Traveling Tennessee: A Complete Tour Guide to the Volunteer State from the Highlands of the Smoky Mountains to the Banks of the Mississippi River [Paperback]

Cathy Summerlin (Author), Vernon Summerlin (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 1999

This illustrated guide to the state covers its history, geology, nature, politics, and culture.

Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Thomas Nelson; First Edition edition (February 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1558536760
• ISBN-13: 978-1558536760
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #564,237 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best choice for getting to know Tennessee, April 19, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Traveling Tennessee: A Complete Tour Guide to the Volunteer State from the Highlands of the Smoky Mountains to the Banks of the Mississippi River (Paperback)

Cathy and I looked through many guide books before attempting to write Traveling Tennessee. We found none covered the state in our easy helpful style (see Traveling the Trace and Traveling the Southern Highlands).

We followed the pioneers through the state from east to west giving you a brief history of the people and the area, and what you would find there today. Tennessee offers many pleasant surprises along its highways from scenic sites to activies you may participate in. For instance, you know of the Great Smoky Mountains but do you know the quite side of the Smokies? where Tennessee's first gold rush was? about a failed Utopia brought back to life? the courthouse stolen in the middle of the night? or where you can swim at the end of a scale model of the Misssissippi River?

We strove to give you information and details about interesting attractions all across Tennessee as well as B&Bs, dining, shopping, special events, camping, and where to get more information. More than 200 photos help tell the stories in this 316-page guide.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If you live in Tennessee, buy this guide and keep it in your car..., November 10, 2009

By 

R. Neil Scott "Writer, Professor & User Servi... (Murfreesboro, TN USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Traveling Tennessee: A Complete Tour Guide to the Volunteer State from the Highlands of the Smoky Mountains to the Banks of the Mississippi River (Paperback)

Wonderful guide to the towns, cities and countryside of Tennessee ! Offers lots of black-and-white photographs to compliment the easy-going narrative, framed by a wide style printing and sturdy binding for easy use. The authors -- Cathy and Vernon Summerlin of Leipers Fork, Tennessee -- treat the reader "like family" as one gets the sense that they're right in the car with them and visiting old friends, talking about and pointing out local sites along the countryside.

Dividing the State into "East," "Middle" and "West," readers have a choice of thirteen tour "loops," each presented with a narrative written in a social history style. As readers scan the table-of-contents, they will see the name of principal towns, along with a brief descriptive comment about it, for example: "Seiverville: Home of Dolly Parton"; "Knoxville: Where Nature and Technology Meet"; and, -- in the area where I live -- "Smyrna and Murfreesboro: Civil War Sites in the Nashville Basin"; and "Shelbyville: The Walking Horse Capital of the World." Typical descriptive entries discuss the history of the town, where the name from, local notable citizens, scenic and historic sites of interest, and mentions the best local restaurants, bed-and-breakfasts, motels, hotels, golf and other recreational activities, as well as camp sites, and when the most notable events (e.g. art shows, festivals, and other celebrations) occur.

Having used this guide on a few local trips through the nearby country roads, mountains and off-the-beaten paths myself, I can vouch that the Summerlin's have written a thorough, accurate and very enjoyable guide.

Highly recommended for public library collections in the South and for anyone living in or intending to vacation in Tennessee.

R. Neil Scott
Middle Tennessee State University

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Thorough, jam-packed with facts & complete info., July 1, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Traveling Tennessee: A Complete Tour Guide to the Volunteer State from the Highlands of the Smoky Mountains to the Banks of the Mississippi River (Paperback)

This guidebook never leaves my car! It always tells me something new to discover about Tennessee!