Tennessee

We visited Tennessee in the Summer of 2000, and plan on visiting a few different places in Tennessee, this Summer.  Our kids wanted to see Graceland, and I wanted to see the Opryland Hotel.  We were coming from Oklahoma City, headed to Raleigh, North Carolina, so we made just a couple of stops.   Memphis, to see Graceland, and Nashville KOA, so I could see the Opryland Hotel.

Graceland was very beautiful, as you can see in this picture, but it wasn't a huge, ostentatious mansion.  It was dated, of course, (that is part of what makes it such fun to see, you know the shag carpeting and all), but it looked like a wonderful family home.  We all enjoyed seeing where Elvis had lived, and learning more about him.  I still remember where I was when I found out he had died.  I was at a water-ski camp with my Church in Southern California.  I loved listening to Elvis growing up, and I'm glad my kids were interested in his music.


On to Nashville.
My favorite discovery will surely give me away as a true California girl.  I LOVED watching the fireflies at night.  Wow. Our family thought that watching them was great fun.  The KOA there was filled with fireflies.  It seemed magical.  To those of you who grew up watching fireflies, this probably sounds silly, but to us, it was lots of fun.

Here's a website that tells about the synchronous fireflies at Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

http://www.pigeonforge.com/synchronous_fireflies/index.asp 
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Synchronous Fireflies in Elkmont, June 4-12, 2011

"Synchronous Firefly Information

Every June for about two weeks during the mating season, the fireflies in Great Smoky Mountains National Park begin to flash in unison. Great Smoky Mountains have 14 species of firefly in the park and this phenomenon involves all the male individuals of this one species. They are the only species in America whose individuals can synchronize their flashing light patterns.

Fireflies (also called lightning bugs) are beetles. They take from one to two years to mature from larvae, but will live as adults for only about 21 days. Their light patterns are part of the adulthood mating display. Each species of firefly has characteristic flash pattern that helps its male and female individuals recognize each other. Most species produce a greenish-yellow light; one species has a bluish light. The males fly and flash and the usually stationary females respond with a flash. Peak flashing for synchronous fireflies in the park is normally within a two-week period in mid-June."

The Opryland Hotel

It was gorgeous.  I don't know what it looks like now, because I think it may have been flooded last year.  I hope it is looking as grand as ever.




Here is another attraction that looks interesting for this year's trip.  The boys might like this.
"

You have never seen, heard, or done anything like this before!

Stroll through an 18th century village, explore huge fascinating caverns, then float across America’s largest underground lake!
Find yourself, your friends, your family at the Lost Sea Adventure. It’s an adventure that memories are made of!
America's largest underground lake, located in beautiful Sweetwater, Tennessee."

http://www.thelostsea.com/

Do any of you have some great places you've found while visiting Tennessee?  Thanks for sharing.