A community with a reputation for supporting the arts, Sewanee, Tennessee, is more than a college town; it’s a destination that launches careers, hones crafts, and inspires intellectuals of all pursuits.
Even with the majority of the University of the South’s undergraduate population gone for the summer, there’s a creative energy humming in the town of Sewanee. I visited in July, during the second week of the annual Sewanee Writers’ Conference, and went to hear author Melissa Febos give a talk on non-fiction. A small crowd filled the university’s Guerry Auditorium, eager to hear her advice on writing, research, and cultivating creativity.
Creatives of all kinds have ties to Sewanee, a small town on Tennessee’s Cumberland Plateau (Sewanee is commonly used to refer to both the town and the university.) Some of the 20th century’s most notable authors, including T.S. Eliot and Flannery O’Connor, appeared in the pages of The Sewanee Review, America’s oldest continuously published literary quarterly. Today, it’s still a bastion of American literature, where writers like Lauren Groff and Sigrid Nunez publish stories and essays.
Others have led workshops or done public readings during the Sewanee Writers’ Conference, a program partially funded by the Tennessee Williams estate, which the famed playwright left to the university. Musicians are also drawn here; the historic Sewanee Summer Music Festival, a month-long training intensive, stages concerts each summer, and the University Choir performs every Sunday at All Saints’ Chapel during the academic year.
Here’s everything you need to know to plan a trip to Sewanee, including what to do, where to stay, and when to go.
Sewanee, Tennessee
- Stay at The Sewanee Inn, an elegant 43-key property within walking distance of the central campus of the University of the South.
- Embrace Sewanee’s scholarly atmosphere by picking up the latest edition of The Sewanee Review, educating yourself on local Black history, or attending a performance by the University Choir.
- Reserve a table at chef Julia Sullivan’s latest restaurant, Judith.
- Align your trip in July with two of Sewanee’s annual celebrations of the arts: the Sewanee Summer Music Festival or Sewanee Summer Music Festival.
- Or plan your visit over the fall, when the humidity has subsided and the foliage begins to change.
Why Sewanee Is the Best Arts & Culture Town in the U.S. for 2025
When I visited Sewanee to hear Melissa Febos speak, she offered a powerful message about the importance of artistic self-expression and exploration. Acknowledging how writing, and creativity in general, can seem futile in this current climate, she reassured the audience: “Our work is how we make sense of the world and situate ourselves inside of it,” she said. “It’s how we’re able to live, to connect, to grow, and to help others.”
Sewanee is a place that supports art in all its forms—books, poetry, music, architecture, dance, theater—and invites visitors to engage in the arts, often free of charge. “Sewanee looks like a sleepy college town lost in the woods, but there is something happening here just about every day and throughout the year,” says Woody Register, professor of history and director of the Roberson Project on Slavery, Race, and Reconciliation at the University of the South.
The Sewanee Writers’ Conference and Sewanee Summer Music Festival are marquee events each year, and while university life is central to Sewanee’s culture, it’s just one part of the narrative. “Until the work of the Roberson Project began in 2017, local Black history was not publicly recognized or visibly honored at the University of the South,” says Register. “Today, the Roberson Project works with the people of the historic Black St. Mark’s neighborhood and others in the area who grew up there to preserve its memory and honor its residents’ important contributions to the life of Sewanee, the town, and the university.” More on the project’s work—including a heritage walking trail and key historic sites—below.
Where to Stay
The Sewanee Inn
“The Sewanee Inn is fantastic, with gorgeous bluff-side seating for cocktails, a lovely bar and restaurant, two fireside sitting rooms, and a view of the golf course, where you can grab a burger and a beer at Green’s View Grill,” says Adam Ross, novelist and editor of The Sewanee Review.
Terralodge Monteagle Treehouses
If you’re interested in going the glamping route, book one of the well-appointed Terralodge treehouses or domes. Recently opened in 2024, the “treehouse resort” is located on 30 acres in nearby Monteagle, and each of the accommodations comes with a hot tub and a fire pit.
Stayframe
“There are also a lot of Airbnbs and rentals. There’s one in particular, Stayframe, that is well curated and beautiful,” says Julia Sullivan, chef and proprietor of Judith, one of the most exciting new additions to Sewanee’s dining scene. The three-bedroom, two-bathroom space comes with a soaking tub, a gas fireplace, and full kitchen, and access to a private lake and waterfall.
St. Mary’s Sewanee
“For something completely different, visit St. Mary’s Sewanee, a convent also known as the Ayres Center for Spiritual Development,” says Ross. “The retreat center welcomes individuals and groups for overnight stays, and the Anna House enjoys especially cozy rooms. It’s a great spot to stay in the wintertime.”
Things to Do
Learn about local Black history.
“The South Cumberland area of Tennessee has a rich Black history, and a good way to see its impact on the region is the Grundy County History Museum in nearby Tracy City,” says Register. He also notes that Grundy County was the epicenter of the development of convict leasing in the 1880s and 1890s and, in the 1950s, the area was central to the Civil Rights Movement as the home of the Highlander Folk School.
Sewanee’s Jessie Ball duPont Library currently has a small exhibit on Highlander Folk School, which was founded in 1932 with the goal to “educate leadership for democracy and promote the general welfare of all people in the South.” Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King, Jr. were among those who, says Register, “studied the tactics of nonviolent resistance” at the interracial institution.
Visitors can also learn about the Roberson Project’s important work by walking the St. Mark’s Heritage Trail through Sewanee’s historic Black neighborhood. “From one end and back, it is about 1.75 miles long and shady all the way,” says Register, noting there’s also a “driving tour of the major historic sites in the St. Mark’s neighborhood.” Places like the “Negro Swimming Pool” and the site of Kennerly School, the only school for Black children on the mountain before desegregation, are noted with historical markers.
Enjoy Sewanee’s access to the outdoors.
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Lydia Mansel/Travel + Leisure Panoramic views from Green’s View. |
Matt Morrison/Tennessee’s South Cumberland Tourism Partnership (mountainsofadventure.com) Sycamore Falls along the Fiery Gizzard. |
“The legendary Perimeter Trail is an approximately 26-mile loop at varying degrees of difficulty through some of the most gorgeous rock formations you’ll ever see,” says Ross. “There are also remarkable views of the surrounding valley at Green’s View, the Cross, and Morgan’s Steep.” As far as other hikes, Sullivan recommends the 3-mile Lost Cove Trail, as well as Foster Falls and Fiery Gizzard.
For a relatively short hike, Ross adds that the 1.2-mile winding paths” of Abbo’s Alley shouldn’t be missed. “It was named after legendary professor Abbott Cotten Martin, who first cultivated the ravine. The rustic walk passes over bridges and streams. You might even catch a salamander or two in the summertime.”
Explore the university’s central campus.
“Any visit to Sewanee demands a stop at All Saints’ Chapel, one of the most beautiful and grand places of worship in the Southeast,” says Ross. Its splendor is apparent all year round, but Sullivan is especially fond of the chapel during the Festival Service of Lessons and Carols, which she calls “one of the most special experiences” she’s had in Sewanee.
With a copy of Under the Sun, a guidebook to Sewanee, in hand, continue past the chapel, admiring the 19th and 20th-century sandstone and limestone structures around campus; Breslin Tower, Convocation Hall, and St. Luke’s Chapel are particularly notable. “Visit the Ralston Listening Room—more formally known as the William Ralston Music Listening Library—on the second floor of the University’s duPont library,” adds Ross. “Here, with state-of-the-art equipment and unparalleled acoustics, you can enjoy any of its 20,000 LPS and 20,000 CDs.”
Read, write, and appreciate art.
Even if your undergraduate days are well behind you, there’s no reason not to work on your manuscript or dive into the latest Pulitzer Prize-winning novel—all you have to do is find an unoccupied Adirondack chair or bench on campus.
Or, simply admire the talent that manifests throughout Sewanee. “There are presentations by artists, scholars, and writers throughout the academic year, and all University-sponsored events, such as public speakers and student theatrical performances, welcome visitors and usually without charge,” says Register.
Where to Shop
The Lemon Fair
For gifts and local artisan items, like clothing and jewelry, Sullivan recommends The Lemon Fair. Stock up on tea towels, All Saints’ Chapel Mugs, stickers, ornaments, and all sorts of unique Sewanee souvenirs, many of which are emblazoned with the Sewanee Angel.
University Bookstore
“Be sure to also stop at the campus’s local bookstore, whose shelves feature local authors,” says Ross. Swing by to pick up the latest edition of The Sewanee Review, or novels written by faculty; you may recognize the works of New York Times best-selling author Kevin Wilson, who currently serves as an associate professor in the English & Creative Writing Department.
Mooney’s Market & Emporium
A short drive from Sewanee, Mooney’s Market & Emporium comes recommended by both Sullivan and Ross. “It has everything from organic foods and farm fresh eggs to antiques and knitting supplies,” says Ross. Spread across several small rooms, the shoppable collection is more than worth a quick browse before you leave town; you’ll likely leave with an art print, small piece of pottery, or T-shirt to commemorate your time on the Cumberland Plateau.
Where to Eat and Drink
LUNCH
“LUNCH, on University Avenue in Sewanee’s ‘Village,’ is a must for breakfast and, of course, lunch,” says Register. Although the food menu rotates, you can expect fresh, filling items, such as a daily quiche, a country ham sandwich, and marinated shrimp skewers paired with orzo and summer squash.
Judith
Judith, the recently opened restaurant by the great Nashville chef Julia Sullivan, can’t be missed. “Grab a tahini Caesar salad, a smashburger, and a glass of wine at the bar, and you’ll see why Sewanee is fast becoming a foodie destination,” says Ross. The restaurant’s name is a nod to Judith Ward Lineback, who in 1969, became the first woman to matriculate at the University of the South.
Stirling’s Coffee House
Warm, welcoming, and brimming with plenty of tables and chairs for writing, reading, or catching up with a friend, Stirling’s Coffee House is a Sewanee staple. “It’s a really sweet place to walk to in the morning and get coffee and pastries,” says Sullivan. Their speciality iced Sewanee Morning—coffee with mint and Swiss chocolate flavoring, topped with half and half—is much appreciated on a hot summer day.
Shenanigans
“For the classic college bar-restaurant experience, grab a pitcher of draft beer and some fried fare at Shenanigans,” says Ross. The institution dates back to 1974, and the sizable subs, hearty burgers, and homemade pizzas are the perfect way to celebrate the end of a long hike along the Perimeter Trail.
The Best Times to Visit
“Fall is unquestionably the best because of the foliage and the remarkable views,” says Ross. The colorful show is put on by the broadleaf deciduous trees, mainly oaks and hickories, that dot the Domain.
Sullivan agrees that autumn is one of the finer times in Sewanee, but she also has a penchant for the warmer months. “I think spring and early summer are really special. Every week, a different flower is blooming. It’s been really beautiful to see this gradual change, and everything is just incredibly lush,” she says. Sewanee’s summer wildflowers include harbinger-of-spring, bloodroot, great white trillium, pink lady’s slippers, and mountain laurel.
“February is to be avoided—you’ll deal with either soupy fog or ice and snow,” warns Ross, who also says it’s critical to “check the University calendar so as not to conflict with student arrivals or graduation” in May and August.
How to Get There
Sewanee covers 13,000 acres across the Cumberland Plateau—hence the phrase, “on the mountain,” which students, alumni, and locals alike affectionately use to refer to life here. Travelers flying into the area can choose between Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport (CHA) or Nashville International Airport (BNA) before driving the final hour or 1.5 hours to Sewanee.
While much of Sewanee is walkable, having a car is helpful to reach trailheads and nearby towns, and it allows you the freedom to embark on scenic drives throughout the area. If you’d prefer to get around on two wheels, Woody’s Bicycles has regular bikes and e-bikes available to rent.
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