News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Upper Cumberland tourist attractions are experiencing a boom in business since reopening.
Floating Mill Park in Silver Point reopened on June 1st. Park Attendant Kathy Johnson said all 107 camp sites have been 100 percent booked every weekend since.
“Last year, we would maybe be at 80 percent on weekends,” Johnson said. “We are more booked during the week then we normally are. People are enjoying themselves. They are out in forests and swimming and boating having a great time.”
Johnson said the day camp ground for picnicking, boating and swimming has doubled compared to last year. Johnson said there is not a lot of mingling happening at the camp grounds and visitors are practicing social distancing.
Granville officially opened as Tennessee’s Mayberry town on June 13th. Museum President Randall Clemons said about 3,000 people visited the first weekend open.
“On our weekdays, Wednesday through Saturday, since that time we have been extremely busy,” Clemons said. “We find that people are looking for a small place to go to and a place they feel secure in.”
Clemons said the past three Sutton Ole Time Music Hour have been a success and almost sold out. Currently, two shows are performed each Saturday with 25 available seats.
The Thomas House located in Red Boiling Springs began a soft reopening this June. Owner David Cole said the first three weekends of overnight ghost hunts have been success.
“Two months was a long time to not have any guests,” Cole said. “We enjoy our guests. We have a lot of repeat visitors that are like friends and family to us now cause they come so often.”
Cole said the house can serve 120 people in the dining room, but only 15 guest rooms are open to the public. The house does not have more than 30 people at one time.
All three tourist attractions said the boom in business is due to people wanting to get out of the house. The businesses continue to follow guidelines from local and state health departments.
