SWEETWATER, Tn. – Travelers who find themselves in East Tennessee would be well advised to check out this little town of about 6,000 people, located just off Interstate 75, about halfway between Knoxville and Chattanooga.
Visitors will find a little chunk of Paris hidden away in the rolling East Tennessee hills.
A charming little town with several attractions worth spending a few hours, or even a full day, await visitors who want to stray away from the hustle and bustle of interstate roadways.
Now is a particularly good time to check out this little gem as the town celebrates a couple of events which will appeal to antiquers, history lovers or foodies.
Visitors can get a real taste of Paris at the annual recreation of the Parisian Flea Market at the Paris Apartment Building Boutique Feb. 1-5.
Art, antiques, collectibles and memorabilia, home décor items, vintage and trendy apparel and jewelry highlight a veritable treasure trove.
Thousands of visitors from much of the Southeast flocked to the initial Parisian Flea Market event in 2012, prompting another event this year.
Diners at the Paris Apartment Boutique Tea Room and Bakery will find an assortment of foods and employees greeting guests while dressed in costumes from “Alice in Wonderland.”
The Paris Apartment owner Debbie Oden, who moved to East Tennessee in 2006,. opened The Paris Apartment on Main Street last summer in a 10,000-square-foot building which previously served as a gallery.
“We’re really building on other’s success,” Oden told a local newspaper, pointing to neighboring businesses like Bobby Todd Antiques and The Robin’s Nest. “Show me where you can find an interesting building where you can create this kind of magic.”
In addition to the touch of Paris and a row of antique shops, Sweetwater offers a beautiful town park (Circle Park) and some unusual attractions, such as The Lost Sea, an expansive underground caverns featuring immense cavern rooms and rare formations. At the bottom of the cave visitors can board a glass-bottom boat for a tour of America’s largest underground lake, and the Redneck Resort Mud Park, featuring eight acres of mud trails, ponds and “the biggest and baddest truck and ATV/UTV pits in the state.”
For more extensive information visit the town’s web site at http://www.visitsweetwater.com
