Tennessee - The Volunteer State
Credit: Tennessee Dept of Tourism Development
Beale Street Historic District is four historic blocks of barbecue joints and live music venues that celebrate the soul of the blues, jazz and rock ânâ roll sound of Memphis.
What’s New
• Titanic Pigeon Forge: A 2,787-square-metre ship-shaped structure situated on 2.3 hectares. Features 20 galleries with hundreds of artifacts from the Titanic.
• Delta Queen: The legendary Delta Queen, the last fully operational, overnight passenger steamboat in the country, is now docked in Chattanooga and functioning as a boutique hotel.
• Graceland: Explore the fashion trends set by Elvis through Elvis Presley – Fashion King, a new exhibit to commemorate Elvis Presley’s 75th birthday. See everything from Elvis’ handmade shirts and suits to flashy jewelry and shoes.
Attractions:
• National Civil Rights Museum: Chronicles the Civil Rights Movement from slavery to present-day human rights issues. This former motel is where Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated. Memphis.
• Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum: A treasure trove of historic video clips and recorded music, exhibits and state-of-the-art design and regular live performances. Nashville.
• Grand Ole Opry: An American icon and Nashville’s top attraction. Features live performances from well-known names as well as up-and-coming stars. Nashville.
• Dollywood: Features incredible rides, spectacular shows, heritage crafts and fun for the whole family. There is a new festival each season. Pigeon Forge.
•The Tennessee Aquarium: Features 10,000 animals; 3D IMAX movies on a six-storey screen; and the River Gorge Explorer, a thrilling riverboat cruise.
Credit: Tennessee Dept of Tourism Development
Bristol Motor Speedway, with its 36-degree banked corners, is known as the â World's Fastest Half Mileâ , hosting NASCAR and Busch series racing.
• Memphis Zoo: Home to over 3,500 other animals. Recently added a 1.6-hectare exhibit, The Teton Trek, featuring grizzlies, timber wolves, elk and trumpeter swans. Memphis.
• Casey Jones Home & Railroad Museum: Featuring an authentic 1890s train station experience and enhanced exhibits. Jackson.
Events:
• Riverbend Festival (June), Chattanooga.
• Smithville’s Fiddler’s Jamboree & Crafts Festival (July), Smithville.
• Gatlinburg Craftsmen’s Fair (July-October), Gatlinburg.
• Wilson County Fair (August) Lebanon.
• 72nd Annual Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration (August-September), Shelbyville.
• African Street Festival (September), Jackson.
• Boomsday Festival (September), Knoxville.
• Rocktoberfest (October), Rock City, Chattanooga.
• Reelfoot Arts & Crafts Festival (October), Tiptonville.
• 38th Annual National Storytelling Festival (October), Jonesborough.
• Jack Daniel’s World Championship Invitational Barbecue (October), Lynchburg.
• Christmas on the Cumberland (November-January), Clarksville.
Places:
• Beale Street Historic District: Four historic blocks of barbecue joints and live music venues that celebrate the soul of the blues, jazz and rock ‘n’ roll sound of Memphis.
• Franklin: Historic sites include the Carter House, Carnton Plantation and the newly opened Lotz House, featuring the finest private collection of Victorian furniture in the southeast.
• Great Smoky Mountains National Park: A World Heritage Site that preserves a rich, cultural tapestry of Southern Appalachian history. Tallassee.
• Lynchburg: Home to the oldest registered distillery, the Jack Daniel Distillery. Step back in time to enjoy unique shops and restaurants in restored buildings, and the old jail museum.
Hidden Gems:
• Museum of Appalachia: Features a frontier village with dozens of authentic structures, restaurants serving home-cooked meals, a gift shop and the Appalachian Hall of Fame Building. Norris.
• International Storytelling Center: Promotes the power of storytelling. The International Storytelling Festival takes place in October. Jonesborough.
• Loveless Café: Southern food icon for 50 years. Menu offerings include hams, jams, red-eye gravy and Southern fried chicken. Nashville.
Did You Know?
State Motto: Agriculture and Commerce
State Flower: Cultivated Iris
State Bird: Mockingbird
Fast Facts
Region: THE SOUTH
America’s Byways: Cherohala Skyway, Natchez Trace Parkway, East Tennessee Crossing, Great River Road and Woodlands Trace
Direct Flights: Air Canada, United Airlines
Sales Tools: Official Tennessee Vacation Guide
Info: Tennessee Department of Tourist Development
1-800-G0-2-TENN
www.tnvacation.com
