Introduction

I've only heard great things about Nashville, so when I saw a cheap deal I knew I had to jump on it. And I'm glad I did! Nashville was kind of what I was expecting, kind of not. I will say that Nashville would be more fun as a trip with friends than a solo trip, but regardless I had a good time. 

Surprisingly, I was able to do 90% of the things I wanted to do in 1 day by renting a car. There are some cool things to see, but where Nashville really shines is live music. I was impressed at how great the musicians were, and I'm not even a huge fan. Most of the shows are at night, but you may find something during the day! 

In terms of getting around, it's easiest to stay in the downtown core or as close to it as you can. Public transportation wasn't too hard to use, but sometimes the buses were late. There is a bus that takes you straight from the Nashville Airport to downtown, but definitely look up the schedule beforehand if you're coming in super early or late. The frequency is only around ~45min - 1 hr per bus. The buses are fine around downtown but it's much easier to have a car. You can download the QuickTicket app to buy bus tickets and use them. Try to find a place to stay that lets you have free parking!

If I were to come again, I would make sure that I book my shows/viewings beforehand. There were a lot of places/people I wanted to see, but either 1) they were sold out or 2) the dates didn't line up with my schedule. But, I would definitely come again!

 

Nature

• Centennial Park - The park is somewhat small but has good vibes all around! I loved how it was super spacious and you can even see a replica of The Parthenon. Really great place to just walk around and chill.

 

food

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• White Bison Coffee - Cute place to do some work! The 1st floor gives gas station vibes but walk up to the 2nd floor to sit on the balcony overlooking the street.
• The Pancake Pantry - This place was so good and it was a great value. I got the apple walnut pancake and hash browns and I basically inhaled the whole thing. They give you a lot too!
• ​Assembly Food Hall
• Nashville Farmer's Market
• The Loveless Cafe - Super solid Southern food, but a little out of the way. If you can't get here, it's fine but definitely a Nashville staple.
• Biscuit Love - Great spot to get some biscuits, and super quick service on a Tuesday afternoon. I probably placed my order of the Gertie biscuit (chocolate, banana, and peanut butter) and lemonade to get my food in <5 min. Also, they give you unlimited refills on the lemonade! The biscuit was a little above average but the other aspects I mentioned push it up towards me recommending the spot.

 

Attractions

In terms of neighborhoods, I really liked the area around 12th South, The Gulch and Midtown! It's a super cute stretch that has a lot of cool murals. I would say that Music Row was alright, it was cool to drive past. 
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• I Believe In Nashville Mural
• Vanderbilt University - Walk around here if you have the time! The campus is beautiful.
• The Bluebird Cafe - The music here was top notch, and I was only here for a song. Definitely try to buy tickets beforehand! If you can't, you can also wait in the line for any open spots. But go EARLY - I got there at around 5:30pm to wait for a 6pm show and I didn't make it in. However, for those that don't make it in, they let one party at a time inside to listen to a song, and it was free! I thought that was really nice of them. But seriously, this is definitely worth your time. The security guard said that when he got there at 3:30pm the line was already 15 people long!
• Rudy's Jazz Room - This is a GREAT place if you're looking for something more chill than Lower Broadway. Very reasonable prices and great vibes ($15 for my ticket, $10 for my drink). It supposedly gets crowded on the weekends but the place was half empty when I went on a Monday night.
• Peg Leg Porker BBQ - I got a half chicken and smoked green beans/fries as my sides and I would say this was really good!
• WhatLiftsYou Wings Mural - Try to go earlier or way later in the day to avoid the line.
• Walk of Fame Park
• Honky Tonk Highway - The stretch of Broadway that goes into downtown gets REALLY lit at night. There's no cover charge to go into bars and listen to their music, which I think is really unique! I only had the chance to walk around during the day and drive past at night, and I honestly would say that going during the day is the move. It's a lot more chill and you can still hear some great music! At night it's really at full swing (and I would recommend going out here at night if you can). 
• Tootsie's Orchid Lounge - The place opens up in the AM and at 10am, there was a good crowd just vibing to the music! Would recommend visiting even during the day. At night, they have 3 different floors with 3 different bands!
• John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge - You get a really nice view of the river, but no need to walk all the way through.
• Tennessee State Capitol - The park nearby (Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park) is nice to walk through and has a LOT of stairs if you're feeling like having a workout. The state park has historical pillars of the USA and Tennessee inside it, which I thought was cool!
• Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center - The inside is absolutely beautiful. There are trees, nature, and even rivers inside the hotel. It reminded me of a cross between what you would see in Vegas and at Disneyland. However, it's much easier to take an Uber or public transportation here. There is no free parking at all (and I learned that the hard way).

Other places I would recommend visiting (but didn't have the time) are the Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum, Ryman Auditorium & Grand Ole Opry.

 

Contents

Introduction
Nature
Food
Attractions
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