Tennessee

Discovering Wonders of Sightseeing and Affordable Hotels in Tennessee

Tennessee's slogan is "America at its Best", and it's not hard for anyone to see why. Delicious Southern cuisine, the Rocky Mountains and the Mississippi Delta, and the home of Country music are just a few of the selling points of the state. Anyone on a vacation to Tennessee will find more to do than they can fit in, so it's no wonder that it's such a popular tourist destination.

Tennessee was included in the grant to Sir Walter Raleigh in 1584, and went through a few different "owners" as the French and Spanish and English all made efforts to claim and settle it. Eventually it made it to the Union in 1796, the 16th state. In 1861 Tennessee seceded from the Union and was one of the chief battlegrounds of the Civil War. The battle scenes of Shiloh, Memphis, Murfreesboro, Lookout Mountain, and others, are almost all historic spots that can still be visited today. In 1866, the state was admitted back into the Union where it remains a proud state in the Southern U.S..

A chief vacation spot,Memphis, Tennessee, is a fabulous place to visit. Appropriately named for Memphis on the Nile, the scorching summer sun makes spring and fall the ideal times to visit Memphis, located on the Mississippi River in the delta. Home to Elvis Presley's Graceland, and the best BBQ east of Texas, tons of visitors flock to Memphis each year. The Memphis in May festival offers some of the best BBQ tasting in the country, and the Mid-South Fair is a huge fair with rides and games – both are seasonal though, so check your vacation dates to see if either events are happening. If you miss the BBQ at Memphis in May, don't worry! The Rendezvous offers the best dry-rub BBQ in Memphis year-round, and Corky's BBQ is named the best in wet BBQ. President Clinton loved Corky's so much, he had it overnighted to the White House!

Of course if you love music, and particularly Blues, you'll want to visit Sun Studios where famous musicians like Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, and Jerry Lee Lewis all recorded music. Open to visitors and located in the heart of Memphis, it's a must-see on the music-lover's visit. Stax Museum is also a famous stop for music-lovers. And a visit to Memphis wouldn't be complete with some downtown Memphis Blues on Beale Street. Follow the sounds you love and choose a bar with Blues crooners to your taste. BB King's famous club and restaurant are right on Beale. And after a good night, walk to the Mississippi River banks to see the Pyramid by the water (today a sports event stadium). For some great music in a cozy environment, check out the Hi-Tone and see what bands are playing!

Visitors will also love the Pink Palace Museum, once the home of a rich Memphian, this museum is made of pink marble and features a natural history collection of birds and animals, and a dinosaur exhibit. Also nearby to the Pink Palace are Brooks Art Museum where fine art is always on display (and occasionally student works from Memphis College of Art) and Overton Park, a great place to picnic and enjoy the day. Also nearby is the Memphis Zoo, a stunning Zoo done in an Egyptian theme, with huge stone animals outside the gates and a wonderful array of animals inside them! The Memphis Zoo has everything from penguins to alligators to lions and cheetahs -- and don't miss the Monkey House where monkeys are constantly in motion no matter the weather!

Take a memorable ride on the Mississippi River with Mississippi Queen Riverboat Cruises – you can spot this big red and white paddle boat coming down the river from a mile away! There's not too much in the way of historical spots in Memphis, but the one that you can't miss is the National Civil Rights Museum, located at the former Lorraine Hotel where Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated.

Chattanooga (CHAT-UH-NEW-GUH) offers an entirely different feel from Memphis --- located in the Rocky Mountains this great vacation spot has plenty to do with a lot of focus on nature and family fun. The Tennessee Aquarium is one of Chattanooga's most popular attractions. Located on the riverfront this huge aquarium is well laid out and great for holding the attention of little ones. More fun is abounding at the Creative Discovery Museum in downtown Chattanooga, chosen by Family Fun magazine as the best museum in the city! For some theme-park fun, visit Lake Winnepesaukah Amusement Park.

Visitors just can't leave Chattanooga without seeing some of the great Rocky Mountain attractions. Raccoon Mountain Caverns offer great cave tours, panning for gems, a campground, go-karts and plenty more! Rock City, famous for its old-time advertising "See Rock City" painted on the roofs of farms throughout Tennessee, is a fabulous hiking path along the "Enchanted Flagstone Trail" – with lots of tight squeezes for the kids and scenic waterfall grottos, this is a great park! Also famous in Chattanooga is Ruby Falls, a 145-foot underground waterfall located on Lookout Mountain.

If you're headed to Nashville, Tennessee it's all about music – and especially country music! Visit Ryman Auditorium to see some live music events, or see RCA Studio Bon a special tour from the Country Music Hall of Fame. Visitors can also go to The Big Bang Bar for some great entertainment. Best yet, visit the Grand Ole Opry, an American Icon and Nashville's #1 attraction. Weekly entertainment is for all ages, with backstage tours available.

There are also some great antebellum houses to see in Nashville. There's the Belle Meade Plantation, which visitors call a step back in time, with amazing Greek Revival architecture. And the Belmont Mansion is another great historical mansion with an interesting story. And if you're really into architecture, visit The Parthenon in Nashville – the only full-sized replica of the Greek Parthenon in the entire world. Lounge on the lawns and have a picnic, or just wander around the giant structure – this is one spot to at least see before you leave!

With all the fun to be had in Tennessee, worrying about picking the perfect hotel shouldn't overcome planning the vacation itself! No worries -Hotels.bz will see you through with a great list of budget hotels and luxury hotels with more in the middle, too!

For the best budget hotels try these gems:

- Starting at $69 a night and close to the airport and Graceland, this hotel offers complimentary Wi-Fi and continental breakfast, plus an airport shuttle to get you there and back!
Days Inn Lookout Mountain - Starting at $47 a night and close to Lookout Mountain and Ruby Falls in Chattanooga, this is a great place to rest and recoup after some fun Chattanooga adventure!
Delta Queen Hotel - Starting at $49 a night this Chattanooga hotel is actually a boat! Presidents have stayed on the Delta Queen, and the boat has a restaurant and bar, with complimentary breakfast and Wi-Fi! River views no matter where you go, what's not to like?

For mid-range hotels try these great hotels:

Marriott Memphis - Starting at $131 a night and close to the Mississippi River and Sun Studio, this hotel features a restaurant and café, limited room service an indoor pool and a fitness facility!
Chattanooga Choo Choo - Starting at $141 a night this Chattanooga hotel is right near the airport. The Choo Choo has a restaurant and poolside bar, room service and 2 outdoor swimming pools.
Hyatt Place Opryland - Starting at $107 a night and close to Opryland, visitors can stay at this nearby hotel but still experience all the fun of the Gaylord Opryland Resort/Hotel. Since admission to the hotel is free visitors can go there to stroll without staying. This hotel has a coffee shop and complimentary breakfast.

If you're taking out all the stops, try these amazing luxury hotels with amenities to make you feel on top of the world:

The Peabody Hotel - Starting at $207 a night, the Peabody in Memphis is hands-down the best place to stay in the city. With ducks that ride up and down the elevator from the roof to the lobby every day to splash in the fountain, it's a quirky, famous hotel that also has 4-stars. The Peabody has a restaurant and room service, plus an indoor pool and a health spa too!
Gaylord Opryland Resort and Spa - Starting at $197 a night this hotel is more than worth it. Inside the hotel is three main courtyards covered by glass – making a huge greenhouse environment filled with lush plants, swift streams and tumbling waterfalls. There are bridges, pathways, fountains, and a whole collection of amazing shops and restaurants with live music. Even a laser light show – this is really a resort that gives you something to do just by staying!
Union Station - Starting at $179 a night and close to Ryman Auditorium and the Country Music Hall of Fame, this Nashville hotel is deluxe! With amazing architecture, a fitness facility and room service, it's all good in Nashville. It's the history of the place that makes this hotel so great.