Tennessee Travels

TENNESSEE TRAVELS are always filled with sweet surprises and this one didn’t disappoint. I always look forward to a return trip to peel back more layers and discover new-to-me history found in Music City USA. After settling in at one of our favorite Corp of Engineers (COE) parks on J. Percy Priest Lake, it was off to explore!

A short drive into Nashville and I landed at the Marathon Motor Works building. Genius, pure genius! Take a late-1800s building, fill it with well-preserved machinery ‘art’ used to build the only automobile manufactured in the south (until the Saturn), and pair this with several creative shops filled with wares from local artisans, add a distillery and restaurants and what do you have? A well thought-out 21st century marketing plan with something for everyone!

The Grand Ole Opry, home of Country music ended it run at downtown Nashville’s Ryman Theater in 1974 and is now housed in a larger theatre, built specifically for the Opry, about 20 minutes away. While the Opry is known as the longest running radio show founded in 1925, on this pass through town we finally attended a live show. The variety was great with upcoming songwriters, a member of the now defunct Florida Georgia Line duo, a comedian and TV show competition contestants. Great seats, fabulous entertainment and an outstanding ‘date’ night, what’s not to love?

Brian Kelly, formerly of Florida Georgia Line

Of course we had to make room for Dolly!

Our journey was made even sweeter when we met up with California Airstream-friends-turned-Tennesseans, Betty & Jay, who moved to Tennessee a few years back. And no, we couldn’t pass up a boat ride with Jay at the helm on Old Hickory Lake even on a blustery day!