Over Sixty Winter 2022 Digital

38 TRAVEL WINTER 2022 | OVERSIXTY.COM.AU Hit a high note at America’s music cities Are your vagabond shoes longing to stray? Are your boots scooting? Or are yours the blue suede variety? It may be small, but you’ll need a couple of weeks to scratch the surface of Tasmania’s attractions SOPHIE CULLEN TRAVEL R egardless of how they are clad, traipsing themusic trail in the States is a leap your feet should definitely make once in their lifetime. Step into cities such asNashville and New Orleans, where the twang of country guitar or sweet serenade of saxophones will be the soundtrack to your holiday. Music will become the tool for prising open decades of fascinating and turbulent history and capturing the heart and soul of a region. Your feet will soon be tapping along. Two Types of Music: Country and Western – Nashville Dolly Parton’s big break, at the tender age of 10, was her first encore at Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry, where she encountered Johnny Cash. Somewhat of a country music institution, the Opry used to be a radio broadcast hosted at the Ryman Auditorium. It is now a weekly live concert, earning Nashville its fame as the “Music City”. You can still experience the southern country charm, rhinestones and all, at the Ryman Auditorium and other honky-tonk hotspots such as The District. Stop in at the Country Music Hall of Fame. Land of the Delta Blues – Memphis Memphis is all about the rock ‘n’ roll. It is said that Sun Studios accidentally recorded the first rock ‘n’ roll song in 1951 when equipment distorted the sound of Ike Turner’s “Rocket 88”. Visit Sun Studios, Stax Museum, Gibson Guitar Factory and the legendary B.B. King’s Restaurant and Blues Club on Beale Street. Alongside B.B. King, Memphis’ most famous patron is a different King altogether. You can visit Elvis Presley’s Graceland mansion, where he lived his final years, for a tour. Smells Like Teen Spirit – Seattle In the 1990s, grunge crashed on to the music scene out of Seattle. Far from sleepy, this seaside town boasts associations with Pearl Jam and Nirvana, who cut their first demo in a studio on Seattle’s Leary Way. The Washington city was also called home by Jimi Hendrix. At the interactive Museum of Pop Culture, you can trawl through the Hendrix gallery. Worthwhile venues include MooreTheatre and Comet Tavern. It’s Got To Be – New York UniqueNewYork ismade thusby itsdiversity. Nowhere else in America is there a broader spectrum of genres in so concentrated a space. Disco and punk began on its streets. Hip-hop arose from 1970s block parties in Harlem and the Bronx. From musicals on Broadway to jazz bands in clubs, New York is a great host to concerts and shows. Everyone who is anyone plays at the renowned venues of Carnegie Hall, Madison Square Garden, the Apollo Theatre and the Lincoln Centre. Or hear a conch shell played by staff at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection of musical instruments. All That Jazz – New Orleans Legend has it that jazz was born in New Orleans’ Congo Square, emerging from west African slave rhythms. Congo Square is now dedicated to top-dog trumpeter, Louis Armstrong. On the banks of the Mississippi, the brassy, sultry vibes of New Orleans seduce jazz novices and know-it-alls alike. Bourbon Street is probably the best-known hub of NOLA’s distinctly gritty jazz sound, but for more authentic flavours, stop in at Frenchmen Street and Royal Street. 1 Diversity There is nowhere else on the planet quite like Australia’s island state; fun, quirky, diverse and yet ridiculously easy to get around whether you choose to travel by bus, car, campervan or bike. Whether you’re looking for a rugged wilderness adventure, some of Australia’s best gourmet experiences, pristine coastline or a wildlife encounter, in Tassie you’ll find them all. 2 Unpredictability Tasmania is somewhere to expect the unexpected, whether that might mean stumbling across racing Penny Farthing cyclists, a festival of wassailing to bring the apple trees back to life after winter, or a weekend celebration of Tasmania’s cultural connections with France. Things move at a slower pace in Tasmania, and the people are trusting. You’ll come across roadside stalls packed high with seasonal fruits where you simply decide what you want and pop your cash in an honesty box. And while Tasmania used to come alive in summer and hibernate in winter, now the cooler months are packed with festivals like Dark MOFO (run by Hobart’s ground- breaking MONA museum), the Festival of Voices and Ten Days on the Island. 3 Food and Wine Dining options range from sophisticated city restaurants and wine bars serving local oysters, beef and cheese to cosy country pubs offering house-made scallop pies. Both Hobart and Launceston have several markets where fresh local produce is sold. Hobart, the revitalised capital with its spectacular waterfront dining and many colonial buildings, and the Tamar Valley wine region, north of laid-back Launceston, are major draw cards, while the East Coast, around Freycinet, is emerging as a wine and food hotspot. There are now over 20 micro distilleries across the state and seven wine sub-regions. 4 Culture Tasmania is alive with festivals, the most popular including the Taste of Tasmania in Hobart and Festivale in Launceston, both featuring local food, wine, ciders and live music. MONA, outside Hobart, is known for its shock factor and is the largest privately owned museum in Australia, while the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery (TMAG) offers a fascinating insight into the state’s history. 5 Excitement Landmark destinations include rustic Bruny Island, from where you can take a wild water cruise, along with historic Strahan and spectacular Cradle Mountain. The Lost Farm complex, outside Bridport, is home to two of the top-20-rated golf courses in Australia. There are unlimited wilderness walks in national parks, and it won’t take long for visitors to stumble across possums, wallabies, wombats and Tassie Devils. Above: Tasmania’s Cradle Mountain is a wilderness wonderland. To learn more, visit www. discovertasmania.com.au Photo: Getty Images INSPIRE Left: foot-stomping country music in Nashville; above: street musicians in NewOrleans Photo (top left): Shutterstock DESTINATIONS WINSOR DOBBIN INSPIRE TASMANIA IS UNLIKE ANYWHERE ELSE 5 reasons why...