Blue Ridge Country November/December 2021 - 25

full kitchen, large living areas and ample
square footage. Enjoy the indoor pool,
sauna, steam room and onsite winery tasting
room. For fair weather, hit the links
at the 18-hole course. (kingwoodresort.com)
Explore the area with a trip to the Foxfire
Museum for Appalachian history. Ride
the mountains on horseback. Visit local
distilleries and vineyards. Watch a movie
at an old-fashioned drive-in theater. And,
see goats on a roof!
TENNESSEE
Women's Basketball Hall of Fame. (Knoxville).
Spend an afternoon at " the only facility
of its kind dedicated to all levels of
women's basketball. " The 35,000 squarefoot
building is located in the city of Pat
Summit's career with the Lady Vols-the
winningest college basketball coach in
history when she retired. Outside is the
world's largest basketball, weighing 10
tons; and, inside visitors can test their
dribbling, passing and shooting skills on
three different courts. To date, there have
been 171 inductees including (posthumously)
the " Mother " of women's basketball,
Senda Berenson, for her 1892 adaptations
of Naismith's invention of the game
one year earlier. (wbhof.com)
While in Knoxville, drive by the Sunsphere
at the 1982 World's Fair Park on
your way to the museum
of art; visit a pioneer fort
and
historic cathedrals;
take a musical heritage
self-guided audio tour; and, drive the campus
of the University of Tennessee founded
in 1794.
Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies.
(Gatlinburg). Step onto the moving glide
path and be transported into an underwater
world of wonder at this state-of-the-art
aquarium. With 10,000 sea creatures in
residence throughout 10 themed galleries,
the world of marine animals comes to life.
Ride a glass bottom boat in a lagoon where
8,500 animals from 75 species live... including
12-foot sharks! Touch a ray and
see creatures from the tropical rainforest.
Gaze at the beauty of a coral reef and
its inhabitants and view penguins from
above and below the water. Talk to staff
to see how you can support conservation
efforts. (ripleyaquariums.com/gatlinburg)
Other popular activities in Gatlinburg
include ghost tours, ice skating, skiing,
tram rides, shopping, themed museums,
diverse media art galleries, nightclubs,
the Space Needle and drives into the
adjoining Great Smoky Mountains National
Park.
Cootie Brown's. (Johnson City and
Ripley's Aquarium of
the Smokies includes
" mermaids " for kids.
Bristol). Come for the food and linger
for the atmosphere at this family-owned
restaurant. Colorful decorations (of the
uniquely eye-catching kind) pull diners
into the fun. Then a menu of eclecticism
will make you wish you could order, well,
a bite of everything! Jamaican,
New Orleans, Mexican,
Italian and American cuisine
are all expertly cooked. For
over 20 years, this restaurant (now at three
locations) has kept the customers coming
back for fire-roasted pizza, tamales and
more. The food and sauces are created
in-house, and there is a host of healthy
options including vegan, vegetarian and
gluten-free. (cootiebrowns.com)
Visitors to either city can find loads of
fun at a railroad museum, fossil site, ghost
walks and art galleries (at the former) and
a speedway, caverns and a country museum
(at the latter) with exceptional theatre
in both locations.
Chattanooga Choo Choo. (Chattanooga).
All aboard for a stay at this historic location
in an authentic Pullman train car.
Furnished with vintage décor with modern
comforts, these unique accommodations
were created from original 1930s,
'40s and '50s passenger train cars. Included
is a mini-refrigerator, Wi-Fi, television,
coffeemaker and desk. Located within the
station, which was built in 1909 and welcomed
over 50 passenger trains daily in
its heyday, the Pullmans are a focal point
of the 24-acre historic property. Also, enjoy
several eateries, live music, a comedy
club and shops just outside your door.
(choochoo.com)
In the Chattanooga area you'll want to
visit specialty museums, take cultural, historical
and ghost tours, descend into caverns,
ride to the top of Lookout Mountain
on the Incline Railway, and, of course, See
Rock City.
Christopher Place. (Newport). Escape
the crowds at this secluded mountain
getaway nestled amongst 200 acres at the
foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains.
This upscale, award-winning bed and
breakfast offers nine rooms decorated with
stately antiques, hot tubs and fireplaces in
each room. Marble floors, crystal chandeliers,
a winding spiral staircase, sauna and
veranda are enjoyed by all guests. Breakfast
is a multi-course feast available in
the dining room or delivered to you. The
evening meal at the fine dining restaurant
is chef-prepared and based on seasonal
ingredients served in an intimate and romantic
atmosphere. (christopherplace.com)
Treasure hunt at local " picker's " stores
(antiques and collectibles) and visit a real
moonshine distillery while in town. Explore
the area on day trips to Pigeon Forge,
Sevierville, Gatlinburg and the national
park, which are only a short drive away.
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 25
RIPLEY ENTERTAINMENT INC.
http://www.kingwoodresort.com http://www.cootiebrowns.com http://www.ripleyaquariums.com/gatlinburg http://www.choochoo.com http://www.wbhof.com http://www.christopherplace.com
Blue Ridge Country November/December 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Blue Ridge Country November/December 2021
