This building may seem out of place in the world’s country capital, but it comes with an interesting backstory. It served as the centerpiece of the Centennial Exposition in 1897, earning Nashville a nickname “Athens of the South”.

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William Crawford Smith designed it to resemble the popular Greek landmark, and the building is now located in the very heart of the Centennial Park. When it was first built, the Nashville Parthenon wasn’t meant to stay there permanently, but that changed after it became the city’s major landmark and it was rebuilt in concrete after significant detrition.

Over a century later, this building remains one of the best examples of classical architecture in Nashville and it now houses an art museum. It’s a popular venue for temporary art shows and exhibits, while its permanent collection includes around 60 paintings by 19th and 20th century American artists.

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The post Nashville’s Parthenon Transformed This City into Athens of the South appeared first on Traveler Dreams.

During October and November rain may be frequently on the forecast, but don’t let that deter you. The lighter crowds make it the best time to visit the city’s museums and live music venues, or try out some of the famed Nashville restaurants without having to fight over a reservation. Not to mention Nashville is one of the best places in the US to see fall foliage: check out Chickweed Botanical Garden, which combines flowers and greenery with art exhibitions.

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During the winter, from December to March, there are virtually no crowds in the city. Although few attractions close over the winter months, you’ll have top Nashville experiences like tours at the Ryman Auditorium and Country Music Hall of Fame pretty much to yourself. Visiting during the Christmas season is, of course, its own experience: lights, Nutcracker performances, gingerbread workshops are some of the added bonuses of visiting Nashville during the festive season.

The post Why Fall is the Best Season to Visit Nashville appeared first on Traveler Dreams.

Located on Highway TN-55 just outside of the center of the small town, the Jack Daniel’s Distillery was founded in 1875 and still stands to this day on the same spot where it was originally built.

Using water sourced from a spring that comes from a small cave made of limestone rock, this distillery has found the perfect liquid ingredient to make its whiskey delicious since it contains hardly any iron, a mineral that can make whiskey taste bad.

Inside the distillery, you will learn about the history of the distillery as well as the whiskey-making process that has remained largely unchanged over the past nearly 150 years.

Tour guides take you through the production areas where corn, rye, and malted barley are used to create this magical beverage, which is distilled in copper stills before being filtered through maple charcoal.

You’ll also be able to see the impressive collection of whiskey barrels which hold hundreds of thousands of gallons of the stuff at any given time at this Tennessee treasure.

Be sure to make time to visit this fascinating place the next time you find yourself on vacation in the Volunteer State!

The post Tour the Jack Daniel’s Distillery in Lynchburg, Tennessee! appeared first on Traveler Dreams.

Lost Sea (Sweetwater)

Just off of I-75 between Chattanooga and Knoxville is the Lost Sea, a complex of caverns that features the world’s second-largest non-glacial subterranean lake. You will have to descend 140 feet underground in order to see this impressive natural formation, which stays at 58 degrees F (14 C) all year round.

Ruby Falls (Chattanooga)

Although the city of Chattanooga is worth visiting in and of itself, Ruby Falls is located in close proximity to I-24 just outside of the city and is very much worth a stop. This 143-foot tall waterfall cascades down from Lookout Mountain and is lit up with colorful lights at night. 

Rugby

Did you know that English settlers tried to set up a Victorian-style utopian colony in rural east-central Tennessee in the late 1800s? They did, and while it ultimately did not succeed, the vestiges of this town can still be visited in the preserved town of Rugby on Highway 52, accessible both from I-75 and I-40.

The post Check Out Tennessee’s Most Unique Roadside Attractions appeared first on Traveler Dreams.

If you’re looking to experience the best of the tailgate scene in the United States, you should visit these three college campuses.

Ole Miss

“The Grove” is the name of the area where Ole Miss fans set up some of the most extravagant and fun tailgating in the country. Thousands of red and blue clad fans join in this tree-lined space to grill, drink, and sing songs about their beloved team in a raucous, fun environment. As a common Ole Miss saying goes, “We may not win every game, but we’ve never lost a party.”

Ohio State

Ohio State is one of the largest universities in the world and has one of the US’s most successful football teams. Its tailgating scene is large and expansive with the star treat on many families’ menus being the “Buckeye,” a chocolate and peanut butter dessert snack that’s rich and tasty.

Tennessee

Tennessee is one of the few places in the country where “sailgating” is possible. Neyland Stadium’s location on the Tennessee River in the heart of Knoxville means that boats full of Volunteer fans park on the river bank and host elaborate food and drink-filled celebrations before Tennessee games.

The post America’s Best College Football Tailgating Scenes appeared first on Traveler Dreams.

College athletics are all about passion, and if you want to check out a stadium for yourself, here are four passionate and loud stadiums that I recommend visiting.

Tiger Stadium (Baton Rouge, Louisiana)

The home stadium of the LSU Tigers is known for having some of the most electric crowds on the planet. Most games are hosted at night. Believe it or not, a seismograph at a university laboratory near the stadium once recorded a false earthquake due to the crowd noise during a game!

Autzen Stadium (Eugene, Oregon)

Located in the tranquil Pacific Northwest, the home stadium of the Oregon Ducks is anything but calm. Holding only 54,000 spectators, this stadium’s unique sunken bowl design traps in crowd noise that is simply overpowering for opposing teams.

Neyland Stadium (Knoxville, Tennessee)

Neyland Stadium hosts the University of Tennessee Volunteers and offers one of the most unique gameday experiences in college football. Many of the stadium’s 102,455 fans arrive at the stadium by boat on the Tennessee River and host pre-game parties on their vessels!

Ohio Stadium (Columbus, Ohio)

The Ohio State Buckeyes’ stadium is one of the biggest in the country, hosting 104,944 spectators. Buckeye fans are some of the most rabid in the country, and they go absolutely wild every time their team scores a touchdown.

The post Four College Football Stadiums You Must Experience appeared first on Traveler Dreams.

“The Dragon,” a slice of US Highway 129, is a curvy stretch of road in the Appalachian Mountains which offers up a real thrill to car- and motorcycle-lovers. This 11-mile, or 18-kilometer, stretch of road has over 300 curves and is perfect for anyone looking to challenge their driving acumen.

Any given weekend during the spring, summer, and fall months of the year features thousands of motorcyclists and drivers who take to the mountains to experience a truly unique stretch of asphalt.

Not only is this road extreme, but it also features some of the best views of the Smoky Mountains that you’ll find in the region. At the top of “The Dragon” after crossing the border into North Carolina, a beautiful lookout awaits drivers who know where to stop.

So, if you are in the Smoky Mountains region and want to spend an afternoon taking a truly unforgettable trip, “The Dragon” is a perfect option for you.

The post “The Dragon” is One of America’s Most Thrilling Roads appeared first on Traveler Dreams.

If you’re looking to plan a camping trip in the Volunteer State, here are some spots that you should keep in mind!

Big South Fork

Big South Fork National Recreation Area, on the northern border of Tennessee with the state of Kentucky, is one of the top camping sites in the state. Here, you’ll find a river that offers kayaking and rafting opportunities as well as a wealth of hiking and biking trails to explore the wilderness.

Fall Creek Falls

Did you know that the highest waterfall east of the Mississippi River in the United States is in Tennessee? It’s located here, at Fall Creek Falls State Park in east-central Tennessee. Not only can you check out this beautiful cascade, but you can also enjoy a ropes course and cave exploring here.

Cades Cove

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park in east Tennessee is the most frequently visited national park in the country, and its best spot for camping is in the calm and pristine meadows of Cades Cove. You might even spot a family of black bears while hiking on one of its many smooth trails!

The post Love Camping? Don’t Miss These Spots in Tennessee appeared first on Traveler Dreams.

Are you pressed for time or looking to just see the best of the best of this magical park? Here are three spots that you should definitely add to your list.

Cades Cove

Cades Cove is possibly the most scenic and spectacular spot of the park, where a small, isolated valley is tucked in between the tall peaks of the mountain range. Here, you can find many animals such as deer and black bears ambling along the grassy meadows and small streams of this verdant paradise.

Laurel Falls

Laurel Falls is an eighty foot-tall cascade that is accessible by an easy 3-mile hike. Here, you can observe as the mountain water cascades down into a pool, where you can get in to cool off after your trek to the falls.

Chimney Tops

Chimney Tops is one of the more unique mountains in the park, where a metamorphic rock capstone juts out from the rest of the mountain to create a peak at nearly 5,000 feet. One of the few bare knobs in the park, more experienced climbers can make the trek to the top to see an impressive panoramic view.

The post You Must Visit These Spots in Great Smoky Mountains National Park appeared first on Traveler Dreams.

Thousands of visitors travel to Lynchburg every year to visit the distillery and its museum in order to learn more about the production of the drink and to try it for themselves.

Jack Daniel’s Hollow, the valley location where the whiskey is made, is specifically conducive to the production of this beverage due to the mountain spring which comes from a limestone cave and is used for the production of the whiskey. It has the perfect mineral composition to make the whiskey taste absolutely delicious.

So, it’s obvious that the only place where this whiskey can be made is in this small Tennessee town. Did you know, though, that there is an ironic secret about this place?

Moore County, where the town of Lynchburg is located, is a dry county. This means that the county does not allow the sale of alcohol in its restaurants or shops! The only place in the county, in fact, where you can buy alcohol is the distillery, where small commemorative bottles are available for purchase.

Isn’t that interesting?

The post This Tennessee Whiskey Distillery Has a Curious Secret appeared first on Traveler Dreams.

This building may seem out of place in the world’s country capital, but it comes with an interesting backstory. It served as the centerpiece of the Centennial Exposition in 1897, earning Nashville a nickname “Athens of the South”.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Traveling Tom (@the_traveling_tom)

William Crawford Smith designed it to resemble the popular Greek landmark, and the building is now located in the very heart of the Centennial Park. When it was first built, the Nashville Parthenon wasn’t meant to stay there permanently, but that changed after it became the city’s major landmark and it was rebuilt in concrete after significant detrition.

Over a century later, this building remains one of the best examples of classical architecture in Nashville and it now houses an art museum. It’s a popular venue for temporary art shows and exhibits, while its permanent collection includes around 60 paintings by 19th and 20th century American artists.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Nicki Baber TikTok (@nicki)

The post Nashville’s Parthenon Transformed This City into Athens of the South appeared first on Traveler Dreams.

During October and November rain may be frequently on the forecast, but don’t let that deter you. The lighter crowds make it the best time to visit the city’s museums and live music venues, or try out some of the famed Nashville restaurants without having to fight over a reservation. Not to mention Nashville is one of the best places in the US to see fall foliage: check out Chickweed Botanical Garden, which combines flowers and greenery with art exhibitions.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by XPLR Nashville (@xplr.nash)

During the winter, from December to March, there are virtually no crowds in the city. Although few attractions close over the winter months, you’ll have top Nashville experiences like tours at the Ryman Auditorium and Country Music Hall of Fame pretty much to yourself. Visiting during the Christmas season is, of course, its own experience: lights, Nutcracker performances, gingerbread workshops are some of the added bonuses of visiting Nashville during the festive season.

The post Why Fall is the Best Season to Visit Nashville appeared first on Traveler Dreams.

Located on Highway TN-55 just outside of the center of the small town, the Jack Daniel’s Distillery was founded in 1875 and still stands to this day on the same spot where it was originally built.

Using water sourced from a spring that comes from a small cave made of limestone rock, this distillery has found the perfect liquid ingredient to make its whiskey delicious since it contains hardly any iron, a mineral that can make whiskey taste bad.

Inside the distillery, you will learn about the history of the distillery as well as the whiskey-making process that has remained largely unchanged over the past nearly 150 years.

Tour guides take you through the production areas where corn, rye, and malted barley are used to create this magical beverage, which is distilled in copper stills before being filtered through maple charcoal.

You’ll also be able to see the impressive collection of whiskey barrels which hold hundreds of thousands of gallons of the stuff at any given time at this Tennessee treasure.

Be sure to make time to visit this fascinating place the next time you find yourself on vacation in the Volunteer State!

The post Tour the Jack Daniel’s Distillery in Lynchburg, Tennessee! appeared first on Traveler Dreams.

Lost Sea (Sweetwater)

Just off of I-75 between Chattanooga and Knoxville is the Lost Sea, a complex of caverns that features the world’s second-largest non-glacial subterranean lake. You will have to descend 140 feet underground in order to see this impressive natural formation, which stays at 58 degrees F (14 C) all year round.

Ruby Falls (Chattanooga)

Although the city of Chattanooga is worth visiting in and of itself, Ruby Falls is located in close proximity to I-24 just outside of the city and is very much worth a stop. This 143-foot tall waterfall cascades down from Lookout Mountain and is lit up with colorful lights at night. 

Rugby

Did you know that English settlers tried to set up a Victorian-style utopian colony in rural east-central Tennessee in the late 1800s? They did, and while it ultimately did not succeed, the vestiges of this town can still be visited in the preserved town of Rugby on Highway 52, accessible both from I-75 and I-40.

The post Check Out Tennessee’s Most Unique Roadside Attractions appeared first on Traveler Dreams.

If you’re looking to experience the best of the tailgate scene in the United States, you should visit these three college campuses.

Ole Miss

“The Grove” is the name of the area where Ole Miss fans set up some of the most extravagant and fun tailgating in the country. Thousands of red and blue clad fans join in this tree-lined space to grill, drink, and sing songs about their beloved team in a raucous, fun environment. As a common Ole Miss saying goes, “We may not win every game, but we’ve never lost a party.”

Ohio State

Ohio State is one of the largest universities in the world and has one of the US’s most successful football teams. Its tailgating scene is large and expansive with the star treat on many families’ menus being the “Buckeye,” a chocolate and peanut butter dessert snack that’s rich and tasty.

Tennessee

Tennessee is one of the few places in the country where “sailgating” is possible. Neyland Stadium’s location on the Tennessee River in the heart of Knoxville means that boats full of Volunteer fans park on the river bank and host elaborate food and drink-filled celebrations before Tennessee games.

The post America’s Best College Football Tailgating Scenes appeared first on Traveler Dreams.

College athletics are all about passion, and if you want to check out a stadium for yourself, here are four passionate and loud stadiums that I recommend visiting.

Tiger Stadium (Baton Rouge, Louisiana)

The home stadium of the LSU Tigers is known for having some of the most electric crowds on the planet. Most games are hosted at night. Believe it or not, a seismograph at a university laboratory near the stadium once recorded a false earthquake due to the crowd noise during a game!

Autzen Stadium (Eugene, Oregon)

Located in the tranquil Pacific Northwest, the home stadium of the Oregon Ducks is anything but calm. Holding only 54,000 spectators, this stadium’s unique sunken bowl design traps in crowd noise that is simply overpowering for opposing teams.

Neyland Stadium (Knoxville, Tennessee)

Neyland Stadium hosts the University of Tennessee Volunteers and offers one of the most unique gameday experiences in college football. Many of the stadium’s 102,455 fans arrive at the stadium by boat on the Tennessee River and host pre-game parties on their vessels!

Ohio Stadium (Columbus, Ohio)

The Ohio State Buckeyes’ stadium is one of the biggest in the country, hosting 104,944 spectators. Buckeye fans are some of the most rabid in the country, and they go absolutely wild every time their team scores a touchdown.

The post Four College Football Stadiums You Must Experience appeared first on Traveler Dreams.

“The Dragon,” a slice of US Highway 129, is a curvy stretch of road in the Appalachian Mountains which offers up a real thrill to car- and motorcycle-lovers. This 11-mile, or 18-kilometer, stretch of road has over 300 curves and is perfect for anyone looking to challenge their driving acumen.

Any given weekend during the spring, summer, and fall months of the year features thousands of motorcyclists and drivers who take to the mountains to experience a truly unique stretch of asphalt.

Not only is this road extreme, but it also features some of the best views of the Smoky Mountains that you’ll find in the region. At the top of “The Dragon” after crossing the border into North Carolina, a beautiful lookout awaits drivers who know where to stop.

So, if you are in the Smoky Mountains region and want to spend an afternoon taking a truly unforgettable trip, “The Dragon” is a perfect option for you.

The post “The Dragon” is One of America’s Most Thrilling Roads appeared first on Traveler Dreams.

If you’re looking to plan a camping trip in the Volunteer State, here are some spots that you should keep in mind!

Big South Fork

Big South Fork National Recreation Area, on the northern border of Tennessee with the state of Kentucky, is one of the top camping sites in the state. Here, you’ll find a river that offers kayaking and rafting opportunities as well as a wealth of hiking and biking trails to explore the wilderness.

Fall Creek Falls

Did you know that the highest waterfall east of the Mississippi River in the United States is in Tennessee? It’s located here, at Fall Creek Falls State Park in east-central Tennessee. Not only can you check out this beautiful cascade, but you can also enjoy a ropes course and cave exploring here.

Cades Cove

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park in east Tennessee is the most frequently visited national park in the country, and its best spot for camping is in the calm and pristine meadows of Cades Cove. You might even spot a family of black bears while hiking on one of its many smooth trails!

The post Love Camping? Don’t Miss These Spots in Tennessee appeared first on Traveler Dreams.

Are you pressed for time or looking to just see the best of the best of this magical park? Here are three spots that you should definitely add to your list.

Cades Cove

Cades Cove is possibly the most scenic and spectacular spot of the park, where a small, isolated valley is tucked in between the tall peaks of the mountain range. Here, you can find many animals such as deer and black bears ambling along the grassy meadows and small streams of this verdant paradise.

Laurel Falls

Laurel Falls is an eighty foot-tall cascade that is accessible by an easy 3-mile hike. Here, you can observe as the mountain water cascades down into a pool, where you can get in to cool off after your trek to the falls.

Chimney Tops

Chimney Tops is one of the more unique mountains in the park, where a metamorphic rock capstone juts out from the rest of the mountain to create a peak at nearly 5,000 feet. One of the few bare knobs in the park, more experienced climbers can make the trek to the top to see an impressive panoramic view.

The post You Must Visit These Spots in Great Smoky Mountains National Park appeared first on Traveler Dreams.

Thousands of visitors travel to Lynchburg every year to visit the distillery and its museum in order to learn more about the production of the drink and to try it for themselves.

Jack Daniel’s Hollow, the valley location where the whiskey is made, is specifically conducive to the production of this beverage due to the mountain spring which comes from a limestone cave and is used for the production of the whiskey. It has the perfect mineral composition to make the whiskey taste absolutely delicious.

So, it’s obvious that the only place where this whiskey can be made is in this small Tennessee town. Did you know, though, that there is an ironic secret about this place?

Moore County, where the town of Lynchburg is located, is a dry county. This means that the county does not allow the sale of alcohol in its restaurants or shops! The only place in the county, in fact, where you can buy alcohol is the distillery, where small commemorative bottles are available for purchase.

Isn’t that interesting?

The post This Tennessee Whiskey Distillery Has a Curious Secret appeared first on Traveler Dreams.