8 Best Sights in Tennessee, USA

Graceland, the estate once owned by Elvis Presley, is 12 miles south of Downtown. A guided tour of the mansion, which Elvis bought in 1957 at age 22, as well as the adjoining automobile museum reveals the spoils of stardom. Graceland might be the only colonial suburban home on record to have a jungle room, a pink Cadillac, and close to 700,000 guests annually. Elvis is buried outside the mansion, and tours conclude with many fans leaving tokens at his gravesite. Reservations are recommended, especially in August during "Elvis Week."

This 1850s Italian-style villa was the home of Adelicia Acklen, Nashville's answer to Scarlett O'Hara, who married "once for money, once for love, and once for the hell of it." On Belmont University's campus, it's a gem right down to its sweeping staircase designed for grand entrances and cast-iron gazebos perfect for romance. Recent renovations have restored Acklen's bedroom to its original splendor, including a detailed reproduction of the wallpaper. The last tour of the day starts at 3:30 pm.

In this modest structure dating from 1792, Territorial Governor William Blount, a signer of the Constitution, planned the admission of Tennessee as the 16th state in the Union. The home looks out over the Tennessee River and is furnished with original and period antiques, along with memorabilia of Blount's checkered career.

The historic Cherry Mansion, built in 1830, served as General Grant's headquarters during the Battle of Shiloh. The house is privately owned, but visitors are allowed to walk around the grounds and take pictures.

On the University of Tennessee campus, this museum has diverse collections of dinosaur fossils and exhibits on geology, archaeology of native peoples, the Civil War, and fine arts. Of special note is a room devoted to ancient Egyptian artifacts.

This exquisite three-story French Victorian mansion was built in 1870 and has a grand drawing room graced with original parquet floors and large mirrors. Antique furnishings include Aubusson carpets, marble mantels, and a Venetian crystal chandelier. The formal garden still has its gingerbread playhouse, now the museum shop.