZTV)
Portions of Middle Tennessee are under a slight risk (level 2/5). Eastern Middle Tennessee and Southern Kentucky are under a marginal risk (level 1/5).
Damaging with and potential flooding are the primary concerns with this line of thunderstorms.
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While the tornado threat is very low, it cannot be completely ruled out.
Tennessee
Tennessee Baseball Walks Off Wright State in Game One
The Tennessee Volunteers played against the Wright State Raiders in the first of their three game series this weekend. Here is how the game played out.
Tennessee vs. Wright State Recap
Wright State got started very early on, as they scored on an RBI double. This came within the first inning of the game, and the Raiders were looking good. They ultimately didn’t get anywhere in the second inning, which led to the Vols coming up to bat in their second set of batters.
The Vols couldn’t get anything going within the first innings of the game. That was until both teams scored in the third inning. The Vols scored off the bat of Henry Ford, who hit an RBI single.
Kuhns was later hit deep on a home run to right field. This extended the lead, as he started to show some signs of struggling. Brady Frederick began to warm up for the Vols around this time. They looked to get the bats going, as they would have Blake Grimmer up to bat to start the inning. Nothing going for the Vols at that time though, as they were held hitless in the inning.
Kuhns continued to pitch through the fifth inning with Frederick remaining in the bullpen. He pushed through the fifth, but it looked as if his day was done following his final at bat of the inning being taken to the warning track. After multiple at bats didn’t go the way Tennessee wanted Kuhns would remain in the dugout, as Brandon Arvidson stepped in for the starter during the sixth inning.
Some early struggles for the reliever was revealed. He was put into a trick position with two on (both on the corners) with one out. Arvidson and the Vols were able to get out of that pickle, but they needed their bats to get going. That is exactly what happened as a home run from Blake Grimmer brought the game within one yet again They still trailed entering the seventh inning. Arvidson was able to escape the inning, but the Vols would get the equalizing run across home off the bat of Ford, who hit an RBI double. The player who scored was Abernathy. This was huge.
Arvidson had a huge eighth inning, as he finished with a massive strikeout in the inning. If the Vols were to get a run across, they would have the chance to put the game away with three more outs if they continued to play well. Arvidson’s day ended, just for Frederick to come into the game ahead of the ninth inning. Frederick picked up two strikeouts and escaped with little to no damage.
The Vols were in walk-off territory. A lead off double for Garrett Wright got the Vols started in the ninth. The Vols won the game on a lead off hit from Manny Marin.
Tennessee
US immigration authorities arrest Spanish-language news reporter in Tennessee
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested a reporter for a Spanish-language news outlet in Tennessee but agents didn’t have a warrant, according to court documents filed by this week her lawyer.
Estefany Rodriguez Flores, a reporter for Spanish-language news outlet Nashville Noticias who has done stories critical of ICE, was arrested Wednesday during a traffic stop and is being detained by ICE’s enforcement and removal operations, according to documents filed in federal court in Nashville. Her lawyers called for her immediate release.
Rodriguez, a Colombian citizen, entered the U.S lawfully and has been living in the U.S. for the past five years, court records filed by her lawyer show. She has a valid work permit, and she has applied for political asylum and legal status though her husband, who is a U.S. citizen.
Rodriguez was with her husband in a marked Nashville Noticias vehicle when it was surrounded by several other vehicles and she was taken to a detention center, the news outlet said in a statement.
ICE did not immediately respond to a request seeking comment.
ICE scheduled a meeting with Rodriguez on her case but it was rescheduled twice, first because the office was closed during a winter storm and the second time because an agent couldn’t find her appointment in the system, her lawyers said in court documents.
A new meeting was then set for March 17.
When she was arrested, Rodriguez was not shown any arrest warrant, only an immigration document telling her to appear before ICE. Her lawyer, Joel Coxander, has spoken to an ICE agent who indicated that there was no arrest warrant for her at the time of her arrest, her lawyer said in court documents.
Rodriguez joined Nashville Noticias in 2022, covering social, family, health, police and immigration issues, the news outlet’s statement said.
“She needs to reunite with her young daughter and husband to continue her legal process within the framework permitted by law,” the statement said.
Read the full statement:
“Official Statement from Nashville Noticias Regarding the Detention of Our Colleague Reporter Estefany Rodríguez by ICE Agents
On March 4, Estefany Rodríguez, a reporter for Nashville Noticias and Univision 42 Nashville, was with her husband, Alejandro Medina III, outside the gym located at 2615 Murfreesboro Pike, when the vehicle they were traveling in (marked with the Nashville Noticias logo) was surrounded by several other vehicles. Several men got out and demanded that our colleague be taken into custody for reasons that the legal team will specify at a later date.
Estefany Rodríguez was taken to a detention center.
Estefany Rodríguez holds a degree in journalism from Colombia, her native country, where she has worked for several years at various news outlets. She joined the Nashville Noticias team in 2022, covering social, family, health, police, and immigration issues.
Nashville Noticias LLC expresses its respect for the laws of the United States and hopes that this situation will be resolved favorably for our colleague so that she can be released soon, as she needs to reunite with her young daughter and husband to continue her legal process within the framework permitted by law. Her legal team at MIRA Legal, as well as the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Coalition (TIRRC), are providing legal representation in the case and will have details on the progress and responses from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Tennessee Federal Court.
Nashville Noticias will also be providing updates on its social media platforms and website, nashvillenoticias.com.
We trust in the justice system of the United States of America.
Respectfully,
Nashville Noticias LLC
March 5 2026″
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