I remember being about four or five years old, in the kitchen with my Grannie one day, when we heard country music and line dancing start playing on TNN.
All biscuit making halted.
She swept me into her arms.
Carried me into the den.
And we did our own version of line dancing right then and there in front of that tv.
She knew the song.
She knew the steps.
And she held me as we danced.
And in those moments, my love affair with country music began.
From Loretta & Conway to Garth & Trisha, I love them all.
Furthermore, I firmly believe that every single situation in life has an accompanying country song and I’ll be happy to tell you what it is.
Grunt Labor and I decided to take a quick trip for our five year anniversary back in June. As we pondered our options, one city seemed to be clear – Nashville.
Music City U.S.A.
We only had a couple of days to spend in the city, so we opted to stay downtown on Broadway within easy walking distance to just about everything besides The Opry.
I’m sure there are hundreds of things that locals love to do in their great city, but these are always our favorite things to do in Nashville…
1. Visit The Grand Ole Opry
We didn’t get to see a performance at the Opry, but we did make it a point to stop by the sacred ground before heading into downtown. In other words, I insisted on going to the Opry gift shop to get an updated version of my Grand Ole Opry Member Book. The Opry is simply the heartbeat of country music.
2. Peruse Broadway and Downtown
Broadway is like the epicenter of downtown Nashville. This is where Tootsie’s is, lots of honky tonks and other things you won’t want to miss. Put your phone down and take it all in. See how many different songs you hear being played at once.
Hit up the Paradise Park Trailer Resort for lunch.
They make a mean BLT.
At some point, we usually hit up The Big Bang off Broadway where they have dueling pianos. It also happens to be where Grunt Labor first told me he loved me…but he was drunk so it didn’t count. 😉
3. Visit The Country Music Hall of Fame
If you are a country music fan and have never been to The Country Music Hall of Fame, you must make it a point to go. This is not the same hall of fame from 15 years ago. They moved locations a while back and the new one is huge. Its filled to the brim with artists’ sacred outfits, guitars, even cars.
I loved the Hee Haw exhibit.
One of my favorite things were these, which were the handwritten original pieces of paper where Eric Church wrote Carolina and K.T. Oslin wrote 80’s Ladies.
I have to say though, I was a little disappointed with the lack of Conway Twitty items. I did take this quick picture of him and Loretta.
4. And the Ryman.
God bless the Ryman. The Mother Church of Country Music. The Ryman is where the Grand Ole Opry originally started broadcasting. Its where Minnie Pearl stood on the stage for countless years.
Don’t miss the display of her shoes and hat. Sit in a pew. Take it all in. If you listen closely, you’ll probably hear her announce, “Howdy! I’m just so proud to be here!”
5. Have drinks at Acme Feed & Seed.
Acme Feed and Seed has been many things over the years including a feed store at one time. Now, it is home to a restaurant, gift shop, event space and a rooftop bar with amazing views of downtown and the river.
6. Head over to Merchants for dinner.
We opted to treat ourselves our last night in town at Merchants. Merchants was once a hotel where the one and only Dolly Parton, Patsy Cline and Hank Williams stayed among other country music royalty. The first floor is home to Merchants Bistro, but we opted for dinner on the second floor and just let me tell you, the steak was phenomenal. I had a whiskey with it and waved to Patsy in the booth across from us.
7. Go down a side street off Broadway and find good live music.
While Broadway is hopping with live music and most definitely a sight to behold, I find that the best music and the best bars are off Broadway on the side streets. We ended up at Benchmark.
The band played everything from George Strait to Eric Church and a little bit of 70’s rock.
And shots were served in medicine cups. Brilliance.
8. Hit up Loveless Cafe for breakfast on your way out of town.
In the fifties, the Loveless’ started serving biscuits out of their front door. Eventually the little house became a full-blown restaurant and motel. The motel is no longer open, but Loveless Cafe still serves the best biscuits, and chicken and waffles according to Grunt Labor, for miles around.
The one thing that we really wanted to do, but just couldn’t was visit The Bluebird Cafe. Its definitely on the list for the next time around though…
And on the way out of town, be sure to tip your hat to Hank…
Do you have any favorite spots in Nashville?
Do tell so I can add them to my list for our next trip!
You might also want to read about one of my other favorite cities…and the time I visited a whorehouse…
The Must Do’s of New Orleans
If you love the south and reading, you’re also going to want to see these….
The Best Southern Books
More Favorite Southern Books
You know you don’t wanna miss any of this crazy.
Sign up to get my posts delivered to your inbox here.
Stalk Me Here:
Bloglovin / Pinterest / Facebook / Twitter / Google+ / Instagram
Meg @ Green With Decor says
I love Nashville!! The side streets off Broadway have such good music. Hattie B’s for fried chicken is a also a must – we did a pedal tavern when we were there last year, which was a blast! The Bluebird Cafe is on my list for next time, too!
Jenna @ Rain on a Tin Roof says
I saw the pedal taverns, Meg!! They looked like so much fun!
Jessica says
Owww, Nashville is our absolute favorite! You’ll have to do The Bluebird Cafe, as you mentioned, you’ll see the most fabulous singer/song writers there! Also, go to Pancake Pantry (although, Loveless is my favorite) to eat you have to stand in line for a while but there is free coffee and you can window shop while you wait. Oh, and Jacks BBQ…meat sold by the pound is the BEST way to buy meat 🙂 East Nashville is fun to check out too!
Jenna @ Rain on a Tin Roof says
Awesome, Jessica!! Thanks for the recommendations! Adding them to the list!
Brigitte says
This is like a list of things I want to do in Nashville next time I’m there! I have to pace myself tho, we go there a couple of times a year, so I want to make sure I have something on my list each time! Ha! I LOVE Nashville, no holds barred.
I’m not a country fan (I’m a rocker, through and through) but I do love the old country stars, Conway Twitty, Randy Travis, Hank (both of them!), Loretta, Patsy Cline, etc. I’ve yet to visit the Hall of Fame, but that is definitely on my Nashville bucket list. 🙂 Can’t say that I haven’t been up and down Broadway several times, tho. LOL!
On another note (and feel free to delete this portion….) how’s everything in Chattanooga? I’m so sorry for what’s happened to y’all’s community.
Jenna @ Rain on a Tin Roof says
Yes, you have to visit the Hall of Fame, Brigitte! Its amazing.
Honestly Brigitte, I don’t have any words. I want to write something about all the events, but I’m heartbroken over it all and I don’t know what to say that hasn’t already been said. Everyone is being really strong. We’re here. We’ll be ok. I think most of us are still in shock that something like this happened here.
Brigitte says
I’m really, really sad to say this, but we’ve almost come to expect events like this happening in the “big” cities; New York, LA, Boston….I’m surprised there hasn’t been something in Chicago. What does that really say about the world we live in? But NEVER in a million years would I have expected this to happen in Chattanooga. My heart and prayers are with y’all. I’m a veteran, too, which makes it all the more heartbreaking for me. The one thing I repeat to myself constantly is that we are survivors, strong, AMERICAN….they will NOT break us. Ever.
Jamie Lynn says
girl, you speak to my heart!! one of my best friends lives in “Nashvegas”, and I’ve visited every few years since we met (online) when we were still in high school (almost 17 years ago!!). Broadway is one of my favorite places on earth. A friend’s band used to play at Wolfy’s (sadly, that place is gone now) three or four times a year. Another friend’s band (Hillbilly Casino) plays once a month now at Tootsie’s when they’re not touring. I’ve more pictures of that city than I do of my own!! And OHMYGOSH The Loveless Cafe is where it’s AT!!! Her and her family took me there on one of my last trips and I fell in love. I even got emotional when I was walking around the airport waiting for my flight home – one of the little stores had an entire Loveless Cafe section that had cookbooks, postcards and all sorts of cooking items!! The last time I was there was 5 years ago, we went to see Paul McCartney and then hung out the rest of the night on and off Broadway. My favorite part of it is that there’s no cover to get into most of the bars so you can go hopping around and find all sorts of amazing music!! My ex once sat in on drums for a couple songs with BR-549 (during his own band’s set break at Wolfy’s – my friends and I would walk around and see what else was going on during their breaks) and we didn’t even know until we happened to stroll in and saw him sitting there – I almost died right there in the middle of the bar!! It’s a very magical city and will forever be like a second home to me. All this time though and we’ve still yet to make it to the HOF – next time though!! Thanks for sharing this, your photos brought back a lot of great memories and make me long to go back soon!!!
Jenna @ Rain on a Tin Roof says
Wow!! You have some great stories from Nashville! It is truly one of my favorite places!! I’m like you – I get kinda sappy as I have to leave!
Patty says
Jenna I don’t think there is a more fun place anywhere to visit than Nashville. My late husband and I used to go quite often, but I haven’t been for several years now, just mostly pass through on I-65. I can tell it has grown and spread out so much, but I’m sure downtown hasn’t changed much. One of the last places we went to was The Wild Horse Saloon and we had so much fun, we were with five other couples and we line danced and drank a lot that night, thank goodness for cabs and close motels. One of the worst hangovers ever, but good ol biscuits, country ham and red eye gravy cured me, then it was time to head home, but we spent a week that time and still didn’t do everything we wanted to do.
Jenna @ Rain on a Tin Roof says
I love the Wildhorse, Patty!! Its actually where I insisted on going for my 21st birthday! It was closed for a special event when we were there this last time. 🙁
Brigitte says
Oh, and you know how much I love middle TN, too! 🙂 My heart is firmly Texan, but I do have a special little section for TN in it!
T'onna @ USS Crafty says
I lived about 45 minutes from Nashville for 8 years and never visited any of these places. Shame on me! I’d actually really like to visit the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Grand Ole Opry.
Jenna @ Rain on a Tin Roof says
Yes, shame on you! haha! Really though, they are awesome places. 🙂
Michele says
A few more favorites…we took a paddle boat from the zoo, a great place, to the aquarium and then a trolley back to our hotel! You MUST go to a SAINTS game…best fans ever! We live in Mississippi…still on my bucket list is to ride the Amtrak down for a long weekend!
And don’t forget the French Market and some pralines! Can’t wait to go back and get a Big Ass Beer on Bourbon Street too…ha!!
(We are such tourists!)
Jenna says
Awesome suggestions, Michele! Thanks!
Gwendolyn Steger Montgomery says
We just went to Nashville for my kids experience Christmas gift. I surprised them with a stay at the Gaylord Opryland Resort. It was beautiful. We had a beautiful view of the resort from our balcony. The kids also got their own room we had a connecting room. They had so many activities ice skating, ice bumper cars, sledding, reindeer, hot chocolate, and so much more. They also have a boat in the resort. The lights throughout was beautiful. You can just visit you don’t have to stay. I recommend staying. We also went to the Johnny Cash museum. It was awesome. I love Johnny Cash. Monell’s at the Manor by the airport is the best place to eat. We always go there for breakfast.
thank you
Gwen
Jenna says
Oh the Gaylord Orpryland hotel is one of our all time favorites! My daughter loves it as well! We’re ready for another trip there!