NASHVILLE TRAVEL GUIDE
We need to rewind back a bit to when I was growing up and listening to legendary country music artists over and over again. My dad recorded cassette tapes for me with loads of great songs from The Dixie Chicks to Shania Twain to Rascal Flatts. Visiting Nashville for the first time brought all those memories back, as my love for country songs is still deeply rooted within me. Needless to say, when my friend asked if I wanted to go to Nashville with her and a couple other girls, of course I said yes.
We planned this trip by firstly booking an Airbnb, which was so clean, homely, and may I even say "home goals." We even took advantage of the kitchen by cooking a few meals, which not only is a money saver, but was a nice experience to shop at Nashville's supermarket and prepare our own food. Nashville is definitely the perfect area to visit, as it has cute local shops, lots of food places to pick from, and of course lots of live music. The weather was perfect - plenty of sunshine but not too warm or cool, which made exploring the city ideal.
As far as food and drink go, let's start with the coffee... I woke up the first morning and went to the cutest cafe in Nashville called Fido. The reasons I knew this cafe was going to be amazing was 1.Taylor Swift has been spotted there and 2. The line was out the door when I got there. I planned to order hot breakfast, but since the wait was long and my stomach was already growling, I decided to order a scone with a latte instead. Neither item disappointed! Sipping a honey vanilla soy latte with a heart shape can never be a disappointment, right? That same day's events consisted of indulging in lunch at the Johnny Cash Cafe and visiting the Country Music Hall of Fame with the girls. The Country Music Hall of Fame is a must-see touristy place, as it has everything from the Taylor Swift education center and costume's performers wore on stage to a recording studio where you can sit down with a friend or two and record yourselves singing. My travel tip is to wait until 4pm or later to visit though since you will get a discount on your ticket!
The following days lead me to Vanderbilt's beautiful campus, a breathtaking flower shop, another cute cafe, the Grand Ole Opry, and of course Taylor Swift's Nashville condo... all in one day! I first visited the cute shops around Fido, which lead me a little off the beaten path to the beautiful fall-filled campus of Vanderbilt, which is only a few steps away from Taylor's condo. Needless to say, I did a lot of walking that morning/early afternoon. If you know me, you'll know I like to take in as much as I can, so since we only had a limited amount of time in Nashville, I ventured off to the Grand Ole Opry that afternoon as well. Personally, I really like the Grand Ole Opry, but tickets are a bit pricy, so I recommend not being as exhausted as I was when I went so that you can take it all in. You get a backstage tour, so you get to see the performer's dressing rooms and walk on the stage.. it's all a unique adventure.
As for the music and nightlife in Nashville, it was very entertaining and amazing. I'm not much for going out often, but being in the music city, I had to venture out and enjoy a night on the town. This night included me singing karaoke and dancing with the girls, until my feet were sore. I'll be the first to admit, Nashville was different than I thought it would be. There were hipster areas and much less of the deep rooted country I expected, but I like the modernized side quite a lot.
One of the neat things about Nashville is that it offers quaint shops, lovely cafes, and aesthetic landscape, but it also has great music, city life, and countless places to tour. Everything in Nashville looked so homely and cute. If you enjoy country music or even appreciate how music originates in general, I suggest visiting Nashville. You can make the trip as much or as little about music as you want. The city gives a great vibe and really welcomes you.
I would like to know if you've ever visited Nashville before, and if you have, what is your favorite hidden gem there? If you haven't been, do you plan on visiting one day?
