fini Posted May 13, 2006 Share Posted May 13, 2006 Looks like we're shooting for travel from SFO to Little Rock 6/15 (making our way to Hope), then 6/18 driving to Knoxville (Pigeon Forge, actually) to visit my aunt (1 or 2 day drive), then flying home on the 22nd. My wife needs to be in Dallas 6/23-6/27, so we'll split up coming home. Man, it's torturous for me to look for these flights. I've found a few airlines that fly into both LIT and TYS, but maybe it's better to book separate airlines? I rarely fly, so what do you seasoned travellers do? EDIT: Corrected a travel date. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryC Posted May 13, 2006 Share Posted May 13, 2006 Gregg, Northwest flies to both Little Rock and TYS. You have to connect through Minneapolis and Memphis for Little Rock. Memphis-Knoxville is via a Canadian Regional jet if that's not a problem. Nwa.com is a useful site. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coytee Posted May 13, 2006 Share Posted May 13, 2006 Seeing as I'm in Knoxville and driving to Hope, why not tell your aunt to pack a bag and be ready for one of those "blindfolded trips in the trunk" I heard you once mention? [A] Of course, it'd be interesting to see my wifes reaction when she finds one of your aunt's (insert item of embarassment) in the car... [6] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coytee Posted May 13, 2006 Share Posted May 13, 2006 Though I realize the odds are nil, the offer to bring her to Hope with me WAS a legit offer in case I wasn't clear. I'll let you pick up her room though. [] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fini Posted May 13, 2006 Author Share Posted May 13, 2006 Coyotee, That is a heck of a nice offer! At 80 years old, she might get a bit "stiff" riding in the trunk for that long. ;^) Plus, we want to visit uncle, cousins, etc. Do you have a motorhome? ;^) You would be a good person to ask (anyone else jump in here): If I do the drive in 2 days, where's a good place to stay, say in the Memphis or Nashville areas? Or, would it be best to "power on through?" Larry, I know you found the drive to be a bit boring, but (and I assume here) you did not have two teenage girls in your car...Ooh, that didn't sound right... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators dtel's wife Posted May 13, 2006 Moderators Share Posted May 13, 2006 We have stayed in Memphis before. No offense to anyone who may be from that area...personally, I would choose Nashville. That is unless you want to visit "Graceland".[] If you have never seen Graceland, it is worth seeing at least once. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fini Posted May 13, 2006 Author Share Posted May 13, 2006 Where's a good place to eat lunch in Tennessee? Not sure where we'd be around lunchtime (or dinnertime), leaving Hope around 8-9 AM... I just remembered Dee sent me a great email about places to eat/stay/see in Memphis. My 17 year old just said, "We gotta go to Graceland!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coytee Posted May 13, 2006 Share Posted May 13, 2006 Couple of my thoughts. Nashville is only about 3 hours from Knoxville (I'm told Nashville (edit: MEMPHIS) is about 7 hours) If it were ME, if I was able to get to Nashville, unless I specifically wanted to stay, I'd push on. Then again, I'm not into the Nashville & country singing kind of stuff. I ate once at a bbq place "Porkey's" (here in Knoxville). It'd been there for while and I wanted to go, finally did and LOVED the place. They went out of business a short while later and I never got to go back. Seems though, they're based out of Memphis. If you see one near Memphis, no, let me rephrase that...if "I" see one on my trip, I'm definately stopping. When I drive, my goal is to go nonstop (so we could give your aunt a tylenol before we leave [6], as for the others, will suction cups on my roof help? Any of them with hair problems that won't like that?) There is a Stoney River http://stoneyriver.com/locations.cfm in Nashville. I've never been there but I've been to the one in Duluth Ga (Atlanta). I've NEVER been let down with their steaks, each one has been a royal treat. It's my mom's favorite place to go and I treat here there every time I go down. If there were one here in Knoxville, I'd probably go every other week. [] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fini Posted May 13, 2006 Author Share Posted May 13, 2006 Man, I am loving your suggestions for hauling my relatives to Hope! Suction cups...priceless! Good suggestions! Keep 'em coming! I thought Memphis overnight, so we could get there and hang out Sunday afternoon. Hey, speaking of Graceland, is there a "tour lite," i.e. a satisfying tour that doesn't take all day? I am not into glitz and show (yeah, like you can avoid that with anything related to Elvis), more laid back and real, if y'all know what I mean... Recommendations for Sunday night entertainment would be appreciated. From Dee's email, it seems just wandering around might allow us to find something interesting. I don't want anything TOO interesting, though... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coytee Posted May 13, 2006 Share Posted May 13, 2006 it seems just wandering around might allow us to find something interesting. I don't want anything TOO interesting, though... Pffffft... we have doctors in Knoxville... [A] [A] [A] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
picky Posted May 14, 2006 Share Posted May 14, 2006 fini: I heard from my wife's cousin (Hines Signs of Cotati) in Santa Rosa yesterday. She told me that Santa Rosa is working on getting a newer, larger airport soon. So, although that won't help your current situation, it should make it a lot more simple to fly out of the Rhonert Park and Santa Rosa area to other parts of the country in the future without having to take the Airporter bus down to SFO! Unfortunatley, it also means the area is going to grow faster, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daddy Dee Posted May 14, 2006 Share Posted May 14, 2006 Fini, Yeh, I should give disclaimer, I've never been to Graceland. . . I think it would be OK to spend time in Memphis and take a pass on Graceland. Probably just the hardcore Elvis fans for whom it's a must see. Do you think your girls would enjoy the HardRock Cafe? It's down on Beale Street with the BB King Blues Club and some other music joints. Also, if you guys enjoy baseball, there's a AAA club with a nice new stadium right downtown. Has a real vintage ambience. Haven't checked the schedule, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fini Posted May 14, 2006 Author Share Posted May 14, 2006 Re: Graceland--Yeah, we're undoubtedly going to be dragged (not drugged) to Dollywood, so Graceland is not a "must see" for me. I happen to LOVE baseball, but the girls are a little cold on it (unless the 1st or 3rd baseman has a nice bu#...). Hard Rock might go over well... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators dtel's wife Posted May 14, 2006 Moderators Share Posted May 14, 2006 I am sure there are tours that wouldn't take all day. The house is really something to see. Different, not "glitz and glamor". It actually is pretty "laid back and real", albeit overdone. The jungle room and the room with the pool table are "different". The most glitzy thing was the white living room furniture. Actually, Graceland was Elvis' escape from the "glitz and glamor". I know what you mean about laid back and real, that is how dtel and I are. That being said, I would definitely try to see Graceland just because of the history involved. The gravesites are on the grounds of Graceland. The museum on the grounds is really something, when you see all of his gold and platinum albums lined up. The airplanes(the Lisa Marie and another) are across the street. That part was pretty neat. Graceland is more "see it at least once and that is enough". I will never forget, my youngest daughter was about ten years old when we toured Graceland. She was and still is a devout Elvis fan. She asked if when she grew up she could be a maid at Graceland, so she could see the upstairs rooms. At the time we toured the house, the upstairs (bedroom area)was still off limits for tours. Another thing, be sure to sign your names on the entranceway, everyone does. The Smoky Mountains are more our thing, especially when you get away from Dollywood and all the "tourist traps". Whatever you do, be sure to make the trip to Cades Cove, it is one of our favorite places in the mountains. Also, Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail, just a couple of blocks outside Gatlinburg. It feels like a different world. We have been taking our daughters to the Smokies every year since they were four, five and six. They are 26, 25 and 24 and still look forward to the trip every year. They actually trick dtel into going most years, by saying "Buddy, Allie and Gracie really want you to come and you know Mom wants to go". That's our granchildren. Dtel can't tell the grandkids or me no to anything, so we load up and make the trip at least once a year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colterphoto1 Posted May 16, 2006 Share Posted May 16, 2006 Make sure to see the 'Jungle Room'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Reed Posted May 16, 2006 Share Posted May 16, 2006 The amount of Gold & Platinum records at Graceland is worth seeing. It's amazing. I've never seen that many Gold and Platinum records in one place. Tony Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators dtel's wife Posted May 16, 2006 Moderators Share Posted May 16, 2006 I have to admit...I am a fan of some of Elvis' music. I am not a fanatic, but definitely a fan. I did see him in concert shortly before he died. Okay, okay, I'll admit when I was younger I watched every Elvis movie that came on television and I currrently own two of his CD's. Elvis Gold and one of his Christmas CD's. When you see all of his gold and platinum albums displayed together it is remarkable. And yes, the jungle room is...well, I can't really find a word or words that fit. I can't remember how many yards of fabric are in the pool table room. Maybe Tony and Colter have a different take on the house, but I did not find it to be "glitzy". It has a look all it's own. The grounds are beautiful. I can see why Elvis was attracted to the property and always called it "home". The home was owned by a doctor before Elvis. I have been trying to find a way to describe the gravesites, I guess "moving" may be the best description. I can't remember who besides Elvis is buried on the grounds. Maybe his aunt, his mother and his father are also buried there. The graves are located in one place, kind of like in a circle. Like I said, IMO it is worth seeing at least once if you are in that part of the country. IMO, you should exercise caution when travelling around Memphis at night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colterphoto1 Posted May 17, 2006 Share Posted May 17, 2006 The amount of Gold & Platinum records at Graceland is worth seeing. It's amazing. I've never seen that many Gold and Platinum records in one place. Tony Tony, you should come to Indy- a buddy of mine owns worldwidememorabilia.com, he's got a three story condo totally decorated in record awards, signed guitars, you name it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colterphoto1 Posted May 17, 2006 Share Posted May 17, 2006 Anyone wanting a preview of Graceland should view U2's Rattle and Hum, they pay a visit there. (which is spoofed on Spinal Tap, the bad harmony scene at the eternal flame) Michael Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fini Posted May 21, 2006 Author Share Posted May 21, 2006 Woo-hoo!! Got the flight nailed down. Flying in on Continental, arriving in Little Rock around 2:30 Thursday. We'll be staying with a most gracious host and hostess (Dee and Jan) that night, then heading for Hope in the AM! We're thinking of staying at the Peabody in Memphis 6/18. It'll be a splurge, but it's supposed to be VERY charming, what with the ducks and all. ;^) Then it's off to Pigeon Forge! Still gotta reserve the car and rooms... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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