Nashville, Tennessee will forever be “Music City USA” to all that know this country music phenomenon. Since the birth of the Grand Ole Opry in 1925, Nashville has come to house all of the Big Four record labels in its Music Row area as well. In fact, Nashville's music industry contributes 19,000 jobs to the Nashville area. Sites like the Country Music Hall of Fame, Ryman Auditorium, and Belcourt theatre all celebrate Nashville’s musical history. Join the Tennessee State University crowd at the honky tonk bars and clubs along Lower Broadway for some fun once the sun goes down. You will also find the Christian pop and rock music industry here, with recording companies EMI and Rocketown Records, along with famed artists like Rebecca St. James, tobyMac, Steven Curtis Chapman and Michael W. Smith. The annual GMA Music Awards are hosted here alongside the CMA Music Festival, a four day country music event to remember. The city offers its residents the highest health care and education as well, as it is home to Hospital Corporation of America and served by the Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools. Looking for an outing? Fort Nashborough is a realistic reconstruction of Nashville’s original settlement open to onlookers. Afterwards, the Tennessee State Museum and the full-scale replica of the Parthenon are within walking distance. You can even stop for a bite to eat and enoy hours of shopping at Nashville’s Opry Mills mega-shopping mall. The city also recently opened the Nashville Zoo—the perfect day trip for children and adults alike. Every September Nashville hosts the Tennessee State Fair at the State Fairgrounds and the whole town joind together to celebrate. With unending entertainment and opportunity, Nashville, Tennessee will bring a smile to anyone’s face.

Tennessee is a beautiful state with a rich history dating back over two hundred years from when it joined first joined the Union. Other than Missouri, it borders more states than any other—eight to be exact! The Tennessee River, one of the main topographical features, divides the state into three sections: East, Middle, and West. In the eastern part are Tennessee’s share of the great Appalachian Mountains—home to the Blue Ridge Parkway, one of the most scenic drives in America—and Clingman’s Dome, the highest elevation in the state at over 6,600 feet. Its lowest point is farthest west, at the Mississippi River which separates it from its neighbor, Mississippi. The Middle section is strewn with green valleys separated by woodland ridges and also contains a large plateau region. It’s in this portion of the state where you’ll find Nashville, the state’s capital, which also happens to be the country music capital of the world. But Nashville has more than just country music—other than Austin, TX, Nashville averages more live music venues than any other US city. The western protion of the state is known as the Great Valley, where the ridges are more subdued and valleys become broader. To the far west of this portion of the state you’ll find Memphis, Tennessee’s most populous city, which is always bustling with energy. For sports, there’s Memphis Grizzlies basketball, Tennessee Titans football, Nashville Predators hockey, and plenty of minor league baseball. And of course, Tennessee is also home to the Jack Daniel’s distillery, Dollywood, and the ever-enticing Graceland, home of the King of Rock himself, Elvis Presley.

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