5 Best RV Retirement Communities In Tennessee (Must-See!) -

Home to the Great Smoky Mountains, Burgess Falls State Park, Nantahala National Forest, and so many other beautiful locations, what better place to embrace the RV lifestyle and stay active in retirement, than Tennessee?

For those looking to retire in Tennessee, here are some of the best RV retirement communities the state has to offer:

The Gardens RV Village
Cumberland Mountain RV Community
Two Rivers Landing RV Resort
Tall Pines Estates Community
Arrow Creek Campground

Each park comes with its own awesome perks and benefits.

Along with each RV retirement community, we’ll cover the best activities in each area.

The Gardens RV Village

If you’re looking to embrace the RV lifestyle, but aren’t quite ready to give up on the luxury of a fancy home, then Gardens RV Village in Crossville might just be for you!

The community has been described as a home for you and your RV. It features almost 180 houses, built with extra-large garages for RV storage.

The Gardens is a community filled with RV enthusiasts, meaning there is constant access to social life with like-minded people who share your passion.

The homes available at The Gardens come in two styles; Luxury and Elite. Both are designed exactly to specification in a collaborative process between the buyer and an architect.

There are still many empty plots, so you have the chance to truly make one of these homes your own.

The Gardens provide a perfect base for anyone looking to settle down without losing their spirit of adventure.

Residents can hop straight into their RV, and begin to explore the beautiful county of Cumberland.

The folks at The Gardens are so confident you’ll fall in love with their community, you can actually stay there for two nights for free!

Activities & Recreation

According to their website, The Gardens is “a place for you to live alongside people who share your passion and commitment to travel, to friendship, to adventure.”

As well as getting involved with events within the community, residents also organize regular group trips.

This allows people to get out and explore places they may never have known about without the guidance of their neighbors.

The Garden newsletter keeps residents up to date with regular events, including pot luck dinners, games, and bridge tournaments to RV campouts.

For more information on amenities and how to stay here, visit their website in our references below!

Cumberland Mountain RV Community

Cumberland Mountain RV Community proudly lies within the Appalachian Mountains.

In their promotional video, two residents, Barbara and John, are seen sitting comfortably in a spacious garage, with their RV nestled neatly behind them.

As John rocks gently on his rocking chair, he explains that although the wonderful peace and quiet of the community is great, it’s the location that makes him happy to have settled there.

This community boasts many similar advantages to the Gardens, including spacious homes and local residents who are also passionate about the RV lifestyle.

It is praised specifically for the variety of life available.

Retiree Community Life

Not only can residents expect to socialize together with their friends and neighbors, there is no surprise when they also jet off for an adventure in the surrounding countryside.

With a minimum age of 55 required to join the community, it is a popular location for retirees. The sense of calm and tranquility is immediately noticeable.

One would be forgiven for assuming a slow pace of life was a constant for these residents, but the adventure is never far from this mountain community.

With the bustling city of Knoxville just an hour down the road and excellent access to the Catoosa Wildlife Management Area, as well as the Lone Mountain State Forest and Frozen Head State Park, the Appalachian Mountains really are your playground from the Cumberland Mountain RV Community!

For more information on amenities and how to stay here, visit their website in our references below!

Two Rivers Landing RV Resort

Just the other side of Knoxville, and a stone’s throw away from the dramatic French Broad river, lies the Two Rivers Landing RV Resort.

The location is truly unique, described as the gateway to the Great Smoky Mountains, the resort allows for plenty of opportunities for hiking and staying active.

Of all the communities on this list, this resort might be the one that leaves you with the busiest schedule!

Activities & Recreation

Kannooing, Kayaking, waterskiing, golf, and go-karting are just some of the options open to residents of this resort.

Or, for anyone who doesn’t want to stray too far from the RV, the area provides ample lookout points with panoramic mountain views, accessible by road.

Fans of Dolly Parton are also in for a treat, with Tennessee’s biggest ticketed tourist attraction, Dollywood, just on the doorstep.

Only a few miles from her birthplace in Locust Ridge, guests are able to explore the wonderful natural landscape which inspired Dolly’s famous song ‘My Tennessee Mountain Home.’

Housing Options

Unlike the other entries on this list so far, Two Rivers Landing RV Resort has no brick & mortar houses, so to retire, there would mean living out of your RV full-time.

This allows retirees to fully realize the advantages of retiring in an RV; life feels like a constant holiday!

The sense of adventure never dies when your home is on four wheels!

For more information on amenities and how to stay here, visit their website in our references below!

Tall Pines Estates Community

Nestled cozily in the historical and picturesque city of Soddy-Daisy, this community has been described as “The Smart and Affordable way for Retirement.”

For some, the choice to embrace an RV retirement might be purely financial; it can be a struggle to maintain a large house once you stop earning, and living in an RV is a great alternative.

Tall Pines Estates offers another alternative: mobile homes.

Mobile Homes & Housing

These homes are built and inspected according to Federal Housing Standards and available on a monthly land lease, which can be up to 35% cheaper than a house of the same size.

The homes are state of the art and offer features such as modern kitchens, fireplaces, spacious family rooms, spacious studios, and whirlpool baths.

You can even bring your own home if you have one already.

The community is open to 55+-year-olds and has an intricate list of policies and processes to ensure a clean, safe, and enjoyable environment for our residents.

There is also a full-time security and maintenance crew on hand for any issues that may arise.

Activities & Recreation

The city of Soddy-Daisy is a perfect place to settle for any adventure seekers.

With easy access to wooded mountain ridges and the sparkling Soddy Lake, the area is the perfect balance between rural and metropolitan life.

From Tall Pines Estates, you are only a 30-minute drive to the Big Soddy Creek Gulf area; 285 acres of pristine wilderness and natural beauty.

The Gulf is open daily to foot traffic from sunrise to sunset, offering hiking trails, mountain and gorge views, natural habitats, waterfalls, flora, wildlife, and rock formations along Big Soddy Creek.

For more information on amenities and how to stay here, visit their website in our references below!

Arrow Creek Campground

Just a few minutes drive from the relaxing mountain town of Gatlinburg and on the cusp of the Great Smoky Mountains, lies the Arrow Creek Campground.

The campground is tailored for people who want to leave their RV in one location long term.

A quaint, family-owned campsite, Arrow Creek claims to have the best rates in the Smoky Mountains.

The team is friendly and at hand to help with any needs, whether that be technical problems with your RV or to guide you to one of the area’s numerous attractions.

Activities & Recreation

Such attractions include Dollywood, music theaters, the Arts and Crafts Community, antique and craft shops, factory outlet malls, hiking, horseback riding, trout fishing, white-water rafting, churches, and Bent Creek Golf Course.

Gatlinburg itself is a popular holiday location in which people from all walks of life return to time and time again.

Of course, the Smoky Mountains provide an abundance of outdoor activities, including 800 miles of hiking trails! However, there is also plenty to do on a rainy day.

Gatlinburg is home to one of the most popular aquariums in America, as well as countless unique museums and experiences to explore.

If you’re looking for a different pace of life, an exciting and cultured nightlife is available, with a number of breweries and live music venues in the area.

Arrow Creek Campground could be the perfect place to start the next chapter of your RV lifestyle!

For more information on amenities and how to stay here, visit their website in our references below!

Final Thoughts:

Making the decision to retire and embrace the RV lifestyle can be a difficult one.

For some, being a homeowner brings with it a sense of security and belonging that you may not get on the road.

However, the RV lifestyle has always been for adventure seekers, and what’s to say you have to give that up when you stop working?

There are many options for the adventurous retiree to consider, from the basic and affordable mobile homes at Tall Pines Estates to living on an active campsite and having a retirement that feels more like a holiday.

Or, to combine these worlds together, Tennessee can offer The Gardens, and the Cumberland Mountain communities, allowing residents to live in luxury, while still pursuing the RV lifestyle.