Nashville Travel Guide


Nashville is nicknamed the Music City and it's a big city with a small town feel. It has an emerging food scene and is a top destination for bachelorette parties. It's a very photographic city with its beautiful murals, parks, and historical buildings. Bar hopping on the lower broad at the honky tonks give off a Vegas feel with  the iconic neon signs at night. The music scene is diverse as you'll see live musicians playing classic country tunes, bluegrass, and rock music. Nashville is both the capitol of the state and the center for the country music industry. I was there in November and to my surprise Nashville has four distinct seasons, so it gets as cold as DC in the wintertime. Reese Witherspoon opened up her own clothing store in 2015 called Draper James which sells beautiful dresses in classic southern style and extended sizing. Here are some must see spots in Nashville! 

Murals

Nashville's murals adorn the city as each neighborhood has its own signature street art. This one is easily spotted by the line that wraps around the block as folks wait for a chance to take their photo.

What Lifts You Wings

Located in the Gulch neighborhood next to the Kittenish store is a mural created by Kelsey Montague in 2016. The mural consists of two sets of wings, a large pair with different musical instruments incorporated in them and a smaller pair that can be used for children or pets. 

I Believe in Nashville

Located next to the Draper James store is a mural designed by Adrien Saporiti, the “I Believe in Nashville” mural is painted in American flag colors with the Tennessee flag logo located in the center. 


John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge 

Spanning 3,150 feet across the Cumberland River, the bridge is one of the longest pedestrian bridges in the world. It connects downtown Nashville to the football stadium. (Nashville does not have a basketball team, it's located in Memphis). From the bridge at sunset you get a beautiful view of the skyline. 


The Parthenon 

A huge surprise to me was that Nashville has a full-scale replica of a Greek temple located in Centennial Park! Inside is a 42-foot Athena statue with a 6-foot Nike on her hand. Inside the temple is an art museum. Then take a walk on the 1 mile trail in Centennial Park that surrounds a pond with water fountains and ducks. Taylor Swift has written about Centennial Park in her songs.

 

Downtown
Nashville's new court house was opened in 2022 and looks like something out of star trek. 

Tennessee General Assembly only operates for 4 months out of the year so the Senators and Representatives have to hold other jobs. There is no income tax on wages in this state, but liquor tax at bars is 15%. 


One famous landmark is Nashville is the AT&T building, at 30 floors it towers over the city. It's nicknamed the Batman building because that's what it looks like at night.

Country Lovers

National Museum of African American Music dedicated to preserving and celebrating the history of Black music in America. 

Grand Ole Opry is a live country music hall outside of the city that seats over 4000 people. 

Country Music Hall of Fame   The museum has galleries, exhibitions featuring artifacts such as instruments, stage wear, one-of-a-kind recordings, and films that offer intimate insights into the people who have shaped country music’s story, from the genre’s pre-commercial roots to today. They also have a Taylor Swift Education center and a gift shop.

Eats 

The Nashville food scene has been growing fast the past few years. Here's everywhere I went and recommend. 

A local health food chain with 6 locations in town. They have fresh juices, towering smoothie bowls, superfood bowls, soups, salads and wraps. Nashville is famous for their hot chicken but as a vegetarian I tried E+Rose's Nashville Hot Kale Wrap made with cashew and pumpkin seed sauce. It was delicious and so filling! I stopped by here a few times during my stay. 

This is a chain restaurant with 10 locations. The Nashville location is a whole house across from the water. It's three levels high with a rooftop bar and instagrammable decor. The guitar with 10 shots on it was a popular item I saw everyone ordering. I came here once for dinner and once for drinks.

A great place to go for delicious Mexican food and margaritas. Right on Broadway and no reservation needed. 

In the basement of the Hermitage Hotel is a modern lounge/bar. Drinks are pricey and the bathroom is all pink! 

Michelin-starred dining that requires a reservation. Expect small plates of delectable pastas. 

A good upscale Italian restaurant to eat right off Broadway. They have an indoor patio bar with a live band. Reservations are required. 

Located nearby the Gluch, offers small plate, rustic-Italian cuisine. Reservations are required. 

I came here twice to go to their speakeasy inside but both times it was a no go so we just had drinks at the bar. The bar is a young crowd as they blast hip-hop music and use dim blue lighting. 

A rooftop bar on top of the Grand Hyatt Nashville. They have a large outdoor seating area, a DJ playing and dim lighting. Drinks are pricey. 

A local donut shop with 6 locations.

A food hall of 30+ fast casual restaurants to eat on 3 floors located right on Broadway. 

Hotel

I stayed at the Sheraton Grand Nashville Downtown which is about a 15 minute walk from Broadway and across the street from the state capitol building. It's an older hotel but renovated. It has a sky lounge with a view of the city. The rooms are spacious and you get gummy bears every night.

Honky Tonk Highway 

You can't go to  Nashville adventure without at least walking through Lower Broadway’s Honky Tonk Highway. You'll see the vibrant neon lights illuminating the streets and hear live music pouring out of every open bar window. The vibe felt very much like old Vegas. You'll see tons of party buses drive by.

 


 


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