Nashville

[AquamarineSteph]

Chattanooga is far more fun in the warmer months, but it's a lovely town with some great things for tourists to do. I love Rock City and Ruby Falls, but Ruby Falls used to have a lot of stairs as I recall. (I don't know if there is an elevator there, but I thought I'd mention it just in case stairs are a consideration for anyone in your group.) You can also buy a ticket which is good for both attractions as well as another ticket that also includes the incline railroad. As far as places to stay, you can sleep in the train cars at the Chattanooga Choo Choo Hotel which is fun, but again - this is far more fun in the warmer months. If the hotel interests you, please note that you have to specifically book the train cars. They also have regular hotel rooms in a normal looking building.

Atlanta has far more things to do but might take more planning just to maximize your time there. I liked the Coca Cola Museum and the Puppetry Museum, although that one is a very small attraction and probably only interesting if you like puppets, Muppets and the like.

 

[tarheelmjfan]

Chattanooga is far more fun in the warmer months, but it's a lovely town with some great things for tourists to do. I love Rock City and Ruby Falls, but Ruby Falls used to have a lot of stairs as I recall. (I don't know if there is an elevator there, but I thought I'd mention it just in case stairs are a consideration for anyone in your group.) You can also buy a ticket which is good for both attractions as well as another ticket that also includes the incline railroad. As far as places to stay, you can sleep in the train cars at the Chattanooga Choo Choo Hotel which is fun, but again - this is far more fun in the warmer months. If the hotel interests you, please note that you have to specifically book the train cars. They also have regular hotel rooms in a normal looking building.

Atlanta has far more things to do but might take more planning just to maximize your time there. I liked the Coca Cola Museum and the Puppetry Museum, although that one is a very small attraction and probably only interesting if you like puppets, Muppets and the like.

Hmmm....... maybe we should plan to spend 2 nights in Atlanta & save Chattanooga for a summer trip. Spending a night in each city wouldn't give us time to see much of anything anyway. Speaking of the train, we visited Chattanooga many years ago. They had the train hotel at that time. DH had said he wanted to stay in a train car, if we stopped there this trip. Since that's better in summer, it really makes more sense for us to wait for warmer weather to do that. Thanks for heads-up on the cold weather situation. I really appreciate it.

 

[moniqueand2]

I know you are checking online for your Mammoth Cave tours and likely know this but be sure to buy your tickets in advance.

 

[tarheelmjfan]

I know you are checking online for your Mammoth Cave tours and likely know this but be sure to buy your tickets in advance.

Actually, I didn't know we needed to purchase tickets in advance. Thanks for the warning. I'll make sure to order them, before our trip. How far out from our trip should I plan to order them?

 

[moniqueand2]

I'm not sure if December is a popular time or not so I'd keep checking online and see if any of the tours seem to be selling out. Looks like the winter schedule starts October 30th. So maybe take a look on November 1st. Think how the tour times will fit into your plans. At the very least buying in advance you beat any lines and get your pick of preferred times.

 

[tarheelmjfan]

I'm not sure if December is a popular time or not so I'd keep checking online and see if any of the tours seem to be selling out. Looks like the winter schedule starts October 30th. So maybe take a look on November 1st. Think how the tour times will fit into your plans. At the very least buying in advance you beat any lines and get your pick of preferred times.

Thanks

 

[tarheelmjfan]

Hey all, I've run into a potential kink in our plans. I've looked at a few restaurants & attractions that we planned to eat at/see on New Year's Day. Unfortunately, I've discovered that most of them are closed that day. I could move stuff around, if I can find enough attractions & restaurants open on the 1st. Will there be enough open to fill the day? How about the honky tonks? Will they all be open that night? Should we plan to check out on the 1st rather than the 2nd?

 

[mandy200587]

Honky Tonks very seldom ever close in this town, we can have a foot of snow and they have been open.

 

[tarheelmjfan]

Honky Tonks very seldom ever close in this town, we can have a foot of snow and they have been open.

Good to know about the Honky Tonks. Any idea about attractions & downtown restaurants?

 

[mandy200587]

Hall of fame should be open

 

[tarheelmjfan]

Hall of fame should be open

Thanks

 

[mandy200587]

Thanks

Welcome! According to their site they are only closed: Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Day.

 

[Twilight Sparkle]

I thought of another side trip near Memphis that your son might like. Less than two hours to the south of Memphis is the Crossroads (Hwys 49 and 61 in Clarksdale, MS) related to the legendary Robert Johnson's music. Here's a link to a unique place to stay near there in Merigold:

http://www.shackupinn.com/ourstory

If shacks and cotton gins aren't your idea of comfort, you might look at this instead:

http://clarkhouse.info/

 

[tarheelmjfan]

I thought of another side trip near Memphis that your son might like. Less than two hours to the south of Memphis is the Crossroads (Hwys 49 and 61 in Clarksdale, MS) related to the legendary Robert Johnson's music. Here's a link to a unique place to stay near there in Merigold:

http://www.shackupinn.com/ourstory

If shacks and cotton gins aren't your idea of comfort, you might look at this instead:

http://clarkhouse.info/

Thanks a bunch. I'll check it out.

I've been really sick for a week & a half. Short spans of mindless browsing is about the only thing I've felt like doing on the computer. Now that I'm starting to feel halfway decent, I can get back to vacation planning.

 

[Twilight Sparkle]

Thanks a bunch. I'll check it out.

I've been really sick for a week & a half. Short spans of mindless browsing is about the only thing I've felt like doing on the computer. Now that I'm starting to feel halfway decent, I can get back to vacation planning.

I hope you feel better soon!

 

[tarheelmjfan]

I hope you feel better soon!

Thanks. I already feel better. It was a painful, bizarre week & a half.

 

[asta]

Just announced that the big New Years Eve concert headliner is Keith Urban along with Styx, Moon Taxi and others.

http://www.tennessean.com/story/ent...line-nashvilles-new-years-eve-party/91541284/

http://www.visitmusiccity.com/newyearseve

 

[tarheelmjfan]

Just announced that the big New Years Eve concert headliner is Keith Urban along with Styx, Moon Taxi and others.

http://www.tennessean.com/story/ent...line-nashvilles-new-years-eve-party/91541284/

http://www.visitmusiccity.com/newyearseve

Thanks a bunch. I'll pass the info along. DH & I would probably enjoy Styx.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

Nashville is also in good position for the eclipse coming up next august. Not right on the center line but still in the path of totality. You'll get a good eclipse there. Gallatin and Mt. Juliet will get a longer good eclipse. Franklin is not in the path of Totality and Brentwood is not completely in the path.

 

[tarheelmjfan]

Nashville is also in good position for the eclipse coming up next august. Not right on the center line but still in the path of totality. You'll get a good eclipse there. Gallatin and Mt. Juliet will get a longer good eclipse. Franklin is not in the path of Totality and Brentwood is not completely in the path.

Thanks. Something to think about.