Traveling To Tennessee

by Michele Cheplic | More from this Blogger

01 Oct 2007 09:59 PM

In 1996 I was driving alone from Wisconsin to Atlanta, Georgia. I had just gotten a job field producing and reporting for a news agency that was documenting the Summer Olympics from start to finish. I was thrilled about my new gig, but far less enthused about making the long drive with all of my belongings by myself. Regardless, the road trip proved to be quite eventful and extremely educational. It was on this trip that I would experience what life was like in Tennessee (if only for a couple of days).

My first visit to the state was brief (2 days) and I spent most of it in and around Murfreesboro (you must have a meal at the Slick Pig Bar-B-Que). Like I said, it was a short visit, but I found the area very charming and the people extremely accommodating. It wouldn't be until the end of the year that I would return to Tennessee, specifically Nashville, to do some real exploring.

My college sweetheart and I spent a few days taking in the sights and sounds of this popular Tennessee city and I have some great pictures of our adventures there. We didn't have enough time to visit all of the city's attractions, but the ones we did made lasting impressions.

Here are some of my favorite Nashville pit stops:

Tennessee State Museum

The Tennessee State Museum is located in the heart of downtown Nashville. It is considered one of the largest state museums in the nation, with more than 60,000 square feet of permanent exhibition space and a 10,000-square-foot exhibition hall. Included in that space are special displays of furniture, silver, weapons, quilts and paintings all produced by Tennesseans. Of course, the most popular exhibits are the ones that feature original Civil War uniforms and authentic battle flags. The museum also has many one-of-a-kind items associated with Andrew Jackson, Daniel Boone, and Davy Crockett. The museum is open Tuesday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. And the best part-admission is free.

Bicentennial Mall

The Bicentennial Mall is located just behind the State Capitol Building. It wasn't on our must-see attraction list, but it ended up being one of the places in Nashville we remember the most. It's basically an outdoor museum, great for people watching. The Mall is a wonderful place to stroll or sit and have a picnic lunch. Besides the people there are a number of historical features including a granite map of Tennessee, a World War II Memorial, a restored train trestle, and a Tennessee history wall. It is also a great place to take some souvenir photos. I have a number of shots of the Mall's 31 water fountains.

Cheekwood Botanical Garden and Museum of Art

The museum was once home to Maxwell House Coffee investor Leslie Cheek (hence the name). The structure was constructed in 1929 and holds a permanent collection of 19th- and 20th-century art. The works of art are exceptional; however, I found the gardens to be the masterpieces. Built on 55 acres, eight miles southwest of downtown, they rank among the top five in the South by Southern Living magazine. My favorite feature is an incredible 40-foot-long "Glass Bridge" on the Carell Woodland Sculpture Trail. The amazing creation is made of 35,000 pounds of glistening glass and spans a stream in a secluded grove. Talk about a premiere photo-op! The museum and garden is open 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $10 adults and $8 seniors.

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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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