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See Nashville Like a Native

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Welcome to Nashville, Music City, NashVegas, The Third Coast

This is my love letter to Nashville, my adopted hometown. We are indeed, country music and grits, but we're much more. We are great dining, cool shopping, serene nature spots, colorful internationals, world class symphony, independent arts.

Allow me to give you a tour.

What you will specifically find here is an insider's tour and fun things to do with children in Nashville. 

Nashville Musts

Of course, you have to Honky Tonk

Let's start with the must-sees first, shall we? These are the places I take my own visiting friends and family to give them a taste of Nashville's traditional flavor -- Country Music, Honky Tonks, and BBQ.
The Ryman Auditorium
The Mother Church of Country Music and an amazing place to hear everyone from Annie Lenox to Alison Kraus.
Country Music Hall of Fame
See the Elvis Car and Dolly's costumes. Awesome musical selection in the gift shop.
The Blue Bird Cafe
Listen to music here, often by the men and women who write the Gold Record songs. Get shhshhed.
The Parthenon and Athena
An awesome replica of the Greek Parthenon and a 42-foot statue of the Goddess Athena. The surrounding park, Centennial, is a great place to stroll and picnic. It's also across from Vanderbilt University.
The Frist Center
Step inside this beautiful Art Deco building, our former Main Post Office, to view an ever-changing collection of art. Visit ArtQuest for children to paint, print and build. Excellent shop and restaurant.
The Loveless Cafe
"Praise the Lard and Pass the Biscuits.'' That about says it all. Family-style Southern dining in an historic restaurant, where you can spot celebrities sitting next to tourists. A popular spot for bikers hitting the Natchez Trace. Great shops.
Tootsie's Orchid Lounge
On Lower Broadway, the Purple building is an icon -- if a smoky and crowded one. Step back in time here, sip a cold beer and listen to just about anyone sing where Patsy, Willie and Kris did once. A must stop if you're touring downtown Nashville.

Can I tell you my husband bought a 5-foot-long urinal out of Tootsie's at an auction? He bought it because Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson and Patsy Cline all were said to have used it. He actually got interviewed on TV about it. It holds cold drinks at our parties now.
Gaylord Opryland Hotel
Big, huge, Southern, jaw-dropping. Put your walking shoes on big. Visit the Grand Ole Opry and Opry Mills Mall. Free outdoor concerts in the summer.

And be sure not to miss

  • Hatch Show Print on Lower Broadway.
  • Music Row, and the nearby restaurants and shops on Demonbreun.
  • A look at our universities: Vanderbilt, Belmont, Tennessee State, Fisk.
  • A walk over the Cumberland River via the Shelby Street Pedestrian Bridge.
  • The Bicentennial Mall and Farmer's Market: Excellent produce, flowers, food and a great place to walk and see the Capitol from a great vista. In the summer, let the kids run through the fountains
  • Drive down Belle Meade Boulevard to see the mansions and wind your way toward the beautiful and historic Cheekwood Botanical Garden and Art Museum.

Where the Natives hang

Hillsboro Village, East Nashville, 12South, The Gulch

If you want local color, head west and east of downtown to explore neighborhoods with unique charm and distinct offerings. You'll find excellent food, quiet spots to sit, good people-watching and shopping.
Hillsboro Village
Just a block from Vanderbilt University, this little 'hood serves up good brew, hot coffee, unique eats and excellent locally-owned shops.
Historic East Nashville
Cross the Cumberland River toward the football stadium and into a neighborhood of Victorian charm, eclectic residents and urban style. Eat, drink, shop. And while you are there, take a stroll at Shelby Bottoms Greenway, parts of which run along the Cumberland River.
Nashville's 12South
Click the link to a New York Times story from 2003, with good and mostly current information. But, Becker's Bakery is no more and there are new restaurants, and a delightful cheese shop
The Gulch
Nashville Gulch is a mixed-use urban neighborhood located near downtown, in the shadow of Union Station. Beautiful people and pricey drinks. Excellence where until recently there was nothing but a train track.

Nashville with Kids

Where the locals go to inspire and tire their kids. Parks, zoo, art-making

From funny Lorikeets at the Nashville Zoo at Grassmere to winding, wooded trails and art-making at a premier museum, there is plenty to entertain the children in Music City.
Nashville Zoo
Just a few minutes south of downtown Nashville, the zoo is a delightful place to spend the day. Be sure to visit the meerkats and the Lorikeets.
Nashville Public Library
Free weekday story times and weekend marionette shows at the Main Library downtown. Our beautiful, classically designed library also has an extensive historical collection in the Nashville Room. A cafe and courtyard -- complete with tempting fountain -- make a great rest stop.
Cheekwood Botanic Garden and Art Museum
Every Saturday morning from 10 to noon, the kiddos can play with art supplies to make seasonal and crafts. Classes are free and no reservations are required. Once at Cheekwood, adults and kids can enjoy the glorious gardens and beautiful art exhibits. Free with admission to Cheekwood.
ArtQuest at the Frist Center
Cut, color, collage, paint, print all in The Frist Center's specifically designated kid's zone. To be sure, even the 'rents will have a good time making art here, whether it is before or after you've toured the galleries. The Frist also has a great spot for sitting -- or hopping and running -- in the courtyard by the restaurant. Free with museum entrance fee.
Warner Park Nature Center
About 15 minutes west of downtown Nashville is the serene Warner Park Nature Center. Inside, kids can play in a tree, dress up as woodland animals, and touch and explore bones, feathers, wood and seeds. Outside, winding and easy trails, offer a place to walk. The center has a wide back porch and grassy field, a perfect spot for sitting, or having a snack. If you explore nearby, there are other trails and playgrounds and a few hidden away benches for quiet reflection. Free.
Bicentennial Capitol Mall
This outdoor park/mall is downtown, next to the Farmer's Market, where you can buy fresh produce, Tennessee preserves and everything from BBQ to Jamaican food to Gyros and New Orleans-style Snowballs at the super fun and tasty Fleur de Lis Flavors.

Grab some food and sit in a shady spot at the Mall and then let the kids run through the Mall's fountain, which shoots out of the ground. It is designed to symbolize each of Tennessee's 31 main Rivers. (See picture above) If your kid is into trains, be alert that trains pass right above the fountain area. There are bathrooms nearby for changing into dry clothes and the park rangers ride around on horseback. Oh, and there's also a weekend craft market at the Farmer's Market.

Fabulously free entertainment.

And wait, wait there's more for kids and families

  • Seasonal festivals and fairs abound -- from the Celebration of Cultures to the State Fair. Be sure to check the calendar listings online at The Tennessean and Nashville Scene, as well as the Convention and Visitors Bureau.
  • Visit Las Paletas on 12th Avenue South for mind-blowingly good Mexican popsicles and then walk across the street to Sevier Park's playground.
  • Feed the ducks at Centennial Park on West End, just past Vanderbilt University
  • A trip back in time at Bobby's Dairy Dip, 5301 Charlotte Avenue, just 10 to 15 minutes from downtown. And while you're here, check out the area's Mexican, Vietnamese and Korean restaurants and groceries that provide good food and new color.

Eat your way through Nashville

Whether you want to spend $$$$ or $, Nashville provides ample opportunity to feast well. From hip and fancy restaurants to casual coffee houses to sidewalk taco trucks, we have it all. Seriously, we make good biscuits, but so much more. Here are a few recommendations from a local's perspective...you can get others from your fancy guidebooks.

Insider's Dining Guide or "No, you don't have to eat biscuits today too.''

Dining out with the Nashville crowd.

Favorite places where the locals go to eat well. Super well.
Watermark
Elegant and sophisticated, the Watermark has what may be the best view of downtown. A foodie friend said this place offers "exquisite treatment of familiar dishes.'' Can't go wrong here. Watermark is in the hip and clubby Gulch, if you want to walk around and bar hop.
Flyte World Dining and Wine
Fun, adventurous and hip. Seriously, how could you go wrong with this item: "Twice Cooked La Belle Farms Duck with sumac, chanterelle mushroom risotto, fall squash, cocoa nib jus.'' And a dessert of this of Johnny Apple Pie with goat cheese, pine nuts, wild Tennessee dark honey, vanilla ice cream. Flyte is just a few minutes from downtown.
Marche Artisan Foods
Cross the Cumberland to East Nashville for a European cafe experience. Sunday Brunch is the star here, but every other meal celebrated as well. An excellent choice for brunch -- and you may just spot a few famous people. Carrie Underwood was there last we dined there.
Miel Restaurant
Miel is divine. It is chic and fun and romantic and friendly. Great ambiance and fabulous patio during warm weather. The chef uses local farm and artisan products. Most are organically or biodynamically farmed and cooked in copper and stainless steel pots. This place is a personal favorite.
Patterson House
Oh, we love this place so much.

Just visiting Nashville and looking for a way to start your evening of exploration? Start here. (You can go Honky Tonking later.)

Traditional cocktails -- everything from Presbyterians to The Carpetbagger to Hotel Nacional. They are not cheap, but who cares. The place is classy and fun, like a speakeasy and a library combined. They make their own ice in different shapes and tempered differently. So, the mojito gets a giant ball of ice and drinks in highball glasses get long, thick ice. The drinks are listed by spirit and they are listed from lightweight to heavyweight.

There is no dinner menu, just appetizers, which are delicious: Black-eyed pea Hummus and Shrimp Corndogs and Banana and Absinthe Bars. We treated them like tapas and just kept the plates coming all night.

Patterson House is run by a couple of young brothers who foodies in town are keeping their eye on.

Go here. For sure.

Short video on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6erVEzt3Nc
Rumours Wine and Art Bar
Wine, food and art, all in a cool space with a great outdoor patio. Great neighborhood spot in the 12South district. They also have an uber cool location in East Nashville.
The Yellow Porch
Casual, lovely, cozy. Popular with the regular locals, and the bigwigs too. Don't leave without having the bananas Foster bread pudding.
PM
Pan-Asian, fun, hip, funky and open until 1 a.m. PM is across from Belmont University and next door to Cha Chah, another restaurant also owned by Arnold Myint. Myint's family has owned International Cafe, across the street, for decades, so he comes from smart restaurant bloodlines.

Cha Chah, by the way, specializes in creative small plates, tapas and pinchos. It is cool and delicious too. I love this place for Girl's Night Out, a lot. Visit: http://www.chachahnashville.com/

And you may want to consider:

  • Las Paletas, which I have mentioned already, has outstanding all-natural, hand-made, gourmet Mexican popsicles. Get the kids a fruit-flavored one and get yourself the avocado or chocolate chili.
  • In Hillsboro Village, there are several dining options, including the casual but cool Provence and Fido and the famous Pancake Pantry, if you don't mind the wait.
  • In East Nashville, The Eastland Cafe, casual yet upscale. And, also in the 'hood is the always great Cafe Margot.
  • Pick up some food at the Farmer's Market and dine outside an the Bicentennial Mall. (See entry under things to do with kids.)

Global Nashville

We are international

Believe it or not, Nashville is a city with global spice. Immigrants and refugees from all over the world -- primarily from South East Asia, Iraq, Africa and Latin America -- live in Music City and surrounds, offering up the flavor of their home culture to the local.

Here are my favorite international eats and treats.

Drive south on Nolensville Road, off of I-440, see a Taco Truck. Stop. Eat. Any one will be a winner...or at least an interesting experience.

La Hacienda Taqueria, 2615 Nolensville Road: Hands down the best Mexican restaurant for the money, service and cheer. A great place to take the kids. Order their traditional tacos with extra avocado and lime. A bargain and a mood-enhancer. Seriously. Best of all, the place started as a few scattered tables inside the grocery store. A decade later, they rule as King of Mexican Food. Then, go next door to Phonoluxe and buy some used CDs.

Hang locally. Eat globally.

Anatolia
Turkish. Fun. Delicious.
Koto Sushi Bar
Local hangout, especially for downtown workers at lunch. Excellent sushi.
Sitar Indian Restaurant
I've loved this place for a dozen years. It gets so-so reviews from some people, and my own husband complains that his food is never spicy enough, but the bread is great, the samosas I adore, the lamb is my favorite, and the lunch buffet is quick and filling. Sitar is off of West End, near Vandy and the Loews hotel.
Las Americas
Go for the Pupusas. Have many. Who cares if you don't speak Spanish. Just point. Then eat. Enjoy.
Kien Giang
Kien Giang Vietnamese restaurant in West Nashville, is in the same shopping plaza as the K&S World Market, which sells Asian and Mexican groceries, as well as live fish and none-too-common on this continent animal parts. And, just up the road from both is the McKay's Used Books store, worth the trip.
The Smiling Elephant
Located on 8th Avenue South in the Melrose area, this is a great spot for spicy Thai. The food is fresh and free of MSG. And, the restaurant is near Nashville's antiques district. So, there you go.

Happenings: Music, art, festivals and fun

What to do in Nashville and Middle Tennessee

Now Playing Nashville.com
A comprehensive and up-to-date guide to concerts, festivals, art exhibits, sports, community events, and family activities.

Supreme Nashville singers and songwriters

See these people if they're playing when you are in town.

KEVIN WELCH AT AMERICANA UNPLUGGED "LIFE DOWN HERE ON EARTH"
by larrylyon | video info

15 ratings | 5,960 views
curated content from YouTube

Writer's Night

A Nashville tradition

If you want a true music experience, spend an evening, or two, at a Writer's Night or Open Mic Night. Aspiring songwriters and performers play local clubs, sharing their music and spreading their hope. Some performances can be soul-changing and you'll end up wondering why some of these people are not famous too. Some, of course, will send you right out the door, or holding your nose to keep from laughing.

Either way, you'll have a true Nashville moment at any Writer's Night. And hey, most are free.

Below are my favorite spots for listening.

Check the local papers -- the Tennessean and the Nashville Scene -- before your trip for show listings.
Douglas Corner Cafe
On 8th Avenue South in the antique district, and just a few minutes from downtown.
Blue Bird Cafe
Just sitting down in this historic place is worth the trip to Green Hills, about 10 to 15 minutes south of downtown. Green Hills, by the way, is home to our fanciest mall and shopping district.
The Family Wash
This East Nashville eatery is a rockin' good time.
Commodore Hotel Writer's Night
Long time writer's night in the Holiday Inn next to Vanderbilt University.

Reviews from Yelp

Here's what Yelpers have to say about Hotels & Travel in 37203

The Hermitage Hotel (Nashville)  
"The Hermitage Hotel was beautiful! It was a great location to the touristy streets (walking distance) which was really nice. The staff was extremely..." more
Hutton Hotel (Nashville)  
"5 stars. It's been a year since my stay at the Hutton. But, I would be remiss if I didn't post a lil sumpthin... Hi, my name is Plenty, and I'm a travel..." more
NashTrash Tours (Nashville)  
"I absolutely love the Jugg sisters. It was a little difficult to get a reservation but that should attest to their popularity. You call and leave your info..." more
Union Station Hotel (Nashville)  
"So there's no question this is one of the most beautiful hotels in town. I must say I expected more WOW from the room. It was nice, but nothing to write..." more
Scarritt-Bennett Center (Nashville)  
"I am a fan of this place, but 5 stars? Since I have stayed at the Maui Four Seasons I can't give 5 stars to many places.... but this place is a nice place..." more
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Reviews from Yelp

Here's what Yelpers have to say about Local Flavor in 37203

Yelp Nashville Elite Event: Mix and Mingle at Two Old Hippies (Nashville)  
"I love Two Old Hippies! What a great place to have an event! They boast a huge range of items, from (hilarious) greeting cards, to (seriously amazing)..." more
NashTrash Tours (Nashville)  
"I absolutely love the Jugg sisters. It was a little difficult to get a reservation but that should attest to their popularity. You call and leave your info..." more
Music City Brewer's Festival (Nashville)  
"My wife and I attended this festival. It's the first time that the two of us had ever been to a beer festival and it was a BLAST! Great people, great..." more
Nashville Sounds Baseball (Nashville)  
"I love baseball and this team does not disappoint. For not being a major league club, they sure do have a big fan base! They work hard for little money..." more
Full Moon Pickin' Party (Nashville)  
"If you are a local or a tourist, you have to experience this at least one time. The whole idea of the party is to celebrate blue grass music and to..." more
powered by Yelp

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  • Reply
    Michey Feb 15, 2011 @ 1:00 pm | delete
    I visited Nashville long time ago, and more recently I was in Great Smoky Mountains. Love both but I am far away to know and see all Tennessee can offer.
    Thanks for an informative lens.
    Regards
  • Reply
    marymc Nov 6, 2009 @ 9:32 am | delete
    Love your lens. I've lived in Franklin for 5 years and have never really gotten to know Nashville--am going to use this lens as a guide. Thanks for all the great info.

    Blessings on all you do.
  • Reply
    Tiddledeewinks Mar 17, 2009 @ 2:58 am | delete
    I haven't made it to TN yet,but hope to. I want to find places to sing classic country songs on karaoke. Are there any places like that which allow under 18 year olds?
  • Reply
    Ramkitten Feb 18, 2009 @ 2:17 pm | delete
    My husband and I visited Nashville for the first time in April, 2008. We stayed at a wonderful B&B close to downtown. During our visit, I ran the Country Music Marathon which was actually a great (albeit tiring!) way to "tour" the area. Needless to say, I took it easy the rest of our stay as we casually strolled around different areas of the city and took wonderful country drives. Loved the Grand Ol' Opry and Wildhorse Saloon among so many other places. We can't wait to go back, and this lens is a great source of info for our next trip.
  • Reply
    InformationGuy Oct 13, 2008 @ 1:53 pm | delete
    Nice Nashville lens.
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Carrie_in_TN

Howdy, Hello and Hola. I am a veteran newspaper reporter with a deep love of her adopted hometown: Nashville. Combine that with my tour guide-like nature... more »

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