What to do around Paris Landing? (Jackson, Union City: home, camping, income)

[kygman]

My wife found a package deal to stay at Paris Landing State Park in western Tennessee. It's not a bad deal, with meals included. What we are wondering, besides going swimming in Ky. lake and things in the park, what is there to do? We're looking cheap. lol I know the LBL is close but we've been over just about all of it, looking for old graveyards and just sightseeing. She, being a big history buff plus a LOT of geneology, wants to make the 2 1/2 hr. drive to Shiloh Battlefield.
She asked what I wanted to do. We're taking this trip on her commision she made during the income tax season. I told her this was her money she worked hard to earn and this was her trip. Wherever she wanted to go, all she has to do it tell the driver...me!
Any suggestions?

[BirdieBelle]

Nearby Fort Donelson and Fort Henry are GREAT destinations for history buffs.

Shiloh is well worth the trip.

The restaurant at the Paris Landing state park convention center has a delicious buffet with home-cooked food served by local ladies.

Enjoy your trip!

[Ginsaw]

If you haven't already seen most of W TN, I'd visit Reelfoot Lake in the northwest corner of the state. Good places to eat and spend the night and the whole lake has an interesting history behind it (also not a bad time to get you a guide and go crappie fishing). I'd also plan a drive further south with a stop in Union City. There's a fascinating place there called Dixie Gun Works. They build muzzleloaders, but actually it's more of a museum with Civil War pieces and old, old muskets and the like and even old automobiles. Then I'd do Shiloh and especially see their bookstore. I found a regimental history there of the unit an ancestor was in. Look over Pickwick Lake and the TVA dam. Using the info on the Shiloh battle you've found, take Shiloh Highway into Corinth and follow the route of retreat of the CSA back from the battle. There's the civil war site called Battery Robinette you can see, and I'd look at the old train station (where the Southern RR crossed the GM&O). Control of that railroad was a big deal in the civil war. And Corinth itself is just a real pretty little town (I once lived there). Then keep on south all the way to the space center and museum in Huntsville AL. That SHOULD make for a right interesting little trip considering your wife's historical interests. Enjoy.

[the_commuter]

If you have a few spare minutes and a few spare dollars and you like candy (who doesn't?), then I would suggest a trip into Paris to visit Sally Lane Candy Farm. As a kid growing up in Jackson, I always looked forward to our once or twice a year visit to Paris. Technically, we went to visit relatives -- but our stops at the candy shop were really the highlights of our trips!

[kygman]

I think the boss has decided she wants to go camping. She's been chomping at the bit to camp for a while so it looks like we're going to Kenlake State Resort Park here in Kentucky. Camping aint bad for $12/night! lol Still going to head down the Trace and go to Donelson and around the area down there one day. Thanks for the good suggestions. We may still head south one of these days.

[kygman]

Ginsaw, I know all about Reelfoot. Haven't been there in years but have been down there. Have a funny story about fishing at Reelfoot Lake. Back in the 60s, my aunt and uncle were invited to go fishing at Reelfoot Lake. They're not real big on fishing but their friends made it sound good. They took off in two boats, my aunt and uncle and one friend in one boat and the other friend in another boat. Uncle said they took them out in what seemed like the middle of nowhere with nothing but stumps. The "friend" in their boat pulled up to a stump, tied it up to said stump, climbed over in the other boat, said good luck, and they were gone! There was a bucket of minnows and two fishing poles in the boat and they had no idea how to get that minnow on the hook! After some experimenting he (she wasn't touching them!) got a minnow to stay on their hook. but they never caught a thing! They sat out there for almost 4 hours, not catching anything, before somebody came by to see if they needed any help. They climbed in his boat, leaving the other one, with the fishing poles, tied to the stump and told the man to take them back to the boat dock. They were on the way home in no time! Didn't hear anything from their fishing "friends" for a couple weeks. lol

[Hawk J]

Crappie fishin' is lots o FUN. After 5 to 6 years they git to be around 16" or so.

y'all have a Wonderful Adventure...

[Memphis1979]

Originally Posted by Ginsaw

If you haven't already seen most of W TN, I'd visit Reelfoot Lake in the northwest corner of the state. Good places to eat and spend the night and the whole lake has an interesting history behind it (also not a bad time to get you a guide and go crappie fishing). I'd also plan a drive further south with a stop in Union City. There's a fascinating place there called Dixie Gun Works. They build muzzleloaders, but actually it's more of a museum with Civil War pieces and old, old muskets and the like and even old automobiles. Then I'd do Shiloh and especially see their bookstore. I found a regimental history there of the unit an ancestor was in. Look over Pickwick Lake and the TVA dam. Using the info on the Shiloh battle you've found, take Shiloh Highway into Corinth and follow the route of retreat of the CSA back from the battle. There's the civil war site called Battery Robinette you can see, and I'd look at the old train station (where the Southern RR crossed the GM&O). Control of that railroad was a big deal in the civil war. And Corinth itself is just a real pretty little town (I once lived there). Then keep on south all the way to the space center and museum in Huntsville AL. That SHOULD make for a right interesting little trip considering your wife's historical interests. Enjoy.

As much as I'd like to second the Union City and Reelfoot recommendations, there isn't nearly as much to do in those places now, as it was 10 or 20 years ago. Reelfoot lost a lot of its resorts and restaurants. Bluebank, and a few others are still there, but not the many that there were even just a few years ago. Reelfoot is a shallow lake, deepest parts are 20 foot deep, but most of its 5 or 6 if you're lucky. I grew up on Reelfoot going through all of the sloughs and back ways, but the lake has dropped feet off of its former high water marks, just not the same.

About the Same for Union City. As I tell my freinds from that area, when I go home its like driving back to 1991, and the town just stopped from there. Everyone keeps hoping the new interstate will bring jobs, but they ceased work on that due to running short of money.

North West Tennessee is a great place if you want to get away from civilization, but its not exactly a hotbed of tourism for the state anymore.