Food Lion · Walmart · Pharmacy and household basics
Use Smithville for the complete shop
Food Lion, 719 South Congress Boulevard, is the focused full-grocery stop. Walmart, 515 West Broad Street, is the broader answer when the list includes groceries, toiletries, pet supplies, clothing, coolers or forgotten equipment. Food Lion directions ↗ · Walmart directions ↗.
Verify current hours in the retailer’s official app. A store being open does not mean its pharmacy, pickup counter or alcohol sales follow the same schedule.
Dollar General · Convenience · Limited dinner rescue
Know what a smaller stop can and cannot do
A Dollar General or marina store can solve ice, drinks, snacks, charcoal and a forgotten basic. It is a poor foundation for a dietary restriction, a celebration dinner, a full weekend of fresh food or a specific baby or pet product.
Use the small stop when the list is truly small. Otherwise, backtracking after check-in can cost more time than the original grocery run.
Local beer board · Grocery wine license · Package store
Beer, grocery wine and spirits are different purchases
Tennessee regulates wine and spirits through the Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission, while local beer boards control beer-sale details. A grocery store may sell wine only if it holds the required retail food store wine license. Distilled spirits belong at a licensed retail package store.
Do not infer inventory or permission from the word “grocery.” Check the specific store’s official listing or call. Read the state’s grocery-wine rules ↗.
Monday–Saturday · Sunday · Holiday closures
The statewide sales window is not a promise that a store is open
The Tennessee ABC says retail package stores and licensed grocery wine sales may operate between 8 a.m. and 11 p.m. Monday through Saturday and between 10 a.m. and 11 p.m. Sunday. Package stores and grocery wine sales are closed on Christmas, Thanksgiving and Easter.
Those are legal windows, not business hours. Individual stores may close earlier, and local rules govern beer. Check the current store schedule before the rural drive. Verify the current Tennessee ABC guidance ↗.
Campground rules · Day-use areas · Boat safety
Public recreation areas may prohibit alcohol entirely
Alcohol that was lawfully purchased is not automatically permitted everywhere. Recreation.gov currently states that alcohol is prohibited at Floating Mill Park and in Ragland Bottom’s day-use area. Park, campground, marina and event policies can be stricter than store-sale rules.
Read the exact facility rules and never combine alcohol with operating a boat, swimming supervision or driving the winding lake roads. Floating Mill rules ↗ · Ragland Bottom rules ↗.
Charge or fuel · Groceries · Dinner · Check-in
Build Friday night in one pass
- Confirm the check-in time and save the address.
- Charge or fuel before leaving the main corridor.
- Complete the full grocery and alcohol stop in town.
- Choose takeout before kitchens begin closing.
- Buy the first breakfast, coffee, water and any pet or child essentials.
- Continue to the property without another speculative detour.
Must have · Nice to find
Tony’s two-list rule
Put medicine, infant supplies, dietary essentials, pet food, breakfast and the first dinner on the must-have list. Put local treats, a particular bottle and browsing on the second list. Finish the first list before the lake road.
Continue with Stock Up and Gear Up for fuel, ice, bait and equipment, or use the local-food guide when regional producers are part of the trip.