Retiring in Tennessee

Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency licenses fishing on more than 19,000 miles of streams, rivers, and 35 major lakes and reservoirs across the state. Reelfoot Lake in the northwest, Dale Hollow Reservoir, and the Tennessee River impoundments are well-known for crappie, bass, and catfish. Residents 65 and older who have held a license for at least 25 consecutive years pay no fee for an annual license.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the most visited national park in the country, offers paved accessible trails at Clingmans Dome and Laurel Falls alongside hundreds of miles of backcountry paths. Tennessee State Parks maintain paved walking loops and interpretive trails at dozens of facilities accessible to visitors of varying fitness levels.

The Tennessee Valley Authority manages 49 reservoirs across Tennessee with public boat ramps, marinas, and day-use areas. Cherokee Lake, Douglas Lake, Norris Lake, and Pickwick Landing State Park draw power boaters, anglers, and paddlers, and TVA publishes a free map of all public recreation areas on its reservoir system.

Nashville Metro Parks operates several public golf facilities including Harpeth Hills Golf Course, set within Percy Warner Park. A Senior annual membership is available at $600 per year, and regular green fees at Metro courses are among the more affordable options in the region. Tennessee's mild climate allows golf from late February through November in most years.

The University of Tennessee Extension Master Gardener program trains volunteers in all 95 Tennessee counties to provide community horticulture education. Tennessee's growing season spans from April through October in most areas, and the Cheekwood Estate and Gardens in Nashville and the Memphis Botanic Garden offer inspiration and public programs year-round.

Nashville, Memphis, Knoxville, and Chattanooga all have dedicated pickleball courts at public parks and recreation centers, with the Nashville Pickleball Club among the more active in the state. Many county parks departments throughout Tennessee have converted underused tennis courts for pickleball play to meet rising demand.

Nashville's Grand Ole Opry, Country Music Hall of Fame, Frist Art Museum, and Tennessee Performing Arts Center serve as anchors of a vibrant cultural calendar. The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Vanderbilt University offers noncredit courses in arts, music, history, and more for adults 50 and older, and Memphis hosts the Brooks Museum of Art and Stax Museum of American Soul Music.

The Tennessee Commission on Aging and Disability coordinates nine Area Agencies on Aging that fund senior centers, nutrition sites, in-home support, and volunteer programs statewide. The Foster Grandparent and Senior Companion programs are active across the state, and many counties host Senior Games events each spring drawing hundreds of older adult participants.