The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride Tennessee is an event that somehow manages to feel both extremely classy and slightly ridiculous at the exact same time. Imagine dozens of people dressed like they’re headed to church in the 1960s… except everyone arrives on vintage motorcycles instead.
The event is centered around classic-style motorcycles, dressing “dapper,” and raising money and awareness for men’s mental health and prostate cancer research. But after doing this ride in Tennessee for four years now, I can confidently say the community and atmosphere are what keep people coming back.
If you love vintage motorcycles, scenic rides, and slightly overcommitting to a theme in the best possible way, this event is genuinely so much fun.
The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride, often called DGR, started in Sydney, Australia after founder Mark Hawwa saw a photo of Don Draper from Mad Men sitting on a classic motorcycle in a suit. Somehow that single image turned into a worldwide motorcycle event that now happens in over 100 countries.
Today, DGR partners with the Movember Foundation to raise money and awareness for men’s mental health and prostate cancer research.
One thing I didn’t realize before our first ride is that the event is very specifically centered around classic and vintage-inspired motorcycles. This is not a sport bike meetup. The entire ride is designed to keep a classic motorcycle aesthetic, which honestly makes the whole thing feel way cooler visually.
The event is free to register for through the official Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride website. Riders can choose to fundraise, but it is not required to participate.
The Tennessee rides we’ve done are fairly small compared to some of the massive city rides around the world. Ours usually brings around 50–75 riders, and honestly I think that’s part of why I like it so much.
It feels incredibly relaxed and welcoming.
We live about an hour away and always bring our vintage motorcycle in a truck instead of risking an older bike on the interstate for that long. Every single year people immediately come over and help unload bikes without even being asked. It never feels intimidating or cliquey, which surprised me the first time we attended.
The whole atmosphere feels playful and community-focused more than anything else. People are constantly walking around checking out motorcycles, complimenting outfits, asking questions about bikes, and taking photos.
And the style commitment is impressive. One person will be buttoning a tweed jacket while another is adjusting a neck scarf next to a 1970s Yamaha. Then suddenly dozens of vintage motorcycles fire up at once and the parking lot sounds like a time machine.
Honestly, it’s hard not to smile during the entire thing.
Almost everyone dresses up, and that’s genuinely one of the best parts of the event.
You’ll see:
Some people go full Peaky Blinders. Others keep it simple with trousers, a button-up, and suspenders. Both work.
Women dress up too, which I love because sometimes motorcycle events can feel heavily geared toward only one type of rider. Over the years I’ve worn dresses, skirts, and vintage-inspired outfits, usually with shorts underneath because sitting sidesaddle on a motorcycle for over an hour sounded like an excellent way to create problems for myself honestly.
Other women wore full suits, trousers with suspenders, scarves, or vintage dresses.
And yes, some people absolutely wear full protective gear over their dapper outfits. Nobody cares. Safety still wins.
Save this for later on Pinterest so you don’t forget it.
One thing that makes DGR different is that not every motorcycle qualifies.
The ride focuses on:
So you won’t see modern sport bikes weaving through the lineup.
Over the years we’ve brought:
The bikes I see most often at the Tennessee rides are usually Triumphs, Harleys, Hondas, and Yamahas, but there are always a few unexpected motorcycles that become crowd favorites.
One year there was a Janus Halcyon and a Royal Enfield Bullet 500 that people constantly stopped to photograph.
Even newer motorcycles can qualify as long as they fit the vintage-inspired style of the event. It’s really more about the look and spirit of the ride than the exact age of the motorcycle.
If you love this kind of vintage motorcycle weekend, you would probably also like my Barber Vintage Festival: The Ultimate Motorcycle Weekend in Birmingham, Alabama and AMA Motorcycle Days Mid-Ohio: Complete First-Timer Guide blogs. Both events are basically heaven for anyone who wants to stare at old motorcycles for an unreasonable amount of time. Respectfully, of course.
For the first few years, our rides went through downtown Knoxville, including Gay Street, which honestly made for really cool city riding and photos.
In 2026 the route went through Townsend, Gatlinburg, and the Smoky Mountains felt completely different.
Most of the ride stayed on scenic backroads, traffic was minimal, and the pace stayed very relaxed. We usually never go much over 45 mph, which honestly makes this one of the best beginner-friendly group rides I’ve personally seen.
One of my favorite parts every year is how much locals and tourists love the event.
People wave constantly. They smile, point at motorcycles, pull out phones for photos, and cheer as the group rides through town. In Gatlinburg especially, people lined the sidewalks watching the motorcycles go through the strip like a moving vintage parade.
It’s probably one of the few motorcycle events where strangers are equally interested in your outfit and your motorcycle.
If you’re making a weekend out of the Smokies, my Weekend in Gatlinburg: The Perfect 2-Day Smoky Mountain Itinerary is a good next read, especially if you want to add food, views, and a little less helmet hair to the trip.
The ride usually starts around 11 AM with a rider briefing beforehand.
Parking has always been easy and free at the Tennessee rides we’ve attended. Knoxville had a little traffic some years, but nothing terrible since most of the routes used backroads instead of sitting in heavy downtown traffic forever.
The ride itself is usually around 1 to 1.5 hours with very few stops. There typically are not bathroom breaks during the actual ride, so that’s probably useful information to know before chugging a giant iced coffee beforehand. Learned that quickly.
The full event usually lasts around 3–4 hours total.
One thing I really like is that the ride normally ends somewhere different from where it started so everyone can grab food, take photos, and hang out together afterward.
There’s also always an official photographer covering the event, and riders get access to the photos afterward. Honestly, that’s such a nice bonus because this entire event is ridiculously photogenic.
If your ride ends near Gatlinburg, my Top Places to Eat in Gatlinburg: Where to Dine from Breakfast to Dessert guide can help you figure out where to eat after. I’m always ready to eat, but after a group ride through the Smokies, it feels especially justified.
We go every single year and absolutely love it.
If you enjoy vintage motorcycles, relaxed group rides, scenic backroads, and classic motorcycle culture, this is easily one of the most enjoyable motorcycle events we’ve done.
It’s especially good for beginner riders because the pace stays manageable and the atmosphere is incredibly welcoming. Nobody is trying to show off or ride aggressively. The whole thing feels very laid back.
If you’re not into motorcycles at all, this probably is not the event for you beyond watching the ride roll through places like downtown Knoxville or Gatlinburg.
But if riding vintage motorcycles through Tennessee while everyone around you looks like they accidentally time-traveled from 1965 sounds fun… you’ll probably understand very quickly why people keep coming back every year.
If you’re planning to attend The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride Tennessee or make it part of a Smoky Mountains weekend, these are the resources I’d actually use:
For overnight stays near the Smokies, compare hotels here depending on whether you want to stay downtown or somewhere quieter.
If you’re flying in or meeting friends from out of town, check flights to Knoxville here since Knoxville is usually the easiest airport for this area.
For planning the rest of the weekend, start with my Downtown Gatlinburg: The Ultimate Guide to Restaurants, Attractions, and Things to Do, Best Smoky Mountain Overlooks for Epic Scenic Views, or My Favorite Easy Hikes in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park if you want something scenic before or after the ride.
For packing, I’d bring a portable phone charger, especially if you’re taking photos and videos all day, and a compact backpack if your motorcycle setup allows it. Between registration, photos, food afterward, and checking the route, your phone will be doing the most.
Italian food felt like the last thing I expected to find in the middle of the Appalachian Mountains... until I sat down at Ilda in Sylva.🍝
They call it Italian-Appalachian, and that’s not just a tagline. Homemade pasta, craft cocktails, local ingredients pulled straight from the mountains around it, this is the kind of meal that makes you forget you’re two hours from the nearest city. It’s cozy, it’s a little upscale, and it is not a walk-in kind of place, call ahead, because tables go fast on weekends.
It’s not cheap, and it’s not trying to be. But if you’re already making the trip out to Sylva, this is the one reservation worth planning your day around.
Full write-up, including what to order, link in bio.
Booked my fall cabin before September even started, and I’m not sorry about it. 🍂
These are the stays that make you actually want the cold to hurry up fireplaces, mountain views, the kind of porch you don’t leave. Not every one of these is going to fit every trip, but if a cozy fall getaway is on your radar, this is the roundup to start with.
One of my favorite travel seasons is almost here, and I have zero chill about it. 🍁✈️
There’s just something about fall trips cooler air, apple orchards, that first flannel of the season, food that actually makes sense with the weather again. I’m already mentally packing for it before September even starts.
If fall is your favorite time to travel too, tell me where you’re headed... I’m taking notes for the list.
Pack your bags... ✈️🧳My hiking and road trip gear shop just got a refresh, and this is everything that actually earns a spot in my bag. The dry bag pulls double duty for beach days and trail days, the Osprey backpack is the one I grab for anything motorcycle or day-hike related, and the GoPro comes with me literally everywhere at this point.
Nothing on this list is filler it’s all stuff I’ve used, packed, and repacked more times than I can count. Full shop linked in my bio if you want to build out your own kit before your next trip.
Filing this one under “go now before it gets cold.” Bonneville Hot Springs is one of those trips where fall access is honestly the sweet spot the campground road is open, the hike in is short, and you skip the snow-and-gate situation we dealt with when we went in March.
September and early fall mean clearer trails, easier parking, and pools that are just as good without the extra mile of hiking to earn them. Fewer than 10 people out there when we visited, a rustic changing booth, zero amenities, and pools that range from “relax” to “actually scalding” until you move some rocks around and mix in river water. Small waterfalls feeding in, mountains in every direction, not polished, and that’s exactly the point.
Full breakdown on parking, what to pack, and timing it right is linked in my bio.
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