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Thursday, October 29, 2026Oct 29

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Ancient Ocean

photo Visitors walk past the tunnel entrance to the Lost Sea in Sweetwater, Tenn., on Saturday. More than 170,000 people visit the attraction each year.

Sweetwater is all about the ancient.

Far underground in Sweetwater, Tenn., sits the Lost Sea, the nation’s largest underground lake. Its downtown is full of historic buildings and antique shops.

And the surrounding county, which is 30 percent national forests, has been preserved for centuries.

1. BEST THING TO DO: The Lost Sea

There’s something down below