Ideas for a small road trip from Nashville?

cubegame

I thought I'd put this out there for some ideas.


My OH & I are headed off to Nashville for the CMA Music Festival next weekend. We're staying in Nashville the whole weekend and checking out of our hotel on Monday. We're then due back in Nashville on the Wednesday evening to take in the Grand Old Opry before flying back on the Thursday.


We're now just confused on what to do for Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. We'd consider heading to Memphis but are not so keen (not massive enough Elvis fans to pay the silly money they want to go into Graceland). Mammoth Cave NP just over the border in Kentucky looks good too but suspect it will pale in comparison to Carlsbad Caverns which we've been to.


And then, we've already been over to the Smokey Mountains National Park a few years ago.........


What a conundrum! Does anyone else have any other cool ideas for this area?

agrinnall

My friends whose daughter used to live in Nashville enjoyed their trip to the Marshall Space Flight Center (sic) at Huntsville, just over the Alabama border. Looks like it's a couple of hours by car.

http://www.nasa.gov/centers/marshall/home/index.html

Backbiter

There's a whole lot more to Memphis than Graceland. You've got Sun Studios, which is fabulous and not expensive. And there's the Civil Rights Museum, in the motel in which Martin Luther King was assassinated, which is a stunning and deeply moving experience. You've also got the Stax museum, plus the vibrant blues bars that line Beale Street. We spent three nights there last August and had a brilliant time.
We loved Nashville as well.

novelty-socks

I'd still go to Memphis. You seem to be on a music-themed break anyway, so why not go the whole hog?

Memphis is a fascinating city even without a trip to Graceland (which is worth the money as long as you don't go when it's mobbed).

The Civil Rights Museum is stunning and really very moving. Then you have Sun Studio, good nightlife, some great dining options … and even a hotel with a daily ceremony that involves ducks (yes, really).

Tuesday_Tenor

The few people I know who've been to Memphis have all really enjoyed it. As well as the key things mentioned by the last 2 posters, one really enjoyed the Botanic Garden.

https://www.memphisbotanicgarden

I know you'll have a car, but in case it helps anyone else:

She uses it as an example of how to use local public transport in the U.S. Ask the local people who use it: the shop staff, waiters, cleaners etc.
The Gardens website has no info on access by bus.
The Tourist Info Centre had no info on buses; they categorically told her it was impossible to get there by bus. Rubbish! There were buses that went right past it, but you can only find out by asking the locals!

John259

Land Between The Lakes might be worth considering. I found it pleasant, but not spectacular.
Map: https://goo.gl/maps/JcNHQnQmoEp
Info:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Land_Between_the_Lakes_National_Recreation_Area
http://www.landbetweenthelakes.us

cubegame

Thanks for all the suggestions. In the end, we headed to Huntsville to take in the Space Center and the gardens there.

We then drove to Memphis. Graceland was utterly awesome and we loved every minute. Apparently you don't have to be that much of an Elvis fan!

Backbiter

cubegame wrote: »

Thanks for all the suggestions. In the end, we headed to Huntsville to take in the Space Center and the gardens there.

We then drove to Memphis. Graceland was utterly awesome and we loved every minute. Apparently you don't have to be that much of an Elvis fan!

Agreed it's well worth it. Did go to Sun studios and the Civil Rights museum as well?

cubegame

Backbiter wrote: »

Agreed it's well worth it. Did go to Sun studios and the Civil Rights museum as well?

With all the driving and the time we spent lingering at Graceland we didn't find the time as we fancied going to the Zoo as well.

We did go to Sun Studios for an obligatory outside photo on the way to Beale Street. That wasn't as expected. We assumed it would be a Blues version of Nashville but it looked downtrodden and seedy. You know when a policeman advises you to stick to Beale and Main it's not the nicest of places.