Want this question answered?
It depends upon which section of TN. From Memphis, Gulfport/Biloxi beaches are the closest From Nashville, Destin/Ft Walton Beach/Panama City are the closest From Knoxville & the Tri-Cities, Hilton Head, Myrtle Beach, Charleston, and Wilmington, NC beaches are the closest with numerous beaches in between
Clarksville TN is in the Centrl Time Zone with Daylight savings
The coldest places in TN are not central or Western so nowhere near Nashville is close to the coldest. The coldest "place" in TN would of course, be found in the mountains which are located in Eastern, TN. Clingman's Dome is the coldest place in TN. So cold and snowy in fact, it is closed for the winter. New Found Gap is on the way there and is one mile high and boy does it get cold and snow up there yet if looking for the most snow, I cannot remember the name of the mountain and someone can help me with it but it faces north and on that north side is is the southern most point that gets LAKE EFFECT SNOWS thus, it is measured in feet not inches. Crossville, TN is colder than Nashville or any place west of there yet is close to Nashville, Knoxville and Chattanooga at the top of the cumberland plateau. The coldest and most snowy Towns in TN to live are located in Eastern TN up in or near the Mountains and anything above 3500 feet is going to get cold and locations above 4500 feet have a climate similar to the State of Maine! It gets very cold and snowy in parts of TN but warms West of Nashville and Memphis is the warmest City. Knoxville, Nashville and metero Chattanooga are similar but you can't go by the airport temp in Chattanooga since is wrong. I lived close to it and it would snow 4" there and 15" at my house so elevation is key in climate of TN and Western TN doesn't have the mountains while Eastern has highest east of the Rockies. If you are coming from up north in winter and expecting warmth, you might land in 60* only to see the next day in the 20s and 20 or more below zero in the mountains with heavy snow so dress warm and plan on it being a lot colder than NYC and more like upstate NY in the mountains. Right now, in December 2012, snow is expected in Chattanooga metro area around Christmas time or ice 2-4" since large snows hold off until after first of year usually but the 4" average is false for Hamilton county considering elevations. I had 35" year before last and the airport recorded only 8"...
Eastern Tennessee (Knoxville, Chattanooga) is in Eastern Time. Western Tennessee (Nashville, Memphis) is in Central Time
Byrdstown TN is on Central Standard Time
Gulf Shores i believe its only 6 1/2 hours from Chattanooga
The closest Tennessee city to Florida would be Chattanooga, TN.
Myrtle Beach, SC and Gulf Shores, AL are both approximately 8 hours away. Tybee Island, GA is 6 and 1/2 hours from Chattanooga, TN.
According to Amtrak it is Gainesville, GA (GNS) - about 100 miles from Chattanooga.
Panama city beach
Arnold AFB, TN is the closest active military installation although there are national guard and reserve activities in the immediate area.
Chattanooga, TN
Golf shores
The closest body of water is Lake Michigan and there are beaches in Hammond, IN, but I'd drive the extra ten miles to go to Mobile AL or the extra 20 miles to go to Pensacola, FL. Third choice and third most distant, Myrtle Beach, SC.
It is 403 miles according to Google Maps.
The shortest driving distance is 416 miles.
About Chattanooga, TN