traveling thru TN …? (Memphis, Knoxville: for sale, hotel, home)

[slalemand]

Hello folks. We will be traveling thru TN in earlier October, first from Memphis area to Nashville, then maybe Knoxville or up to Louisville, KY.

My wife is hoping to get some yarn, material shopping in, any thoughts.

Are there any museums covering these hobbies (knitting and quilting)?

Any must see stops?

- Candy Stores
- Unique General Stores
- Places that sell Wink or Squirt Soda?
- Nice home style roadside restaurants?
- Gardens, Museums, Attractions

I know this is somewhat of a loaded question, but your thoughts in general will help.

This is part of a trip from Maine to Branson, MO, down to LA, back via AR, TN, KT, PA …


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[BirdieBelle]

I can't answer all your questions, but the best quilt museum is in Paducah, KY.

The National Quilt Museum

[slalemand]

Originally Posted by Wmsn4Life

I can't answer all your questions, but the best quilt museum is in Paducah, KY.

The National Quilt Museum

Thank you very much. VERY helpful.

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[DubbleT]

Explore the Appalachian Quilt Trail. Not just pretty barn quilts. Plan your vacation trip through Appalachia on VacationAQT.com - Appalachian Quilt Trail
This is a few hours east of Knoxville, but maybe your wife would find it worthwhile to take a little extra time to check this area out.

A. Schwab Dry Goods Store - Tennessee Vacation
A Schwabs is a fun must see dry gods store on Beale St if they are still open. I heard it was up for sale. Maybe someone else here will have some up to date info on that, or you could try to contact them first?

MudIslandRiverwalk.jpg (http://www.msrivertn.org/images/MudIslandRiverwalk.jpg - broken link)
The river walk is a unique attraction, fun to do if the weather is nice.

Welcome To Dinstuhl's Fine Candy Company, Inc.
THE PEANUT SHOPPE - Established in Memphis since 1959
To me candy in Memphis means Dinstuhls on Poplar and the Peanut Shoppe on Summer..

Product Locator - Dr Pepper Snapple Group (http://www.drpeppersnapplegroup.com/about/consumer-relations/productlocator/ - broken link)
Squirt should be fairly easy to find in most of TN.

[Ginsaw]

Dinstuhl's is number one in candy. I agree on that. I personally recommend the dark chocolate covered candied orange slices. Try the store in Laurelwood off Poplar in East Memphis.

I also agree on the Peanut Shoppe on Summer. I get either 2 oz of best mixed nuts or 2 oz of jumbo cashews. It adjoins a Baskin-Robbins. Also in that area is Jerry's Sno-Cones, a real favorite spot for locals. They have pretty good food too. Try the Philly Cheese Steak sandwich. Another fun place IMO is the Port Restaurant. It's on President's Island and if you like seeing big industry at work, then that's the spot.

Now, I think you mentioned going thru Arkansas and Branson to Louisiana? If so, you really want to try Hot Springs, Arkansas. There is much to see there and it's not far out of your way.

On the quilts, there's a shop in HS across from the Arlington Hotel where we've bought several nice pieces. There's also a very popular and quaint cafe whose specialty is breakfasts. And, if you're interested, the racing season is on now at Oaklawn. I recommend the first weekend in April for that. You don't have to bet on the ponies. You can go just for the food. You will not find a better Rueben sandwich. You also have a national forest that backs up to the hotel, the various lakes, mountains, observation tower, pretty scenery and on and on.

For the quilts, take a look at this - Home - Hot Springs Area Quilt Guild

Btw, there're lots of roadside family style eating places in the Memphis area, but most of it's chain restaurants. Cracker Barrel for instance is a good one. For something out of the way, try Helen's BBQ in Brownsville (IMO the best in the Mid-South) or Bozo's BBQ in Mason on Hy 70. If you like catfish, I personally think Catfish Cabin is the best of that genre. It's on Airways near the Airport. And don't forget Lambert's off I-55 North if you're in that area. Another area spot with quaint, down-home good food and great scenery is Reelfoot Lake. You can get there from AR/MO via the bridge at Dyersburg. Try Boyette's or Bluebank for the catfish. They may or may not still have lake-caught fresh crappie too.

And in Collierville, I recommend the Silver Caboose restaurant. For lunch downtown, I'd try the Little Tea Shop. In Memphis up-scale dining, I'd try Paulette's in Overton Square, Owen-Brennans in East Memphis and Mimi's Italian Restaurant at Hy 70 and Appling. There are many, many other choices along those lines, but I'm narrowing it down to my top picks in four widely divergent parts of town. They each offer a different take on eating out.

There's much to see in the outlying areas, So enjoy..

For museums and galleries, try the Pink Palace museum, the Brooks art museum in Overton Park, Shelby Farms, the ornamental metal museum and http://www.dixon.org/

[slalemand]

[quote=DubbleT;18247093]Explore the Appalachian Quilt Trail. Not just pretty barn quilts. Plan your vacation trip through Appalachia on VacationAQT.com - Appalachian Quilt Trail
This is a few hours east of Knoxville, but maybe your wife would find it worthwhile to take a little extra time to check this area out.


ALL outstanding ideas … Thank you very much!

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[slalemand]

City-Data is a wonderful site, filled with wonderful, helpful people. Thank you all.

Up-Date: Ok, here is the current route we'll be taking, and doing so the first two weeks in October.

First week should find us traveling #44 through MO, down to Branson. From there over to Bentonville, KY area and 540, which comes up as one of the top 10 scenic drives in the country?

From there #40 over to Memphis, TN., with stops in-between (not sure yet what folks will recommend)

Likely on our second week by now, from Memphis, to Nashville, to Bowling Green, to ? Here's where we might stray a bit more then we should

Do we take 65 to 71, 70 into PA, or do we back track and drive along the Smoky Mountains and into PA that way - #81, to Lancaster, PA?

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[nashvols]

Personally I would take 81 through East Tennessee and Virginia. It's a beautiful area with a lot of possible scenic detours. You might consider taking 40 into North Carolina and then taking the Blue Ridge Parkway into Virginia. Definitely one of the most beautiful drives in America.

[slalemand]

Originally Posted by nashvols

Personally I would take 81 through East Tennessee and Virginia. It's a beautiful area with a lot of possible scenic detours. You might consider taking 40 into North Carolina and then taking the Blue Ridge Parkway into Virginia. Definitely one of the most beautiful drives in America.

I couldn't agree more with your statement about the Blue Ridge / Skyline Drives. I've done them several times and have enjoyed them each and every time.

We're hoping to take a different route this time, so #80 might be a good consideration. I took 80 once before, but my wife hasn't been on the lower part, so she might like that.

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