In recent years, Chattanooga increasingly has tried to capitalize on its music scene in the hopes of fueling arts-based tourism, but in the Volunteer State, there can be only one Music City, and Nashville has handily retained that title for decades.
Yes, there are many other reasons to visit Tennessee's capital, located in Davidson County, just north of the state's geographic center and cradling several bends of the Cumberland River. In the minds of many, if not most, of its visitors, however, Nashville is a music destination. Period.
Despite its well-earned, longstanding association with a line of country artists stretching from Hank Williams to Miranda Lambert, Music City is a sonic hotbed with plenty to offer, even to those who want nothing to do with boot scootin'. If you're allergic to rhinestones and twang, you'll find hordes of artists across a range of genres who call Nashville home, from The Civil Wars and Ke$ha to Miley Cyrus and The Black Keys.
And if country is your passion, welcome to your Garden of Eden. Whether it's an up-and-coming singer/songwriter at The Bluebird Cafe, a pop-up concert at Grimey's record store or the legends ensconced at the Country Music Hall of Fame, a trip to Nashville will thoroughly scratch that itch.
Whatever your particular poison, you can catch live music pretty much every night during your stay on any of the city's dozens of stages, from indie clubs and punk rock dives to legendary venues such as the Ryman Auditorium and The Station Inn.
What if music isn't your thing, country or otherwise? You'll still find plenty to love. Nashville's attractions are diverse, encompassing river recreation, luxury shopping, historic sites and more. Come see Music City, and in all likelihood, you'll leave singing its praises.
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STAY AWHILE AND LISTENIf you’re coming to Nashville, in all likelihood you’re planning to see a show or two. Choosing which of the city’s 150-plus stages can be a trying task. Here are some of the most popular ones:* Mercy Lounge is a favorite of locals that showcases up-and-comers in the adjoining High Watt addition but still manages to attract the big boys to its 1,000-seat main room. (1 Cannery Row; 615-251-3020; mercylounge.com)* The Ryman Auditorium is more than 120 years old and previously served as the home of the Grand Ole Opry. Now, the red-bricked “Mother Church of Country Music” is a nationally celebrated stage that Pollstar has dubbed its Theatre of the Year seven times — five of them consecutively — since 1994. (116 Fifth Ave. N; 615-899-3060; www.ryman.com* Robert’s Western World, 416 Broadway — See live country music and grab a cold beer and, if your stomach and arteries can handle it, a fried bologna sandwich at this genuine honky tonk sitting smack dab in the middle of the Broadway tourist trap. 615-244-9552. www.robertswesternworld.com.* The Bluebird Cafe, 4104 Hillsboro Pike — Many a singer/songwriter comes to Nashville with songs in their head and stars in their eyes. Some of the ones who make it, including Garth Brooks and Taylor Swift, started off singing in this unassuming, green-awninged venue, which features in ABC’s hit drama, “Nashville.” 615-383-1461. www.bluebirdcafe.com.*Source: The Guardian, Nashville.Suntimes, Thrillist.
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BEFORE YOU MOSH, NOSHNashville isn’t just for music lovers. It has a thriving restaurant scene that’s sure to satisfy even the most ardent of foodies. Here are some of the top places to grab a bite, according to TripAdvisor:* Joey’s House of Pizza is a lunch-only pizzeria that serves up some of the finest slices of authentic New York style pie you can get in Tennessee. Warning: If you talk smack to the staff, they’ll give it back to you in equal measure. It’s the Brooklyn in them. (897 Elm Hill Pike, 11 a.m.- 3 p.m. Central Time, Monday-Friday. 615-254-5639.)* Etch Restaurant features an open-kitchen style dining room with eclectic modern accents and the pork belley and roasted cauliflower are legendary. The menu also has an appetizer listed as “butter tasting.” Enough said. (303 Demonbreun St., 11 a.m.- 2 p.m. and 5-10 p.m., Central Time, Monday-Thursday; 11 a.m.-2 p.m. and 5-10:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. 615-522-0685.)* Hattie B’s Hot Chicken is where you’ll forget all about other fried chicken forever. The titularly spicy chicken is the star of a menu that also includes soul food staples like seasonal cobbler, banana pudding, pimento mac and cheese and southern greens. (112 19th Ave. South, 11 a.m.- 10 p.m. Central Time, Monday-Thursday; 11 a.m.-midnight Friday-Saturday; 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday. 615-678-4794.)* The Pharmacy Burger Parlor & Beer Garden prides itself on being Nashville’s “wurst-burger” joint with a menu that features a plethora of burgers and in-house-ground-and-stuffed sausages, home-made condiments, a wide selection of craft beers and old-fashioned fountain sodas. Sit outside in the string-light-illuminated biergarten for the full experience. (731 McFerrin Ave., 11 a.m.- 10 p.m. Central Time, Sunday-Thursday; 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday-Saturday. 615-712-9517.)
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SILENCE IS GOLDENWant to enjoy Nashville sans music? No problem. Nashville has many attractions with nary a stage nor speaker stack in sight. Here are a few highly rated places to visit:* Centennial Park, 2500 West End Ave., is a 132-acre green space bordering Vanderbilt University. The park includes a one-mile walking trail, lake, an art center and various historic monuments, but the highlight of a trip there is a visit to the Parthenon, a scale replica of the ancient Greek temple in Athens. The temple includes a 42-foot statue of the goddess Athena, and doubles as an art museum. Admission is $6 for adults or $4 for children 4-17 and seniors over 62.* If more recent history — comparatively speaking — is your thing, consider making the 10-mile jaunt east of downtown to visit The Hermitage, the plantation that once served as home to the seventh president of the United States, Andrew Jackson. The site, at 4580 Rachel’s Lane, Hermitage, Tenn., is a National Historic Landmark. Guests can tour Jackson’s Greek Revival mansion, in which each of the rooms retains its period-appropriate decoration, tour the 1,000-acre property and visit the former president’s tomb. Admission is $20 adults, $17 seniors, $15 students, $10 children 6-12 and military veterans. Active military personnel are admitted free.* For the more arboreally inclined, Cheekwood Botanical Garden and Museum of Art, 1200 Forest Park Drive, occupies 55 acres of lushly landscaped grounds. The property encompasses a sculpture trail and walking path and a dozen outdoor gardens, including a meticulously tended Japanese pine-mist garden. Inclusive with the $16 ticket ($14 seniors, $12 college students, $9 youth), guests can also visit a 30,000-square-foot art museum housed in a Georgian-style mansion which features traveling exhibits as well as a permanent collection including numerous sculptures, 600 paintings and 5,000 prints, drawings and photographs.