It can be overwhelming when you only spend a few days in a citiy you've never visited, or move somewhere for the first time. What do you do with yourself? Where are the best places to go? I love living in the Nashville area and personally recommend each of these places both to visitors and to my clients who make their homes here.
Photo Credit: Ron Cogswell, Creative Commons License
1. The Grand Ole Opry. It seems cliche, but the Opry really is a classic piece of Nashville history. There isn't a better place to see your favorite country music stars. Evern if you're not a big country fan, the experience itself is worth the visit.
Photo Credit: Blue Ivory Creative, Some Rights Reserved
2. The Redneck Comedy Bus Tour. There are a lot of tours of Nashville, but this is probably my favorite. Not only does it give fantastic history of the city, the comedic element of it is very entertaining. And you get a chance to become Redneck Certified!
Photo Credit: Cliff, Creative Commons License
3. The Ryman Auditorium. The Ryman is the original home of the Grand Ole Opry. It's considered one of the best acoustical venues in the country and hosts regular performances from artists in the country music field along with other genres. Not only can you take a tour almost any day of the week, you can also make your own recording! It's great for country music fans and people of all ages.
Photo Credit: Blue Ivory Creative, Some Rights Reserved
4. The Opryland Hotel. Opryland is one of the most beautiful, amazing hotels in the U.S. The atrium-based hotel features gorgeous botanical gardens, a full river with boat rides throughout the property, a waterfall, jumping fountains, boutique shops and high-end dining. Even if you don't stay there, it's a great place to visit. And at Christmas, make sure to check out their ice-skating, tubing and Christmas lights.
Photo Credit: Blue Ivory Creative, Some Rights Reserved
5. Broadway Street. Home to all the legendary country music bars, as seen on TV. A few of these are jut fun places to visit, but many are the real historical venus where country music legends started their careers. Tootsie's is one of the most celebrated; many musicians would hang out there between their sets at the adjacent Ryman Auditorium. Another classic is The Stage, which enjoyed a surge in popularity after it was featured in the major film, Country Strong. Also check out Jack's Barbecue, which has the best barbecue in town!
Photo Credit: Blue Ivory Creative, Some Rights Reserved
6. Percy Warner Park. This gorgeous state park is perfect for those wanting to get a taste of the beautiful landscape around Nashville. Follow a winding path through the woods for scenic views; horseback ride through the trees on rocky trails; or warm up with a fire at one of the reserved picnic areas.
Photo Credit: Idealystest, Creative Commons License
7. Franklin. About 30 minutes away from downtown Nashville, Franklin is a quaint little town full of history. Check out the family-owned restaurants and boutique shops. There are also fantastic festivals all the time, including Pumpkin Fest, Brew Fest and a historical Tour of Homes.
Photo Credit: Holmes Palacios, Creative Commons License
8. Printer's Alley. Historical Printer's Alley was the last remaining part of what was once the very large red light district in Nashville. Now, it's known as the blues and boogie area. Different from the music you'll find on Broadway, Printer's Alley mimics the atmosphere of Bourbon Street in New Orleans. Here, you'll find some of the best karaoke bars, jazz music and the only place in Nashville where you can purchase beer "to-go".
Photo Credit: Cliff, Creative Commons License
9. RCA Studio B. Home of 1000 hits, RCA Studio B is one of the most historically-important recording studios, particularly for country music. Legends like Elvis Presley, the Everly Brothers and Dolly Parton recorded some of their music there. You can tour this studio as a special addition to the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Photo Credit: Blue Ivory Creative, Some Rights Reserved
10. Riverfront Park. This is the location of many concerts in downtown Nashville. It's the main center point for Nashville's famous 4th-of-July celebration (#5 in the country!) along with the annual summer concert series. The pedestrian bridge here is also a great place for views of downtown.
Nashville has a lot of great places to visit alone or with your family, whether you love country music or aren't the biggest fan. And I'm proud to call it home. I hope you enjoy some of these places the next time you're in town!
Comments(10)