re: Cool, off-the-beaten-path towns within the SEC footprint

Athens now has grease festival every fall where a bunch of vendors fry all types of food. Within miles of athens there is rails to trails walking path with a goat cheese factory nearby called belle chèvre. Tennessee and elk river are both within miles from city limits. Numerous bbq joints that are all worth a try, legendary burger place called dubs. As far as nightlife, gotta go to a trashy bar called macs, country club or booby bungalow up in Ardmore tennessee, roadhouse bars up in minor hill Tennessee, or hard dock down in Decatur. Great hunting and golf nearby as well