Why Athens, Tennessee is The Friendly City

My family and I enjoy living in Athens, Tennessee. It's called the “friendly city” for a reason. We were in a store parking lot when the car battery gave up the ghost. By the time the automotive club arrived no fewer than three people had stopped to help – all of whom had jumper cables. We were closing the hood as the tech pulled up. He just laughed and wished us a good day.

Flooring was being installed in our new (to us) home. If you've ever had this done, then you know what a job it is. The process begins with checking flooring or carpet prices and installation, setting the date and getting everything ready. We were thrilled with the job that the team did! They did a phenomenal job and were just as nice as the people who stopped to help us.

The “downside” was that we needed to stay at the Comfort Inn of Athens. Running back and forth between the house and hotel was a little stressful at first but worked out. (Okay, I'll admit that the stress came from getting lost.)

If you travel overnight and need a room, Athens, Tennessee (I-75, exit 49) is a good stop off of the interstate. A Ruby Tuesday, Applebees, Waffle House, Shoney's and fast food restaurants are within a couple of blocks of the interstate.

Name brand hotels offer a mix of expensive and budget hotels. These include the Comfort Inn, a Motel 6, Scottish Inn, Days Inn and the Super 8.

Families may be interested in taking in one of the attractions. A tour of Mayfield's Dairy, the Athens Regional History Museum or just stroll through downtown. Tennessee Wesleyan College has several historic buildings. Unique shops, local restaurants and free parking can make strolling through downtown an interesting afternoon. The Chamber of Commerce is near the courthouse and is a great place for information.

Once in awhile you may run across someone who is having a bad day. Overall, the staff at the hotels, restaurants and everyone else is just as friendly as they can be. If you do stop in Athens, I hope that you enjoy it as much as we do.