Nashville?

[coinkc]

We are going to be in Nashville for a few days this summer for the first time. I'm trying to decide how long we will want to stay. We will have a rental car and don't mind driving an hour or so (maybe even farther) outside of Nashville to do something fun.

Any suggestions for places to visit or things to do? It will be myself and my 15 year old daughter. Thanks for any advice you can give us...this is our first time going there so we are looking forward to seeing someplace new!

 

[FINFAN]

There is a zoo and Opryland....
this is a general guide:

http://olive.jnlcom.com/Olive/ODE/NVG/

have a fun trip!

 

[PUZZLDY5]

Oh geez. Where to start. Well it depends on what you LIKE to do. There is Centennial Park. I love this place. The Parthenon is there and a paved track. There are lots of historical places to see for example The Belle Meade Plantation or the Carnton Mansion in Franklin. Of corse there is the music scene that is mostly centered around downtown. There is the Opryland Hotel. It's beautiful. They just renovated it since the flood. If I were you I would also google Nashville event calendar and see if there is any neat stuff happening during the time you going to be here.

 

[amyren]

We are going to be in Nashville for a few days this summer for the first time. I'm trying to decide how long we will want to stay. We will have a rental car and don't mind driving an hour or so (maybe even farther) outside of Nashville to do something fun.

Any suggestions for places to visit or things to do? It will be myself and my 15 year old daughter. Thanks for any advice you can give us...this is our first time going there so we are looking forward to seeing someplace new!

Chattanooga is a really cool town too. It's maybe 2 hours(ish) from Nashville. They have an awesome aquarium and Rock City is near by.

 

[coinkc]

Oh geez. Where to start. Well it depends on what you LIKE to do. There is Centennial Park. I love this place. The Parthenon is there and a paved track. There are lots of historical places to see for example The Belle Meade Plantation or the Carnton Mansion in Franklin. Of corse there is the music scene that is mostly centered around downtown. There is the Opryland Hotel. It's beautiful. They just renovated it since the flood. If I were you I would also google Nashville event calendar and see if there is any neat stuff happening during the time you going to be here.

We're pretty much open to anything. The event that we are going to is being held at the Opryland Hotel so that's where we'll be staying!

Thanks for your help! keep the suggestions coming!

Also, my daughter wants to go to Dollywood...thoughts on that?

 

[asta]

I always recommend that visitors go to the Bluebird Cafe to hear local music. If you are lucky you might be able to hear performances by a songwriter who is responsible for some of the biggest hits coming out of Nashville. This place is always popular so make a reservation. Many of the other places to hear music are downtown bars (honky-tonks) that will probably have an age limit. It might be fun to walk around downtown to hear the music from outside, then you could visit the historic Ryman Auditorium and the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. Nashtrash bus tours is also a fun way to see the city.

For shopping try the Mall at Green Hills and the close by Hill Center. Both have some of the newer trendy stores. Nearby historic Franklin has a nice walkable downtown area for both shopping and history. Don't miss the authentic Tiffany stained glass windows in the small Episcopal church on main street. The Carter House and Carnton are great places to learn about Civil War history. Finish your trip to Franklin by leaving by way of Highway 96 west to the Natchez Trace. Get on the Natchez Trace at the spectacular arched bridge (you can't miss this beautiful structure) and travel back toward Nashville. At the northern end of the Trace stop for a meal at the Loveless Cafe. Great southern food that always comes with plenty of biscuits and homemade preserves.

 

[PigletsMommy]

We're pretty much open to anything. The event that we are going to is being held at the Opryland Hotel so that's where we'll be staying!

Thanks for your help! keep the suggestions coming!

Also, my daughter wants to go to Dollywood...thoughts on that?

Dollywood is in Pigeon Forge, close to Knoxville. About 3 1/2 hours east of Nashville.

Someone else mentioned historical homes... There is also The Hermitage (home of President Andrew Jackson)

Nashville Shores is just outside of Nashville...its a waterpark on Percy Priest Lake.

 

[agnes!]

I vote for a road trip to Loveless Cafe, plus I think there are some historical homes, etc. out that way.

We LOVED the blackberry preserves (OMG - need to order some, the best ever), the greens, and the meatloaf(the best I've ever had). The biscuits were pretty darn good too but we were disappointed in the fried chicken and for the love of your stomach don't get the cheesy hash browns - they were awful. Oh, and the portions are huge.

agnes!

 

[disneymagicgirl]

We just found out that we may be moving to Nashville....good thread for me to scour!

 

[agnes!]

We are going to be in Nashville for a few days this summer for the first time. I'm trying to decide how long we will want to stay. We will have a rental car and don't mind driving an hour or so (maybe even farther) outside of Nashville to do something fun.

Any suggestions for places to visit or things to do? It will be myself and my 15 year old daughter. Thanks for any advice you can give us...this is our first time going there so we are looking forward to seeing someplace new!

Forgot to mention, this would be a golden opportunity to check out any of the universities in the Nashville area that your DD might be interested in...Vanderbilt, Belmont, Middle Tennessee State (in Murfreesboro), etc. (maybe see if there are any walking tours led by students while you're there?). Also, if your kid likes the recording industry you can get tours of RCA Studio B, etc.

agnes!

 

[Becky2005]

Forgot to mention, this would be a golden opportunity to check out any of the universities in the Nashville area that your DD might be interested in...Vanderbilt, Belmont, Middle Tennessee State (in Murfreesboro), etc. (maybe see if there are any walking tours led by students while you're there?). Also, if your kid likes the recording industry you can get tours of RCA Studio B, etc.

agnes!

I looked at this thread because we are driving to Disney World this summer and we are literally driving right past Nashville. DD is interested in Vanderbilt so it seems like a no brainer to stay an extra day and do the college visit.

Our only catch is we have to find something to do on Sunday as they don't do tours then. We already have our hotel on Saturday night in Chattanooga. Basically Sunday morning we need to find something to do in Nashville and a hotel to stay in Sunday night that isn't too far from Vanderbilt University so we can go to the tour on Monday morning and then head home afterwards.

Unfortunately, the mall my DD was telling me about is still closed due to the flood. She went last year with the high school choir and they stayed at Opryland hotel.

 

[mandy200587]

Pancake Pantry over by Vandy is another good place to eat. It will have a bit of wait depending on what time you go.

visitmusiccity.com is a good website with info about attractions.

 

[asta]

I looked at this thread because we are driving to Disney World this summer and we are literally driving right past Nashville. DD is interested in Vanderbilt so it seems like a no brainer to stay an extra day and do the college visit.

Our only catch is we have to find something to do on Sunday as they don't do tours then. We already have our hotel on Saturday night in Chattanooga. Basically Sunday morning we need to find something to do in Nashville and a hotel to stay in Sunday night that isn't too far from Vanderbilt University so we can go to the tour on Monday morning and then head home afterwards.

Unfortunately, the mall my DD was telling me about is still closed due to the flood. She went last year with the high school choir and they stayed at Opryland hotel.

There are several hotels very close to Vanderbilt. The Marriott is practically on campus. It is next to the football stadium and about a block away from where the campus tours start. Loew's Vanderbilt is almost across the street from the Admissions Building where your tour will start. There are several chains also in the area. I would look for one on West End Avenue in the Vanderbilt area. That way you can just walk to the Admission Building.