Tennessee is a southeastern state known for cities like Memphis and Nashville as well as its deep connection to American music. Even when I first arrived at the airport in Nashville, I came across a small live band playing in an airport restaurant! Some of the most famous musicians in the United States have emerged from Tennessee, including Elvis Presley. Aside from its cities and music, Tennessee is also known for its great outdoors. In the east you’ll find the Great Smoky Mountains, home to some of the most beautiful mountain scenery in the eastern United States. Meanwhile, the Mississippi River runs along the state’s western border, creating wetlands and unique habitats for wildlife.
Explore Memphis
Memphis is one of America’s great destinations for music lovers and played an important role in the development of blues, soul, and rock and roll. Elvis Presley fans come from around the world to visit Graceland, his home for roughly 20 years and now his final resting place. Memphis also played an important role in the American Civil Rights Movement, and Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated here in 1968. After exploring the city’s history, Beale Street is one of the best places to experience Memphis at night, with live music, restaurants, and bars filling the historic entertainment district.
Explore Nashville
Known as the country music capital of the world, Nashville is a must for music lovers. Downtown Broadway is packed with live music venues, restaurants, bars, and the honky-tonks that have helped make the city famous. Although music is a huge part of Nashville’s identity, there are plenty of other attractions throughout the city. One of the most unusual is a full-scale replica of the ancient Parthenon in Athens, Greece, originally constructed for Tennessee’s 1897 Centennial Exposition.
Explore Gatlinburg
Gatlinburg sits directly at the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains and serves as one of the main gateways into Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The town almost feels like an open-air amusement park, with live music, moonshine distilleries, restaurants, bars, hotels, and attractions packed into a small area. The lively atmosphere is a dramatic contrast to the forests and mountains just outside town, making Gatlinburg a great base for exploring the Smokies.
