• Western Tennessee is home of the Blues and much more.blues image by dead_account from Fotolia.com
  
  Tennessee is a state that is topographically, politically and culturally divided into three separate sections. The diversity within the Volunteer State allows for three entirely separate experiences for visitors wishing to spend their vacation within its borders. When planning a trip to western Tennessee, there is a range of activities that represent the best of Tennessee's culture and natural wonders.
  
  

Memphis Vacation

• Memphis, often referred to as River City, is one of the state's most interesting destinations. This city claims to be the home of the blues and the birthplace of rock and roll.
  
  Memphis is quick to remind its guests that its sister city, Nashville, is not the only major musical destination in the state. Since the late 1800s, blues musicians have flocked to the area around Beale Street in downtown Memphis where nightclubs feature some of the best blues music in the world. Today, Beale Street is among Tennessee's most visited tourist attractions and it is still alive with the sounds of blues music until the wee hours of the morning. In fact, this is the only area in the state where clubs are allowed to operate until 5 a.m.
  
  As for rock and roll music, Memphis also has a claim to the title. Elvis Presley spent most of his adult life in the city living at his home just south of the city. The appropriately named Elvis Presley Boulevard is home to Graceland, the most well known house in all of western Tennessee. Elvis fans come from all over the world every year to get a glimpse of the King's castle.
  
  Memphis also has other non-musical attractions such as a minor league ballpark that rivals most Major League Baseball facilities and arguably the world's best barbecue restaurants. For those interested in literary history, a short drive can mean a visit to the boyhood home of Pulitzer Prize winning author Alex Haley who penned "Roots" in 1976.
  
  

Winery Tours

• It's not Napa Valley, but western Tennessee has eight of the state's 30 wineries that provide an interesting tour for wine enthusiasts.
  
  Beginning in the west and working east, vacationers can visit the Old Millington Vineyard and Winery near Memphis. Further east, you'll find the Century Farm Winery in Jackson, a small family-owned and operated winery featuring traditional reds and whites as well as the region's unique muscadine and blackberry wine varietals. Further north in Humboldt, the Crown Winery produces around 20,000 bottles of wine each year in a facility run on solar power. The western-central area of Tennessee is home to two more wineries in the towns of Paris and Springville. The Paris Winery is a 100-acre family-run vineyard and winery with complimentary tasting and the Cedar Ridge Winery in Springville is a 800-plus acre vineyard along the banks of the Tennessee River.
  
  

Reelfoot Lake

• Reelfoot Lake State Park, located in the northwest corner of Tennessee contains a natural lake formed by a massive earthquake in 1811 along the New Madrid Fault that caused the collapse of a forest and the Mississippi River to flow backwards, according to the Reelfoot Chamber of Commerce.
  
  Today the park is a peaceful place with a variety of outdoor activities within its 25,000 acres. Options for recreation at the park include fishing, hiking, camping, a museum featuring cultural exhibits from the region, a free nature center with rare birds and snakes and lots of opportunities for picnics and other outdoor fun.