10 Reasons to Visit Tennessee
From the Smoky Mountains to smoky barbecue, Tennessee has a lot of features that make it an ideal tourist destination. Whether you’re a sightseer, foodie, history buff, music fan, or a thrill-seeker, the Volunteer State has something for you.
Here are ten reasons you need to put Tennessee on your vacation bucket list.
10. Southern hospitality
It’s real, and it’s fantastic.
9. The Parthenon
No, seriously! You don’t have to go to Athens, Greece, to gaze upon this historic architectural wonder. There’s a full-scale replica in Nashville, built in 1897 to celebrate the Tennessee Centennial Exposition.
8. Dollywood
Dolly Parton once sang that “Old Flames Can’t Hold a Candle to You.” Well, nothing can hold a candle to Dollywood, the beloved songbird’s family-friendly theme park in Pigeon Forge. After all, what other amusement park in the world is home to not only some of the most intense roller coasters anywhere, but also the Southern Gospel Museum and Hall of Fame?
7. The Titanic Museum
If you’re in Pigeon Forge to visit Dollywood, why not stay a little longer to explore The Titanic Museum? This two-story building is itself shaped and painted to resemble that ill-fated steamship, and is the largest permanent collection of its kind in the world, housing over 400 artifacts commemorating one of the most historic tragedies the world has ever known.
6. Riverboat cruises
If that last destination didn’t scare you away from cruises for life, then you’re in for a treat. Three of America’s most scenic rivers run through Tennessee: the Mississippi, the Cumberland, and the appropriately named Tennessee. And what better way to experience those waters than with a relaxing sightseeing tour aboard a vintage riverboat, complete with live music and a delicious Southern dinner?
5. So much history
Fun fact: during the Civil War, more soldiers on both the Union and Confederate sides hailed from Tennessee than from any other state. Unsurprisingly, the place is a hotbed for history buffs, being home to such sites as Fort Donelson National Battlefield, President’s Andrew Jackson’s plantation estate Hermitage, and the National Civil Rights Museum.
4. The Grand Ole Opry
Nashville is often called the “Country Music Capital of the World,” and it owes that reputation largely to the Grand Ole Opry. Johnny Cash, Hank Williams, Loretta Lynn, Willie Nelson, and Garth Brooks are just a few of the countless musicians who have graced the Ryman Auditorium stage to perform for the Opry’s weekly live-broadcast radio show, a staple of the airwaves since 1925.
3. The Sunsphere
Positioned at the heart of a prime piece of Knoxville real estate that once hosted the 1982 World’s Fair, this 600-ton sphere made of 24-karat gold-dusted glass sits atop a 266 foot-tall tower, providing a gorgeous view of the countryside that has to be seen to be believed.
2. Graceland
The King still reigns supreme in Memphis, where Elvis Presley’s 13.8-acre estate now stands as a tribute to rock ‘n’ roll royalty. Displaying such exhibits as his famous pink Cadillac, hundreds of gold records, musical instruments, stage and screen-worn clothing, and other memorabilia, while also providing a place near Presley’s tomb where fans can pay their respects, it’s no surprise that Graceland has become a mecca for more than 20 million visitors since its opening.
1. Three little letters: BBQ
No one does barbecue better than Tennessee, and anyone who says they do is lying.