Tennessee Trip

[FLDRD]

My wife and I will soon be on a road trip exploring Tennessee and I'm looking for recommendations. The one location I'm certain I'd like to visit is Columbia, TN. An obvious attraction there for me is BriarWorks, but additionally things like breweries, distilleries, and even places such as Bradley Mountain that have American made leather products are appealing.

Using Columbia as a reference or a template, I'd enjoy looking into recommendations for other small towns that you can point us to that might be of similar interest. Feel free to state what you think is interesting in that town or area. Anywhere withing the state can be a consideration.

I'm not going to reply to the recommendations and debate the pro's & con's of any of them, just looking for input that I might easily have overlooked with random internet browsing/searching.

Thank you in advance.

 

[PaulRVA]

Nashville is covered so there is Memphis and Pigeon Forge and either is about equal distance from Columbia. One will give you the Smokey Mountain experience and the other has somethings worth seeing like Beale Street and Graceland but fair warning as Memphis is Memphis!

 

[kcghost]

You have to go to Chattanooga in extreme southeast Tennessee. Looking at Lookout Mountain is incredible.

 

[pantsBoots]

Twisted Copper Brewing in Mt Pleasant, about 20 minutes south of Columbia. Wide variety, classy place, classy people (most of them), all beers made in house, some good German styles, seltzers, and some other fun surprises. Beer Bingo Thursdays can get a little lively.

Twisted Copper Brewing Company | Tennessee Crossroads | NPT

Laura Faber meets some Maury County guys who turned their passion for brewing into a popular gathering spot.

tennesseecrossroads.org

 

[Mortamyhr]

Southern Tré Steakhouse in Columbia is very tasty. Great selection.

If in Nashville, stop by Cigar Club-Madison for an excellent in-store tobacco selection.

 

[captainsousie]

Memphis is Memphis!

A friend once told me that when I was driving in Memphis that if I hit a pedestrian, keep driving and go to the local police station. Apparently at the time a big problem was people running out to get hit and then their "friends" would carjack you, often killing you in the process.

 

[anotherbob]

A friend once told me that when I was driving in Memphis that if I hit a pedestrian, keep driving and go to the local police station. Apparently at the time a big problem was people running out to get hit and then their "friends" would carjack you, often killing you in the process.

sounds kind of fishy to me. Sounds like the kind of thing that starts with something bad but more typical and then it goes through several variations until people are sacrificing themselves and you for their friends to steal a car.
Especially when you consider they could do the same things without anyone getting hit by a car or they could just run a plain ole run of the mill scam (which is something people get hit by cars or slip on "ice" to do).
That said it probably still says something that a place could get a reputation that makes something so out there seem possible.
Oh and I've heard the same warning about many cities across this country...

 

[PaulRVA]

A friend once told me that when I was driving in Memphis that if I hit a pedestrian, keep driving and go to the local police station. Apparently at the time a big problem was people running out to get hit and then their "friends" would carjack you, often killing you in the process.

I grew up in New Orleans if that says anything
and I’ve seen parts of Memphis that concern me safety wise.
I find it sad but it’s the way Memphis is. It goes for many places like Baltimore, Philadelphia and DC as well but each has their positives even though some are worse than the others crime wise.

 

[ssjones]

Memphis is ok, if you stick to the tourist areas. We prefer Nashville (but wife is a huge Elvis fan, so we go every other year to keep her happy).

 

[buzkirk]

Jackson Tn. has the Casey Jones home and museum. Across the hwy in the shopping ctre, is Ye Olde Pipe Shoppe. Also there is the Rockabilly Museum downtown.

 

[RookieGuy80]

I can't give you any advice as I've driven through Tennessee once. But I've heard wonderful things about the regional bbq mutton. A stop at a local place to try this regional delicacy would definitely be on my list.

 

[carp rides again]

You have to go to Chattanooga in extreme southeast Tennessee. Looking at Lookout Mountain is incredible.

I'd have to agree with this as I can see lookout from the backyard.

 

[kcghost]

It is amazing to think back to 1864 when Union solders when up that mountain and routed Bragg's army.

 

[BCF]

If you like to fish, the tailwaters of the Holston, east of Bristol, is a lot of fun. Can get pretty busy though. East of there, not far, and north of Mountain City and south of Damascus, VA is the Tennessee Laurel, which despite its location right along Route 91, is an amazing stream that doesn't seem to get hit very hard, at least when I've been there. Also, just plain beautiful country!

 

[carp rides again]

It is amazing to think back to 1864 when Union solders when up that mountain and routed Bragg's army.

They met their match in chickamauga though, if the OP does come to chattanooga I'd also advise a trip to the battlefield in chickamauga, amazing, humbling place.

 

[kcghost]

Chickamauga was much earlier in the war. Yes, it amazing and humbling place.

 

[filmguerilla]

Two great breweries in Nashville worth the trip: Southern Grist and Bearded Iris. Especially if you love a great New England style IPA. There's a restaurant there, too, that serves donuts and beer (so you can get both of the breweries' beers I just mentioned in one spot, along with donuts). Memphis has THREE Tinder Box locations and stays pretty stocked on tins/pipes, and of course the music related tourist spots. Memphis also has some great breweries, too, including Meddlesome, Wiseacre, and Memphis Made if you want a midtown/hipster kind of location to hang out in.

 

[FurCoat]

I grew up in New Orleans if that says anything
and I’ve seen parts of Memphis that concern me safety wise.
I find it sad but it’s the way Memphis is. It goes for many places like Baltimore, Philadelphia and DC as well but each has their positives even though some are worse than the others crime wise.

I have family in NOLA. I lived there for a short time (pre Katrina) and worked at the Monteleone hotel in the French Quarter. My first trip to NOLA was the World's Fair in 84 I believe. Yes, I am a die hard Saints fan. Man I miss the food.

 

[PaulRVA]

I have family in NOLA. I lived there for a short time (pre Katrina) and worked at the Monteleone hotel in the French Quarter. My first trip to NOLA was the World's Fair in 84 I believe. Yes, I am a die hard Saints fan. Man I miss the food.

I went to the 1984 Worlds Fair weekly during its duration and rode the MART every time I went.
That was NOLA in it’s prime!
I usually stay at the Monteleone or Royal Sonesta when I go back as I haven’t any family there anymore.
Katrina killed NOLA but it was just the Death Blow after decades of decay. I miss her though and have many fond memories from 1978-1991 while there.
I don’t hear “Who Dat” or “Where Yat” much in the outskirts of Richmond
Nor any travel cups of booze

 

[FurCoat]

I went to the 1984 Worlds Fair weekly during its duration and rode the MART every time I went.
That was NOLA in it’s prime!
I usually stay at the Monteleone or Royal Sonesta when I go back as I haven’t any family there anymore.
Katrina killed NOLA but it was just the Death Blow after decades of decay. I miss her though and have many fond memories from 1978-1991 while there.
I don’t hear “Who Dat” or “Where Yat” much in the outskirts of Richmond
Nor any travel cups of booze

NOLA never really recovered from Katrina.