When In Nashville...
- Jona Kay
- Apr 9, 2024
- 3 min read
Honky-tonks, history... and more!
I've been going to Nashville regularly for years because it's where my dad lives. Coincidentally, it seems to be the hotspot for every Midwestern bachelorette party or hoedown throwdown. From the many times visited there, I've seen a thing or two and can give you some pointers. But please... leave them Broadway girls alone and don't throw a chair off the roof (unless your name is Morgan Wallen).
We're going to start with Broadway because it's everybody's hotspot. It's POPPIN' like Lil Mama's lip gloss. If you want a country party, here it is... along with the most tourists. Lines for popular spots like Blake Shelton's Ole Red and Miranda Lambert's tequila cantina, Casa Rosa, can have wait times of 45 minutes not to mention the drink lines. Hole-in-the-wall places along the strip are just as good with live music and shorter wait times. It's all live country music and good times.
You'll also find the original Grand Ole Opry near the main strip... Ryman Auditorium. Take a tour and learn the history where the OG greats used to play. It still has various events with current artists. You can check the schedule here.
When you get hungry on Broadway, you can make a stop for quick-service at the Taco Bell cantina or Assembly Food Hall, housing tons of options to keep you going throughout the day and night. Make a pit stop at Prince's Hot Chicken for a southern classic that's comparable to the infamous Hattie B's. Other popular restaurants inside include Velvet Taco and DeSano Pizzeria.
Broadway isn't just for a drink or four, it's also the home to popular museums. Before Broadway was commercialized with artists buying up the strip for their bars, particularly within the last ten years, it was the classic spot with the Hard Rock Café, Johnny Cash Museum, Country Hall of Fame Museum, National Museum of African American Music, and the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame.
Inevitably, you will see someone's bachelorette party wagon go by you on the street. You can reserve your own with Off The Wagon. We did, and it was a great experience with BYOB and your party controlling the aux throughout the streets of Nashville.
Don't spend all of your time on Broadway (that's what everyone else will be doing, and we like to be different). Moving north, the true place where locals go to line dance and have a good time is The Nashville Palace. THIS area is where you want to be to get a true taste of the city. Dance, shoot pool, see live music, have the best time, and keep it a secret.
Close by is the new Grand Ole Opry... the modern version of Ryman Auditorium. You'll find it on Opry Mills Drive across the street from the mall and Gaylord Opryland Resort. If you want to snag a show with Reba, Carrie Underwood, or Garth Brooks... this is where you want to be. They also offer tours. It's probably the most Nashville-est thing on the itinerary.
My favorite place in the city is right next to the Grand Ole Opry at Gaylord Opryland Resort by Marriott. Smack dab in the middle of the hotel & convention center is the atrium. Follow the smell of fresh water. Take a boat ride, find a place to eat, admire the waterfalls... whatever your heart desires. The greenhouse ambiance is unmatched. You don't have to be staying as a guest at the hotel to visit. It's most beautiful illuminated at night.
To get more history in, visit Civil War sights in Nashville and Franklin... as well as the home of President Andrew Jackson: the Hermitage. President Jackson IS controversial with American exploration and westward expansion, not to mention slavery. However, you can learn more about that at the plantation along with those that lived and died there and what life was like back in the 1800s.
Stop at Centennial Park to see the Parthenon replica and infamous 'Invisible String' Taylor Swift bench, while strolling the one-mile loop. Frequently, it features exhibits, festivals, and music. Honorable mention to another great... Radnor Lake State Park.
That's a solid weekend in Nashville with all of the hottest of hot spots. The easiest way to make sure that you don't miss out, as always, is a Hop-On-Hop-Off bus or trolley tour. There's no shame in the tourism game.
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