Anyone here been to Nashville?

[C.Ann]

DD and I are kicking around the idea of a quick trip - maybe in May.. We're both HUGE country/western fans and thought it would be a fun "mother/daughter" trip..

If you've been there - or live near there - what can you tell me about it?

Weather in May?

Possible to see the sights without having to get a rental car?

Reasonable hotels?

Anything specific we would need to know before heading down there?

Must sees??

Thanks for any help you can provide.. And if you happen to live in or near some other tourist area, I'd love to hear about what might interest us in your neck of the woods..

 

[Pamlur]

May should be pleasant, weatherwise; Nashville is usually several degrees cooler than Memphis. But it's spread-out, you'd definitely have to have a rental car to see much. The airport isn't far from the Opryland Hotel, and that's a sight to see, but I didn't like staying there at all. I like the AmeriSuites that's close to there, but I'm not familiar with a lot of hotels around there. The Opry area is a good way away from downtown, and the Printer's Alley area.

 

[dawgfan]

Nashville is surprisingly small and easy to navigate. Get a rental car. As for hotels there are several in the downtown area and the internet would be the best bet to check for a rate that you would like. There is a great deal of shopping that is available especially antique shopping. Go see the Opryland complex but I would not satay out there. Too expensive. There is also an outlet mall there. I have been to Nashville about six times and I have had a great time around that city. Eat at the Stockyard for an expensive night out.

 

[C.Ann]

Thanks for the info! I've been trying to navigate my way around the internet to get info but Nashiville doesn't seem to be as "plastered everywhere" as Orlando - LOL.. I'm so used to looking for stuff related to Disney and Orlando and there's gazillions of sites!

I just talked to DD and she said Memorial Day weekend would be good for her (workwise) and it would be good for me as well because I can just switch the 3 days I work the week of and week after M Day..

Now - to find a hotel and rental car!!

Can anyone tell me about the airport? Is it big - and do they have the rental car places right there?

If anyone has more info to add, I'd love to hear it!

 

[Keli]

Hey wait guys! I loved staying at the Opryland Hotel. It was very expensive though and we wouldn't have ever spent the money on it but our dd Ashli saved her money from her summer job last summer and paid to have Dave and I stay there to celebrate our 20th anniversary. What a sweet kid.

I liked the hotel because we had a balcony that looked out over one of the atriums (sp?) in the hotel (there are three of them, ours looked out over the garden atrium) and it was so nice to sit on the balcony and drink coffee and eat breakfast in the morning. Very beautiful hotel, we enjoyed it very much.

 

[FonFon]

I actually lived in Nashville for a few years. It is a GREAT city. May will be a great time to visit, weather should be pretty mild.

I, too, have to recommend the Gaylord Opryland Hotel. Even if you don't stay there (it ain't cheap!), at least go visit - it is beautiful. Opry Mills is right next to it, as is The Grand Ol' Opry (LOL, ya think?) And the Country Music Hall of Fame really is gorgeous. The restaurant inside is good as well. As far as hotels, Nashville is standard fare. Where you choose to stay depends on exactly what you want to see...

The airport is decently sized - not nearly the size of Orlando, though. There aren't any moving walkways (not counting the ones in the parking lot) that I can remember, so maybe that helps describe the size??

Make sure you spend some time downtown - there is a lot to see there. The Nashville CVB will send you a booklet with sample itineraries, a walking tour of downtown, and lists out some great places to visit. (You will love the Pancake Pantry.) I would also check the TPAC website to see if there are any good broadway shows going on while you are there. (One of my favorite things to do was go downtown with my friends for a musical and eat dinner at the Nosh - a NY-style delicatessan.)

HTH!

 

[Tiggerlover91]

DH and I visited Nashville last year to go to the Dove Awards. We really enjoyed visiting the OPRY MILLS MALL, THE OPRYLAND MUSEUM, and of course, THE GRAND OLE OPRY HOTEL! If you would like to look at some pix and see what you think, visit my link below.

Denise

MY PHOTOS FROM NASHVILLE

 

[C.Ann]

Originally posted by Tiggerlover91
DH and I visited Nashville last year to go to the Dove Awards. We really enjoyed visiting the OPRY MILLS MALL, THE OPRYLAND MUSEUM, and of course, THE GRAND OLE OPRY HOTEL! If you would like to look at some pix and see what you think, visit my link below.

Denise

MY PHOTOS FROM NASHVILLE

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Thanks SO much for sharing those photos!! Looks like there's lot of interesting things to see and do...

One of the questions I have about the hotels though.. You all know how horrible the "chain" hotels are in Orlando (Days, Best Western, HoJo's, etc.) yet up here in the northeast many of those chains are just fine - clean and well kept.. So how could I find out if any of the "chain" hotels in Nashville are decent - or dirty and bug infested?

We don't want to spend a ton of money on accomodations because if we go, it will be in lieu of a trip to Maine for 5 days instead and we'd like to stay within the same price range.. I've located some Best Westerns and such down there for around $65 a night - but how do I know if the places are dumps?? That's the WORST part of going somewhere you have never been before..

 

[MScott1851]

We go to Nashville all the time...

As far as hotels.. You do need to be careful.. There are many seedy chain hotels there. We usually stick to the Doubletree out near Opryland, and the Doubletree, Hilton Suites, or Wyndham Union Station downtown.

You can usually find the Opryland Hotel on Hotwire for around $125 per night...it has a "Resort" icon. IMHO...not worth it. Save $60, stay nearby, and just tour it. The Doubletree out there is around $79, I think. There is also a Radisson my parents stay at, but I have never stayed there.

If you stay downtown, the Second Avenue/Broadway District is very easily walked. The Hilton Suites and the Courtyard downtown are nearest the touristy areas. Hilton is a little pricy, about $175 per night, but new and nice. The Courtyard can be anywhere from $79-$150 depending on what's going on in town. We usually just use Priceline and often get the Doubletree on 4th Avenue downtown for $52.00. It's a little farther away, but with the money saved, we can do more. When we can, we also like to stay at the Wyndham Union Station... it is a beautiful historic building and with Wyndham webrates, can be affordable. There are a number of reputable tour companies that do bus tours of Nashville. A quick online search shoud turn some up.

The airport is easy to navigate, DO NOT stay in a hotel near there, though.

 

[Megan's Mom]

I drive up to Nashville about every 3 months to shop and I love going there. The airport is very easy to get around in. I agree with most of the other posters that staying at the Opryland Hotel isn't worth it. wE stayed there several years ago for our anniversary and it wasn't worth it for the money but we love going there and walking around and having dinner there. Opry MIlls is right behind there for shopping. We stay at Holiday Inns and there are several around town and we have never had a bad experience. But we are priority club and that helps. Make the trip down to Cool Springs to the Galleria. It is good shopping and there are several strip shopping centers in the area that are nice. We like to eat at the Sportsman Grill there at Cool Springs. It is across the interstate from the mall. You can see it from the interstate. It is a log cabin building. Good food. Go by AAA and get a good map of Nashville and that will help you as well see where everything is located. Have fun. Be sure and say ya'll alot so that people will think that you are a native.

 

[CarolA]

Weather in May? By Memorial day it will be HOT! If you are bringing the grandchild, I think Wave Country will be open. Not far from the Opryland area and pretty fun.

Possible to see the sights without having to get a rental car? Not really.

Reasonable hotels? Lots, post your addresses and that will help. There is a fairly decent Holiday Inn in the Opry area along with a Shearton. There are some decent Day's Inns, but some are dumps.

Anything specific we would need to know before heading down there? Can't think of anything.

Must sees?? If you are really a Country Music fan you might want to take the tour of the stars homes. Also, the Frist Art center is downtown. It has rotating exhibits so I don't know what will be on when you are there. Andrew Jackson's home is near the Opryland area and is very nice. Tooties Orchid Lounge is an institution down town.

Someone suggested the Stockyard. I would skip it. I think it is overpriced and living on it's repuation. Last time I ate there food was not good and the country music stars don't go there. Pancake Pantry and Loveless Cafe are both good for breakfast.

 

[Pamlur]

I absolutely LOVE that outlet mall; daughter and I need to go again, SOON! We stay at Sheraton Music City; that's one of my favorite hotels anywhere, and it's handy to the interstate (and the mall). Has a good restaurant, and an indoor pool that the grandkids like.

There is another GREAT outlet shopping center in Lebanon, too, that we can't miss when we go.

The one time we stayed at Opryland Hotel, our room was miniscule and cost a fortune; DH got deathly sick from somthing he ate in one of the restaurants. We stayed lost in that enormous atrium for an hour or more (the halls kept coming to dead ends). Once we got to our room, I sat on our indoor balcony and watched all the other "lost souls" and sypathized with them. And I have a great sense of direction.

 

[C.Ann]

I just found this deal on the Grayline vacation site..

5 nights at Sheraton Music City Hotel
Ticket to Grand Ole Opry
Ticket to Country Music Hall of Fame
Ticket to Ryman Auditorium
Admission and one soft drink at a Nashville Honky Tonk
Bus Tour (drive by) Parthenon; Tennessee State Capitol; Historic 2nd Avenue; Fort Nashborogh; and Music Row..

Total cost per person: $358

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I just checked out the Sheraton Music City Hotel site and the place looks gorgeous!!!!

So tell me - would this be a good deal?
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Oh - and my granddaughter won't be going on this trip - just my DD and I..

 

[my3kids]

They have a GREAT science center.