It amazes me how many people I have talked to that haven’t been to Nashville. It is a great city for all ages with so much to see and do. I have been there three times now and stopped there to stay the night on the way home from Savannah. The first time I went was for a Phi Theta Kappa conference and we stayed in the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center. If you have never stayed in one of these hotels, I would highly recommend it at least once. The rooms are great, there are many restaurant options and even has a garden/river to walk through.
The second time I went was for my sisters bachelorette party and it was a blast. We stayed in an Airbnb (https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/12230316) right outside the city and it exceeded my expectations. Neal’s house had a large living room area, 3 bedrooms, a shuffle board (who doesn’t love shuffle board) and everything you would need in the kitchen. The master bedroom was AWESOME too (just look at the pictures). I could have lived in the bathroom. This place would be a great place to stay during the warmer months because he has a nice covered patio with lights in the back. We went during the colder months so didn’t spend too much time outside.
Then this last time I went was to see the Patriots play. We unfortunately booked a little last minute and had to stay in a hotel (we typically like staying in Airbnbs now) but had a great experience at the hotel we stayed at. We stayed at Candlewood Suites, which was about a 15 minute Uber from downtown. The rooms were spacious, clean and very comfortable. The room we stayed in even had a full refrigerator, stove, microwave and dishwasher in case we had an extended stay.
In the three times I have been there, I have seen quite a few things and with my most recent trip there I wanted share my favorites. So here is my top five of Nashville.
- Broadway. Obviously my number one is Broadway because there is SO much to see there. This is typically where everyone does their bar hopping at night. There are also many museums on this street too including Patsy Cline and Johnny Cash is very close. Most of the bars are restaurants during the day and we had some bomb barbeque this last time we went at Rippy’s Bar and Grill. If you plan on coming to Nashville, Broadway is a must hit spot. My favorite bars to check out are: Crazy Town (OBSSESSED with this one), Tequila Cowboy, Dierks Bentley’s Whiskey Row, Ole Red, and even Rippy’s had a good bar scene, although it is very small since it is mostly a restaurant.
- The Gulch. The Gulch is definitely a must go to place as well if you are in Nashville. Both times I have tried going there, it has been cold and raining so didn’t get the chance to get out of the car to explore too much. The Gulch has a BUNCH of restaurants and if you are looking for great places to brunch, then this is where you need to come. But I would suggest making reservations on the weekend because most of the wait times are over an hour. There’s also many small businesses and boutiques in the area as well. Also the famous, What Lifts You Wings Mural is right there. I have YET to make it there and super bummed, but one day Kelsey Montague, one day.
- The Pedal Tavern. Alright guys, if you have never done this regardless of what city you have been too, I HIGHLY recommend it. I don’t think I stopped smiling and laughing the whole time. We did this for my sisters bachelorette party and actually got paired with another bachelorette party since there was only five of us. You bring your own alcohol (no glass) and the driver also serves as your bartender. We had such a great driver too, who made the experience even better. We made stops at multiple bars and pedaled around Nashville belting out the lyrics to our favorite songs. Such a blast. Do it. And invite me to come.
- Nissan Stadium. My most recent trip we obviously went to Nissan Stadium to see the Patriots play. This was my 4thfootball stadium I have been too and was a pretty nice stadium. Regardless of who your favorite NFL team is, going to NFL games are fun. The Stadium is also a 15-20 minute walk from Broadway. So plan a trip to Nashville and make going to a Titans game a must. Plus Titans fans are really nice people. Not the same can be said for all NFL team fans.
- Madame Tussauds. So yes this place is super touristy, but still fun to go to. I have been there twice and had equally amount of fun each time. For those who do not know, Madame Tussauds are wax museums across the globe and Nashville is one of the places that has it. This location takes you on a journey through how music has evolved with Elvis in the beginning and ending with many country artists like Carrie Underwood and Keith Urban to name a couple. We got dressed up and did this before dinner one night and it was fun to take pictures with all of the celebrities. Also this is located inside a mall, so you could get some shopping done as well.
There is a lot I still want to see in Nashville and I am happy it is only a 5 hour drive for me so I can make a weekend trip out of it anytime. I hope this gives some people an idea of what to do, or where to stay when travelling there. As always thanks for taking the time to read my blog and feel free to ask any questions you may have!
XOXO
