If you're home for summer vacation, or simply visiting the Volunteer State, here's your not-so-touristy list for the best and most beautiful places you have to visit in Tennessee. Have a great summer, and remember, GO VOLS!

Cummins Falls

Located northwest of Cookeville, Cummins Falls is a beautiful and popular swimming hole in Middle Tennessee. It's the eighth largest waterfall in Tennessee with a 75 foot drop and a mile hike to the gorge. The gorgeous scenery and sense of adventure lead to an assured day of fun.

The Escape Game

This is probably one of my favorite new trends because it's a guaranteed memory and day of fun. The concept of the game is simple: you and up to seven others are locked in a room with varying themes and levels of difficulty, and you have 60 minutes to solve your way through several puzzles that lead to your freedom out of the room. The Escape Game and other small businesses like it, are popping up all over the state, and country. There are two in Nashville, one in Knoxville, one in Jackson, one in Memphis, and one in Pigeon Forge. The only question that remains is: can you escape?

Shiloh National Military Park

For those of you love history, a visit to Shiloh, Tennessee is the perfect day for you. The Battle of Shiloh in the Civil War was crucial. The sheer number of deaths seen on the grounds that day can be understood by a pond that stands close to the battlefield, permanently stained a red-brown color caused the amount of death in and around the water feature. The grounds have been kept as one of the best preserved Civil War battlefields and is rich with voices of the past, and is also home to some of my favorite landscape views in Tennessee.

Shakespeare in the Park

Now, don't read the word "Shakespeare" and automatically keep scrolling. I've been going to Shakespeare in the Park for years now, and when I was first drug to Centennial Park on a warm August night I was not a happy 14 year-old. I couldn't care less about Shakespeare and assumed everyone on stage would be dressed in Renaissance clothing speaking in King James language. Much to my surprise, the play, Much Ado About Nothing, was set in the 1940s World War II, and was hysterical. It was easy to follow, and gave a modern twist to old theatre. I have been back every year since and love each play they do. Entrance is free, with a suggested $10 donation, and there are usually great food trucks in attendance, too. It's a fun event to grab a picnic blanket, or your lawn chairs and enjoy a new side of Nashville.

Whitwell Middle School: The Paper Clips Project

Exiting the interstate on the way to Chattanooga at Whitwell, Tennessee doesn't seem like much. The small town seems to embody all of the rural charm found in our state. That is, until you pull into Whitwell Middle School and see a something a little out of the ordinary: a boxcar. How did a lesson in 1998 about the Holocaust turn into a global movement? It began with a student asking what six million looked like. It is estimated that nearly six million Jews lost their lives in Nazi concentration camps. So, the students at Whitwell Middle School set out to collect six million paper clips to represent every lost life.There is much more cool history to the story, but I'll leave to those of you make the journey Whitwell, Tennessee to find out the rest.

Love Circle

Love Circle is hands downs the place to get the best view of Nashville outside of Nashville. Located off of Acklen Avenue, this should be on every true local's bucket list for Tennessee. The view is best on a clear afternoon day, or after the sunsets on a clear night. It's a guaranteed picture that you won't want to miss.

Pickwick Lake

Any day on the lake is a day well spent, to me, but Pickwick Lake isn't just any old lake. Pickwick Lake is where Tennessee, Mississippi, and Alabama's state lines meet together. It is also home to excellent fishing nearly year-round, but is most known for small mouth bass and Tennessee River Catfish. You can spend a weekend camping and boating on the lake, or you can spend your vacation at Pickwick in the local hotels, and on the golf course. Regardless of where you stay, the lake life here is definitely the best life.

Belle Meade Plantation

The Belle Meade Plantation is a historic mansion situated on 30 still-functioning acres. The grounds, purchased by John Harding in 1807 served many purposes in the early 19th century, but is known mostly for its success in breeding thoroughbreds. "Belle Meade," French for, "beautiful meadow" lives up to it's name no question. The grounds also serve as a winery, a beautiful event location, and gorgeous photographs.

Jack Daniel's Distillery

As anyone who lives in Tennessee can tell you, there's only whiskey worth drinkin', and it's gotta be Jack Daniel's. Touring the Jack Daniel's distillery was one of the coolest things I have done in Tennessee.It's not just for 21 year old's and older, but is interesting for other ages, too. The tour takes you on the whole process of producing the liquor, including a sight of the key ingredient that makes Jack Daniel's so special.