13 Mar 2012
Bluegrass Underground
The lights dim in the huge cavern 330 ft below the earth. A smoky, indigo blue haze illuminates the stage wedged at the base of...
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22 Apr 2013
The Catfish Capital of the World, Right Here in Tennessee
I was surprised when a couple of our newest neighbors confessed they didn’t care for fried catfish. I couldn’t imagine how anyone could resist the...
2 May 2013
Happy Stax Museum Day!
This has been a BIG week for Memphis’ Stax Museum of American Soul Music. It began Sunday with a rain-delayed Stax to the Max. I...
5 Apr 2013
World’s Biggest Fish Fry Is Paris’ Biggest Party
In chatting with several residents of Paris, Tennessee, this week, I’ve learned something: Tradition in this town isn’t merely deep. It’s deep-fried. Paris will host...
6 Nov 2012
Skydive Tennessee for the Ultimate in Thrills
Kneeling in the open doorway of the airplane, arms crossed and fingers locked in the straps of my harness, I balance in the slipstream. At...
14 May 2012
Back to Nature at Fall Creek Falls
Imagine yourself sitting on a wet rock ledge, feet hanging off. Sheer drop 86 feet to a huge pool below. A few yards away, at...
25 Jun 2012
Summer Swimming and More at Cummins Falls State Park
On a hot summer day, what better way to spend an afternoon than splashing around in a nice cool swimming hole? Better yet, not just...
27 Jul 2012
Rock on at Rock Island State Park
Fishing, hiking, swimming, canoeing/kayaking, camping and sight-seeing rank high at Rock Island State Park on the Cumberland Plateau. The Caney Fork Gorge and its waterfalls...
8 Jan 2013
The Eagles Have Landed In Tennessee
I scanned distant treetops on a cold January day nearly 30 years ago at Reelfoot Lake State Park in hopes of spotting flashy white heads...
26 Jan 2013
Middle Tennessee’s Rich in Bucket List Ideas for 2013
The excitement of every new year is looking ahead to experiences on your wish list, goals you’d like to accomplish, and that tantalizing Bucket List....
8 Jun 2012
A Picture Perfect Day at the Lower Caney Fork River
I returned to my favorite Middle Tennessee trout stream last week. It’s been years since I canoed the entire lower Caney Fork River – 28...
5 Aug 2012
Walk Into Tennessee’s Past at Wynnewood
The stagecoach rumbled along the rough track, crossing Cherokee Indian territory on its way from Knoxville to Nashville. It pulled up outside an impressive two-story...
15 Aug 2012
Performing Arts Flourish in Music City
Song, dance, theater, ballet. TPAC is Tennessee’s sparkling centerpoint for performing arts, and this month it’s making history. Tennessee Performing Arts Theater (TPAC) is a...
7 Sep 2012
Step Back in Time at Henry Horton State Park
Laughter drifts up as I stroll down the Duck River Blueway access at Henry Horton State Park. As they say, if you can’t beat ‘em...
12 Sep 2012
Mile-High Ride on Cherohala Skyway
As the days grow cooler and red and bronze colors slip into hardwood forests, we think about taking a drive purely for the scenery. In...
25 Sep 2012
Top Spots for Fall Foliage in Middle Tennessee
Tennessee is a spectacular state for fall foliage. The combination of rolling hills, steep bluffs, rivers, lakes and an amazing variety of oaks, maples, poplars...
23 Jan 2013
Tennessee Quilting Preserves Family Heritage
Quilting is an art that can be traced back to ancient Egypt and China, revealing clues to the past. We may think of quilting as...
9 Apr 2012
Your Guide to Montgomery Bell State Park
I had a splendid time revisiting Montgomery Bell State Park last weekend. A couple of years ago I attended an outdoor writers conference here and...
30 Mar 2012
Exploring Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park
Twenty-nine minutes. That’s all it took to drive from my house, RV in tow, to Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park. You don’t expect to arrive at...
24 Apr 2012
Warriors’ Path: The perfect state park
Tennessee has a national reputation for doing it right with its state parks, and Warriors’ Path is my latest perfect example. All 950 acres of...
23 Apr 2012
Come to Memphis in May for music, ‘cue & river views
We celebrate many things annually in Memphis. But there’s nothing else like Memphis in May: a month-long variety show of sorts where music, barbecue and...
11 Jun 2012
Up High in the Sky, The Best View in Nashville
In the Golden Age of Aviation, when men and women took to the skies in open cockpit biplanes, barnstorming pilots criss-crossed rural America looking for...
13 Jun 2012
Mountain Music and History at the Museum of Appalachia
Ever imagine you could lead a simple life in the mountains of Tennessee? Play your fiddle on your cabin’s front porch? Live a bucolic existence...
3 Jul 2012
Nashville Celebrates the 4th of July
The rockets’ red glare and bombs bursting in air will soon fill the skies from coast to coast as our nation celebrates the birth of...
24 Jul 2012
All Aboard the Murder Mystery Express!
Time goes backwards as the diesel train clatters along the steel tracks, whistle blasting around every curve, bells ringing urgently at road crossings while motorists...
29 Oct 2012
Warm up with West Tennessee’s Best in Coffee & Dessert
Rhythm with blues; bluffs with views – some things just go together, don’t they? Like coffee and dessert. There’s no questioning West Tennessee’s loyalty to...
1 Nov 2012
Give Thanks to Paris Landing State Park
There’s no Eiffel Tower in sight but Paris Landing State Park packs its own set of postcard-ready features. Situated on Kentucky Lake, the largest man-made lake...
18 Jan 2013
Grab your copy of the 2013 Tennessee Vacation Guide Today
It’s finally here! The FREE 2013 Official Tennessee Vacation Guide has been released by the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development and is available for your...
7 Mar 2013
The National Cornbread Festival: Get a Taste of a Tennessee Specialty
Before your calendar fills with springtime activities, mark the dates April 19-21 for the 17th annual National Cornbread Festival. You will be glad you did,...
10 Mar 2013
Loveless Cafe: A Nashville Legend
The Loveless Café sits on the old Nashville-Memphis highway, known these days as Highway 100, still serving its legendary fried chicken and biscuits to travelers...
19 Apr 2012
Big times in the Big South Fork
Let’s do Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area by the numbers. The Big South Fork spans 125,000 acres of the Cumberland Plateau in...
28 Feb 2012
The Beauty of Cades Cove
If you ask East Tennesseans to name their favorite place, most likely they will say Cades Cove in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Any time...
2 Mar 2012
Tennessee Commemorates 150th Anniversary of the Battle of Shiloh
Picture this: Thousands of luminaries dotting the grasses of Shiloh National Military Park. The candles twinkle in the wind, telling in unison the story of...
15 Mar 2012
8 Things to Do Around Nashville for St. Patrick’s Day
Looking for a little luck o’ the Irish? St. Patrick’s Day is traditionally celebrated around the world with parades, green beer, corned beef and cabbage, and...
14 Mar 2012
Walk on the Wild(flower) Side
Mother Nature gives me thousands of reasons to enjoy springtime in East Tennessee. Blooming trees and wildflowers clothe woodlands and meadows with beauty. “I like...
3 Apr 2012
Pickwick’s Piscatorial Pleasures
I love it when the Tennessee River is flowing fast and Pickwick Dam’s generators are cranking out their electric juices for TVA communities. Piles of...
5 Apr 2012
Favorite Small-Town Soda Fountains
In small-town Tennessee, the meeting place is often a lunch counter and soda fountain. They are authentic, seeped in history down to the handcrafted booths...
26 Apr 2012
Nashville’s Coffee Culture
There is a secret ritual shared by coffee lovers. A certain magic in the aroma of fresh roasted beans, an other-worldliness that takes you to...
13 Apr 2012
Nashville Film Festival Brings Movies to Music City
Grab your popcorn! The box office is open for Nashville’s 43rd Film Festival, running April 19-26 at the Regal Green Hills Cinemas. Acclaimed as one...
3 May 2012
Tee it up in Tennessee
It might surprise golfers to learn the Cumberland Plateau was once considered a vast wasteland. The plateau, which starts about 50 miles west of Knoxville,...
5 May 2012
Hear the Memphis Sound at Stax
I like music. And moving to it. So when I visited the Stax Museum of American Soul Music for the first time, I knew I...
22 May 2012
Renaissance Days Come to Tennessee
Travel back to the Renaissance days of 16th Century England in the blink of an eye when you enter the village of Covington Glen in...
2 Jun 2012
Fishing the Lower Stones River and Greenway Trekking
The Stones River Greenway is just the ticket if you want to enjoy seeing wildflowers and lots of slender great blue herons stalking the shallows...
20 Jun 2012
General Jackson Showboat Captures Musical Heart of Tennessee
The Nashville skyline glitters in the warm summer evening. Sounds of merriment float across the water from Riverfront Park as the showboat slides past the...
7 Jul 2012
Cool Swimming Holes in East Tennessee
Even in 100 degree heat, finding a cool spot in East Tennessee is easy. Carved into the rugged Appalachian terrain, swimming holes, lakes, rivers and...
3 Aug 2012
Enjoy the Elk River at Tims Ford Dam
If you like the outdoors and water, I strongly suggest you wet a hook, your paddle or your tootsies in the Elk River. Last Sunday,...
30 Jul 2012
World’s Longest Yard Sale Features Tennessee Treasures
U.S. Highway 127 turns into a linear shopping mall on Thursday, August 2, as the “world’s longest yard sale” begins. It’s the 25th year for...
17 Aug 2012
Center Yourself at Center Hill Lake
What’s not to like about Edgar Evins State Park? It overlooks Center Hill Lake, a beautiful highland reservoir that is one of my favorite spots....
17 Sep 2012
Find Providence, Live Music at Casey Jones Village
When I say that there are several new things to see and do at Casey Jones Village in Jackson, don’t take me too literally. The...
5 Oct 2012
It’s Pumpkin-Picking Time in Tennessee
There are plenty of things I love about Tennessee when it enters the autumnal months. The leaves begin to change, the air gets crisper, boots and...
12 Oct 2012
Raise a Glass to Germantown’s Oktoberfest!
Going back to its origins in Munich, Germany 200 years ago, Oktoberfest has been known to be a rather wildly festive event celebrated with accordians,...
18 Nov 2012
Memphis-brewed Beers Bring Flavor to West Tennessee
You’ve probably been too distracted moving along Beale, South Main and Elvis Presley Boulevard to consider what’s under the streets of Memphis. So, I’ll tell...
5 Dec 2012
Rock On: Inside Memphis Guitar Factories
Over the life of my blog, we’ve ventured into Memphis music studios, shrines and stages. Today, let’s add another dimension to the Memphis music experience:...
7 Dec 2012
Tennessee Churches with Civil War Stories
Tennessee churches dot almost every street; their steeples rise high like a beacon of hope. For some, there is much more to the stories than...
20 Dec 2012
The Mountaintop Comes Home to Memphis
It’s so easy to talk music in Memphis. But today, let’s talk theater. Break a leg and all that. Our conversation starter is: Katori Hall....
10 Dec 2012
Wish Elvis Happy Birthday in Memphis
Think back to your last birthday. How many people showed up to party? How long did the celebration rage on? How many symphonies, giant cakes...
30 Dec 2012
Tennessee Resolutions for 2013
One of the best New Year’s resolutions was made by a friend of mine. She was recovering from knee surgery and had doctor’s orders to...
3 Jan 2013
Sandhill Crane Festival Flies Into Tennessee
What is tall, red-headed, just passing through and likes to dance and sing passionate duets? Nope. Not Reba McEntire. But here are a few more...
11 Jan 2013
Celebrate the Year of the Stax Museum in Memphis
I’m not just wishing you a happy new year. I’m wishing you a happy Year of the Stax Museum. In a press conference happening today at...
13 Jan 2013
Experience Authentic American History at Nashville’s The Hermitage
Ideally located just two miles from the Cumberland and the Stones River in Nashville, The Hermitage is one of America’s most authentically preserved presidential home...
21 Jan 2013
My 2013 East Tennessee Bucket List: Music, Mountains, and More
This time of year people are talking about their Bucket Lists, which is just a fun way of saying, “No more delays! I’m finally going...
1 Feb 2013
Thistletop Inn: A Tennessee Original
Romance can be discovered in the most surprising places, often hidden from view and awaiting discovery. This Valentine’s Day, why not slip back in time...
19 Feb 2013
Tennessee’s Collierville Has A Story to Tell
Collierville, Tennessee, is the kind of place where an ornamental cannon won’t strike you as anomaly; where the Sons of Confederate Veterans isn’t some abstract...
22 Feb 2013
Spring Fling in Middle Tennessee
Spring brings us all out of hibernation – looking for the sun, for things to do, places to go. Tennessee is one of the most...
25 Feb 2013
See Civil Rights & Memphis Music through Ernest Withers’ Eyes
You’ve seen Ernest C. Withers’ photographs whether or not you know his name. Last October, they showed in Berlin and draped a building façade in...
6 Mar 2013
Explore Tennessee’s Natural Wonders at Colditz Cove
If you’ve not yet visited Colditz Cove, one of Tennessee’s 82 treasured ecological reserves, you’re in for a treat. Located on the upper Cumberland Plateau,...
19 Mar 2013
Learn Tennessee’s Civil War History at Shiloh
A 151st anniversary may not have the same ring as a 150th anniversary, but there’s still much activity surrounding Tennessee’s Civil War Sesquicentennial. Commemorating Shiloh’s...
3 Apr 2013
Catch Spring Fever at Dale Hollow Lake and Cordell Hull Birthplace State Park
Does spring fever have you in its grip? Consider a healthy dose of R & R in one of the beautiful cabins, chalets, houseboats or...
24 Apr 2013
Track Stax from the White House to Soulsville, USA
Yes! Memphis is in the house! Did you hear Michelle Obama say those words on April 9? If not, stream the Memphis Soul Workshop she...
23 Apr 2013
Music City Roots Spotlights The Sweet Sounds of Nashville
Live from the Loveless Café comes Music City Roots – a showcase of musical culture deeply rooted in the local community. In this loosely informal...
13 May 2013
Nashville’s Got The World on a String at the 2013 Nashville International Puppet Festival
You’re going to want to mark your calendars for one of the biggest, eclectic and creative events of the year. Nashville will awaken in a...
28 Feb 2012
Dirt Road Drifting in West Tennessee
I’ve only been a Tennessean for two years. Before that, I was just a Floridian who wanted to be a Tennessean. I sang to Dolly...
28 Feb 2012
Trail Riding the Big South Fork
The horses plunge single file down the steep, dry creek bed, hooves sliding on smooth sandstone boulders, instinctively picking out the surest path. I stand in...
19 Mar 2012
Fishing and Talking with Bill Dance
I had the pleasure of talking with Bill Dance recently. The first thing I noticed was that for a man as busy as he is,...
23 Mar 2012
Traveling Photo Exhibit Illuminates Tennessee’s Folk Heritage
McDonald Craig props one foot on the bumper of an old yellow school bus that sits rusting in his barn, a reminder of his past....
8 May 2012
Floating The Narrows of the Harpeth
My first canoe trip down The Narrows of the Harpeth River, some 30 years ago, was well before it became a popular destination for paddlers....
6 Apr 2012
Columbia Celebrates Mule Day
Mule Day in Columbia, Tennessee, a tradition begun 170 years ago, has grown into the country’s biggest annual celebration of all things related to mules....
27 Mar 2012
Bakersfield Sound Exhibit Explores Country Music Roots
The Bakersfield Sound: Buck Owens, Merle Haggard and California Country exhibit opened this past weekend at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, highlighted by a...
4 Apr 2012
There’s Still Time to Commemorate Shiloh’s 150th
Recently, my fellow blogger Leah Jennings previewed how to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Shiloh. She’d heard that more than 6,000 re-enactors...
2 May 2012
Good Wine, Good Music, Good Times in Tennessee
Wine makes every meal an occasion, every table more elegant, every day more civilized. ~ Andre Simon, “Commonsense of Wine” The music in the vines...
27 Apr 2012
Nightlife in Knoxville Makes a Big Comeback
Knoxville nightlife got a jolt of excitement in the last few years. The rebirth is a thrilling shock. Back in the 1980s you could hear...
17 May 2012
Life’s A Beach at Cheatham Dam
I love fishing below Cumberland River dams and Cheatham is one of my favorites. Unlike lakes with wide expanses to fish, I like the structure...
12 May 2012
3 ways to rock in Memphis
It’s hard to untangle music and history in Memphis. That’s a good thing. For me, the city’s rhythmic roots make the live music experience richer...
10 May 2012
Race to the Steeplechase
A bugle sounds, calling the foxhounds to rally for the hunt. Men clad in hunting scarlets sit proudly on sleek horses and trot down the...
18 May 2012
Getting Down and Dirty at Mud Island River Park
Memphis in May, in its flurry of concerts, barbecue competitions and fireworks, turns all eyes (and ears and taste buds) to the city’s riverfront. This...
31 May 2012
Jam Out at Tennessee’s Summer Music Festivals
Music fills the air in Nashville and its surrounding areas throughout the summer. Take your pick of festivals to satisfy every acutely tuned ear. Music...
6 Jun 2012
5 frosty treats to sweeten your west Tennessee summer
I’m Floridian by birth. That makes me an expert on whippin’ some heat. I’ve been caught scream-skipping through the Memphis Zoo geyser with my four-year-old,...
21 May 2012
Get ‘Sauced’ at Memphis’s World Championship BBQ Cooking Contest
Y’all know I love it when you comment on my blog here at Tennessee TripTales. So when Neil Gallagher, Pit Master of the World Championship...
29 May 2012
Biscuit Utopia in Tennessee
Who doesn’t love a biscuit? Apparently everybody loves biscuits. People poured onto downtown Knoxville’s Market Street to get their hands on tasty biscuits during the...
15 Jun 2012
Graceland Heats Up this Summer with New Exhibits, Elvis Week
There’s always a good reason to go to Graceland: the cars; the jets; the Jungle Room; the awards that line halls and stack up to...
26 Jun 2012
Arts and Culture Flourish at Nashville’s Centennial Park
Nashville’s Parthenon sits in all her glory in Centennial Park, presiding over the heart of the city. Hidden inside stands the colossal 42 foot gold...
6 Jul 2012
A Happy Ending for Cedars of Lebanon State Park
About 15 miles east of Nashville and five miles south of Lebanon there is a very special ecosystem. The combined 9,000 acres of Cedars of...
5 Jul 2012
Love Memphis blues? Try these berries!
Most times I use Memphis and blue in the same conversation, I’m talking music. Or suede shoes. But today, I’m talking berries: organic ones plump...
13 Jul 2012
SPLASH, PADDLE, and SWIM THROUGH WEST TENNESSEE
Heat can be a good thing. It makes peaches sweeter, gives good cover for an ice cream addiction and turns the touch of cool water...
2 Sep 2012
Choose your own adventure at Memphis’ Shelby Farms Park
My husband and I have been known to turn date night on its head. No offense to candlelight and rom coms, but who needs ’em...
19 Jul 2012
Elizabethton: A Tennessee Treasure
You can experience the highs and lows of the Elizabethton area without doing too much driving. The small town east of the Tri-Cities in northeast...
21 Jul 2012
(Art) Walking in Memphis
Meet Memphis’ South Main Street and Broad Avenue. They’re not what they used to be. But locals are using that to your advantage, reviving vacant...
1 Aug 2012
‘Tis the season to eat Tennessee tomatoes
This is a love story. A sweet, juicy romance between a girl and a tomato. Not just one tomato, but a mess of them. Tomatoes...
20 Aug 2012
Wilson County Fair is Fun for the Family
Wilson County Fair, Tennessee’s largest fair which opened this weekend and runs through August 25, is your ticket to the simpler life. Step back to...
24 Aug 2012
Cruisin’ Shady Valley
As innkeeper Vikki Woods and I sit on the deck of the Iron Mountain Inn looking off in one direction to view Doe Mountain and...
29 Aug 2012
It’s Football Time in Tennessee!
It’s magical really. A late summer afternoon, still a little hot but what glorious orange sunshine and there’s a nice little breeze off the Tennessee...
25 Aug 2012
Ziplining Middle Tennessee
We stood in a circle looking up at the Quantum Leap – a 55 foot pole with a tiny platform on top. “You’re going to...
27 Aug 2012
Experience Music City’s Legacy at Fontanel Mansion
Nashville is all about music and the legends that made it great. You know you’ve hit gold when you find one who could play the...
21 Sep 2012
Unwind at Natchez Trace State Park
The sky was blue and sunshine sparkled on the calm water at Brown’s Creek Lake at Natchez Trace State Park during my most recent visit....
13 Sep 2012
Arts & Antiques Festival Shines Spotlight on Goodlettsville
Discover the small town charm of a city filled with hidden treasures. Goodlettsville is celebrating its Second Annual Arts & Antiques Festival this weekend, and...
5 Nov 2012
East Tennessee Lights Up for the Holidays
The switch for five million holiday lights flips on Nov. 6 in Pigeon Forge signaling Winterfest has begun. Sparkling displays along the parkway and venues...
10 Oct 2012
David Crockett State Park Is The King of Great Fall Events
One of my favorite past times at the ripe old age of five or six was running around in the wilds of my small town...
27 Sep 2012
Fall for a festival in West Tennessee
Until I moved to Tennessee, fall was but a notion. Sure, there were college football games to watch and pumpkin spice lattes to sip, but...
3 Oct 2012
Music City Fall Concert Preview
Fall isn’t just about the colors, even though this is probably my favorite time of year in Middle Tennessee. As the leaves turn and the...
3 Oct 2012
Chattanooga’s RiverRocks Brings Fall Fun to Tennessee
It’s time to jump into RiverRocks. Don’t worry. It won’t hurt. In fact, it’s a lot of fun. RiverRocks is just beginning its third year...
12 Oct 2012
Tennessee Ghost Tours and Haunted Houses Spook Up Halloween
As the sun grows more distant and the cool wind moves closer, scary creatures of the night come out to play, specifically the ghosts of...
18 Oct 2012
Golf, Food, Cabins, and More at Cumberland Mountain State Park
Days began getting shorter last month and nights turned crisp last week. Autumn is a splendid time to visit Cumberland Mountain State Park. I drove...
19 Oct 2012
Satisfy Your Cravings at Tennessee’s Fall Food Festivals
It’s all about comfort food when we enter the colder months. Warm, delicious stews, chilis and soups are in a continuous rotation in many households...
23 Oct 2012
Jack Daniel’s Invitational Brings Out the Best in Barbecue
As smoke rises from burning autumn leaves, can you also smell the tantalizing aroma of sizzling barbecue? If you head for Lynchburg, Tennessee the smoke...
26 Oct 2012
Remembering Tennessee Civil War Battles 150 Years Later
On a bitter cold Dec. 30 evening, Union and Confederate brigades met on the battlefield at Stones River in Murfreesboro, Tenn. President Abraham Lincoln needed...
14 Nov 2012
Breathe in the Fresh Air at Burgess Falls State Park
Are you aware how good it feels to find yourself flooded with negative ions? Aren’t sure what negative ions are? Me either, but researchers say...
9 Nov 2012
Turn Back Time By Touring These Tennessee Antebellum Homes
I absolutely love Civil War history, so when I moved to Tennessee several years ago, the state’s significant involvement fed that interest. Reading books and...
9 Dec 2012
Christmas Tree Farm Fun in East TN
Leo Collins wears a bright red Santa T-shirt, making him easy to spot as he directs traffic into his gravel driveway. The owner of Bluebird...
22 Dec 2012
Hiking in Tennessee’s Winter Wonderland
A hiking buddy once explained why she preferred trekking out in the winter: “In winter, the view is 100 times better,” she said. “The air...
19 Dec 2012
Cure Your Cabin Fever on the Natchez Trace Parkway
After cold, drizzling rain and inertia kept us inside for a couple of days, a trip to the historic Natchez Trace Parkway near our Leiper’s...
31 Dec 2012
Wilderness Wildlife Week Comes to the Smokies
For people who love the outdoors, visiting the Great Smoky Mountains National Park during Wilderness Wildlife Week is an unparalleled introduction to the park’s natural...
14 Jan 2013
GET ACTIVE DURING TENNESSEE WINTERS
Jack Frost has us in his cold grip and, while it seems comfortable to be like the Tennessee black bears and hibernate during the winter,...
7 Jan 2013
Tennessee Beckons with Adventure and Attractions
With the holidays over, the dust settles over 2012 and we open the door to 2013. Hopeful possibilities, new opportunities and wanderlust plans fill the...
17 Jan 2013
Remembering Iron Valentines at Fort Donelson National Battlefield
Simon Bolivar Buckner and U.S. Grant met while students at West Point. They met again in New York during 1854 when Grant was down on...
28 Jan 2013
Tennessee Inns and B&Bs Offer Valentine’s Day Delights
The frosty days of winter make you want to snuggle up. Fortunately East Tennessee has an abundance of country inns and bed and breakfast accommodations...
28 Jan 2013
Slow and Steady: The Formula for Great Tennessee Whisky
George Dickel Distillery in Tullahoma, Tenn. was my first visit to a distillery, though I have visited the Guinness brewery in Dublin, Ireland. While touring...
4 Feb 2013
A Bucketful of To-Dos in West Tennessee
So I’ve been working on this assignment to create my West Tennessee bucket list. (All of us here at Tennessee TripTales are doing it –...
11 Feb 2013
Celebrate Black History Month in Memphis
In a city whose prides, prejudices and pangs have historically been so tangled with race, it’s more important – and meaningful – than ever to recognize Black...
23 Feb 2013
Visit Tennessee’s Wonderful Waterfalls
East and Middle Tennessee are blessed with hundreds of waterfalls formed by creeks and rivers cascading down rocky ledges in charming and sometimes curious stair...
28 Feb 2013
Bring on Spring in Memphis
I am so ready for spring. Not the confused peepings of daffodils while the majority of days oppress, gray and shivery. I mean full-on spring,...
13 Mar 2013
NEW at Memphis Zoo: Touch a stingray
Remember how ready I said I was for spring? The Memphis Zoo is feeling it, too. At the beginning of the month, they shifted to...
4 Mar 2013
Stained Glass Studio an East Nashville Treasure
Stained glass windows express man’s fascination with color and light, a skill that craftsmen first mastered over 900 years ago, reaching its pinnacle in the...
12 Mar 2013
A Beautiful Day on Tennessee’s Cumberland Trail
With spring nearly here, I thought I’d spend a recent Sunday checking on the progress of the Cumberland Trail. Officially the Cumberland Trail State Scenic...
22 Mar 2013
Take a garden stroll in Tennessee
Spring is officially here and that means the slow emergence of flowers in all their beautiful hues and shades. Tulips, daffodils and even some cherry...
9 Apr 2013
Tullahoma’s Beechcraft Heritage Museum Flies High into History
The Roaring Twenties was an era of prosperity, breaking with tradition, a time when anything was possible through modern technology, and life was to be...
10 Apr 2013
Tennessee Moonshine Made in the Smokies
Johnny Baker “never in a million years” thought he would ever be making moonshine legally in downtown Gatlinburg. Ole Smoky Moonshine, which is smack-dab in...
11 Apr 2013
MEMPHIS’ SPRING FESTIVAL SEASON IS HERE
You could go understated and say that Memphis embraces festival season. I say we wrap it up in a bear hug tight enough to lift...
12 Apr 2013
Take me out to a Tennessee ball game
The sound of cleats digging into the dirt as a player slides safely into second base; the spinning of a pitcher’s screw ball as it...
18 Apr 2013
Historic Jonesborough: Tour the Oldest Town in Tennessee
The minute you set foot on Historic Jonesborough’s Main Street, you feel a sense of place. Brick storefronts lined up under the watchful eye of...
19 Apr 2013
A BIRDS-EYE VIEW FROM A BASKET
The alarm blared at 4:15 a.m. I contemplated whether being suspended 1000+ feet in the air was worth getting up on a Saturday. Of course...
12 May 2013
Watch ‘Nashville’ and Enter to Win A Nashville Experience
ABC’s primetime television show “Nashville” debuted just last October, but already it’s proven a winner for Music City. Shot, directed and produced in Nashville by...
6 May 2013
Humboldt Hosts Strawberry Festival, Wine Down Fridays
Tennessee’s natural, cultural and culinary one-offs magnetize visitors from around the world. Then they get here, and find a pyramid in Memphis, a Parthenon in...
10 Apr 2012
A Cycling High on Old Walland Highway
Like a fisherman who closely guards his honey hole’s whereabouts, East Tennessee bicycling enthusiasts would just as soon you didn’t know about Old Walland Highway....
7 Mar 2012
Three Ways To Do Downtown Memphis
One of my favorite ways to spend a day in Memphis is to drive downtown, park the car and walk wherever my mood (or my...
28 Feb 2012
Fishing for Adventure
I’ve counted my blessings daily for the last quarter century. Not just because I’ve experienced many terrific fishing trips but because I fulfilled my dreams...
28 Feb 2012
Seven Moments in Tennessee
Growing up in Tennessee, I’ve been fortunate to have some of the best times right in my own backyard. Through family vacations, quick trips with...
15 Mar 2012
Dig This, Mom & Dad: Prehistoric Play in Memphis
If you live in or are visiting Memphis with children, you know (or should know) that dinosaurs are all the, er, roar these days. They’re...
29 Mar 2012
Plan Your Escape to Chattanooga
I can never get enough of Chattanooga. I’m always drawn back to this river city to see what’s new and reacquaint myself with what I...
12 Mar 2012
Touring the White Lightning Trail
The days when moonshine runners roared down East Tennessee back roads just a hairpin turn ahead of the law are gone, but you can still...
22 Mar 2012
Traveling the Natchez Trace
In the late 1980s heavy earth moving machines entered the quiet scenic valley near my home outside the village of Leipers Fork in Williamson County....
13 Mar 2012
Dollywood Festival of Nations brings cultural experiences to Pigeon Forge
Various cultures of the world can be seen right here in Tennessee at Dollywood’s Festival of Nations March 24 – April 30. Said to be...
26 Mar 2012
Let The Spring Festivals Begin
Nothing signals the arrival of spring more than dogwood blossoms. Pink and white blooms fringe gardens and roadways like lace on a wedding dress. The...
20 Mar 2012
Rivers and Spires Festival Heads To Clarksville In April!
Grab your calendars and mark them for April 19-21. The 10th Annual Rivers and Spires Festival is back in Clarksville and promising some of the...
28 Mar 2012
Family Days & Date Nights at Memphis Museums
Fact: I love visiting museums. Fact: I have a four-year-old. These realities can clash. Memphis museums do a nice job of making sure they don’t....
3 Apr 2012
What we’ve all been waiting for: Opry Mills reopens!
Just when we thought we couldn’t wait any longer, Opry Mills, the largest outlet and value retail, shopping, dining and entertainment destination in Tennessee, has...
12 Apr 2012
The National Civil Rights Museum: A Movement That Moves You
I made my second trip to the National Civil Rights Museum (NCRM) last week. It had only been six months since my first visit, so...
15 Apr 2012
Dinosaurs Roar at the Nashville Zoo
Paul Simon nailed it! Once you’ve entered the gates to the Nashville Zoo at Grassmere hidden among the trees and low rolling hills off Nolensville Road, I...
17 Apr 2012
Don’t just sit there: How to be an active sports fan in Memphis
Unless you’re in uniform, you likely consider basketball and baseball spectator sports. But it’s hard to stay seated when (a) the competition’s getting hot and...
30 Apr 2012
Find Recreational Bliss at Old Hickory Dam
Old Hickory Dam’s downstream side has mostly been restored since the May 2010 flood. The walkways on the north side seem to be the only...
15 May 2012
Hiking and History at Cumberland Gap
It makes sense really, that Cumberland Gap is a place where so much history happened. After all, it was the only way through the rugged...
24 May 2012
Outdoor Festivals Heat Up Tennessee’s Summer
Don’t wear a white shirt to the Famous Tomato Wars. Splat! Splat! A tomato-hurling free-for-all pits team against team at the Grainger County Tomato Festival....
26 May 2012
A Walk at Radnor Lake State Natural Area
Early on a Monday morning in May, I climbed out of my car and within seconds was walking on a wood-mulched trail lined with tulip...
18 Jun 2012
Tubing Tennessee
It’s not really summer in East Tennessee until the tubing starts at the Little River. Around Memorial Day, the stretch of the river just downstream...
4 Jun 2012
Hit the Waves at Dollywood’s Splash Country
Dollywood’s Splash Country is a wet’n'wild place that everyone can enjoy. Teenagers fly down thrilling, 70-foot-tall Fire Tower Falls or squeal as they spin around...
21 Jun 2012
Tennessee State Parks Celebrate 75 Years
How many state parks have I visited? A whole bunch over the last half century, but that’s just two-thirds of the time Tennessee’s park system...
14 Jun 2012
Fishing and History at Cordell Hull Dam
I don’t expect there are many who know why the dam across the Cumberland River a few miles north of Carthage was named for Cordell...
27 Jun 2012
Fourth of July Fun in East Tennessee
Kids steer their Big Wheels through downtown Crossville. Competitors devour chili peppers in Jonesborough. People toss eggs in Fall Creek Falls State Park, spit watermelon...
23 Jun 2012
Get Away to Historic Rugby
That such an idyllic place as Rugby ever existed is miracle enough; that it’s still around is even more so. But, there it stands just...
1 Jul 2012
Wading a Creek and Finding a Slice of Childhood
Let me get close to a creek and I lose about 50 years (or more) and feel like an inquisitive kid once again. I want...
28 Jun 2012
Memphis Chef Shows Soul at Grand Cochon Finals in Aspen
What were peaches from Millington and pork smoked at Memphis’ Bar-B-Q Shop doing in Aspen, Colorado on June 17? Dazzling foodie Andrew Zimmern for one,...
15 Jul 2012
Antique Hunting in Tennessee
Sometimes road trips don’t go the way you plan, but that opens the door for an unexpected adventure. I went to Etowah to look into...
11 Jul 2012
Old Stone Fort’s Enigma
On a natural plateau where the Duck and Little Duck Rivers converge, travel back through time as you explore an ancient enigma known as Old...
9 Jul 2012
Memphis’ Peabody Hotel, VIP-Style
I love everything about playing VIP. Except the price. Luckily for the value-minded traveler in all of us, there’s much to see and do at...
16 Jul 2012
Tennessee Organic Farms Bring Life to the Table
As we all become more health conscious, we’re looking for ways to discover how ‘tasty’ can mean ‘nutritious.’ In Middle Tennessee we are blessed with...
17 Jul 2012
A Walk in the Park at Frozen Head
Thunder rumbled and a fine mist settled over the cove at the Visitors Center at Frozen Head State Park and Natural Area on the beautiful...
26 Jul 2012
Stampeding to Pigeon Forge
Prancing horses, glittery costumes, slapstick humor and pig races make Dolly Parton’s Dixie Stampede more than “dinner and a show.” Trick riders and horses gallop...
9 Aug 2012
Cooling Off at Bledsoe Creek State Park
The first thing that happened after we stopped at the boat ramp at the south end of Bledsoe Creek State Park was Jake, our golden...
7 Aug 2012
Canoe Your Cares Away in Tennessee
Who knew it was this easy to get away from it all. For me nothing can leave a work week of sitting in front of...
11 Aug 2012
Start Your Engines at Bristol Motor Speedway
Bristol is the real deal. No gimmicks. No sideshows. Just good old-fashioned stock car racing. For two weeks a year Bristol Motor Speedway becomes the...
12 Aug 2012
Celebrate Elvis this week…and beyond
I was born the year Elvis died. I knew him through my mom and the movie marathons that ran on TV every year around his...
22 Aug 2012
No Shortage of Fun at Long Hunter State Park
Long Hunter State Park on the shores of J. Percy Priest Lake east of Nashville is the place to relieve the doldrums of summer’s dog...
31 Aug 2012
Much to Do at Mousetail Landing
Rocking lazily in my anchored john boat waiting for an equally lazy catfish to sniff out my nightcrawler from among the rocks at the mouth...
6 Sep 2012
The mansions of East Tennessee
East Tennessee more than holds its own when it comes to mansions. Middle Tennessee’s famous homes, like Belle Meade and Belmont, might hold more grandeur,...
30 Aug 2012
Labor Day Lowdown: The Memphis Music & Heritage Festival and More
If you fell from the sky and were lucky enough to land on the corner of South Main and Beale in downtown Memphis, your senses...
14 Sep 2012
Chickasaw State Park Celebrates Its Heritage
It’s a double whammy at Chickasaw State Park this year. It opened the same year the Tennessee State Park system began in 1937 making them...
8 Sep 2012
Tennessee State Fair Captures the Imagination
As the days of summer shorten into crisp nights heralding the change of season, Tennesseans celebrate with fairs and festivals across the state. This weekend...
9 Oct 2012
The Road to Historic Rogersville
Stagecoaches rumbled through Rogersville, transporting new settlers and future presidents. The dusty road connected the rough-hewn frontier to Washington D.C. and the established cities of...
11 Sep 2012
Bonnie Blue Farm Brings Divine Cheese to Tennessee
This is the story that almost didn’t happen. For as I was researching it, a goat tried to eat my notes. I don’t believe Princess...
1 Oct 2012
Tennessee Fall Foliage By Train, Boat, and Air
A sightseeing trip to see Tennessee’s autumn leaf display doesn’t have to be a drive in a car. You can leave the navigation to someone...
19 Sep 2012
Fall Brings a Harvest of East Tennessee Festivals
Nothing says Fall more than a pile of pumpkins and a basket of apples. East Tennesseans are blessed to have a bushel of pumpkin and...
19 Oct 2012
Shop, play & stay at Stillwaters Farm
Lest the goats get a bad reputation, let me tell you about the first time an animal tried eating my notes during a research trip...
2 Oct 2012
Back to Nature at South Cumberland
What a view! After a short walk, I’m standing on a platform overlooking a 60-foot cascade at magnificent Foster Falls. This is one of 10...
11 Oct 2012
TOAST TO TENNESSEE-MADE WINE & MUSIC AT OLD MILLINGTON WINERY
Following Highway 51 north out of Memphis, Millington hits you like a wall of green. Turn onto Chase Road and the wall turns into a...
14 Oct 2012
Rare hikes & paddles at Reelfoot Lake state park this fall
When we planned our late-September camping trip to Reelfoot Lake State Park (near Tiptonville in northwest Tennessee), our timing seemed off. It wasn’t fall enough...
24 Oct 2012
Meet the Memphis Railroad & Trolley Museum
In 1899, seven rail stations chugged passengers in and out of Memphis. Time has whittled that number to one. But it’s an active one: Seven...
11 Oct 2012
Standing Stone State Park Stands Alone in Beauty
What could be more soul satisfying than a crisp fall day and a few relaxing hours in native hardwood forests filled with brilliant yellow, orange...
22 Oct 2012
Benton Falls in Fall
East Tennessee is at its best during a fall walk in the woods. To get an early jump on the seasonal colors I went to...
16 Oct 2012
The Bell Witch Haunts Tennessee
As a full moon rises over a darkened log cabin shrouded in mystery, tales of the Bell Witch are whispered. Sinister beatings, hideous curses and...
8 Oct 2012
ABC’s NASHVILLE Premiere Takes Center Stage
The country-themed new drama Nashville has the entertainment industry abuzz with excitement and rave reviews, as fans eagerly await the premiere this Wednesday, October 10...
15 Oct 2012
Bristol Parties in Pink for a Life-Saving Cause
Fall has a new color in East Tennessee … pink. It’s Cancer Awareness Month everywhere in America, but up in the Tri-Cities they are doing...
30 Oct 2012
Experience Norris Dam State Park this November
The ducks have the right idea. Norris Lake is the place to be in the fall. I join them on the water this Sunday when...
25 Oct 2012
Visit Johnsonville State Park for History and Hiking
Looking for some fall fun? Johnsonville State Historic Park, located on the eastern shore of Kentucky Lake, hosts a couple of very interesting walking tours...
25 Oct 2012
The Ghosts of East Tennessee
Sensors zero in on other worldly vibes. High tech cameras scan the shadows for a hint of paranormal activity. Haunted Knoxville Tours is the real...
7 Nov 2012
Find Higher Ground at Nathan Bedford Forrest State Park
Picnicking, camping, hiking and fishing are popular pastimes at Nathan Bedford Forrest State Park. But unless you’ve found your way through the park to the...
2 Nov 2012
Get Crafty at Tennessee Craft Shows
It’s almost time for the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season. Get an early start on that lengthy gift list by checking out some...
16 Nov 2012
Get Your Gobble Fix This Thanksgiving in Tennessee
Thanksgiving is one of the busiest travel times of the year. People hustle and bustle on trains, planes and in cars for that one special...
12 Nov 2012
Walk Memphis with Jimmy Ogle
Any stroll with Jimmy Ogle is brisk. At 60 years old, he sets a quick pace for his walking tours – I even saw him...
13 Nov 2012
The Instruments Behind Tennessee Music
How often has music connected with you at a soul level and stirred you deeply? Have you wondered about the hands that crafted these finely...
20 Nov 2012
East Tennessee’s Art Scene Takes Off
A small art gallery in Townsend caught my eye recently. The two-story log cabin has the feel and smell of a rustic crafts shop, but...
4 Dec 2012
See Christmas on Stage in East Tennessee
“Just hear those sleigh bells jingle-ing…..Ring ting tingle-ling too….” The sounds of the season sweep through East Tennessee in a flourish of stage shows, musical...
21 Nov 2012
A Miracle Day of Fishing Tennessee with Bill Dance
Last March, to promote the many opportunities outdoor enthusiasts can experience in our state, the state launched a contest to win a fishing trip with...
17 Nov 2012
Hit the Road on Middle Tennessee’s Jack Trail
Saddle up and hit The Jack Trail for a sampler of Tennessee history, music, distilleries and horse tales. Sippin’ to Saddles is a different kind...
27 Nov 2012
Staying Active in Tennessee During the Holidays
No matter what the weather, I make myself get out of the house after the Thanksgiving feast. Rooms are stuffy and I’m stuffed, so it’s...
28 Nov 2012
Savoring the Outdoors and History at Land Between the Lakes
My favorite playgrounds involve woods, water and wildlife so Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area with its hiking trails, historic sites, roaming buffalo, bugling...
26 Nov 2012
Christmas Parades and Events Bring Merriment to Middle Tennessee
Do you hear those sleighbells jingling? It’s time to slip into the festive holiday season and enjoy the pure fantasyland of choices awaiting you in...
20 Nov 2012
Outdoor Adventure Awaits in Chattanooga
Each year when the southeastern landscape reveals its autumn palette and the essence of fall scents the air, Chattanooga whispers to the world, “Come, come.”...
26 Nov 2012
A Nashville Night of the Arts
I’m fairly new to Music City. Living here for four years isn’t a substantial amount of time to explore a great city like Nashville, especially...
3 Dec 2012
Holiday Music Lifts Nashville’s Spirit This Season
With Thanksgiving in the rear view mirror, it’s time to celebrate one of the most magical times of the year with music that’s uplifting, reflective,...
5 Dec 2012
Christmas on the Cumberland Plateau
Celebrate the spirit of Christmas Past as Christmas comes to the Cumberland Plateau at Pickett State Rustic Park and its historic neighbor, Rugby, on December...
29 Nov 2012
What to Do This Holiday Season in West Tennessee
The way I see it, you can’t improve much on the portrait of West Tennessee as a string of pretty-as-a-picture small towns stretching out from...
30 Nov 2012
Creative and calmer shopping begins with Tennessee specialty stores
Thanksgiving has come and gone and while you may still be eating leftovers it’s time to focus on Christmas – arguably the most wonderful time...
2 Jan 2013
Behind the Scenes at Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies
Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies has the visitor experience down to an art form. Jewel-toned reef fish swim by with amazing frequency and penguins waddle...
12 Dec 2012
Tims Ford State Park: Great Golf, Fishing, Camping, and More
The December weather was balmy when we visited Tims Ford State Park which is located on the shores of the scenic 10,700-acre lake, roughly midway...
11 Dec 2012
Belle Meade Plantation’s Rich Horse Racing History
Belle Meade Plantation is part of the fabric of Nashville’s early history, once world-renowned as a premier Thoroughbred breeding farm. Next time you hear the...
13 Dec 2012
Your Guide to New Year’s Eve in Memphis and West Tennessee
There was a time when the approach of December 31 sent me into a tizzy planning giddy, glittery nights out. These days, I’m content celebrating...
17 Dec 2012
Winter Break Family Fun in Tennessee
People who want to give the gift of experiences, rather than gadgets, have many opportunities to enjoy the season. The Christmas break offers family fun...
13 Dec 2012
Tennessee Christmas Attractions are NOT Just for Kids
Christmas is in two weeks and the celebrations are in full swing with concerts, ballets and television specials. Small towns are trimmed with garland and...
18 Dec 2012
Find the North Pole at Nashville’s Adventure Science Center
The Twelve Days of Christmas have taken a frosty turn at the Adventure Science Center. Pack your bags for a journey to the North Pole...
27 Dec 2012
Opposites Attract at Memphis’ Brooks Museum
You might think it imprudent to take a child to a museum exhibition featuring works in glass. Not at Memphis’ Brooks Museum of Art. I...
29 Dec 2012
Ring in the New Year Nashville-style
There is something seductive about New Year’s Eve. Perhaps it’s the chance to start afresh, with new goals and resolutions. It’s a time to celebrate...
20 Dec 2012
Tennessee Urges You to Get Away To It All With a Little R&R
While Christmas is unquestionably the most anticipated time of the year, we all know it can also be stressful. It’s all fun, but let’s face...
5 Feb 2013
Fishing Nashville in the Last Days of Winter
Think of all the things Nashville is known for… time’s up. Did you think of fishing? Three major reservoirs lie within casting distance of the...
25 Dec 2012
Tennessee’s Stones River Battlefield Marks 150th Anniversary
On a freezing winter’s night near Murfreesboro, Tennessee 150 years ago, Union and Confederate forces faced each other in a battle to control the Confederate...
6 Jan 2013
Middle Tennessee Kids Wish Upon a Star
Wishing upon a star is a favorite thing to do as dusk turns into night. What if, instead of thinking of yourself, you could wave...
15 Jan 2013
MLK Day and More at Memphis’ National Civil Rights Museum
If you’ve passed by Memphis’ National Civil Rights Museum in the last couple of months, you may have witnessed a rarity: Visitors standing on the...
16 Jan 2013
Sgt. Alvin C. York, A Tennessee Hero
Sgt. Alvin C. York cast a big shadow across the rolling pastures of the Cumberland Plateau. His farmstead at Pall Mall remains much as it...
24 Jan 2013
Nature’s Calling: Visit These Tennessee Fishing Spots in 2013
Creating a list of places I’d like to visit this year is like eating candy with each bite sweeter than the last. Although my blogs...
22 Jan 2013
The International Blues Challenge Comes to Memphis
It’s been some time since slaves set their work to song on Mississippi Delta plantations; since that sound drifted to Beale Street and migrated mainstream....
2 Feb 2013
Bush’s Best Beans: A Tennessee Success Story
If you “don’t care beans” about beans, an hour at the Visitor Center of Bush Brothers & Company will change your mind. You will come...
31 Jan 2013
Nature Provides the Setting for Valentine’s Day Romance in Middle Tennessee
Saint Valentine’s Day, according to Webster’s New World Dictionary, honors a Christian martyr from Rome who lived during the 3rd century A.D. After English poet...
8 Feb 2013
Meet A Tennessee Founding Father at Rock Castle
Let’s begin with a history quiz. Who knows the famous Tennessean who created the first official map of Tennessee and named our fair state? He...
6 Feb 2013
RV Having Fun Yet?!
RV living might be the life for me. It sure sounds that way after talking to several RV park owners around East Tennessee. “You’re not...
5 Feb 2013
Tennessee Celebrates Black History Month
February is Black History Month, four weeks set aside to commemorate and celebrate the contributions black men and women have made to the United States...
11 Feb 2013
Get Ready for Spring with Tennessee Festivals
The groundhog didn’t see his shadow which means spring will come early! While we’re all rejoicing and dreaming about the longer, warmer days ahead, Tennessee...
13 Feb 2013
East Tennessee’s Beer Scene Is Hopping
East Tennessee’s few but growing number of micro-brewers think they’ve put the tap on the reasons behind the still booming consumer craving for locally brewed...
15 Feb 2013
Breakin’ Up Winter at Cedars of Lebanon State Park
I’m ready for springtime’s fast-fishing pace drifting and casting in the balmy breezes. I don’t count on Pennsylvania’s weather-gopher to ease my cabin fever in...
14 Feb 2013
Nashville Predators Take the Ice in Smashville
The Bridgestone Arena is packed, the 16th consecutive sellout for a Nashville Predators home game. Over 17,000 ice hockey fans follow the chant as it...
20 Feb 2013
Knoxville’s Dining Hotspots Add Flavor to Tennessee
The arrival of Tupelo Honey Cafe caused quite a stir in Knoxville because its reputation for innovative cuisine preceded it. Many Knoxvillians had experienced the...
22 Feb 2013
Colorful Stories Awaken Tennessee’s Past at Belle Meade Plantation
As soon as you turn into the long drive to Belle Meade Plantation, you are instantly transported to a different time. Everything is charming and...
26 Feb 2013
East Tennessee Spring Festivals Feature Good Eats, Art, Music and More
Music, food, wine, crafts and mountain heritage move to the forefront in the springtime when festivals large and small sprinkle the calendar. There’s great opportunities...
27 Feb 2013
Tennessee’s Wild About Wildflowers
As the hours of daylight gradually lengthen and spring peepers, those elfin, elusive, amphibian harbingers of spring, begin their nightly courtship chorus, our earliest wildflowers...
15 Mar 2013
Dream a Dream in Crossville, Tennessee
Jean Valjean’s road to redemption; Fantine’s dream unrealized; Cosette’s rescue from the dastardly conditions of her relatives’ care; Marius’ fight for revolution; Eponine’s pining, heartsick...
1 Mar 2013
Art Museums in Tennessee Stretch the Imagination
Glass paperweights, ancient Egyptian sculptures and hand-woven baskets reflecting Appalachian heritage may not cross your mind when you think of art museums. However, Tennessee gives...
5 Mar 2013
Mallory-Neely House Reopens on Memphis’ Millionaire’s Row
Meet the residences of Memphis’ Adams Avenue, collectively called Victorian Village. Their run began toward the latter half of the 19th century, when the Memphis...
14 Mar 2013
Take In the Beauty of Tennessee’s Buffalo River
Who wouldn’t like to spend a lazy day exploring one of Tennessee’s best-known and most beautiful rivers? I’m not talking about heart-stopping plunges through raging...
8 Mar 2013
Tennessee Has You Covered For Spring Break
Spring break is just around the corner. Some schools are already out and celebrating a week from studies. When I was in college, I would...
21 Mar 2013
Head to Monteagle for Trails and Trilliums
A decade ago the very first Trails and Trilliums was launched to promote native plants and the beautiful, rugged terrain of the southwestern face of...
18 Mar 2013
Take a FITcation in Tennessee’s Upper Cumberland
Forget the vacation that leaves you stiff from traveling, overstuffed with greasy food and de-energized from lack of activity. The growing rage is FITcation –...
26 Mar 2013
Explore Tennessee History in Sumner County
Sumner County history is full of surprises, tracking not just stories several hundred years old, but dating back to prehistoric times when the area was...
25 Mar 2013
See These West Tennessee Historic Churches
Remember when I took you to Collierville, Tennessee, recently? I focused on the town’s railroad and Civil War history (and gelato). But I could have...
31 Mar 2013
Gracehill Bed & Breakfast: A Townsend Treasure
Gracehill Bed and Breakfast is on top of the Smokies. Innkeeper and owner Kathleen “Kathy” Janke captures the possibility of 365 sunsets a year from...
2 Apr 2013
Take a Drive on Tennessee’s Sunny Side
Getting home to Greeneville is high on the wish list of the Band Perry. For the sibling trio, the quiet town serves as a retreat...
1 Apr 2013
Tennessee’s Unique and Extraordinary Attractions
From the uncommon to the utterly extraordinary, Tennessee has some attractions that are anything but commonplace. From a museum dedicated to an enormous collection of...
8 Apr 2013
Pedal on Tennessee’s Beautiful Bike Trails
Spring is officially here and what better way to celebrate the blooming, beautiful nature than strapping on a helmet and pedaling to your heart’s content...
13 Apr 2013
A Tennessee Trek: Hike the Smokies to Mount LeConte
Usually my urge for exploration is satisfied with sonar-assisted searches of fishing holes or watching the gold miners on the History Channel. But every now...
1 May 2013
Visiting with the birds at the American Eagle Foundation
It’s an interesting group that hangs out at the American Eagle Foundation in Pigeon Forge. Scimitar, a peregrine falcon, can predict rain better than a...
14 Apr 2013
Willa’s Shortbreads: A Southern Tradition, Baked in Tennessee
The very mention of shortbread sets the mouth to watering. That rich buttery flavor, smooth melt-in-the-mouth texture tastes just about better than anything. Willa’s family...
17 Apr 2013
THERE’S A PARTY DOWNTOWN IN MEMPHIS
You know the bit about the Mississippi Delta beginning in the lobby of The Peabody Memphis. And many agree that the view from the lobby...
5 May 2013
Float the Duck River for Fishing Fun
I guess you could say I’m a flat water guy. I’m generally more interested in seeing the sights and catching fish than running rapids. The...
27 Apr 2013
Riverplains Farm: Real Food from a Tennessee Family
When it came right down to it, the pull back to the farm was just too great. Riverplains Farm stretches across 400 acres of rolling...
29 Apr 2013
Cheekwood Blooms in Spring Splendor
The musical cascade of Chopin’s Fantasie Impromptu reverberates in the Cheekwood Mansion Drawing Room. Fingers dance across the keys of the Steinway, transporting us back...
3 May 2013
Get a taste of old times in Tennessee soda shops
Apothecary bottles, glistening soda fountains with rich wood accents and carvings and red-topped bar stools may come to mind when thinking of soda shops from...
26 Apr 2013
Have an Eco-Friendly Stay in Tennessee
Being sustainable every day isn’t a fad, it’s a lifestyle. But how can you continue being environmentally conscious as you travel? Tennessee has you covered...
11 May 2013
Write Your Next Chapter at Storybrook Farm
A visit to Storybrook Farm is a refreshing departure from ordinary life. If you are looking to be rural and quiet come to Washington County,...
15 May 2013
Warbirds Take to the Tennessee Skies
If you spend much time around airplanes, they’ll get in your blood. The smell of jet fuel, the throaty growl of a 400hp Pratt &...
8 May 2013
Treat Mom to Mother’s Day Brunch at a Tennessee State Park
The cost of a Mother’s Day card? About $3.99. A dozen red carnations? About $15 cash and carry. Tying up your mother on Mother’s Day...
13 May 2013
Next up at Memphis in May: World-class Barbecue
Rodney Ashley is a Memphis native. “Anytime you’re anywhere close to downtown the third week of May, the wind’s already carried the aroma of barbecue...
17 May 2013
You Simply Have to Be Here: Music City Center Opening
One of those once-in-a-lifetime moments will happen for Music City May 19-20. The long-awaited opening of the 2.1 million square foot Music City Center will...