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Beat the heat at a waterpark! 9 places in Tennessee to find cool summer fun

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Beat the heat at a waterpark! 9 places in Tennessee to find cool summer fun


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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.

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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. 

Support strong local journalism by subscribing at knoxnews.com/subscribe.





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ABC broadcast goes out during Tennessee softball vs Texas Tech in WCWS

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ABC broadcast goes out during Tennessee softball vs Texas Tech in WCWS


OKLAHOMA CITY – Sometime during the top of the second inning of Tennessee softball’s matchup with Texas Tech, the ABC broadcast cut out due to technical difficulties.

According to the broadcast, a power outage at Devon Park was responsible for the technical difficulties. Viewers on ABC instead got to watch “Squeeze Play” with whip-around coverage of NCAA baseball regionals.

The broadcast didn’t return until the last out to end the third inning.

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The No. 7 seed Lady Vols (48-10) are playing No. 11 seed Texas Tech (58-7) on May 30 for a spot in the Women’s College World Series semifinals.

Viewers missed out on Karlyn Pickens sitting down the Red Raiders in order and then a fantastic diving catch by second baseman Emma Clarke in the third inning.

Tennessee also loaded the bases in the bottom of the third inning, but Clarke popped up to the first baseman, who then collided with Clarke on the baseline in order to make the catch to end the inning.

A win would send Tennessee to its third WCWS semifinals appearance in the last four seasons. A loss would drop it into an elimination game against No. 8 seed UCLA on May 31 (7 p.m., ABC).

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The Lady Vols will also face their former third baseman Taylor Pannell, who transferred to Texas Tech after a breakout season for Tennessee in 2025.

Tennessee upset No. 2 seed Texas, the reigning national champions, with a 6-3 win to open the WCWS on May 28.

Cora Hall is the University of Tennessee women’s athletics reporter for Knox News. Email: cora.hall@knoxnews.com; X: @corahalllBluesky: @corahall.bsky.social‬. Support strong local journalism and unlock premium perks:knoxnews.com/subscribe





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What channel is Tennessee softball vs Texas Tech on today? Time, TV schedule to watch WCWS game

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What channel is Tennessee softball vs Texas Tech on today? Time, TV schedule to watch WCWS game


Tennessee softball faces Texas Tech in the Women’s College World Series winner’s bracket on May 30 at Oklahoma City.

The Lady Vols (48-10) outlasted Texas on May 28 to move on to the 1-0 game.

Texas Tech (58-7) shut out Mississippi State in the WCWS opener on May 28.

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The winner is one win away from the championship series and gets another off day, while the loser plays an elimination game on May 31.

Here’s how you can watch Tennessee softball vs. Texas Tech:

Tennessee softball vs Texas Tech on on May 30 at Devon Park in Oklahoma City will be televised on ABC.

  • Game time: 3 p.m. Eastern
  • Date: Saturday, May 30

Thursday, May 28

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  • Game 1: Texas Tech 8, Mississippi State 0 (5)
  • Game 2: Tennessee 6, Texas 3
  • Game 3: Alabama 6, UCLA 3
  • Game 4: Nebraska 5, Arkansas 3 (10)

Friday, May 29

  • Game 5: Mississippi State vs. Texas, 7 p.m. on ESPN
  • Game 6: UCLA vs. Arkansas, approx. 9:30 p.m. on ESPN2

Saturday, May 30

  • Game 7: Texas Tech vs. Tennessee, 3 p.m. on ABC
  • Game 8: Alabama vs. Nebraska, 7 p.m. on ESPN

Sunday, May 31

  • Game 9: Game 5 winner vs. Game 8 loser, 3 p.m. on ABC
  • Game 10: Game 6 winner vs. Game 7 loser, 7 p.m. on ESPN

Monday, June 1

  • Game 11: Game 7 winner vs. Game 9 winner, 12 p.m. on ESPN
  • Game 12: Game 7 winner vs. Game 9 winner (if necessary), approx. 2 p.m. on ESPN
  • Game 13: Game 8 winner vs. Game 10 winner, 7 p.m. on ESPN2
  • Game 14: Game 8 winner vs. Game 10 winner (if necessary), approx. 9:30 p.m. on ESPN2

WCWS Championship Series

Best-of-three series

  • Game 1 (Wednesday, June 3): Game 12 winner vs. Game 14 winner, 8 p.m. on ESPN
  • Game 2 (Thursday, June 4): 8 p.m. on ESPN
  • Game 3 (Friday, June 5): 8 p.m. on ESPN (if necessary)



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Answering Tennessee Football’s Burning Questions Less Than 100 Days Until Kickoff | Rocky Top Insider

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Answering Tennessee Football’s Burning Questions Less Than 100 Days Until Kickoff | Rocky Top Insider


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Tennessee football QB Faizon Brandon (Photo via Ryan Sylvia | RTI)

We’re less than 100 days until Tennessee football meets Furman to open the 2026 season inside Neyland Stadium. As the team meets for summer workouts in Knoxville, there are some serious questions with strong implications still unanswered, though.

Here’s the latest on the answer to each burning question revolving around the Vols.

Who leads Tennessee’s quarterback battle?

Josh Heupel won’t name a starting quarterback until much closer to the start of the season, if not into the season itself, with an FCS game to open the year. The reason is he wants to see how each player develops over the summer and into training camp after receiving hands-on instruction from the coaching staff during the spring.

However, all the buzz is currently around five-star true freshman Faizon Brandon. Multiple college football insiders have given him the leg up entering the summer after he showed up to campus with a college-ready frame and strong understanding of Heupel’s offense.

The battle is far from over, though. Redshirt-freshman George MacIntyre will have a say as he pushes to take the reins of the offense after sitting behind Joey Aguilar and Jake Merklinger last season. Colorado transfer Ryan Staub will also get reps as he looks to emerge.

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I think if you asked Heupel who the quarterback will be next season, he’d truthfully say he doesn’t know, though. It’s still a completely open competition as we gear up for fall camp at the beginning of August.

More From RTI: Tennessee Football’s First Three Games Officially Have Set Kickoff Times. Here’s What They are.

Will Chaz Coleman play for the Vols?

As spring camp progressed, Tennessee was without one of its key transfer portal pickups. Chaz Coleman, a highly-touted edge rusher from Penn State, began to miss practices and ultimately did not play in the annual Orange and White Game.

Now, it’s being reported that Coleman is not on campus for the start of voluntary workouts. We’ve seen missing practices and workouts be the end of tenures at UT in the past, as well. It was the final straw for Nico Iamaleava before he entered the portal in the spring of 2024, and Boo Carter missing workouts led to punishment before he transferred during the 2025 season.

It’s not a cut-and-clear case with Coleman, though. There’s still a chance he can work his way back into the fold for Tennessee this upcoming season, but there is plenty of work to be done. We’ll ultimately have to wait and see, but confidence is beginning to dwindle.

Either way, this now means Tulane transfer Jordan Norman is going to have to play a significant role this upcoming season and is a name to watch during fall camp.

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How has the team adapted to the new big-name coaches?

This offseason, Tennessee added two significant coaches to its staff. To replace Tim Banks at defensive coordinator, Josh Heupel went out and got Jim Knowles. To revamp his strength program, he hired Indiana’s Derek Owings.

So far, it seems like both additions have gone very well. Knowles has a tough job in front of him, but he retooled the defense at multiple positions through the transfer portal. The linebacker room seems very strong, and he added talent to the secondary, but the defensive line will be interesting to watch.

Overall, it seems like the team has responded well to what Knowles and his staff are trying to implement on that side of the ball, though.

In the weight room, Owings has seemingly turned things around. Players don’t only look bigger, but plenty have talked to the media about how they feel faster and stronger already during spring camp. That impact could be one that goes under the radar but is felt in a big way this year.

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