Welcome to Tennessee

It’s fitting that Tennessee is shaped a bit like a harmonica. Music is the cultural lifeblood of this folksy and down-to-earth state. It boasts not one but seven official state songs, and each region in the state serves up its own brand of tunes.

In mountainous eastern Tennessee, you’ll find bluegrass music taking first fiddle everywhere you go. Central Tennessee is known for its country-and-western twang. Western Tennessee, meanwhile, serves up moody and rhythmic blues. As such, no swing through the heart of Dixie is complete without a few stops at some of the music industry’s most iconic sites.

In Memphis, you can visit the birthplace of rock and roll at the legendary Sun Studio. Tours are run daily, giving visitors a chance to see where the likes of Elvis, Johnny Cash, B.B. King, Jerry Lee Lewis and Roy Orbison recorded their first records. Memphis is also home to Graceland, Elvis Presley’s iconic estate. In addition to tours of the mansion, guests can visit the on-site Elvis Presley Automobile Museum.

Over in Nashville, music lovers won’t want to miss the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum (which also houses the historic RCA Studio B) and the Grand Ole Opry (site of the longest-running radio broadcast in US history).

In Pigeon Forge, the tunes keep playing. Make a visit to nearby Dollywood, a park devoted iconic country music star Dolly Parton that features thrill rides, a waterpark and, of course, musical performances, including Dolly Parton’s Dixie Stampede and Dinner Attraction.

Tennessee Tourism

Adventure

For incredible outdoor adventure in Tennessee, it’s hard to top what’s on tap at Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Officially listed as a World Heritage Biosphere Reserve, this is the most visited national park in the country—and for good reason. The park is blessed with a moderate climate, is home to 16 alpine peaks that each top 6,000 feet in elevation, and is laden with more than 850 miles of meticulously maintained hiking trails.

Hop on the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail to enjoy some of the park’s best scenery, including gushing mountain streams, thick old-growth forests, and abandoned old grist mills. At the summit of Clingmans Dome (the third highest point east of the Mississippi River), you can head to the top of an observation tower for stunning 360-degree views of the park.