A week near Hohenwald?

[Ralph Mawyer]

I'm dropping my Elite Ii with Oliver Service the week of 28 August.  I'll have 5-7 days to play TN tourist.

I'll start searching a bit, but any suggestions or welcome as I'll need to book hotels. I could base out of Franklin or Columbia for day trips, but open to any suggestions...or even Hohenwald.

Other than having gone to school in Lebanon at Castle Heights Military Academy and kayaked TN rivers in the past, it's been 40+ years since I've been back in the area.

[Mike and Carol]

We always check to see who is at the Opry or if there are any performances at the Ryman.  There are also music related museums in Nashville.  A trip to the Jack Daniels distillery is interesting.  Mike

[Frank C]

The Carnton House civil war site tour in Franklin is worth a visit if you’re a history fan. 

[Patriot]

We stayed at the Hampton Inn in Columbia a few times and would recommend it as a base.

Patriot🇺🇸

[Ralph Mawyer]

Thought I'd revisit this as my travel date is approaching...fwiw, traveling solo.

The week the Oliver is in for service, I'm essentially doing a four-night mattress run for Marriott nights.  I know I'll visit Lebanon, as I went to school there my senior year, beyond that I'm trying to get a sense of distance for day trips...TN is a bit more compact than Texas.

Without any real objectives, does it make sense to just book four nights in Columbus or Franklin and do day trips into Nashville and surrounding areas, or get more centrally located in Nashville.

Lots of Nashville stuff to see, but also finding other places outside the metro.  I'd book each night a day out, but rates pretty much double if I do that.

This is kinda like building a systems application with no user requirements, but just thought I'd throw it out again to the hive here. 😉

[Bill and Nancy]

When Nancy and I picked up out Olie last October we spent the better part of a day at the Nuclear Museum in Oak Ridge. It was on our way back home but I dont think it was that far away. We found it very interesting

[Rolind]

How about heading north to the bluegrass for Bourbon distillery tours or Louisville. Louisville has great restaurants, Slugger museum, Churchill Downs museum, great breweries and numerous urban distillery tours, Angels Envy, Rabbit Hole,  Old Forrester, Peerless, Evan Williams are all within walking distance of each other downtown. 

[Rivernerd]

On 6/15/2023 at 7:29 AM, Ralph Mawyer said:

open to any suggestions

I am a low-key Civil War buff.  If I had a day or two available in Tennessee, I'd make the drive to the Chicamauga and Chatanooga National Military Park.

[Nancy K.]

If you choose to head south, we loved the Jesse Owens Museum in AL  (we stayed overnight since it is a  Harvest Hosts location) Great film and exhibits, even a long jump pit outdoors that you can try out.  http://jesseowensmemorialpark.com/wordpress1/

[HDRider]

Smokies are great.  Avoid Dolly World, Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg.

 

Nashville is very nice.

 

Tour the Jack Daniel place in Lynchburg.

 

Do the Pea Body in Memphis.  It has some wonderful restaurants.  It has ducks.

[SeaDawg]

Were it me, I'd probably book an airbnb in Franklin.  I love that town. Great restaurants. Cute town, and downtown. 

Short distance to Nashville, and all it has to offer. Avoid the rush hour crush (go early or late to/from Nashville,  and you'll be fine.)

Explore, from there.

You're only there for a week! So much to see.

 My faves in Franklin, 55 south, and Red Pony. Lots to explore in Franklin. So many choices!

 

[SeaDawg]

I see you have (probably) Marriott points. Downtown Nashville Marriott is one of our daughter's favorite hotels. It's beautiful,  newer, and from the photos she has sent me, and I'd never hesitate to stay  (  with points.)  Pricey, otherwise. Walking distance to all the fun.

This one? I'll ask our daughter, if you plan to stay downtown. 

https://www.google.com/travel/hotels/s/2FVQeEQUgFsmxt8K9

 Outside town, not far from the airport,  we like Darfon's restaurant. Haven't been there in several years,,but was consistent,  back in the day. Very close to the airport. Some decent hotels (and others, not so great(; ), nearby. 

Do, at least tour the Gaylord,,with the fantastic gardens, indoors, out by the Opryland. It's really pretty,  anybtime if the year. (Christmas is spectacular) you don't have to stay. You can wander. Have breakfast or lunch, if you wish.

[ADKCamper]

We have stayed at the Hampton Inn in Franklin a couple of times when visiting Hohenwald, and it worked out well for us...

Local tourist attractions are very personal choices. We have enjoyed the following:

• Cascade Hollow Distilling Co (home of George Dickel Tennessee Whisky). Small outfit, a little different from the Bourbon Distilleries in KY (have also toured several of those). Tasting afterwards. Tour guide was great 🙂
• Kentucky Cooperage (ISC) tour, Lebanon KY - barrel making. Note the time zone change when driving there from Franklin.
• Mammoth Cave NP (as a day trip out of Franklin.)
• Nashville (Broadway) - we just did our own walking tour up & down Broadway, nice lunch with live music in one of the honky tonks (Rippy's in our case)
• Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum - Nashville, just off Broadway
• "Historic RCA Studio B" tour (runs out of the Country Music Hall of Fame... kind of run down, but interesting if you're an avid Elvis fan or interested in country music history
• National Corvette Museum (this is where the sink hole opened up & damaged several corvettes back in 2014
• Natchez Trace - historic/peaceful/scenic drive as far as you want to go. There's also a few historic buildings with interpretive signs near the Meriwether Lewis Campground. You can walk on a section of the original Natchez Trace

[Ralph Mawyer]

17 hours ago, Rolind said:

How about heading north to the bluegrass for Bourbon distillery tours or Louisville. Louisville has great restaurants, Slugger museum, Churchill Downs museum, great breweries and numerous urban distillery tours, Angels Envy, Rabbit Hole,  Old Forrester, Peerless, Evan Williams are all within walking distance of each other downtown. 

My brothers would be in heaven. I don’t drink. 🙂.  Though do find the mechanics of distilleries interesting. 

[Ralph Mawyer]

Thanks everyone. The list of places is overwhelming, but reflects the history and density of the area. Will be a good scouting trip for future travels in any case. 
 

Franklin as a base camp is looking appealing. 
 

 

[ScubaRx]

On 7/26/2023 at 4:33 PM, Rolind said:

How about heading north to the bluegrass for Bourbon distillery tours or Louisville. Louisville has great restaurants, Slugger museum, Churchill Downs museum, great breweries and numerous urban distillery tours, Angels Envy, Rabbit Hole,  Old Forrester, Peerless, Evan Williams are all within walking distance of each other downtown. 

I'm surprised you left out Jack Daniels in Lynchburg, TN. After all, it is the most interesting and the oldest registered distillery in America. Just don't expect to drink there. Lynchburg is in a dry county.

[Mark Patricia]

Fall creek falls is a nice state park. Rugby is a interesting small town