Nashville’s Big Back Yard offers fall travellers some of the season’s best outdoor festivals and adventures, including Centerville, Tennessee’s famed National Banana Pudding Festival. Nashville’s Big Back Yard is a fall splendour, with more than 50 species of deciduous trees showcased along scenic vistas, rivers, streams, parks and natural areas. NBBY is anchored by 100 miles of the historic Natchez Trace Parkway. There’s plenty to do and see in the Big Back Yard. National Banana Pudding Festival (Oct. 2-3, 2021) Admission is free and “The Puddin’ Path,” lets guests sample 10 scrumptious banana pudding recipes for just $5. Oct. 2-3 in Centerville, Tenn. https://www.bananapuddingfest.org Bike the Natchez Trace Parkway It’s a bucket list item for all bikers, whether powered by two legs or on your free-wheeling motorized ride. The National Park Service has designated the entire 444 miles of the historic Natchez Trace Parkway as a bicycle route. Fall colours are brilliant. For lodging, consider Commodore Hotel in nearby Linden. https://www.nps.gov/natr/index.htm Celebrate Music at ShoalsFest This boutique event is one of the south’s premiere music festivals. Your host, the ever-inspiring Jason Isbell, brings his music and friends to celebrate in his home state of Alabama. Multiple artists join Isbell and the 400 Unit Oct. 2-3, 2021 McFarland Park, Florence, AL. http://www.shoalsfest.net Visit Stillhouse Hollow Falls Stillhouse Hollow Falls is a 90-acre state natural area located approximately three miles northeast of Summertown, Tenn. off Hwy US 43 in Maury County. The natural area is on the Western Highland Rim in the Duck River watershed. https://www.tn.gov/environment/program-areas/na-natural-areas/natural-areas-middle-region/middle-region/na-na-stillhouse-hollow-falls.html Enjoy Mid-South BBQ Festival This event celebrates all things BBQ, with competitors coming from far and wide to show-off their smokin’ skills. Great food dominates this festival, but it is topped off with music, arts &  crafts, a kid’s zone and the century bike ride. Oct. 15-16, 2021 in Mount Pleasant, Tenn. https://midsouthbbqtn.com/#festival Explore David Crockett and Joe Wheeler State Parks Spend a weekend exploring the great outdoors at David Crockett State Park in Tenn. Enjoy camping, fishing, boating, and hiking. https://tnstateparks.com/parks/david-crockett  Joe Wheeler State Park, located on Wheeler Lake in The Shoals of Alabama, offers something for everyone; a resort lodge, a restaurant, cabins, camping, fishing, golf, tennis, and a marina. https://www.alapark.com/parks/joe-wheeler-state-park Take A Hike The TVA Muscle Shoals Trails Complex is home to a vintage restored railroad bridge over glistening water, a natural waterfall, and over 11 miles of foot trails. It is one of the most scenic settings in the Tennessee River Valley. https://www.tva.com/environment/recreation/tva-trails The 2.7-mile Lady’s Bluff Loop Trail in Perry County, Tenn., a designated National Recreational Trail, leads visitors to the top of a majestic limestone bluff offering far-reaching views across the Tennessee River. https://tennesseerivervalleygeotourism.org/entries/ladys-bluff-small-wild-area-and-trail/0dd7dba5-5a7b-47c4-9ae2-cd06631ea825 Source: Leiper’s Fork Foundation / Nashville’s Big Back Yard