To all friends, family, and strangers who have considered visiting Nashville.... WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?!?!? Nashville, in my opinion, is one of the best tourist cities of the United States. Granted, I have yet to travel to all great tourist cities, but Tennessee alone gets an average of 50 million visitors a year, so that must mean somethin'. I know flights are expensive, and hotels can be too, but a trip full of experiences is worth a little dough $$$ :)
*Keep in mind, theses are my opinions. However I have been around town and I know what my friends would enjoy!*
If you are like the majority of the world and you like Pop Country Music (i.e. Luke Bryan, Jason Aldean, Carrie Underwood, Hunter Hays, Lady A) then you will
definitley love Nashville. This town is crawling with pop country artists and Jason Aldean look-a-likes. If your a real, traditional country fan, you too will love Nashville however you will have to search a little harder for the good 'ol country music. I believe that the pop country lovers will enjoy Broadway, the famous downtown honky-tonks, as the best of Nashville with never ending live music, bushwhackers, and beer. (A Bushwhacker is a Nashville drink that is an adult ice cream milkshake that will reportedly knock you off your socks after one or two). The real traditional country fans will most likely enjoy the history of this town more than the others. Nashville is JAM- PACKED full of history, from the civil war, President Andrew Jackson, and of course country music. So for both pop-country lovers and traditional-country lovers, I have made a To-Do list for those visiting this wonderful city;
A MUST-DO list for Nashville, TN:
- Backstage tour of the Ryman Auditorium : the ORIGINAL Grand Ole Opry. This is the stage that Johnny Cash kicked out the stage lights in a drunkin/drugged out rage and was then banned. If you go before a show is starting, you can get on the stage itself, tour the dressing rooms, and learn the history that MADE country music. If your a real fan, you will get goosebumps.
- Visit downtown on Broadway. The ever-famous Tootsies is there (but I have literally never stepped foot inside because it smells a little and is ALWAYS packed) but if you want to go, look for the purple bar. The Wheel is small but plays pretty good country music sometimes, keep a look out for Gary Gibson who usually plays 6pm-10pm. Roberts Western World only plays traditional country music, so naturally we love the place, but even if your a pop country fan, you should go to Roberts for their fried bologna sandwich or their chicken strips. The food is DELICIOUS. And make sure you stop in every bar at least once just to see the photos, autographs, and years of beer stains that make up Nashville's honky-tonks. ;)
- If you are on Broadway and you love ice cream, make sure you go into Mike's at the far end toward the Hard Rock Cafe.... SO yummy.
- Buy a ticket to tour the Country Music Hall of Fame. This is a HUGE museum that is full of AWESOME memorabilia such as Elvis's car, Buck Owen's outfits, Merle Haggard's history of marriages, and hand written song lyrics.
- The Music City Center is brand new to Nashville, we attended the Grand Opening just this year, and it is an impressive building. There isn't much for a tourist to do there, unless you are attending a convention.
- If your in a group, like a bachelor or bachelorette party, you should rent the Beer Tavern which is a bicycle ran tavern that is loaded with kegs and bar stools. Everyone on the Tavern must pedal to keep the tavern moving for a tour, but you get to drink beer straight from the keg as you pedal around downtown!
- Hatch Show Print. You will see TONS of posters that are long and rectangular that advertise for shows that have passed and new shows. They are ALL hand printed from the Hatch Show Print which is the oldest printing company in the U.S. You can buy a print from them on Broadway or purchase one from the Country Music Hall of Fame.
- On a budget? Drink and eat up at Demo's cause beer is only $2 rather than the $4 or $5 you will get at any other bar. I don't know why they are so cheap, they just are. But because they are cheap and the food and drinks are so good, there will most likely be a line out the door.
- FYI parking downtown will be EXPENSIVE and a bit of a walk no matter what. I have a free secret parking place, so if you personally know me, get a hold of me and i'll let ya in on that secret ;)
- Visit the new Grand Ole Opry. The new Opry is far from the main downtown strip of Nashville and is located at the Opry Mills Mall. The Opry is directly across the driveway from Dave and Busters, where I waited when first moved to Nashville. The Grand Ole Opry has SO much to do, it's too much to list here. Its beautiful, entertaining, and is a great stop for anyone visiting. The mall is also pretty nice, in that it is HUGE and is full of outlet stores so you can usually find a good deal. A fair warning though, the Opry Mills Mall is really just jam packed with tourists, so if its a Saturday or Sunday, be prepared to be fighting off crowds.
- If its Christmas time, you must go to the Gaylord resort (next door to the Grand Ole Opry and Opry Mills Mall) to see the Christmas display and ice sculptures they have. Its supposed to be phenomenal.
- Eat Nashville's HOT Chicken. Nashville is known for a dish that is SO hot it is not recommended for the faint of heart. The original hot chicken is from Prince's Chicken.... however I have been advised (but not entirely sure if its true) that Prince's is not for most "white folk" so if your too scared to venture off into the real south of restaurants, you can find hot chicken almost anywhere.
- Bluebird Cafe. Its way off of the main tourist track, located in richy-rich area of Green Hills. Its the most famous place for SONGWRITERS..... not necessarily singers. But there are both. You need a reservation to get into the Bluebird so plan ahead.
- If you LOVE antiques like myself, go visit Antique Archeology, the official store from the men who star on TLC's American Pickers. You will be drooling.
- President Andrew Jackson's Mansion. Enough said.
- If you are here visiting on a Monday, you MUST MUST MUST see the Time Jumpers at Third and Lindsley. The best musicians and singers ever. Get there early though, the place fills up too fast.. I suggest getting there at 6 pm and just hanging out to eat dinner until 9pm. And its $15 per person to get in but very much worth it! Good food there!
- The best breakfast we have had so far? The Loveless Cafe, which is a bit of a drive from town and you can be guaranteed to find a wait.... we waited an hour and a half to be seated!! BUT SO SO SO darn good. Real southern, down home, biscuit and gravy loving cookin'.
Tips for you Northern Folk while your visiting the South:
- Nashville is in the Bible Belt, so mind your manners.
- You can't buy alcohol on Sundays (but you can in a bar). You just cant take it home.
- You can ride in the back of a pick-up truck.
- People here are large. Tennessee is the third state ranked for childhood obesity. (Its probably the BBQ w/ Mac n Cheese).
- Sweet Tea..... if you don't want sweet tea you better make it clear to your waiter/waitress.
- TIP, TIP,TIP!!!!!!!!! Your waitresses/waiters and bartenders only make $2.13 an HOUR, Valet drivers only make about $6 and hour, and bands only survive solely on TIPS!!!! DO NOT BE STINGY IF YOUR IN NASHVILLE for heaven's sake. People are trying to survive here.
- Don't expect to be able to eat any Chinese or Mexican food here. There is good Tex Mex at Chuy's though!
- There is only one Target in the entire city of Nashville, so just give up and go to a Walmart.
- Kroger is the best grocery store. There is only one Whole Foods and one Trader Joe's and they are in the Green Hills area.
- People in Nashville aren't the best of drivers. So be prepared to be scared out of your wits. Just drive slow yourself.
- EVERYBODY and their mother, sister, brother, and dad smoke. Cigarettes are in fashion here.
- If your downtown Nashville, looking toward the river... the RIGHT side of the street is all smoking bars, while the LEFT side of the street is non-smoking bars.
- There is a Cracker Barrel at almost EVERY EXIT. And they are all good :)
Things Nashvillian's say:
- "Interstate" (they rarely refer to the highway/freeway/interstate as the numbers ex. 440, 65)
- Instead of "oil" they say "ool"..... its ok if you laugh
- "ya'll" is a given
The Beer Tavern
The famous Tootsies!
The Ryman Auditorium
The Ryman Stage! So many historic artists stood here
Prince's Hot Chicken
A Bushwhacker!
A Hatch Show Print Poster
xoxo-
Sarah Beth
