Destinations

Combine music and fishing for a great vacation

Pull up the city map of Nashville, and there it is: Percy Priest Lake, tucked against one of the south’s grandest cities. But one would be hard pressed to feel anywhere near a major urban area when out on the water.

This beautiful 14,200-acre impoundment is a perfect destination for water sports or a family camping trip, but is probably best known for its bass fishing.

“It’s got pretty much anything you are going to find in a southern impoundment,” said Jay Langston, director of marketing for the Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency. “The bream fishing and the crappie fishing are excellent. A lot of people catfish on the lake.”

One of the two-story cabins at nearby Cedars of Lebanon state park makes a perfect base camp for a Percy Priest excursion. The park offers hiking trails, an Olympic-size swimming pool and the Merritt Nature Center among other attractions.

 The short drive from there to the boat ramp is likely to hint at another of the area’s attraction to sportsmen. Turkeys are likely to be spotted, even in the yards of homes.

“The turkey hunting is great around Percy Priest,” Langston said.

Though Tennessee isn’t among the first states to be mentioned in discussions of trophy deer-hunting regions, Langston is quick to brag on the Volunteer State’s deer hunting.

“In the 2007 hunting season, hunters reported killing 4,583 bucks with 10 points or more,” Langston said. “We killed about that many last year as well. There were a handful of Boone & Crocketts killed this year that are still in the drying phase. We had one that was killed during muzzleloader season that scored 232 non-typical with 37 scorable points.”

Though many sportsmen flock to central Tennessee for the hunting and fishing, the region is perhaps even better known as hallowed ground for country music fans. Among the must-see for such aficionados is the Ryman Auditorium, known as the “Mother Church of Country Music.” The beautiful building was constructed as a Church in 1892, and was the home of the Grand Ole Opry from 1943 until 1974.

With its beginning as a radio show in 1925, the Grand Ole Opry, has become an American icon. Today, in its larger facility nine miles from downtown Nashville, there are the live Tuesday Night Opry shows from April through December. There is also the two-hour radio program, America's Grand Ole Opry Weekend, syndicated in some 200 markets.

The Country Music Hall of Fame is yet another music lover’s paradise with historic country video clips and recorded music, dynamic exhibits and state-of-the-art design, a regular menu of live performances and public programs, a museum store and live satellite radio broadcasts. It is located near the banks of the Cumberland River, a few steps from Ryman Audutorium. It is open Daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., except on Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years Day, and is also closed Tuesdays in January and February.

A nice addition to a Nashville trip is a cruise on The General Jackson Showboat, a 300-foot paddelwheel riverboat named after the first such boat on the river. It is best known for its live shows performed in the two-story Victorian theater located in the center of the boat.

A tailgate cruise to a Tennessee Titans game on the Music City Queen is perfect for the football fanatic. Race fans can plan their their trips to take in one of the NASCAR or Indy Car events at the Nashville Super Speedway.

There is no shortage of items to add to a Percy Priest itinerary. 

Cedars of Lebanon State Park
http://www.tennessee.gov/environment/parks/Cedars/
 
Ryman Auditorium
http://www.ryman.com/

Country Music Hall of Fame
http://www.countrymusichalloffame.com/site/

Grand ole Opry
http://www.opry.com/

Nashville Super Speedway
http://www.nashvillesuperspeedway.com/

Tennessee Titans
http://www.titansonline.com/

General Jackson’s Showboat
http://www.generaljackson.com/site/

Tennessee vacations
http://www.tnvacation.com/