Discover Ghosts and Music Legends on the Ring of Fire Trail

Start your "ring" around Middle Tennessee and hit the ground running with a tour of the expansive Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. Explore the museum galleries and discover the history of country music, from its 19th-century roots to the subgenres fans know and love today. Exhibits hold original instruments, intricate stage wear, one-of-a-kind recordings, and even Elvis Presley's opulent 1960 Gold Cadillac. Take a guided tour of Historic RCA Studio B and reminisce in the hundreds of hit songs recorded in the space. Elvis Presley, Waylon Jennings, Roy Orbison, and Dolly Parton are just a handful of names that have graced the preserved studio in the heart of "Music City."

While Nashville is rich in music history, the urban metropolis we know today holds a disparate past. The Battle of Nashville and the Civil War once raged throughout the state's capital. Today, visitors can learn of Nashville's Union occupation at Fort Negley, the largest inland stone fortification built during the Civil War. Fort Negley-- constructed predominately by nearly 2,000 Black laborers, both free and enslaved -- shines a light on African American soldiers in the Civil War. The park is open year-round to guests for self-guided walking tours. Stop in the visitor's center to view the two feature films and interactive touch screens detailing the fort's history. 

Adams, Tennessee is home to the famously well-documented Bell Witch Haunting. Beginning in 1817, John Bell and his family were tormented by the spirit known as Kate. After John Bell's passing in December 1820, Tennessee became the first and only state to recognize a person's death to the supernatural. Artifacts, testimonies, haunting photographs, and newspaper articles help tell this spine-chilling tale at the Bell Witch Cave. The cave and replica Bell Cabin guided tours, lantern experiences and exclusive paranormal investigations are offered May through November. 

Despite the haunting, Adams in a serene and quaint small town. Red River Canoe offers a great way to take in the scenic beauty while paddling to Port Royal State Park, an official National Trail of Tears Site.

Take in the beautiful "farmscapes" of rural Tennessee at Honeysuckle Hill Farm. Jam-packed with outdoor family-fun, the farm offers a corn maze, milking parlor, treehouse village and many more adventure activities with a general admission ticket. To expand on the fun, add-on a trip up the climbing wall, a ride on the mechanical bull or jumping session on the bungee trampolines. While the fun is never-ending, educational agriculture is at the heart of Honeysuckle Hill Farm. Learn of the farming and cultivation practices that continue to shape Tennessee's scenic countrysides.

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Thomas Drugs Pharmacy & Old Fashioned Soda Fountain has been serving the community (and serving up soda fountain treats) since the early 1900s. Old fashioned milk shakes, banana splits, soda floats, and brownies a la mode are all old-timey menu offerings that patrons can choose from. Enjoy your treat on the red antique benches on the front porch awning and take in the enchanting atmosphere of a small-town like Cross Plains, Tennessee.

The town of Red Boiling Springs sprang up around a bubbling spring. As word spread of the healing properties of the mineral springs, vacationers flocked to the resort town from the mid-1800s through the early 1900s. The Thomas House Hotel, one of the original grand resorts, is still in operation (and haunted) to this day. Recognized as one of the most haunted locations in the United States by CNN, the hotel is notoriously paranormal. Celebrate the supernatural mystic with Ghost Hunt Weekends-- where hunters can chase reported spirits that are nearly as old as the hotel itself. If ghosts aren't your cup of tea, soak-up the living history of the hotel's southern hospitality. Enjoy southern dining with a side of nostalgia or view theatrical productions during your stay.

Standing Stone State Park is a hidden gem-- loved for every inch of the 10,000 acres of pristine natural beauty. The park is a popular place for camping and hiking and includes cabins, a pool and playgrounds. Hiking trails range from easy to strenuous and an autumn hike through the vibrant red, yellow, and orange leaves gives the "Ring of Fire" Trail a whole new layer of meaning. Hike around beautiful Kelly Lake or plan to fish in its waters.

A picture-perfect postcard of a quaint Southern town, historic Granville is known as Tennessee's Mayberry with plenty to see and do. No visit here is complete without shopping and dining at the wonderful TB Sutton General Store, host of Saturday night's Sutton Ole Time Music Hour, which broadcasts live bluegrass across the nation. Get a $25 ticket for dinner and a show and hear the Opry-style acoustics drift through the beloved landmark-- transporting you to a moment of days gone by.

Make a stop at Wynnewood, a National Historic Landmark, located in the 1700s town of Castalian Springs. Not only did Wynnewood serve as a family farm, but it also welcomed guests as mineral springs resort until 1915. At peak visitation in the 1800s, the resort was expanded to offer a bowling alley, dance pavilion, indoor swimming pool, and summer cottages. Wynnewood is largest 19th-century log structure still standing in the state of Tennessee and open to the public for guided tours. 

Gallatin, Tennessee is charming town near Nashville that is full of rich history. The Historic Downtown Square with the courthouse as its center has welcomed five U.S. presidents. Today it's a popular shopping, arts and entertainment district where you can catch a current movie in the splendor of the restored Palace Theater. Stop at Roux's Creole Cafe and enjoy authentic muffalettas, po-boys, and beignets near Nashville.