• See the Smoky Mountains while driving to Tennessee state attractions.smoky mountains and lone tree image by Jorge Moro from Fotolia.com
  
  Tennessee's rich heritage, from the state's involvement in the Civil War to its musical influence, has paved the way to an array of cultural and amusement attractions statewide. Tennessee's Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most visited national park in America, with more than 9 million visitors annually, according to the Tennessee Tourism Department. The state's five National Scenic Byways make driving through Tennessee a memorable experience as well as a cultural one, with Civil War trails and historical landmarks easily accessible from the roadsides.
  
  

Dollywood

• Celebrate the winter holidays at Dollywood, the state's No. 1 paid attraction, according to the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development. Southern Living magazine recommends visiting Dollywood during its two-monthlong holiday festival, Smoky Mountain Christmas. Dolly Parton's Smoky Mountain Christmas festival features millions of holiday lights, more than 20 rides and an array of performances such as 'Twas the Night Before Christmas and and Babes in Toyland musicals. Dolly fans can learn more about her from her relatives at Dolly's Family Reunion. Dollywood is located in Pigeon Forge, 35 miles southeast of Knoxville, at the gateway of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
  
  

Civil War Trails

• Explore Tennessee's Civil War history via statewide war trails, battlefields, national parks and museums. For an educational road trip, consider the Battle of Hartsville Civil War Driving Tour and Memorial Park, the Battle of Parker's Crossroads Self-Guided Driving Tour, the Knoxville Civil War Driving Tour, or the Tullahoma Campaign Civil War Driving Trail. In a Tennessee Home & Farm feature, Carroll Van West, director of the Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area in Murfreesboro and co-chair of the Tennessee Civil War Sesquicentennial Commission, suggests that tourists who want to learn more about the state's major role in the Civil War stop by the Tennessee State Museum in Nashville or the Museum of East Tennessee History in Knoxville. West also recommends visiting Tennessee's Civil War national parks: Chickamauga-Chattanooga, Fort Donelson, Shiloh and Stones River.
  
  

Beale Street

• Memphis' historical Beale Street district is home to three blocks of nightclubs and restaurants where legends such as B.B. King, W.C. Handy, Rufus Thomas, Isaac Hayes and Willie Mitchell have performed. Sip daiquiris at Wet Willie's or mosey over to Blues City Cafe for ribs. Heritage Tours offers a walking tour of W.C. Handy's home at 352 Beale plus Church Park, Handy Park and the Brass Note Walk of Fame. Backbeat Tours offers tours aboard a vintage bus with singing tour guides, as well as walking tours of Beale Street and the surrounding downtown area.