1. The Lost Sea

    1. The Lost Sea

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    Sweetwater, TN

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    The Lost Sea

    4.3 (239 reviews)
    Open 9:00 am - 5:00 pm

    The Lost Sea Photos

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    Reviews With Photos - The Lost Sea

    Rob C.

    We went an hour and a half out of our way to visit The Lost Sea. After the experience, I'd do it again. This isn't just a cave tour. It's an underground adventure. The journey takes you about three-quarters of a mile through the cavern at a comfortable 58 degrees, so bring a light jacket unless you enjoy pretending you're on an episode of Survivor: Chilly Cave Edition. The climb back out is roughly the equivalent of 14 stories, though there are three scheduled rest stops to remind you that oxygen is still available. Like many attractions, your experience depends heavily on the guide. Ours, Sam, was knowledgeable and professional, but more matter-of-fact than entertaining. The information was there; the excitement wasn't always. Fortunately, the real star of the show doesn't need a microphone. The underground boat ride across the second-largest known underground lake is absolutely fascinating. Gliding through the darkness while seeing rainbow trout swimming in waters hidden beneath the mountains is one of those experiences that's genuinely hard to describe until you've seen it yourself. The cavern is also packed with history, but I'll let your guide tell those stories rather than spoil part of the adventure. One bonus: they offer free-roaming spelunking areas for those who want to do a little exploring on their own. Five stars. Unique, memorable, and absolutely worth the detour. Some attractions are tourist traps. The Lost Sea is something you'll actually remember.

    Laura H.

    This was my friend's most wanted to go as a kid. It did not disappoint. The caverns were interesting and our guide was very knowledgeable. We got to ride in the boat and we had another girl steer and tell us more about the underground lake. It's a little cool in some parts and wear good walking shoes.

    Stephanie K.

    Pictures don't do it justice since it's dark and you're underground but wow! What a neat experience. They emphasize the importance of physical fitness in trekking down and back but it's really not that bad. Maybe we had the same amount of stops going down as going up but I remember the stops going up lasted longer as some people needed to catch their breath. There are benches to sit. Mind you, our guide was a teenager in jeans (and possibly crocs?) leisurely walking. There are lots of railings too. Our guide clearly has a rehearsed spiel but was very informative and didn't sound robotic, answered questions professionally, and appeared to enjoy her job. The coolest part for me was when they turned off the lights to experience total natural darkness. It's a well run tour, great for families (but no bathrooms underground so be mindful of that!) - Make sure not to touch unless told you can!

    Trout in the lake
    Alex E.

    Very interesting and informative tour. Loved the boat portion and our host Kieran was especially fun! Everyone from the front desk to the shop was polite and helpful! Definitely a muse see in TN. Must be sure of foot and capable of a short hike. There is uneven terrain and some wet ground.

    Cave flowers
    Grace D.

    Pictures really don't do this justice.... But... it's a lake, underground, which is just mind-blowing really. The cave also has cave flowers, the highest concentration in the world, and they are really pretty! Like purple crystal flowers growing out of the ceiling! There was a prehistoric jaguar, confirmed to have been huge, that was found in the cave, and you can see a skull casting replica in the gift shop. The little village on site looked like it would be pretty fun in season, too, but was mostly closed in March. Had tour guide Logan and he was hilarious! Absolutely worth the ticket price!!

    Izzy A.

    You go down approximately 7 stories down to see the America's second largest underground lake inside a cave. You will get to go on a boat ride and see the fish. Is an amazing experience. Is a little of a workout walking those incline ramps.

    Susan C.

    Took a guest visiting from Germany to The Lost Sea on the outskirts of Sweetwater, TN. Our young witty guide, Noah, led a large group of us through Craighead Caverns, with its stalactites and stalagmites, and to America's largest underground lake. There we boarded 2 small boats and slowly drifted around the lake to see schools of rainbow trout swimming in the cold water, eager to snap up "Purina trout kibbles" that our guide sprinkled in the water. The terrain throughout the cave is mostly level but also steep in parts, though there's a handrail along the sides for safety. The best part: 58 degrees Fahrenheit inside the cave with a fair amount of humidity -- a pleasant contrast to the 92-degree temperature above. Ten years ago, the modern Visitors Center didn't exist. Now 1.5 years old, it includes a gift shop, and on the premises, a sweet shop and a glass blowing workshop.

    Underground lake

    The majority of the tour is walking to and from the lake. Down down down and up up up. Not recommended for anyone with asthma as conditions are damp with mold and mildew especially in the yellow metal tunnel. Steep climb and poor breathing conditions triggered an asthma attack.

    Nash W.

    The Lost Sea is misleading but it's a decent stop to check things out. Quite a hike in the cave up and down a pretty good clip. The sea is basically a very small lake... Kind of like a below ground pond. They continually add fish because they die off with no oxygen in the water and no natural light. Very strange. Not a lot to see in the cave except for the history behind it. There are many caves in Tennessee that are amazing compared to this.

    Beautiful colors
    Sally H.

    The Lost Sea is America's largest underground lake and Registered National Landmark located in beautiful Sweetwater, Tennessee. The visible portion of the lake is 800 feet long by 220 feet wide. You go deep into the Craighead Caverns walking, and by glass bottom boat.( Lots of rainbow trout) 140 feet below ground, the Lost sea is the largest under ground lake in North America. 4 acres of the lake are visible, there are at least 13 more discovered acres beneath the surface. Divers have uncovered a series of rooms beneath the water. Way cool! So there is more to someday explore! It's in the 50's down there so be sure to dress for cool. And get ready to walk, on uneven terrain and there is darkness. It is amazing, beautiful and there is a lot of history.Cherokees Indians used artifacts have been discovered. During the 1800's: When the first white settlers arrived in the Tennessee Valley in the 1820's they also discovered the cave and used it for storing potatoes and other vegetables. One of the cave's earliest visitors was a giant Pleistocene jaguar whose tracks have been found deep inside the cave. Some 20,000 years ago the animal apparently lost his way in the darkness and wandered for days before plunging into a crevice far from the daylight he sought. Some of the bones, discovered in 1939, are now on display in the American Museum of Natural History in New York.

    Diane W.

    My husband and I adventured to this place while on a camping trip. We did one of the late afternoon time slots and booked/paid online. We didn't have any issues booking or finding parking. The tunnel is pretty cool looking. There aren't really steps to deal with, BUT coming back up all the inclines was a lot for me. I am admittedly out of shape and overweight. If you are too, then just keep in mind that going down the inclines is much easier than coming back. There were times I felt like I was fighting for my life!! My heart was beating out of my chest and I was breathing hard. My face was super red when I made it out. I stopped 3 times on the way back out....so I could rest and catch my breath. The boat ride was cool. It's not super long but you get to see the fish. Getting in and out of the boat was a little scary for me, but overall not bad. I hope this review helps someone in a similar situation be able to make an informed decision.

    Rita L.

    Did a tour today and enjoyed it :) Chuck was a funny tour guide for our group, kept us entertained with jokes here and there. The tour itself was about an hour and half, you walk down the yellow tunnel at the beginning and then walk in and out different caves, the whole hike would be like walking 5 flights up which is not too bad especially since they built in different rest stops too. Boat ride was cool at the bottom, with wide caves. Cool to check out. Wear comfy walking shoes, the red dirt will get on a bit but washable with soap or toothpaste.

    Grand Canyon
    Jessika B.

    Amelia and Cordelia were our tour guides and they were very nice. We were the last group which was nice and quite boat ride. The rainbow trout were big. It was really neat and a good workout

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    22 days ago

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    27 days ago

    Tour guide's name was Bella. I've been a few times, but this was the best guide I've had. She made the experience a lot better.

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    2 months ago

    Super cool little side trip highly recommended for kids lots of walking uphill so be prepared and wear the right shoes.

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    11 months ago

    great experience! Chuck is an amazing tour guide! kept thing fun and entertaining! recommending to all!!!

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    Page 1 of 6

    Ask the Community - The Lost Sea

    How much is admission?

    Yeah Ed

    How much is admission?

    21.99 for adults

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    Review Highlights - The Lost Sea

    You go down approximately 7 stories down to see the America's second largest underground lake inside a cave.

    Mentioned in 36 reviews

    Read more highlights

    Sir Goony's Family Fun Center

    Sir Goony's Family Fun Center

    3.9
    (38 reviews)
    29.3 mi

    Our family frequently played mini-golf here in the 2000s, and I returned in 2026 to play another…read moreround. It's a fun set of courses with every option from challenging to easy. They also have paintball, go-karts, a snack shack and more. This is easily your best option for playing miniature golf in the Knoxville area.

    Review of Sir Goony's…read more Today was my first time visiting Sir Goony's. We've driven past it before, but never really knew what it was until we were invited to a little girl's birthday party there. At first, everything seemed fine. However, after speaking with the parent who rented the water park area, I learned they had reserved the space from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM. While the kids were playing and enjoying the water slides and bounce houses, random families began entering the area and using the space. This felt extremely disrespectful, considering the family had paid to rent that area. Not only did they have to share the space they reserved, but it also created a significant safety concern--when strangers are mingling in a private party area, it becomes much harder to keep track of children and ensure everyone is safe. On top of that, the family had to provide most of the party essentials themselves. Sir Goony's brought out sodas but never came back to refill them or check that every child got pizza. I'm not sure I would recommend renting this venue for a private birthday party based on this experience. However, if you're just looking for a place to take the kids on a weekend outing, it seems like a fun option. There are water bounce houses to cool off, mini golf, and some arcade-style attractions.

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    Sir Goony's Family Fun Center
    Championship course..
    Championship course..
    Sir Goony's Family Fun Center

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    The Lost Sea - amusementparks - Updated July 2026

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