Bell Buckle, Tennessee, in the fall is a charming small-town escape filled with vibrant foliage, crisp air, and a welcoming community spirit. Visitors can stroll through the historic downtown, shop local artisan stores, and attend seasonal festivals like the Webb Art & Craft Show. Bell Buckle’s cozy atmosphere and colorful autumn scenery make it a perfect fall destination. This sweet Southern town is a destination for antiques, handmade crafts, local artisans, festivals, home-cooking, and its friendly locals.

The backdrop of autumn leaves against the quaint, well-preserved town of historic Bell Buckle is saying what we all have been wanting to hear: Autumn is here at long last! And with the coming of the season brings a treasured tradition that has become a perennial favorite for over four decades: The Webb Art & Craft Show is held the first full weekend in October annually. The red-and-gold maple tree leaves that adorn Bell Buckle make the season seem complete. The juried Webb Art & Craft Show features over 100 talented artists along with exhibitions and a food court with choices that will leave you having to do rock- paper-scissors to figure out what to choose! While you browse the variety of booths, you will be entertained by live music and a hay-bale seating area when you just have to sit down and rest for a minute!

Indisputable charm aside, a main reason historic Bell Buckle is a top Tennessee attraction is its easy accessibility. Located just eight miles off of Interstate 24, it’s an easy stopping point for those traveling the main thoroughfare that connects

Nashville, Chattanooga, and Atlanta. Strolling the friendly sidewalks gives way to a sense of peace and time gone by.

Known for their RC Cola-MoonPie Festival, Webb Art & Craft Show, and a few others, this small town has a big personality. Be sure to visit the Bell Buckle Café and be prepared to loosen your pants for a feast of epic proportions. The town’s famed café has been featured on the television show Tennessee Crossroads and in just about every travel magazine on the newsstands — and for good reason. Its tome-like menu features every Southern dish imaginable, like fried biscuits, pork chops, country-fried steak, catfish filet, pulled pork, buffalo chicken, and all the sides that accompany a traditional meat-and-three (think: green beans, mac and cheese, fried okra, pickled beets and creamy slaw). After sufficiently stuffing yourself, work off that meal shopping at the mom-and-pop stores, and make sure to grab a photo at the alley mural that the Smithsonian featured when naming Bell Buckle one of the 19 best small towns in America.

Be sure to set aside a couple of hours to peruse Bell Buckle’s antique shops. With a couple of antiques malls and many independent stores that sell everything from vintage pie safes to handmade art, Bell Buckle is most widely known as a shopper’s delight, with its pick of treasures no matter your home decor style.

If you’re still hungry, grab a scoop of ice cream or one of Mama Phillips’ homemade fried pies at Bluebird Antiques and Ice Cream Parlor or a sweet treat to go from Simply Sweet Bakery to hold you over until your next stop.

It’s the welcoming vibe, the Southern hospitality of the shop owners and the undeniable creative energy buzzing through this railroad town that puts Bell Buckle atop many travelers’ bucket lists.

Bell Buckle, Tennessee – Close to home but a world away