Tennessee is more than just the birth place of rock 'n' roll. It's a brilliant holiday destination for families and couples alike as well as an eye-opening and cultural experience, offering fantastic Southern-style cuisine along the way.
Here's our guide to a jam-packed six-day road trip of this historic, cultural and beautiful state…
Gatlinburg is a great stop to explore the mountains – with beautiful hiking trails, nature lookouts (including bears and elk), plenty of activities such as fishing and rafting – this is the ideal 'breath of fresh air' destination after a long journey. The town is filled with plenty of family-friendly activities, including a brilliant aquarium and mini golf, and there are plenty of restaurants to choose from - the renowned ribs at Calhoun's are delicious!
For accommodation, there are plenty of good quality hotels, or for ultimate relaxation visitors can hire a mountain cabin, offering scenic views of the beautiful mountains.
The big attraction of Pigeon Forge of course is Dollywood – Dolly Parton's theme park, needing a whole day to explore. Here is also Dolly's tour bus and her Chasing Rainbows museum, an interactive display of memorabilia, costumes, awards, special keepsakes and photographs.
Continuing the Dolly Parton theme into the evening, a visit to her Dixie Stampede is a must. Guests are in for a fun night of Southern-style cuisine and live entertainment featuring cowboys and cowgirls, horses, buffalos, chickens and racing pigs – all whilst drinking from a cowboy boot-shaped cup.
Pigeon Forge's other attractions include Dolly Parton’s Splash County water park, countless outdoor activities, magic shows, dinner shows and outlet malls. The Titanic Museum is popular with vistors – with thousands of real artefacts and recreations, including the renowned Grand Staircase, bringing this piece of history to life.
The first port of call should be the Country Music Hall of Fame – showcasing the history and memorabilia through the decades of the genre, followed by a visit to the Johnny Cash museum, which takes music fans through the musician's dramatic life.
The Bluebird Café and Puckett’s restaurants are worth dining at, followed by an evening of enjoying the Honky Tonk bars on Broadway – with talented live bands playing just for tips, these atmospheric bars are a great end to a day of sightseeing. If you have time, squeeze in a visit to the RCA Studio B, the Ryman Auditorium and the Grand Ole Opry.
Day four to six – Nashville to Memphis
After a final walk along Nashville’s beautiful riverfront, drive to the soulful city of Memphis. If you are an Elvis Presley fan, now’s the time to take a slight detour via Tupelo, Mississippi, to visit his birthplace and childhood home.
Here you get to learn the history of the studio and hear some of the great stories of what happened there - including the famous Million Dollar Quartet – an unplanned performance from Elvis, Johnny, Carl and Jerry when Elvis stopped by the studio unexpectedly one day when the others were recording a session.
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