Well Travelled reader, James Hall, shares with us his travels to the music capital of the world – Nashville.
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How do you rate your experience?
5-stars
The one thing not to be missed is?
Country Music fan or not, visitors will enjoy the historical aspects of this legendary sound. Top attractions not to be missed include the Ryman Auditorium, Country Music Hall of Fame Museum and the famed bars like Tootsie’s, where many celebrities have performed.
Also, anyone who loves American Civil War history will be amazed at the harrowing stories found at Carnton Plantation, Carter House and Lotz House, in Franklin. This picturesque town is just a 25 minute drive south of Nashville.
If I had more time, I would have …
I would have popped in for one more pulled-pork sandwich with corn bread and pork-n-beans at Puckett’s Grocery in Franklin. Delicious!
OTHER TRAVELLERS TALES…
- Food and wine in France
- The great Australian road-trip
- Why I left my heart in San Francisco
- Why New York is my favourite city on the world
My hot travel tip is …
Two tips – summer can be VERY warm, but spring and autumn, just perfect. Winter can be cold, but snow is rare.
For shopping, downtown isn’t really the best, but there are some fantastic shopping malls like the high-end Green Hills Mall and Cool Springs Mall. If you’re looking for a fun, low key premium outlet mall option, try Opry Mills, just east of downtown, near the Grand Ole Opry.
Nashville doesn’t have much of a public transport system, so a car-hire will definitely be needed. But the roads and highways are excellent. But be sure to have a GPS, because signage can be confusing. American signage is direction based (north, south, east, west), so if you don’t know the direction you need, it can be confusing.
How do you rank this trip?
Nashville is such a diverse city. It’s both cosmopolitan, yet at the same time, casual, relaxed, and even edgy. People are very friendly, especially when they find out you’re from Australia! I rank Nashville high on my list of return destinations.
My favourite meal was …
Beyond my pulled-pork sandwich as mentioned above at Puckett’s Grocery, we had an incredible steak dinner at Kayne Steak House, just on the western edge of downtown in the up-and-coming Gulch District. This is a nicer restaurant, so expect quality and a welcoming atmosphere. We celebrated a 40th birthday here and the staff were amazing.
I never travel without …
I never travel without my Bose noise cancelling headphones. They are a life saver on planes, and the sound is great anytime I want to listen to my music.
Some final thoughts:
Nashville is so much more than just Country Music, although that is a big draw. But there’s also a lot of outdoor attractions, like kayaking on the Harpeth River, hiking along the Natchez Trace Parkway, and Radnor Lake State Park. Driving in to Radnor, we saw a family of white tailed deer!
