For a few years, I lived outside of Nashville in a suburb called Murfreesboro, but due to my travel schedule, I did not get to spend a ton of time there, but did get a pretty good feel for the city.  Funny, but true,  we often explore parts of the area we live in the most when hosting guests! For this particular trip, I was both a guest and a hostess as my sister and I returned for our yearly sister trip. When my sis, Crystal and I first started doing these, we said, “Yes! Once a year we are going to commit to a sister trip!” What a great idea, right? Especially as adults,  the years start to fly by and before we know it, years have passed. We are live in the moment type of girls, so making time for us is important. Our first one we met up in vibrant  Chicago and while we haven’t quite nailed every year since we first set out to, two out of four years means we are winning at 50%! Yeah!

Nashville, Tennessee is home to some amazing country music legends, has an incredible list of up & coming artists, gorgeous rolling countryside, an eclectic collection of neighborhoods – each with their own unique vibe, a nightlife scene that will provide a lifetime of memories and so much more. The southern charm is something to experience and truly, there is something for everyone.

It just so happened that we booked our visit for the third week in January and it was unseasonably COLD in Nashville. I am talking 14 degrees and SNOW! I came in a couple of days early for a few appointments and the city literally shut down on that Friday due to weather. I mean weather has been crazy this winter, but that’s a lot of snow in the south! I stopped into the grocery store on my way home from the Y and the check – out lines were wrapped around the front of the store to the fresh produce area, all karts were gone and there was no bottled water left! Instead of fighting the crowd, I walked out and stopped at a wine store I found conveniently enough located right down from our rental and gathered the essentials – bonus, they had water! We were going to be just fine!

While we were all snowed in on Friday (my sis wasn’t scheduled to arrive until Saturday afternoon) I have the privilege of working from anywhere and the Air BnB that we booked was not only located in a prime area and close to everything, but offered super cozy amenities to enjoy in the down time. Feeling a little adventurous, polar bear plunge, anyone?!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Where To Stay

There are a ton of options for accommodations while visiting Nashville. Hotels, Airbnb’s, Home Away Rentals, B & B’s & RV Campgrounds to mention just a few. Depending on the time of year and what is going on, as with anywhere, rates will reflect what’s happening and with Nashville becoming more & more popular, it is always a good idea to get a feel of the time of year you are visiting and how that compares against accommodation options & rates.

Side – note here, when we come to visit in our Coach two of our favorite RV Parks are: Two Rivers Campground which is located right next to the absolutely stunning Gaylord Opryland Hotel in Nashville which is a MUST see during the holiday, but honestly is great to check out anytime of the year and of course is always an option to stay at. My sis and I escaped the cold a little bit and enjoyed the sights inside of The Gaylord, warming up! The other RV Park is Nashville Shores located on Percy Priest Lake and offers cabins as well. Admittedly, we have ONLY stayed here in November during the off season, (it is a water park) but it offers a lakeside sites, cabins & is away from the busy, busy area of Nashville, but still within driving distance of all the hot spots.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Food!!!

So. Many. Options. I mean, BBQ, smothered & covered grits & gravy, southern comfort food galore, the Nashville Hot Chicken scene, bread pudding, you name it, you can find it. My sis and I went more of a what we were feeling in the moment, plussss, we were balancing all those yummy cocktails out! We discovered a couple super trendy & fun spots. Within walking distance of where we were staying in Midtown is The Tavern. This is the CUTEST gastro pub that is both cozy and upscale. The menu has all kind of options from garlic infused fries to buffalo cauliflower. The drinks are a creative blend of ingredients that refresh and impress. Yes, yes, yes – a fantastic place to kick off our girlie trip. It does have an outside seating area, but again, it was about 9 degrees!

Puckett’s Restaurant & Grocer has a few locations, with the original being in Franklin, TN and one in downtown. Live music is offered nightly at both locations and a menu that serves up brisket, fried green tomatoes & ribs among other southern treats & nightly specials.  We opted for the one downtown this time around and enjoyed a great performance with bbq salads – it was the last day of our visit and we choose to go light!

We had to get in a little exercise and we figured why not run Nashville’s Music Row, check out many of the music production studios and grab a quick bite afterwards. No celebrity sightings to report, but there is this adorable cafe offering the freshest ingredients and loads of healthy options called Caviar and Bananas located in Midtown. It is known for its brunch scene, but we just did a quick stop by and tried the overnight turmeric oats while having some sister chat.

Located in Nashville’s ever so popular neighborhood, East Nashville there is an array of restaurants, boutique shops, vibrant wall art, pubs and antique stores. It’s a great place to grab a bite to eat, walk around and have a few photo – ops! The Pharmacy is a burger parlor (yes, parlor!) and beer garden that has some of the juiciest burgers around, fries with garlic or wasabi aioli and a wide variety of beers on tap. The outside area is so much fun in the warmer temps with huge picnic tables for big groups to enjoy.

Entertainment

As you have probably noticed, food & entertainment easily go together in this amazing city.  When visiting, a stroll down Broadway is an absolute MUST as it is lined with bars and country music pouring out of each.  Stop in, enjoy a drink(sss) and maybe even a line dance depending on where you go. If you are looking for a new pair of boots as a souvenir, there are plenty of stylish options here. The old Union Station, The Frist Center for the Visual Arts and Riverfront Park are all within walking distance of each other. Tootsies Orchid Lounge is a world-famous honkey tonk and definitely worth the wait in line for a first time visitor who enjoys the country music scene, the drinks kept us toasty!

A trip to Nashville is truly complete with a visit to  The Bluebird Cafe and / or catching a show at the Grand Ole Opry. A couple of important things to consider when planning: The Bluebird is a quaint, legendary club that showcases some of the best talent in Nashville.  It may be recognized from CMT’s show, Nashville or seen in movies. While it is a fantastic way to experience true country music, Nashville style, it can be tough to get into and there are steps to making a reservation, be sure to check the website for details. It is not unlikely to stand in line outside of the club for hours before the doors open to get a seat.  The Bluebird is located about 7 miles outside of downtown Nashville.

The Grand Ole Opry is one of the longest running radio shows, broadcasting since 1925. For most of the year, is at the Grand Ole Opry House (located a few miles from downtown Nashville near the Opryland Hotel), but from November – February each year, The Grand Ole Opry is at its former home The Ryman Auditorium which is located right in downtown Nashville. There is great history to the Grand Ole Opry and tours are offered at both venues. Having the incredible opportunity to visit each, I can happily say there is not a back seat in the whole house! Eight artists are guaranteed to be in the nightly line – up and often, surprise additions are sure to make an appearance.

I surprised my sis with tickets to the Grand Ole Opry and the show was amazing — complete with on – air commercials and all. Such a unique experience!

 

WOW!! And, that is a Nashville sister trip wrap – up. I didn’t even get CLOSE to covering everything, but this should be a great start. Most importantly, we laughed, cried, skipped, ran, and even had a sister spat or two for good ol’ times. The memories we make in life are the true treasures.

If you have been to Nashville, I’d love to hear about your favorite memories and suggestions. Please feel free to share in the comments! Also, if you have any questions, please reach out and ask away! This website is also super helpful for all things Nashville. Visitor’s Guide to Music City.

Thank you so, so much for stopping by and reading. Have a wonderful day!

~ XX Renee