There's so much rich history you can experience when you take a Tennessee vacation. Tennessee, home of Davy Crocket, Elvis Presley and three American presidents (Andrew Jackson, James K. Polk and Andrew Johnson) was the 16th state to be admitted into the Union. With more than 42,000 square miles, the Volunteer State's highest point is Clingmans Dome at 16,643 feet, and the lowest point is the Mississippi River at 178 feet. From the Smokey Mountains to the music on Beale Street in Memphis, Tennessee has got it all. Tennessee is the home to the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, the noted whitewater recreational Ocoee River and historical battle fields from the Civil War. There are so many places to visit that you and your family will wish that you had more time to spend in this state famous for its Southern hospitality.
The Peabody Hotel, Memphis
The Peabody Hotel, a member of the National Register of Historic Places, opened for business in 1925. There is a tradition in this hotel that has been taking place twice a day for more than 70 years: the marching of the Peabody Ducks. Every day at 11 AM, the Peabody Ducks descend from their "Duck Palace" on the roof of the hotel in an elevator and waddle over a red carpet to their fountain in the Grand Lobby, accompanied by the sounds of John Phillip Sousa's "King Cotton March." At 5 PM the Peabody Ducks majestically return over the red carpet and go up the elevator for their evening's repose.
There is no charge to watch the Peabody Ducks.
Bristol Caverns, Blountville
When touring the Bristol Caverns, you will see stalactites and stalagmites that have been developing for millions of years. There are three levels in these caverns, the lowest being 180 feet below the floor of the cavern at the Underground River. Native Americans used the Underground River to attack settlers during the frontier days. Visitors are treated to breathtaking arches, massive columns and vaulted chambers as well as Lover's Leap and the Bridal Veil formation.
Admission for adults is $10.00. Children between the ages of 5 and 12 are admitted for $5.00 and children four and under are free. Bristol Caverns is open every day except Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day.
The Sequoyah Birthplace Museum, Vonore
Sequoyah, a Cherokee, was born in 1776 in Tuskeegee. His mother was the daughter of a Cherokee chief and his father was a fur trader from Virginia. Sequoyah grew up, became a silversmith, married a Cherokee and had a family of his own. He never learned to read, but he realized that literacy could be important for the Cherokee Nation. It took Sequoyah 12 years to create a Cherokee writing system, which was introduced to the Cherokee nation in 1821. The Museum promotes understanding of Sequoyah and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.
Admissions are a nominal fee. The Museum is open every day except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day, Monday through Saturday from 9 AM to 5 PM and Sundays from noon to 5 PM.
The National Civil Rights Museum, Memphis
The National Civil Rights Museum preserves the site of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the Lorraine Motel. Exhibits in the Museum cover slavery, the Civil War, the March on Washington and other important milestones in the Civil Rights Movement. You will also find information on influential figures such as Booker T. Washington, Nat Turner, Harriet Tubman and Sojourner Truth.
Admissions are $12.00 for adults, $10.00 for seniors and students and $8.50 for children between 4 and 17. Children 4 and under are admitted at no charge. In addition, admission is free Mondays from 3 PM to 5 PM.
Fort Donelson National Battlefield, Dover
Ulysses S. Grant launched what was to become the Union's first major win of the Civil war on February 14, 1862, at Fort Donelson. It took two bloody days of fighting between Union gunboats and Confederate artillery for Confederate General Buckner to concede unconditionally.
Visitors should first go to the museum to see exhibits and see an audiovisual presentation for orientation. There is a six-mile, self-guided tour with rangers available at stops to answer questions. The park also has more than five miles of walking and hiking trails.
There are no admission fees. Fort Donelson National Battlefield is open every day except Christmas from 8 AM to 4:30 PM.
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