Bristol, VA

Bristol straddles the Tennessee-Virginia border along State Street, where you can stand in two states simultaneously. Interstate 81 runs directly through town, making it easily accessible from Knoxville (110 miles south) or Roanoke (150 miles north). The city sits in Appalachian foothills at 1,700 feet elevation, moderating the climate year-round. Bristol proudly claims the title "Birthplace of Country Music" from the legendary 1927 recording sessions that launched Jimmie Rodgers and the Carter Family.