A Tourist in My Own State - Tennessee Quiz

Answer: Great Smoky Mountains

There is a 71 mile stretch of the Appalachian Trail that runs through Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and on it, I can visit Clingman's Dome (the highest point in Tennessee and on the whole trail) at 6,625 feet. The park is mostly dense forest, but you can see deer, elk, turkey, raccoons, black bears and other animals. Because of the dense tree cover, the fall colors are amazing! In the spring and summer, the park comes alive with thousands of acres of rhododendron and azalea blooms.

Answer: Pigeon Forge

In addition to shows and rides, Dollywood offers several festivals featuring music and activities from the area. Festivals include Barbeque & Bluegrass in May, the Harvest & Gospel celebration in October and Smoky Mountain Christmas in December.

Answer: Manhattan Project

The Manhattan Project produced the first nuclear weapons during World War II. Nuclear reactors were constructed in Oak Ridge and Hanford for the production of plutonium, with weapon development and construction occurring in Los Alamos. There were more than 30 sites across the U.S., Canada and the United Kingdom involved in the Manhattan Project, but this park covers only three sites.

Manhattan Project National Park is run jointly by the National Park Service and the Department of Energy. The DoE owns and operates all three sites while the NPS provides visitor and interpretive centers and park rangers. This is a new park, officially established in November 2015.

Not all buildings are open to the public. In Oak Ridge, you can see the X10 graphite reactor (where plutonium was produced), parts of the Y12 complex (where uranium was enriched) and the American Museum of Science and Technology.

I've never visited Oak Ridge, and I don't know that I will ever want to. I've driven past it many times, and it always sends a shiver down my spine.

Answer: Chattanooga

Chattanooga is the home to the Chattanooga Choo-Choo, Lookout Mountain, Ruby Falls and Rock City.

Rock City is a 4,100-foot walking trail that showcases beautiful rock formations, caves and lush gardens. The iconic "See Rock City" signs were the brainchild of Garnet Carter. Sign painter Clark Byers travelled the country and painted farmers' barns for them, adding those three words (or something similar, such as "See 7 States from Rock City") and creating instant "billboards" that attracted lots of attention. Soon, the iconic black barn roofs with white letters were seen from Texas to Michigan, and tourists started pouring in. Rock City is considered to be the home of the world's first miniature golf course.

My favorite spot in Chattanooga is Point Park, atop Lookout Mountain. This is the site of the Civil War "Battle Above the Clouds". They've set up gates now and don't open until later in the morning, but I used to love to visit this park at sunup. The whole area would be blanketed in a soft haze, and you could almost feel the ghosts of the soldiers who'd fought there.

Answer: Jack Daniel's

The Jack Daniel's Distillery is the oldest registered distillery in the U.S., having been established in 1866. Ironically, Moore County, the home of the town of Lynchburg, is a "dry" county, meaning you can't purchase or consume liquor there. Rest assured, though, there are tasting tours of the distillery, so there is the opportunity to at least have a sip of this nectar. You can also purchase a commemorative bottle to take with you.

If you find yourself in the area, take the distillery tour. It's a fascinating look at the making of an iconic brand. After your tour, stop in at Miss Mary Bobo's Boarding House for a delicious Southern meal, served family style.

Answer: Andrew Jackson

Jackson and his wife, Rachel Donelson Jackson, began construction on the brick, Federal style home in 1819 and lived there together until her death in 1828. Rachel never made it to the White House, as President Jackson assumed the office in 1829.

Jackson returned to The Hermitage in 1837 after serving his second term as president. For as long as his health allowed, he visited Rachel's grave daily. Upon his death on June 8, 1845, Andrew Jackson was buried alongside his beloved Rachel in the garden of their home.

The Hermitage is considered by many historians to be the best preserved early U.S. president's home, and the house and gardens are a must-see if you are in or around Nashville.

Answer: Grand Ole Opry

On November 28, 1925, "WSM Barn Dance" hit the airwaves for the first time. It acquired the name "Grand Ole Opry" in 1927. The Opry has made its home at six different locations since its inception, with the most familiar locations being The Ryman Auditorium in downtown Nashville and the Grand Ole Opry House just outside of Nashville in the city of Donelson. Most shows are held at the Opry House, but things move back to the Ryman during the winter months. Countless stars have made their mark on the hallowed stage of the Opry, and it is considered to be a great honor to be asked to become a member.

May 2010 saw devastating flooding in and around Nashville, and much of the main auditorium was underwater. The show went on, though, and was broadcast from several locations around town. On September 28, 2010, the Opry came home to a newly dried out and renovated space, hopefully to last another 90 years.

Answer: Shiloh

April 6-7, 1862 saw the bloodiest battle American history, up to that time. The dubious distinction of bloodiest battle would shortly pass to Chancellorsville then Gettysburg. Those killed, wounded or captured at Shiloh would number 23,746, according to the National Park Service.

The Union Army, divided into two parts, was en route to Corinth, Mississippi, to take over the town which contained an important railroad intersection. General Grant camped at Shiloh while waiting for General Buell's troops to meet up with them. Confederate General Johnston launched a surprise attack the morning of April 6, and the battle ensued.

During my visit here, I was most struck by the Bloody Pond. Located along the Hamburg-Savanah Road, this small pond saw men in both blue and gray tending to their thirst and their wounds. The water in this pond turned red due to the amount of blood that spilled there. According to a park ranger we spoke with, this pond was a place of unspoken truce, where both death and compassion could be seen.

Answer: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

After Dr. King's assassination on April 4, 1968, his room, number 306, and the adjoining room 307 were closed to new guests and maintained as a memorial. The Lorraine Civil Rights Museum Association purchased the property in 1982 and began renovations to turn the hotel property into a museum.

It opened to the public in 1991. Some of the permanent exhibits here include slavery, lunch counter sit-ins, the bus boycott and the Freedom Rides.

Answer: Sun Studio

Opened by Sam Phillips in 1950, Sun Studio has seen a number of fantastic musical artists over the years. Some notable artists who have recorded here include Elvis Presley, B.B. King, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis, Roy Orbison, Howlin' Wolf and Little Milton. Sun Studio saw a decline in the 1960s but was revived in the late 1980s, recording such artists as U2 and Def Leppard.