Ah Nashville, the land of music, bars, and bachelorette parties.
We’ve been to Nashville a couple of times now and though we’ve seen far from everything, we’ve hit a lot of the highlights. There is so much to see and do, especially for country music fans. So if you’re planning a trip to the Music City and need a few ideas on what to do (and eat), read on!
Grand Ole Opry
The Grand Ole Opry is probably one of the most famous stages in the world, especially in country music. At this point, it has been around for 95 years and has showcased so many famous faces over the years. They still host concerts here (during non-COVID times) quite frequently, so check out the show schedule when you are in town.
We did a tour of the Grand Ole Opry and it was well worth the money. You get a chance to walk through the entire venue including many of the dressing rooms, the backstage area, and you get to stand on the stage in the legendary circle. The circle was cut out of the floor when the Grand Ole Opry moved to its new home so that it could remain unbroken and new country stars could stand where their predecessors have stood. Courtney- Honestly, it was probably the most surreal experience of my life standing in that circle. I really felt something wash over me and it almost brought happy tears to my eyes. Just knowing I was standing in the same place where the people who have made the soundtrack to my life have stood was incredible.
Ryman Auditorium
The Ryman was the original home of the Grand Ole Opry and, on our second trip, we had a chance to tour it. The Ryman still hosts concerts from time to time and learning about the force of nature that was Lula Naff was worth the ticket. Ms. Naff brought acts from around the world to Nashville and was an awe inspiring woman. The Ryman has a really interesting history and learning about it gave our nerdy little country music hearts a lot of joy.
Studio B
On our second trip, we did a package with our HOF tickets and got to take a tour of the legendary RCA Studio B. This studio hosted a wealth of country artists from Porter and Dolly to Charley Pride. It was also a primary recording studio of the King, Elvis Presley. We actually got to stand where Elvis stood when he recorded some of his legendary hits, but we also got to hear about some amazing stories from the recordings that happened there and the legacy built in those rooms.
Country Music Hall of Fame
We have been to the Hall of Fame twice now and, honestly, you can’t go too many times. Some exhibits stay the same, but they also have rotating exhibits that offer more unique items and articles of history from country music. The first time we went, they had an exhibit dedicated to the Outlaws. The second time we visited, they an exhibit for Emmylou Harris and one that looked at the music developed in Luckenbach, Texas when some country stars wanted to develop a new sound. This place is truly amazing for a country music fan and is a must do in Nashville.
Opryland Resort
The first time we went to Nashville, we went for a Supernatural convention that was based in the Opryland Resort. We had some time to kill while we were there so we walked around to take in all the unique areas of the resort from the walkways to the canals and gardens. It is probably an amazing place to stay, but it’s also just a cool place to visit.
Prince’s Hot Chicken South
Nashville hot chicken… it’s seems like it’s not just exclusive to Nashville lately, but we had heard so much about it that we had to try it. And we had to go to one of the legit places to get it. We headed down to Prince’s food truck outside of Yee-Haw Brewing Co and Ole Smoky Distillery. Courtney got medium hot chicken and Mallory got hot hot chicken. While it was crispy and delicious, it will light your mouth on fire. Forget your mouth, it will light an internal fire that will make you sweat even if it isn’t a hot day. Turns out, we might not be cut out for Nashville hot chicken, but we survived and it was pretty tasty, plus we didn’t spontaneously combust so all is well. Next time, we’re going for mild.
Pancake Pantry
We had heard that Pancake Pantry was a Nashville must visit and it definitely is. We have eaten there for breakfast both times that we’ve gone. The first time, we got to town pretty early and walked right in but, the second time, we had to wait in line for quite awhile to get to those delicious pancakes. There are so many flavors to choose from and all of the ones we have tasted have been delicious. All of the toppings are homemade and each plate seems like it was made with love. The pancakes are golden brown and the bacon is crispy. What more could you want? Just a tip, plan to get there early or expect to wait a good while.
Broadway
If you’re 21 and up, whether you drink or not, you have to check out Broadway street. It’s a long strip of bars and restaurants that, in non-pandemic times, is filled with live music and plenty of people who enjoy it. On our most recent trip, we did a bit of bar hopping to check out all of the celeb owned establishments. We plan to do another post strictly about the different bars and drinks, but for now we’ll say our favorites are AJ’s Goodtime Bar and Big Machine Tavern (sorry, Taylor Swift). AJ’s has what are essentially alcoholic Capri Suns and Big Machine’s vodka slushies were the bomb. We also ate dinner at Ole Red’s (the nachos were so good and would feed three people at least) and Jason Aldean’s Kitchen + Rooftop Bar.
Kids and teens (under 21s) are allowed into some of these establishments during the day, but often are not evenings/nights. Those places that are strictly bars do not permit anyone under 21 inside at any time. If you’re traveling with the family, make sure to check out the restaurants’ policies ahead of time.
Like we said before, there is so much to see and do in Nashville that we’ve probably only scratched the surface. But hopefully this post will give you a good place to start!
Our McTravels 