Tennessee is a green, lush state with some very pretty towns and cities.



Chattanooga

Our first stop was Chattanooga, the home of the train and station from the famous Glen Miller song Chattanooga Choo Choo. It was quite interesting to be able to see the trains and the station signs from way back when. Some of the carriages are set up for accommodation and we decided to stay in one of those to add to the atmosphere.

There is a Civil War presentation on top of Lookout Mountain with theatre seating and audio. Check out the Chattanooga History Centre where tours will provide you with the history of Chattanooga and the Civil War. 
2 Broad Street Chattanooga.

We then drove out to Lynchburg to the Jack Daniel’s Distillery as you do when one of you is a bourbon drinker.  A tour of the distillery was very interesting and showed the whole process of making the brown drop.  The thing that made us laugh was at the end of the tour we were given a glass of lemon cordial.  Local law does not permit the distillery to serve alcohol.  It was a very hot day so a cold squash went down nicely, but not so for the bourbon drinker!

A photo was taken of the group on the tour and posted on the Jack Daniel’s website for one month after the day of the visit.

Memphis

The highlight of Tennessee for me was Memphis, and the tour of Gracelands the home of Elvis Presley.
Memphis is well known for its music and there are many clubs where you can enjoy it. The most famous area to catch a gig is Beale Street where you will find the best live music in town.

Memphis has some great eateries and restaurants mostly serving soul food. We always like to try the local fare when we visit a new town, its part of the overall experience. Paddle Steamers will take you on a relaxing ride along the Mississippi River. 

The tour of Gracelands was like stepping back in time.  White lounge suites and over the top decor could only have belonged to Elvis.  Visitors are not permitted to tour the second floor as it is still used by the family for keeping Elvis memorabilia. The grounds are pretty and the guitar shaped swimming pool is typically Elvis. The gates at the entrance to Gracelands represent a sheet of music.

Photos and video’s are not permitted in the mansion but there is a large souvenir shop across the road from the house where tickets are purchased for the tour. 
Each August there is Elvis Week where an entire week is dedicated to the King of Rock and Roll.  Elvis died at Gracelands in August 1977.