TENNESSEE - The year 2008 brings several major additions to the tourism industry and a few historical milestones. Yearlong activities and events will commemorate the 40^th anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King. Special museum exhibits at the National Civil Rights Museum will celebrate Dr. King’s life, legacy and his profound effect on the world. Also in 2008, the city of Greeneville will remember the life of the 17^th President of the United States for Andrew Johnson’s 200^th birthday. This is an exciting time for new exhibits, attractions, hotels, restaurants and experiences in Tennessee.

Below, is a brief example of the What’s New in 2008 listings. Look for more great listings to come:

East Tennessee:

The $110 million Belle Island Village project is set to open in the fall with 126 hotel rooms, 95 retail locations, four major restaurants, and attractions such as the Debbie Reynolds Hollywood Motion Picture Museum and the Darrell Waltrip Racing Experience.

The Old Trade Mill built from an 1800’s local gristmill, opens in January 2008. Trade is the oldest community in Tennessee.

Middle Tennessee:

The Frist Center for the Visual Arts, in Nashville, will feature the works of Aaron Douglas a leading artist of the Harlem Renaissance (Jan. 18, 2008 – April 13, 2008). From Feb. 15 – June 1, the museum will feature works from Cezanne, Dali, Degas, Gauguin and Renoir.

Stay Down on the Farm features a three-bedroom red farmhouse furnished with antiques and miles of walking rails and a catfish pond in Cottontown.

West Tennessee:

Opening in 2008, the Bemis Mill Village Museum, located in the historic and restored Bemis Theater/Auditorium, contains exhibits and memorabilia portraying the story of Bemis, Tenn.

The Collierville Train Museum features a 2-8-2 Frisco Steam Locomotive, a Southern caboose and a former business car from the Seaboard Railroad. The museum brings back to life the 1940s passenger train, The Tennessean.

This is only a partial list so keep watching for more listings and updates as the year progresses.

Make plans for 2008 to be the year to make great memories with those you care about most.

TENNESSEE STATE PARKS NAMED BEST IN NATION

(NASHVILLE) - Every two years the National Recreation and Park Association selects a state park system to receive the prestigious Gold Medal Award for Excellence in Park and Recreation Management, the highest honor a park system can receive within the industry. On Sept. 26, Tennessee State Parks was named Gold Medal Winner for 2007 at the National Recreation and Park Association Congress in Indianapolis.

Tennessee had been a finalist for this award previously, but had never won. The state parks of Georgia, Tennessee and Utah were finalists for the Gold Medal Award.

Winners are determined by a panel of parks and recreation professionals that evaluate application materials with an emphasis on long-range planning, resource management, citizen support systems, environmental stewardship, program and professional development, and agency recognition.

Key accomplishments of Tennessee State Parks since 2003 identified by judges include: reopening 14 parks that had been previously closed; removing restrictive access fees from the 23 state parks that had instituted them; acquiring park adjacent properties with exceptional conservation value; partnering with the Nature Conservancy and conservation-minded timber companies to protect 124,000 acres on the Northern Cumberland Plateau; working with community organizations and other partners to open the first Boundless Playground in a U.S. state park at Warriors' Path State Park; and purchasing renewable "green power" in all state parks where it is available.

Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation Commissioner Jim Fyke was at the NRPA Congress to receive this recognition. “I am extremely proud of the parks professionals and staff at Tennessee State Parks,” said Commissioner Fyke. "This tremendous accomplishment is a tribute to their dedication, expertise and commitment. It took an outstanding team effort, from the support of Governor Phil Bredesen to every park ranger and staff member in the field, to create the kind of progress that merits this honor.”

Tennessee State Parks is celebrating its 70th Anniversary in 2007 at each of its 54 locations and 77 State Natural Areas. From the Appalachian Mountains in the east to the Mississippi River in the west, Tennessee State Parks offer a full range of recreational opportunities and natural experiences for more than 25 million visitors annually.

"From our thousands of miles of hiking trails and unique interpretative programs to our inns and world-class golf courses, Tennessee State Parks amplify the beauty and diversity of our state’s natural scenery,” said Assistant Commissioner Mike Carlton. “I hope this national recognition will encourage people across the United States to come and enjoy our good nature at Tennessee State Parks.”

For more information on Tennessee State Parks visit tnstateparks.com.

To view Tennessee State Parks Grand Award Gold Medal video, visit tnstateparks.com/video/awards2007.wmv.

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NORTHEAST TENNESSEE TOURISM ASSOCIATION LAUNCHES NEW WEB SITE
(JONESBOROUGH)
The Northeast Tennessee Tourism Association (NETTA) launches a redesigned Web site with new interactive features.

Developed by NETTA’s marketing communications agency, The Tombras Group, the new site boasts a redesign that captures the essence of NETTA’s brand: Appalachian history, culture, entertainment and outdoor adventure. In addition to a new design, the site has several new interactive features including online booking, geocaching, podcasting and a search feature for regional events.

"Having a strong online presence, one that lets visitors truly interact with the brand and the area you’re promoting, is a must-have for tourism organizations," said Claudia Moody, NETTA chief executive officer. "Our new site will give visitors the features and tools they need to choose Northeast Tennessee as their vacation destination."

To aid potential tourists in planning their vacations to Northeast Tennessee, the new NETTA Web site includes an online booking engine. This makes NETTA’s web presence truly all-inclusive in planning and securing dates with area accommodations and attractions. Geocaching is a new, outdoor treasure-hunting game in which the participants use a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver or other navigational techniques to hide and seek containers, called geocaches or caches, anywhere in the world. A typical cache is a small waterproof container with a logbook and treasure, usually small trinkets. Over 350,000 geocaches are currently in 222 countries around the world. Northeast Tennessee boasts 10 geocache locations throughout the region, and the Web site has an instruction "how to" video.

Northeast Tennessee is an area of the country that cannot be described with just text and photographs. NETTA is collaborating with the International Storytelling Center and its Teller-in-Residence program to promote the area through podcasting. A podcast is a digital media file that is distributed over the Internet using syndication feeds for playback on portable media players and personal computers. Visitors to the Web site can listen each week to new storyteller interviews and learn more about the people behind the stories.

In another effort to help tourists plan their trips to Northeast Tennessee, the Web site includes a search feature of regional events. In addition to aiding tourists, this feature will also help local residents plan activities.

NETTA, chartered in 1977, is a non-profit tourism promotion agency that serves and supports Carter, Greene, Hancock, Hawkins, Johnson, Sullivan, Unicoi and Washington counties. NETTA also serves as one of eight statewide regional tourism organizations recognized by the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development. NETTA’s mission is to serve as a catalyst to enhance regional, economic, and community growth through the promotion and development of tourism.

For more information, please visit netta.com, or call 423.913.5550.

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Statewide - 2008 offers some great new things to do and see in the 3 States of Tennessee! While there are bound to be more on the way here's a list of the latest and greatest for 2008:

• BYBEE
  Briarwood Ranch Safari Park has opened in Cocke County. View hundreds of animals and more than 35 exotic species during the 4-mile safari. The tour winds through beautiful hills and pastureland in beautiful Bybee, TN. You can feed the animals right from your car. The park is open 365 days a year with group and senior rates available. Call 865.919.5072 for more details.
• CASTALIAN SPRINGS
  The first annual Bledsoe’s Fort Colonial Fair will be held May 3 – 4, 2008 at Bledsoe’s Fort Historical Park. The time period of this event is 1750 – 1790mand features colonial merchants, food and drinks, music, entertainment, period camps, a shooting match with period Flintlocks and much more.
• CHATTANOOGA
  The transformation of the Chattanooga Clarion Hotel to a Doubletree Inn & Suites is expected to reach completion by June 2008. The hotel will be under new management and ownership upon completion. The new hotel will feature 157 first-class rooms, more than 7,000 square feet of meeting space, a full-service restaurant and bar, a dramatically transformed entrance that is more accessible to the downtown attractions and restaurants, and an outside landscaped terrace with a fire pit that is the perfect venue for corporate and social gatherings.
  The city of Chattanooga is planning a $2.8 million upgrade to facilities at Warner Park (scheduled for completion in 2008) and a new $10 million softball complex off Apison Pike (scheduled for completion in 2009). The new complex will be located less than one mile from Interstate 75. According to figures released by the Greater Chattanooga Sports and Events Committee, softball has been one of the major economic impact generators for the community since the Sports Committee’s inception in 1992 (over $50 million in estimated economic impact).
• COLLIERVILLE
  he Collierville Train Museum features a 2-8-2 Frisco Steam Locomotive, a Southern Caboose and a former Business Car from the Seaboard Railroad. Working with the Smithsonian, the Norfolk Southern Railroad and the Southern Railway Historical Society the Museum brings back to life The Tennessean. Visitors board The Tennessean living museum and step back in time to the 1940s where they can experience fine dining aboard this restored passenger train.
• COTTONTOWN
  Stay Down on the Farm features a three-bedroom red farmhouse furnished with antiques and located on a 100-acre farm with miles of walking trails and a catfish pond. It is located just off I-65 North and close to Gallatin, TN.
• FRANKLIN
  The Fleming Center, a brand new visitor’s center, is being built on the grounds of The Carnton Plantation and set to be completed by late Fall of 2008.
• GALLATIN
  Bull Creek Resort is now open. Located on the beautiful Old Hickory Lake, the resort features cabins with spacious decks and lake views, a boat dock, cable TV and more. It is conveniently located to shopping, dining and historic sites.
• GATLINBURG
  Smoky Mountain Tunes & Tales – the summer-long Gatlinburg outdoor entertainment production is expanding in 2008 to take in more of the city as a theatrical stage. More acts, more music, more fun!
  The Gatlinburg Winter Magic lighting program will reach the $1.5 million benchmark in November 2008 with an anticipated investment match by the private sector. All-new LED lighting displays include sections devoted to animals, romance and international goodwill.
• GREENEVILLE
  The Bicentennial of the birth of Andrew Johnson will feature events celebrating the life of the 17^th president of the United States throughout the year 2008.
• JACKSON
  Opening 2008, the Bemis Mill Village Museum, located in the historic and rehabilitated Bemis Theater/Auditorium, contains exhibits and memorabilia portraying the story of Bemis, TN, a cotton mill town forged out of the cotton fields in 1900 by Judson Moss Bemis.
• KINGSPORT
  ETSU and General Shale Brick Natural History Museum and Visitor Center at the Gray Fossil Site opened on Aug. 31, 2007 from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. A visit to the Gray Fossil Site includes the sights, sounds and activities of the Miocene, and a guided tour where you have the opportunity to learn about the era and actually dig for fossils.
• KNOXVILLE
  The Regatta National Championship is coming to Knoxville in May 2008.
  AYSO Soccer competition is bringing their national tournament back to Knoxville in summer 2008. The Holiday Inn Cedar Bluff in West Knoxville is the host hotel and is holding registration for the event.
  Emporium Annex in downtown Knoxville reopened in August of 2007. Built one floor below the true first level of Gay Street, the Annex’s grand opening took place three years after the Emporium Center’s opening in downtown Knoxville and provides an additional 5,000 square feet of classroom, meeting, and rehearsal space. Throughout the coming year, further additions to the Annex will include a security system, security cameras, mirrors and ballet barres in the dance studio, and a board table in the community room.
• MEMPHIS
  The 40^th commemoration of Dr. Martin Luther King’s assassination will be remembered at the National Civil Rights Museum and throughout the city of Memphis with year-long activities. Events and special museum exhibits will celebrate Dr. King’s life and legacy and his profound effect on the world.
• MURFREESBORO
  The Embassy Suites Hotel and Conference Center, the first development of its kind for the city of Murfreesboro, opens in December of 2007. The 10-story, 283-suite Embassy Suites Hotel is adjoined by an 80,000-square-foot conference center. The all-suite, luxury hotel and conference center will be strategically located near SR-840 in the northeast quadrant of I-24. It is adjacent to “The Avenue Murfreesboro,” a brand new lifestyle center featuring one million square feet of restaurant, home furnishings and fashion shopping in an open-air setting.
• NASHVILLE
  Frist Center for the Visual Arts features the work of Aaron Douglas and includes approximately 100 paintings, works on paper and book illustrations from this leading artist of the Harlem Renaissance - January 18-April 13, 2008. From February 15- June 1, 2008, the museum will feature 84 works from late 19th and early 20th century artists such as Cezanne, Dali, Degas, Gauguin, and Renoir.
  Beginning in March, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum will focus on country music’s most iconic family with a major exhibition titled, Family Tradition: The Hank Williams Legacy.
  The Adventure Science Center will open its new, state-of-the-art Sudekum Planetarium in spring of 2008. The planetarium’s dome will be 60 feet across, making it among the largest in the nation.
• OAK RIDGE
  The newest, pet-friendly Oak Ridge hotel, Staybridge Hotel & Suites, features all of the creature comforts you can imagine. It boasts 90 suites with a kitchen in each room, a 6-seat movie theater, an indoor swimming pool, and outdoor putting green, a courtyard with barbecue grills, a free deluxe breakfast buffet and evening Sundowner receptions Tuesday through Thursday.
• PIGEON FORGE
  The $110 million Belle Island Village project is set to open in the fall with 126 hotel rooms, 95 retail locations, four major restaurants and attractions such as the Debbie Reynolds Hollywood Motions Picture Museum and the Darrell Waltrip Racing Experience.
  Dollywood will introduce another new ride, a $5 million water adventure called River Battle. The water resort will add a 35,000 square foot park and 336 hotel rooms in Pigeon Forge.
• SEVIERVILLE
  The Sevierville Events Center at BRIDGEMONT opened in September of 2007. This $65 million, 240,000-square-foot events center has a 224-unit hotel complete with an indoor and outdoor water park.
• BYBEE
  The Smoky Mountain Pottery Festival will be held June 7, 2008 at the Townsend Visitor Center. This juried show will include 30 pottery booths, a children’s tent, wheel-throwing, hand-building demonstrations and a special firing.
• TRADE
  The Old Trade Mill opens January 2008. Located in Trade, the oldest community in Tennessee and an early trading ground for Indians and pioneers, the working mill is built from the remnants of an 1800s local grist mill. It will house a full-time miller to grind corn and grits as well as locally handcrafted items and historical artifacts from the area.

There will be more events that are added through out the year so keep a watchful eye on our 'Calendar of Events' pages. Remember too that our advertisers are good hard working folks that really appreciate your support. Visit our Places to Go pages and our Places to Stay pages for businesses that will work with you to help you have a great Tennessee Adventure ©

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Tennessee Hometown CookbookNew Cookbook Captures Tennessee’s Hometown Cooking

Tennessee Hometown Cookbook
by Sheila Simmons and Kent Whitaker Tennessee native Kent Whitaker (Chattanooga) and co-editor Sheila Simmons have compiled a traditional collection of hometown recipes from across the state. Tennessee Hometown Cookbook is published by Great American Publishers (www.greatamericanpublishers.com; Kosciusko, MS) and is available locally in bookstores and gift shops.

The 240-page cookbook contains more than 300 recipes. In addition to selecting recipes that represent Tennessee’s signature style of cooking, the editors ensured that every recipe is easy to follow. “We pay particular attention to the way the recipes are presented. Ingredients are listed in order of use with instructions that are clear and concise. We focus on good ole home cooking and bring you recipes that can almost always be made right from your pantry."

"Don't expect a lot of difficult, gourmet recipes that require a special trip to the grocery store,” adds Whitaker. “Because these are just down-home recipes like your Momma and her Momma made.” Reading the recipe titles makes this claim obvious when you see favorite dishes like Country Fried Okra, Skillet Spaghetti & Meatballs, Candied Yams, White Beans & Cornbread, Old-Fashioned Strawberry Shortcake, Country Sugar Cream Pie, and Country-Style Honey Cookies.

A new generation of hometown cooks will enjoy updated favorites like Easy Red Velvet Cake, 4-Ingredient Butterscotch Cake, Tortilla Meatloaf, Pineapple Porterhouse & Jumbo Shrimp with Island Butter, and Easy Potato Supreme. While busy cooks that need to plan ahead will discover a full chapter of Crockpot, Casserole, and One-Dish meals. There are crockpot versions for Chicken & Dumplings, Red Beans & Sausage, and Pineapple Chicken & Rice. One-dish skillet meals like Beef & Taters, Skillet Pork Chop Dinner, and Cajun Skillet Shrimp will keep dirty dishes at the minimum.

Those of you who confess to reading your cookbooks like novels, will enjoy the sidebars to be found throughout the book. There is a generous helping of stories about food-related festivals across the state. From the Lauderdale County Tomato Festival in Ripley to the Shady Valley Cranberry Festival from the World's Biggest Fish Fry in Paris to South Pittsburg's National Cornbread Festival there's a celebration to suit every taste.

Tennessee Hometown Cookbook is great for the armchair traveler as well as the perfect addition for any home cook’s library. It is a collection of tried and true recipes that will be enjoyed by Tennessee natives, visitors or anyone who enjoys a good cookbook. With so many recipes for dishes that families have enjoyed over and over again, Tennessee Hometown Cookbook, the first book in the State Hometown Cookbook Series, meets the series’ goal of “saving your recipes for the next generation of hometown cooks.”

Order Yours TODAY!
Tennessee Hometown Cookbook (Hometown Cookbook Series) (Hometown Cookbook Series) (Hometown Cookbook Series)

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Timeshares in Tennessee

Explore Tennessee Every Year
From Nashville's Country Music Hall of Fame and Grand Ole Opry to the Great Smoky Mountains and Blue Ridge region on the state's eastern boarder, you'll never be at a loss for things to do and see in Tennessee. Because there is so much that you won't want to miss in this famous southern state, many vacationers have decided to purchase timeshare in their favorite region so that they'll be able to return again and again.

Save Time and Money

Timeshares are a convenient and budget-friendly way to explore Tennessee year after year. That's because once you own your property outright, timeshares only cost you an annual or biennial maintenance fee. That means that, rather than deal with the ever-fluctuating prices on lodging and hotels, you and your family can vacation for one fixed rate for years to come. And because your timeshare will have been pre-booked long ahead of time, you won't have to waste a single moment of your vacation searching for appropriate accommodations.

Find the Perfect Timeshare for You

There are timeshares for sale peppered all across this state, and it's up to you to determine which is right for you. Consider your vacation lifestyle. Do you like to be in the midst of all the action? Would you like to be a part of an exciting nightlife culture? Or do you prefer to spend your vacation days quietly hiking through the woods or fishing along the banks of a softly flowing river? Once you determine what you want from your timeshare, choosing one will be simple. Whether you'd prefer first-class luxurious accommodations in the center of Nashville or you'd feel most comfortable tucked at the base of the Smoky Mountains, there's a timeshare out there for everyone. Even once you purchase, you will gain access to a vast network of possible exchanges for more flexibility in time and location.

Experiment with Rentals

But perhaps you're still not sure which region holds the most appeal of ownerhsip for you. One great way to determine where in Tennessee you'd like to purchase your vacation property is to rent timeshare. Renting will let you explore the many different regions, cultures and attractions of this large state, without any commitment. You'll find timeshares for rent anywhere they're for sale.

From the glittering city streets of Memphis to the fifty-four protected state parks, Tennessee holds something special for every vacation personality. If you've fallen in love with this vast state and would like to return again and again, timeshares just might be for you.

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Be sure to check out the tennesseetourist.com - Online Bookstore brought to you in association with Amazon.Com.  You can search Amazon.Com's extensive database of titles.  Look for our recommendations for reading all about the 3 States of Tennessee.

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