My wife & I are celebrating 20 years this fall. Fiji is out of the question. She wants to take a long weekend trip to Nashville. Neither of us are big country music fans, but the city seems to be cool enough to find things to do for a few days. We both appreciate good live music in a small setting.

The Jonny Cash museum is on her list, as are about 30 restaurants. Thinking about an airBNB apartment for the stay instead of some crummy Holiday Inn room. Still debating drive vs. fly and rent car.

Anyone here have any first hand experience with the city?

Great small city lots of bars and restaurants. Great music everywhere. Parking is incredibly expensive so find a place close to the downtown that you can walk. I'm not a big country music fan but enjoyed the HOF. Definitely do the Ryman Auditorium tour.

Take a ride on the Natchez Trace Parkway lots of historical stops. Johnny Cash museum looked small and expensive so we skipped it. Some of his stuff in the Ryman. That's where his TV show was done.

If you only have 4-5 days I would fly and rent a car otherwise you lose 2 days traveling but there are plenty of stops on the way down.

I can't wait to go back as we only spent 2 days there and it wasn't enough.

A few years ago, we drove to Memphis and stayed a couple of nights at each of several stops on the way - including Nashville.  Music Row is interesting. I'm not a country music fan either but there was a lot to see and do.  By the way, music row isn't just one street, it's 3 blocks wide in some places and 4 or 5 blocks long.

The grand old opry offered tours during the day.  I didn't want to see a show but the tour was interesting.

We happened to be there during Elvis week.  I've never seen so many Elvis's .

 

Screw Airbnb. There are plenty of good hotels in Nashville.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

Check out vrbo.com also. It's like airbnb but I like it better. Just got a 3 bedroom cabin in NH for 115 bucks a night and had views of Mt.Washington and they allowed our dogs. No hotel could come close to that price without risking bed bugs lol 

My father-in-law lives out there and was visiting him once a year. We are moving out there. Don’t just look in Nashville. There is a lot of history there. Go see the Hermitage Plantation.

I can’t believe how many here say they are not country music fans, yet want to see the sights. Come on guys. Nashville -IS- country music. Oh, and take the riverboat ride.
[emoji67]‍[emoji264][emoji332][emoji481][emoji631]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

My father-in-law lives out there and was visiting him once a year. We are moving out there. Don’t just look in Nashville. There is a lot of history there. Go see the Hermitage Plantation.

 

I can’t believe how many here say they are not country music fans, yet want to see the sights. Come on guys. Nashville -IS- country music. Oh, and take the riverboat ride.

[emoji67]‍[emoji264][emoji332][emoji481][emoji631]

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I agree. I don't care for new country but who doesn't like the Highwaymen and other old school Outlaws.

 

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

 

 

 

If you are interested in cars and engineering history, this museum has a very nice collection from all over the world: https://www.lanemotormuseum.org/

Sent from my SM-T580 using Tapatalk

If driving down, go thru Kentucky and do some of the whiskey/bourbon tours. Nashville is an awesome place. 

Lane motor museum is very cool.  Take a walk in centennial park and check out the nc&stl 576 steam locomotive on static display.  Also, bowling green kentucky (national corvette museum) is within striking distance for a afternoon as is the rockcastle shooting center which is about 20 minutes from Bowling Green.  I think public is allowed there and they have everything from pits to 1,600 yards in Thunder Valley.  Even have their own hotel and restaurant. 

You mentioned in the fall, peak colors are mid October to mid November.  Beautiful time of year there.

http://nashvillelife.com/Nashville-Fall-Foliage-Color-Tours

It's a little bit of a hike but if you have time the Smokey Mountains are worth the ride.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

I recommend the Benchmark on 2nd Ave.  If Isaac Mathews is playing you'll be in for a treat.  And right across the street is the George Jones restaurant/bar, also a great venue!

 

Thanks all. Unfortunately, the kids and school is going to be an issue, so it is either August or second week in November. I would prefer November to avoid the heat. Spent a month in Virginia in July one week a few years back. It was brutal.

As for country music. I do enjoy the classic honky tonk sound, as well and the standards, ie Patsy, Everly Bros, Loretta. Modern country is quite awful in my opinion.

Thanks all. Unfortunately, the kids and school is going to be an issue, so it is either August or second week in November. I would prefer November to avoid the heat. Spent a month in Virginia in July one week a few years back. It was brutal.
As for country music. I do enjoy the classic honky tonk sound, as well and the standards, ie Patsy, Everly Bros, Loretta. Modern country is quite awful in my opinion.

Go in November. Tennessee heat sucks in the Summer.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

3 hours ago, capt14k said:

It's a little bit of a hike but if you have time the Smokey Mountains are worth the ride.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk
 

2nd the mountains, Spent 5 days in the smokies and surrounding area,  loved it

8 hours ago, Pew Pew Plates said:

Lane motor museum is very cool.  Take a walk in centennial park and check out the nc&stl 576 steam locomotive on static display.  Also, bowling green kentucky (national corvette museum) is within striking distance for a afternoon as is the rockcastle shooting center which is about 20 minutes from Bowling Green.  I think public is allowed there and they have everything from pits to 1,600 yards in Thunder Valley.  Even have their own hotel and restaurant. 

And it's a winery also. Forgot about that place had a blast there.

3 hours ago, capt14k said:

Go in November. Tennessee heat sucks in the Summer.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk
 

Have to agree. One night it was 84 at 10:30 PM. couldn't finish a beer before it got warm.

2 minutes ago, brucin said:

Have to agree. One night it was 84 at 10:30 PM. couldn't finish a beer before it got warm.

Drink faster!

38 minutes ago, fishnut said:

Drink faster!

You just can't drink 8% beers fast. I'm not a lawnmower beer guy.

46 minutes ago, brucin said:

You just can't drink 8% beers fast. I'm not a lawnmower beer guy.

I can if I don't have to drive but the next morning is not so fun. I'm an IPA guy myself. 

8 hours ago, capt14k said:

It's a little bit of a hike but if you have time the Smokey Mountains are worth the ride.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk
 

For once he has a good suggestion. If you go in the beginning of November you might just catch the end of the Smokey mountian elk rut. I was lucky enough to catch the very beginning of it in September a few years ago. Nothing quite like hearing pre dawn elk bugles in the middle of the woods and seeing 2 900lb bulls trying to kill each other!

On 3/24/2018 at 10:27 PM, dajonga said:

My wife & I are celebrating 20 years this fall. Fiji is out of the question. She wants to take a long weekend trip to Nashville. Neither of us are big country music fans, but the city seems to be cool enough to find things to do for a few days. We both appreciate good live music in a small setting.

The Jonny Cash museum is on her list, as are about 30 restaurants. Thinking about an airBNB apartment for the stay instead of some crummy Holiday Inn room. Still debating drive vs. fly and rent car.

Anyone here have any first hand experience with the city?

Did you go?

Our 25th is next summer. 

We did not.

1 hour ago, kc17 said:

Did you go?

Our 25th is next summer. 

We went about 2 years ago. Great trip. 
 

 

7 minutes ago, Displaced Texan said:

We went about 2 years ago. Great trip. 
 

 

Stayed in Nashville?

It was a Holiday Inn hotel (used hotel points from my work travel), it was at the top of the hill along the main drag, where all the bars and restaurants are. 
 

Can’t remember the actual name of it. 
 

We did the Grand Ole Opry, Johnny Cash museum, and hit all the bars along the strip. 
Good food, good music. 

Tennessee is probably my third home or so.  I vacation there often.  I may have to go to the Johnny Cash Museum on my next trip.  The Parthenon is cool and there's some nice wineries too.

Gatlinburg is nice if youre willing to go to the eastern border.  I also like the Andrew Johnson House and museum in Greeneville.

....and Tennessee is non-resident carry permit friendly!!

Don’t forget Smoky Mountain Knife Works and Buds Gun Shop! Bring your wallet. 

Might do something in the Smoky Mtn area instead. Much more affordable.