Things to do / Travel Guide
On Central Kentucky and Tennessee scenic drives you will cruise by everything from grazing horses to antebellum mansions, wooded cliffs, and rushing whitewater. But don't you rush - you're in the South, so act like the locals and just take it slow.
Central Kentucky Scenic Drives
- On the 15-mile Old Frankfort Pike (from Lexington to Frankfort), a lolling, lackadaisical, two-lane route, you will have the drive you've always pictured was Kentucky: white-picket fences, horse stables and grazing thoroughbreds, bluegrass meadows, and thick, arching tree canopies whose branches interlock, allowing you to pass through the heart of their embrace.
- Follow the gentle dips and crests of U.S. Highway 68 as you take the 85-mile Appalachian foothill route from Lexington to Green River Lake. The New York Times called U.S. Highway 68 “truly one of the most pleasant roads around.” As you zigzag between wooded cliffs, along a river gorge, and amidst a whole lot of hilly knobs, you will pass the pleasantly idyllic Shaker Village at Pleasant Hill, drive through Harrodsburg, alongside of the Perryville Battlefield State Park, and end up in the satisfyingly-scenic Green River Lake State Park.
- The short, 27-mile drive on State Road 90, a scenic byway stretching from Corbin to Parker's Lake, is a wonderful introduction to Kentucky's beauty. The route winds past the magical “Moonbow” Cumberland Falls, through the lush woodlands of Daniel Boone National Forest, and ends at Parker's Lake.
Central Tennessee Scenic Drives
- Give yourself a proper schooling on Civil War history and the south that once was on the Tennessee Antebellum Trail, as a portion of this 90-mile circuit runs through the region. The 20-mile stretch from Nashville to Franklin, includes Nashville's Fort Nashborough, Fort Negley (site of the Battle of Nashville), and the Greek Revival-style Tennessee State Capitol, as well as former cotton, corn, and livestock plantations, picturesque horse farms, and sprawling antebellum mansions. Start the drive in Nashville on Broadway Street. After passing by the aforementioned monuments, you will get on Eigth Avenue, which becomes U.S. Highway 31. Travel south on U.S. Highway 31 toward Franklin, passing six elaborate antebellum estates: Mountainview, Ashlawn, Owens Chapel, Isola Bella, Truett Place, and Riverview.
- There is nothing like a gorge-ous 60-mile drive tracing the Tennessee River Gorge between Signal Mountain and Nick Jack Dam. You will trace the breathtaking wooded cliffs of the snaking Tennessee River, and as a dramatic finale, cross over Nick Jack Dam. From Signal Mountain take U.S. Highway 127 south and get on State Road 27. This becomes Mullen's Cove Road as it winds and weaves its way along the Tennessee River, eventually crossing Nick Jack Dam.
- Wooded hills, the rushing water of Falling Water River in Burgess Falls State Natural Area, and the crystal-blue tentacles of Center Hill Lake and J. Percy Priest Lake are just a few of the things you will pass by on the scenic 128-mile drive from Cookeville to Long Hunter State Park. Begin in Cookeville, on State Road 135. You will pass Burgess Falls State Natural Area, known for its steep bluffs, rocky ridges, and lush forests. Continue west across one of the azure arms of Center Hill Lake, and continue on, following a loop around the lake. After driving amidst the cedar glades of Long Hunter State Park you will pick up State Road 171 and cross over the crisp blues and forest greens of J. Percy Priest Lake.
|
|
|