We spend a lot of time hiking and exploring caves and exploring interesting travel destinations. We also love music and attending concerts. I recently discovered The Caverns in Grundy County, Tennessee. The Caverns is a very unique subterranean cavern that hosts musical performances and concerts throughout the year as well as guided cave tours on the site. So--of course we had to travel to Pelham, Tennessee to experience a concert in a cave! What should you know about attending a concert at The Caverns in Grundy County, Tennessee?
What is The Caverns in Grundy County, Tennessee?
The
Caverns has become a bucket-list destination for live-music. During our
visit, we met concert-goer's from several U.S. states. We made the 8
hour road trip to get there--but, a couple that we met had flown into
Nashville from Wisconsin the day before and had rented a car to make the
90 minute roadtrip.
To tell you a little about The Caverns--the cave system covers over 8,000 linear feet of cave passages. The underground Cavern shows are hosted in a section of the cave known locally as the Big Mouth Cave. It is believed that humans have used this cave for up to 25,000 years! This large cave holds up to 1,200 people for standing room only shows!
In addition to the Big Mouth Cave, The Caverns also offered daily guided tours through the Big Room Cave to teach visitors about the cave's geology and local Grundy County history. There are also adventure cave tours that take cave visitors deeper into the caverns.
While we focused on the underground cavern venue--the site also hosts above ground concerts in The Cavern Amphitheater that holds up to 6,000 guests.
You can check out a quick look at our trip into The Caverns on Tiktok & follow me @mymamasworld too!
What Should You Know About Attending a Concert at the Caverns?
Plan Extra Time if you Wish to Schedule a Cave Tour. We have visited the canopy walk a few times and we have always overheard little ones asking, "what's next?" While the canopy walk is engaging and unique, you won't likely spend an afternoon on the canopy boardwalk. But--this park is one of our favorites. The Nature Center offers large viewing windows where you can birdwatch and maybe catch glimpses of a raccoon, or a hawk, or even a white squirrel .
When should you visit? The underground cavern has a consistent 59 degree temperature year around. If you are planning to camp, I would keep in mind that Tennessee still has a range of seasons and early spring/late fall can be a little chilly. We visited in late March with the outdoor temperature in the lower 50's during the day and the low 40's overnight. I brought a jacket for inside The Caverns--but, ended up taking it off before the show started.
Where do you Park? There are several designated parking areas on the grounds. Purchasing a Premium Parking Pass get you parking in a closer lot and priority entry into the venue once the doors open for the show--but, the main parking areas are only a short walk to the venue. The parking flow was very well organized and clearly marked with parking attendants directing the process. It was also a very well organized (polite even) exit from the grounds after the concert finished.
Restrooms? There are easily accessible restroom near the concession area inside The Caverns and in The Caverns gift shop near the Big Room Cave.
Where do you Stay? The Caverns has a variety of onsite "lodging" options. You can rent a Yurt or camp onsite with a Car Camping Pass or an RV Camping Pass. They also offer a pre-pitched campsite and camping pass for purchase as well. The Yurts were sold out fairly early for our event--and we felt the weather was a little too chilly for camping. We stayed at The Smokehouse Lodge & Cabins in nearby Monteagle. While we opted to make the short drive to The Caverns from the lodge, there were a couple of shuttle services available that would pick up and return guests to various hotels in the area.
Dining in the Area. The venue allows visitors to tailgate before the shows--but, does not allow outside food into the actual concert cave. During our visit, there were food trucks onsite and a concession area serving an assortment of drinks inside the entrance. We had a great dinner before the show at a small local spot, Rosie's Farmhouse Kitchen, in nearby Tracy City.
Other Activities in the Area. We had a great time exploring the local area! We hiked trails at both the South Cumberland Lake State Park and The Fall Creek Falls State Park. There are so many opportunities to explore the area--whether you are looking for outdoor fun or shopping.
Things to Remember when you Visit the Caverns
Plan ahead and book add-ons Early. If you need premium parking or want to book a Yurt or pre-pitched camping site, be sure to plan ahead and book those early to avoid them being sold out.
Check out the Local Shuttle Services. This is a very rural area, so you won't find an Uber or Lyft--but, the shuttle service literally returned a group of concert goers back to our hotel minutes after we arrived after the show. (We may have even been holding them up since we weren't familiar with the backroads between the venue and the hotel!) I'm not sure how the scheduling works or how many trips they make back and forth for pick-ups/drop-offs--but, if you are hesitant to drive after a show, I'd check out the shuttle services.
What Did We Think of the Caverns?
This is such a great venue. The staff is friendly, it's well organized, clean and designed perfectly for a unique concert experience. We did not have time to schedule a cave tour during this visit, but will definitely plan to do that if we attend another concert.
Details about the Site Featured Here.
Address:
The Caverns
555 Charlie Roberts Road, Pelham, TN 37366
