Nashville was a city I had on my mind for a few years. It wasn’t that far away but for some reason I had never been. My trip to Nashville this summer was not my first time in Tennessee though. I took two trips to the Pigeon Forge area to go to Dollywood in previous years but never explored the rest of the state. In July I decided it was time to explore Nashville so my friend and I booked a hotel and spent a few days in the Music City. This article will cover the things to do and where to eat based on my trip to the city.
Tennessee has been in the news recently for many anti Trans bills regarding bathrooms and sports. As a Trans woman this was a concern with planning my trip. I didn’t know what to expect from the people and how they would treat me. I knew Nashville was a more progressive part of the state but it was still in a red state so I really had no idea. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the people were welcoming and I had no trouble with any bathrooms during my stay in Nashville.
Where to Stay
For this section I want to be transparent. I was a recent college graduate actively looking for jobs when I was on this trip so I was on a budget. I’m sure there are a bunch of great hotels in Nashville but unfortunately we had to stay in a hotel with free parking and low rates. For this trip we stayed at Quality Inn Opryland Area. It was very affordable and was in a good location for us. It had a pool and was right off a major highway that could take you to downtown. We also had a mini golf course and a few restaurants right down the street from the hotel. If you have the money I have heard great things about the Opryland Resort. We did not get to visit due to parking being like $40 which is ridiculous for any attraction. If you decide to stay out of Downtown Nashville, I suggest the Opryland area due to its location.
What to Do
There are plenty of things to do in Nashville. Even if you aren’t a country music fan you will be able to find many fun things. During our trip we visited many historical sites and museums along with Broadway, the main street in downtown. In this section I will cover what we did in the city and offer my suggestions on what you should do in Nashville.
This is probably the biggest tourist attraction in Nashville and for good reason. As a country music fan I really enjoyed the exhibits, especially the radio from Alan Jackson’s hit song “Chasin’ That Neon Rainbow.” The museum tells the story of country music from its origins to the present day. Even if you don’t like country music I think you will enjoy the hall of fame. My friend hates country music but the hall of fame was her favorite thing we did in the city. The actual hall of fame part is at the end of the tour and features plaques of all the inductees. Admission is about $30 for just the museum and around $50 for the museum and the historic Studio B tour. We didn’t do the studio tour but I definitely will next time I visit. As for parking, we parked under the convention center for about $10 and walked the block to the hall of fame. If you go to Nashville this needs to be your first stop.
Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage
Located just a few miles east of Nashville is the home of former president Andrew Jackson. Here, you can walk the grounds of his plantation and tour his home. As a history teacher it was interesting to be in the house of a former president and learn all about it. It was also my first time on a real plantation that had slaves, reminding me of how far we have come as a country as an African American gave us a tour of the home.
Along with the home, the grounds include the remains of possible slave quarters, a log cabin, his grave, and the path leading up to his house. The site also has a visitor’s center with a gift shop and wine tasting if you are into that. Admission is $26 to tour the mansion and walk the grounds or $19 to just walk the grounds. They also feature wagon tours about the slaves if you have the time. If you love history, Hermitage is definitely somewhere to check out in Nashville.
Nashville Farmer’s Market
Every time I travel to a new city I like to check out the local market. Near downtown, the Nashville Farmer’s Market has many different stands. Inside, they have food court like stalls that serve a variety of different ethnic foods from Greek to Chinese. There are tables to eat at and like everywhere else in Nashville they had live music. Outside, there are many produce stands and even a garden center with plants. We arrived about an hour before closing so there was not much left but I enjoyed seeing the market and hope to be back one day in the future.
Music Row
Music Row contains many record labels and recording studios where country music is produced. We just drove around this part of town since my friend was sick of walking and hates country music but it was interesting seeing all the recording studios honor artists who made the charts with banners outside the building. It is near some other neighborhoods like the Gulch but we never got over there on our trip.
Broadway
If you are a young adult like me you will probably love Broadway. Honestly, people of all ages would love Broadway with its atmosphere and music. Everyone was friendly and one guy was even asking everyone for money while holding a sign saying “saving up for a hooker.” Broadway is a whole downtown street filled with bars and live music. We went on a Friday and Saturday so it was crowded but it seems like it is always crowded at night. There were so many people that they close the street for people to walk around to the different bars. Many bars have two to three floors with each one featuring a different country music artist. My bar of choice was Alan Jackson’s Good Time Bar as he is my favorite country artist. The bar had three floors with a rooftop. We stuck to the second floor where it was quieter with couches and the bathrooms. The ladies room also had writing all over it and lipstick stains everywhere so make sure you are caught up on your shots before touching the walls.
Near Broadway was the Ryman Auditorium where the Grand Ole Opry began and still puts on shows today. There was also the site where John Lewis and his fellow activists took the bus during the Freedom Rides in the Civil Rights Movement. My one tip for visiting Broadway is DO NOT DRIVE THERE IF YOU DON’T HAVE TO!! The traffic was horrible both nights as they closed down the whole street. Luckily we took an Uber both times (have them drop you off by the hall of fame) so we didn’t have to wait in traffic and find parking. If you go to Nashville, you need to spend at least one evening on Broadway.
Other Things to See or Do
Since we only had a few days in Nashville, we did not get to do and see everything. Some notable attractions that we missed were Opryland Resort and the Grand ole Opry, the many other museums, and the four major sports teams. Opryland was on the list due to its beautiful interior but parking was $40 and not worth it. I am also not a big art fan so I usually skip art museums when I visit cities but I have heard good things about the one in Nashville.
Since Nashville is the capital of Tennessee, you can also visit the statehouse which is home to another former president’s grave. James Polk and his wife are buried on the hill near the statehouse. Lastly, we made a side trip to Lake Winnie, an amusement park about two hours away in Chattanooga. It’s no Cedar Point but I still had fun. I hope this section helps you plan and gives you insight into the many different things to do in the Music City.
Where to Eat
Nashville is known for its hot chicken but to everyone’s horror I never actually tried any. I know I know, I should have but I wanted to go to a place that specialized in it. Every restaurant in Nashville has it on the menu but I wanted the real thing. Unfortunately, we never got to it. It’s ok though because I did get to try many amazing restaurants including my new favorite breakfast place.
Hearts
Located in East Nashville, Hearts is by far my favorite restaurant in Nashville. We actually went twice because it was so amazing. It is inspired by Australian cafes and is a cute little restaurant with a back patio. I fell in love as soon as we got in.
I had the French toast and pancakes which were both so good but the pancakes were the best I’ve ever had. You also need to try the sausage rolls and watermelon ginger drink! Since it is a café, they also have a bunch of different coffees but I can’t drink caffeine so I didn’t try any. Parking can be a bit difficult so make sure its legal to park if there are no spots left in the lot. The police came in the one time we were there and asked people to move their cars to avoid getting a ticket because it is illegal to park on the side street next to it despite no signage saying so. Don’t let the bad parking situation deter you from eating here though as I can’t recommend this place enough!
Caney Fork
Caney Fork is located near the Opryland Resort and features wild game. They have usual southern food but the stars are the venison, bison, turtle, and frog legs. I had the wild game sampler featuring all the stars and turtle chili. You can also make your own smores at your table through a device that can roast marshmallows. The atmosphere was nice too with a southern country vibe. They also have many taxidermized animals on the walls so to remind you what your meat looked like when it was still alive. Lastly our room had a live bluegrass band which added to the southern backwoods vibe of the restaurant. We were hesitant to try this place because it had mixed reviews but it was right next to our hotel so we gave it a try and I’m glad we did!
Other Places We Tried
Along with the two restaurants we also ate at a few other places. We had ice cream at Mimi’s which was right next to Caney Fork and Mike’s which is just off Broadway in downtown. I also tried rolled ice cream at Opry Mills Mall which was really unique. Lastly, my friend and I tried Whataburger for the first time which was enlightening for both of us.
Conclusion
Whether you love country music or not, you will find many fun things to do in Nashville. From the Country Music Hall of Fame to Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage there is something for everyone in the Music City. But whatever you do on your trip, make sure you start your day off with the amazing pancakes at Hearts!
