Southern Travel Attractions

by Michele Cheplic | More from this Blogger

30 May 2007 12:24 PM

Growing up in Hawaii you don't hear very many people say they are "headed south" for vacation. Now that I live in the northern portion of one of the nation's most northern states--Wisconsin--I consider a jaunt to Chicago a trip "down south." If you are fortunate enough to live south of Illinois, or plan to spend part of your summer vacation touring the south, I have a couple of noteworthy new attractions you should consider checking out.

KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE

If you enjoy a good party then head over to Knoxville, Tennessee this July. The city is planning a massive 4th of July bash to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the World's Fair expo that brought 11 million people to the area in 1982. Knoxville typically hosts an annual event called "Festival on the Fourth," but this year they are spicing up the event and making it larger than ever before. According to event organizers, this year's "Festival on the Fourth" will include an international festival with food and entertainment, and an exhibit of fair memorabilia. In addition, the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra will play songs from the 1980s. The city is also busy sprucing up the site where the fair was held more than two decades ago--most of the area has been converted into a grassy lawn with a large fountain. Also, workers are busy renovating the 266-foot-tall fair icon, the Sunsphere in time for the "Festival on the Fourth." Finally, over at the East Tennessee History Center an exhibit called "When the World Came to Knoxville 25 Years Ago" is on display until September 9th.

PETERSBURG, KENTUCKY

Kentucky is not only for horse lovers. In fact a new museum in Petersburg, Kentucky (about 20 miles southwest of Cincinnati, Ohio) has nothing to do with equines, but it is still drawing record crowds and fueling quite a stir.

The city's newest structure, named the Creation Museum, is and by all accounts a place that tells the Bible's version of Earth's history - that the planet was created in a single week just a few thousand years ago. The decision to create a place to illustrate this tenet has angered some people who support scientific evidence that the Earth is several billion years old. In any event, if you decide to make the trip don't be surprised to see a few protestors out front. The museum's co-founder says the $27 million dollar privately funded space is open to both supporters and naysayers.

The museum offers visitors a chance to interact with dozens of high-tech exhibits that were designed by a theme-park artist, including animatronic dinosaurs and a massive wooden ark (a replica of Noah's) at least two stories tall, plus a special effects theater and planetarium.

Learn more about Michele Cheplic

Michele Cheplic was born and raised in Hilo, Hawaii, but now lives in Wisconsin. Michele graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Journalism.

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