I'm a Midwesterner who visited Tennessee for the first time and here are 6 things that surprised me

I visited new grocery chains like Publix, stayed in a Dolly Parton-themed RV through Airbnb, and of course, spent a day at Dollywood.

Here are six things that surprised me during my time in Tennessee.

When I stepped off the plane at the Knoxville airport, I was immediately struck by the strong Southern accents I heard around me. I had assumed I'd need to go further south into Alabama of Mississippi to hear a deep Southern drawl.

People are friendly in the Midwest, but I experienced the unique warmth of Southern hospitality through almost every interaction I had with baristas, cashiers, and locals I met during my trip. It could just be because I look young for my age, but I don't usually get addressed as "sweetie" by anyone who's not my parents.

Tennessee passed a permitless carry law last year, allowing people over the age of 21 to carry firearms without a permit as long as they have no criminal history and follow posted signage.

It's not a predominantly Southern policy — other states with permitless carry are Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming. But as a Wisconsinite who now lives in New York, I've never lived in a state with these gun laws, so I was surprised by the wide selection of firearm magazines at the Publix grocery chain I visited.

My trip to Tennessee was my first visit to the "Bible Belt," where religion plays an outsize role in the region's culture and politics. I knew that Dollywood paid tribute to her Christian upbringing with attractions like gospel music performances, but I was surprised to find souvenirs such as cross necklaces, Jesus iconography, and shirts with Christian nationalist messages for sale.

I also stopped in a coffee shop in Maryville that had Bibles and other religious books on display, which isn't something I've seen before.

A Southern breakfast staple, grits were shelved alongside oatmeal and granola.

Maybe it's just because summer travel was in full swing, but I was surprised by the large amount of RVs and camper vans I saw as I drove around Tennessee.