When we were planning a trip to Tennessee this summer, we thought it would be cool to do a little cave exploring. My father in law mentioned a place he took Jason many years ago (so many that Jason didn't even remember it) called The Lost Sea Adventure. I'm a sucker for tourist traps, so I made sure it was added to our itinerary.
The tour is 3/4 mile long, and lasts about an hour. We started our adventure by walking through a long tunnel to get into the caves.
Once inside, I was pretty happy to see that it was very open, and you don't feel like you are being sucked into small tunnels. We learned quite a bit about the cave stalagmites and stalactites, how the Indians used the caves as a place for meetings, and how later, the Confederate soldiers used it as shelter. It's definitely rich in history, and you'll learn about how people have used the caves for many different purposes over the years.
I'll admit, the novelty of walking through a cave kind of wears off quickly. To me, once you've seen a few stalagmites and stalactites, you're pretty much over the experience. However, this tour offered a few extra perks that kept us entertained. First, they shut off all the lights, pitching us into complete and total darkness. I believe our guide said caves are only one of two places in the world where you can experience this. The other perk is The Lost Sea is home to America's largest underground lake. It's located 140 feet below ground and spans 4 acres. You'll board a glass bottom boat, then float out for a trip around the lake.
The guide encouraged us to dip our hands into the crisp mineral water, which left our skin feeling really soft. We didn't leave our hands in too long since the lake houses massive rainbow trout that they feed on every tour. The fish do lose about 20% of their eyesight in the lake, and they cannot reproduce, so The Lost Sea does have to replenish the fish supply every so often.
When we wrapped up the tour, we did stop at their Old Sweetwater Village to have a look around. Here you can pick up some souvenirs in the glass blowing shop, stop for an old fashioned ice cream cone, or hike through the nature trail.
The Lost Sea Adventure is located in Sweetwater, TN, and offers tours daily, except for Christmas. We paid roughly $20 per adult and $10 per child. While it's not something we ever need to go through again, I thought it was fun and the experience was well worth the cost.
Have you ever been cave exploring? If so, where? If not, would you ever consider a cave tour?
