Tennessee Travel Guide: Travel and tourist information, things to do and see in Tennessee

This relatively small landlocked state is bounded on the west by the Mississippi River and on the east by the Appalachian Mountains, bordered in total by eight other states. It may have been the combined cultural and historical mix infused from its many southern neighbours that assisted Tennessee in becoming the central melting pot of musical styles, eventually coalescing into modern country, blues and rock 'n roll, for which the state is now world renowned.

Tennessee's main tourist attraction (since the 1950's) has been the King of Rock 'n Roll, Elvis Presley: he may have died over 30 years ago, but his soul and memory draws thousands of fans to his former home Graceland in Memphis (the state's largest city).

From energetic nights of blues music on Beale Street in Memphis, to the rolling horse country and city scapes of Middle Tennessee, to peaceful sunsets over the Great Smoky Mountains, Tennessee's fun-filled vacation stage is set for you!

Whatever your interest, you'll find everything you've ever wanted in a vacation destination right here amid rolling hills, mountain streams, river cities and world renowned attractions. And the best part is we're within a day's drive of 75 percent of the U.S. population via quality interstates and highways. No wonder folks call Tennessee the world's most amazing stage!

At the center of Upper Middle Tennessee, "Music City USA" mixes old and new attractions, all spiced up with Southern flair. In our capital city The Grand Ole Opry brings country music's greatest stars to the stage. Nearby is the spectacular Opry Mills shopping mall, and the 3,000-room Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center .

Downtown, you'll find the renovated Ryman Auditorium , original home of the Grand Ole Opry, hosts the Opry several months a year. It presides over the reborn District, an area of cool nightspots and quirky shops.

Highlights include the annual Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration every August in Shelbyville, where a quarter of a million people and 3,000 horses gather for the world class competition. Just down the road, you can visit the Tennessee Walking Horse Museum in Lynchburg, while memory lane leads to Wartrace where the first Walking Horse, "Strolling Jim" is buried.

East Tennessee restaurants offer a pleasing variety of dining experiences. You can eat Southern fried food, steaks, barbecue, burgers and such ethnic cuisine as Italian, Chinese and Mexican food. For a complete evening's entertainment, you can even dine at a dinner theatre.

If you're in the mood for a little wine-tasting while you're in eastern Tennessee, you'll appreciate a visit to one of the wineries. Come experience all that restaurants in East Tennessee have to offer.

East Tennessee is home to a surprising number of major Tennessee attractions. East Tennessee tourist attractions include aquariums, dinner theatres, museums, vineyards and theme parks, including the top attraction in the state.

Among the other notable East Tennessee attractions you'll find are the many recreational areas within the Smoky Mountains. Because so many of East Tennessee's attractions are family-oriented, the area is an ideal destination for a family vacation.

Things to do and see in Tennessee include:

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park - is a World Heritage Biosphere Reserve and draws millions of visitors from around the region and the world annually. Covering nearly 1,000 square miles it is home to temperate rainforests and some of the rarest and most unique plant life in North America. The park currently suffers from high levels of air pollution due to surrounding cities such as Knoxville and Sevierville as well as the numerous coal-fired power plants of the Tennessee Valley Authority. Traffic congestion is fairly severe within the Park's Cades Cove "loop," as many people stop to take in the vistas of the sprawling valley and its many deer and bears that freely roam the area. If you plan to go, car pool if you can.

Rock City - is a roadside attraction near Chattanooga, Tennessee, on Lookout Mountain in Lookout Mountain, Georgia, located near Ruby Falls. It is well-known for the many barns throughout the Southeast and Midwest United States that have the slogan "See Rock City" painted on their roofs and sides.

Graceland - is a large white-columned mansion and 13.8 acre estate that was home to Elvis Presley, situated in Memphis. It currently serves as a museum and has become the second most-visited private home in America with over 600,000 visitors a year (2nd only to the White House).

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Population: 295.734.100
Languages: English 82%, Spanish 11% (2000)
Currency: US dollar
Currency code: USD
Local Times:
U.S.A. - District of Columbia - Washington DC

U.S.A. - Florida - Orlando

U.S.A. - California - San Francisco

U.S.A. - New York - New York

U.S.A. - Nevada - Las Vegas

Country Dialling Code: +1
Voltage: 120V 60Hz
Electrical plugs:
2 parallel flat prongs

2 Parallel flat prongs with an earth connector

The USA is home to several of the world's most exciting cities, some truly mind-blowing landscapes, a strong sense of regionalism, a trenchant mythology, more history than the country gives itself credit for and, arguably, some of the most approachable natives in the world.

America was 'discovered' by Columbus in 1492 and for 500 years people have travelled here seeking a better life in the 'land of opportunity'. The land was fought over by colonial powers for centuries and finally won its independence from Britain in 1783. Despite the near annihilation of the Native American population, one of the bloodiest civil wars the world had seen, and racism (Native Americans were not granted citizenship until 1924 and racial segregation was the norm until as late as the 1950s), the American people have succeeded in forging one of the worlds most united, democratic and tolerant nations, a fascinating melting-pot of cultures, and the undisputed military and economic heavyweight of the world.

The country is made up of 48 contiguous states of the continental USA, plus the huge state of Alaska, northwest of Canada, and the volcanic islands of Hawaii, 2,000 miles (3,219km) out into the Pacific. There are also the US territories, which include Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the Midway Islands and US Virgin Islands. Tourism is focused mainly in the great cities such as New York and Washington, as well as sunshine states such as Florida, California and Hawaii. However the mind-blowing landscapes, found in the wealth of magnificent National Parks like Yosemite, Yellowstone and the Adirondacks, as well as spectacular sights like the Grand Canyon and the Rocky Mountains, are what make the USA so unique. With all this on their doorstep, it's easy to understand why a significant proportion of Americans have never bothered getting a passport.

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Tennessee Travel Guide

Tennessee Suitability Profile