Whose own movie refers to her as “the most popular teenager in the world?” You’re right! It’s Hannah Montana, a.k.a. Miley Cyrus. A native of the Nashville, Tennessee, area, Miley chose to film on locations in the area when making her huge hit film, Disney’s Hannah Montana: The Movie. According to Wikipedia (http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hannah_Montana_The_Movie), the historic town of Franklin, Tennessee, and the nearby Cool Springs Galleria were used for some of the location shooting.

We visited two locations used in Hannah Montana: The Movie. First is Franklin High School. This stately temple of American education is pictured here. All red brick and white columns, it’s a very photogenic place, located on Williamson Boulevard, a mile or two west of charming downtown Franklin.

 Second is the Belk Department Store, located in the Cool Springs Galleria. The shoe-fight scene between Miley Cyrus and Tyra Banks took place on the first floor of Belk’s in Ladies Shoes. A friendly salesperson assured me that I wouldn’t recognize the spot because it now looks different from the way it does in the film. She said her own daughter didn’t recognize it when she saw it. I took a photo of the spot anyway. It’s near the first-floor entrance to the mall and is pictured here.

As soon as I unearth more of the movie’s locations in Williamson County, I’ll post those, too.

 Where to eat: Franklin fairly overflows with delicious dining choices. On this trip, we lunched at Merridee’s Breadbasket (www.merridees.com), a favorite of my cousin, Gwen. Freshly baked breads and pastries, such as chocolate cake and gooey cookies are quite tempting and hard to resist. Those of you with willpower can stick to the superior sandwiches and salads with a refreshing glass of “Northern” tea (unsweet). Too funny!I confess I saw this on a sign on an urn at the Moe’s in Cool Springs, a local favorite for those who like quick Tex-Mex food. Cool Springs is loaded with tasty eating spots, too. Naturally, the Food Court at the Cool Springs Galleria is very convenient to Belk’s and offers something for everyone to enjoy.

If you go: Franklin is located at Exit 65 off the I-65 freeway. Cool Springs Galleria is just to the north. You can use Exits 68b or 67. The seasons do change in Tennessee, so plan your trip accordingly.

See more sights and sites: The recently renovated Franklin Theater (www.franklintheater.com)

Merridee's Breadbasket

has become a beloved area showcase for classic and contemporary films, as well as live acts and concerts. It’s located in downtown Franklin. Williamson County also is home to Civil War history, for those who want to include a visit to historic homes and battlefields in their trip itinerary. Williamson County is reportedly the wealthiest county in the state. Farms and ranches of rolling green hills surround its populated areas.