Where to Stop on Your Deep South Road Trip
In recent years, the Southern parts of the United States have received a great deal of attention from travel agencies. A perfect place for road trips, the Deep South is continuously getting more and more interest from tourists. Lovers of history, literature, music and food will feel at home in this part of the country. The South is famous for its diverse literature, which focuses on themes related to both race and a sense of community. There is also a plethora of historical locations and cultural sites to be discovered in the South. That’s why a road trip through the Southern states is something that should be on everyone’s bucket list. Below are a few places to start.
A Hike Through the Smoky Mountains
One of America’s most visited national parks brimming with scenic drives, the ancient mountains known as the Smokies have diverse wildlife and plant life. These mountains are an ideal place to make a stop during a road trip to do some hiking and take in amazing sights. One of the park’s most visited areas is 19th-century Cades Cove. The site is in an isolated valley located in the Tennessee area of the Smoky Mountains and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The old settlement still contains some historical structures such as John Oliver Cabin, which was the first permanent structure of the Europeans in that area. While this particular cabin is the most notable, there are also other sites like Primitive Baptist Church and Cades Cove Cable Mill from that period to be seen.
A Unique Experience in a Gold Strike Casino
A beacon located in Tunica Resorts, the Gold Strike Casino is an impressive structure to see and visit while passing through the state of Mississippi. While the community hosts many other casinos in the area, the Gold Strike was considered the tallest building in Mississippi when it was completed in 1994. Since then, it has remained one of the main attractions in the state.
The casino’s hotel tower has around 1,100 rooms and offers a great view of the Mississippi River. Of course, the main feature of any casino is its gambling opportunities, and the Gold Strike Casino is no different. The gaming space is around 50,000 square feet and is home to 52 table games, as well as 1,400 slot machines, many of them similar to the classic Vegas-style online slots found on the Internet. When it comes to other activities, the casino also features a few restaurants and the well known Millennium Theatre and Stage2, where music is played every night.
A Visit to the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll
When thinking about Memphis, most folks think about the Peabody or Elvis Presley. Elvis’s mansion, Graceland, was declared a National Historic Landmark in 2006. Back in the day, the mansion was owned by the famous singer and actor and was made into a museum in 1982. Graceland has become the second most visited private house in the U.S., the first being the White House. While the name Graceland is associated with Elvis, it was actually given to the mansion by its original owners. Also associated with Elvis is Sun Studio, which is considered to be the birthplace of rock ‘n’ roll. The studio is the place where Elvis made his first recording as a gift to his mother with no intentions of becoming the “king” of rock ‘n’ roll.
Photo credits: Casino courtesy of Tunica CVB, and Elvis costumes by Jshyun from Flickr Creative Commons.
