A three-day stay is the perfect amount of time to explore the city of Nashville. Whether you’re a history lover (like me) a music lover (like James) or a lover of beautiful street art, great food, a fun atmosphere, beer, live music and everything in-between – Nashville is definitely worth a visit!
WHERE TO STAY
Elliston Place – We wanted to stay somewhere that would feel pretty central, yet we knew that Nashville is well known for it’s nightlife and love of live music. Elliston Place felt like a happy compromise as it was about a half an hour walk to Broadway (or a five min Uber/Lyft) yet we were far enough out of the city center to escape the hustle and bustle. There were also plenty of eateries near by which was an added bonus
Air BnB – As in my previous travel guides (New York/Chicago) I would again recommend staying with Air BnB. We found a fantastic bargain and it meant that we had access to a fridge, cooker, microwave and coffee machine. We also had a fantastic host, and she provided lots of extra touches that made us really feel like we had a home from home.
WHAT TO EAT/DRINK
Although we had an Air BnB apartment, we were only in Nashville for a short stay and so we wanted to see what the city had to offer in terms of food. As a result we ate out – A LOT – and so I have quite a few recommendations…
Mellow Mushroom – We went to this bar on our first night and had so much fun (although I think James was having a little less fun come morning time…) It was a great place to have a few beers and watch the live music. We didn’t actually eat here, but the food they were bringing out looked amazing!
Whiskey Row – Whilst heading around the states, I have had a fair amount of Mac n’ Cheese. This place however, literally served THE BEST that I have ever eaten! It was loaded with leeks and tomatoes and tasted seriously dreamy.
Elliston Place Soda Shop – This was a true American diner, so popular that it had loads of signed autographs from local stars and singers. I ordered a chocolate milkshake and grilled cheese sandwich, and felt like I was an extra in Grease the whole time I was there. Also, take a look at James’ hot fudge Sunday - absolute pudding goals!!
Cerveza Jacks’s – This was another really cool bar that we sat and had a couple of drinks in. It had a ‘Day of The Dead’-type theme to it and the food coming out from the back looked soooo good! It was located just off of Broadway so it was a little less touristy and a little more chilled, which was perfect.
A couple of chains that I would recommend if you visit Nashville or just vist the USA in general are; Logan’s Roadhouse, if you’re in the mood for steak or a good hearty meal; Chili’s Grill & Bar, for really great Mexican food that tastes good, has huge portions and is very reasonably priced; IHOP, for a great way to fuel your body for a full day of exploration.
WHAT TO DO
The Redneck Comedy Tour – One of James’ friends recommended that we book a spot on this tour and I am so glad that we did. Tickets will push you back about $35 per person, but it is well worth the two hour, light-hearted tour of Nashville. There was a lot of audience participation, and with James and I being from the UK we got picked on quite a bit! But it was all in good fun and the tour itself was very informative and gave us a great overview of the city.
The Johnny Cash Museum - James is a huge Johnny Cash fan so this was already on our list before we even got to Nashville, but I would seriously recommend going, regardless of whether you’re a fan or not. We watched Walk The Line (a film about Johnny Cash’s rise to fame) the night before to get us in the mood, and it was great at providing a bit of perspective. The Museum itself walks you through the whole of Cash’s music career and it was so interesting! A little tip: have a look online for tickets, we paid $8 each rather than the $20 on the door…!
Watch Some Incredible Live Music – So this is something that is pretty much impossible to avoid, especially when walking down Broadway. Practically every other building is a bar, and practically every bar has live musicians playing every day from 12pm – 2am. There is something for everyone and there is no cover charge, so be sure to tip the band on the way out if you liked their stuff!
Explore The Street Art – Nashville is covered in tones of street art. Literally ever corner we walked around had something painted onto it. We spent a lot of time walking around the city and I’m so glad we did, as we found so many cool pieces of art.
INSTA WORTHY SPOTS
The street art in Nashville was truly incredible, there was so much skill and effort involved and it really brought something extra into the city. You can see more of my Insta-Worthy spots throughout my time in the USA, as well as in Nashville on my Instagram page @madolynthinks.
The Green Wall – This was such a pretty wall that was actually located at the back of a car park of all places. It was painted in The Gultch, a little area between Broadway and Elliston Place. There was also a multi-coloured wall just around the corner from it that was also very picturesque and worth a visit.
The Blue Wall – This was actually a much much bigger piece of art. The blue part was at the bottom of the painting, which I thought looked stunning on it’s own. The picture itself covers nearly the whole side of a building and is beautiful woman pouring water from a jug.
Elliston Place – This wall art was seriously pretty and I love that the person that painted it left room at the bottom for people to pose in front of! The wording and the birds are so pretty and it made me start to think of potential tattoo ideas.
Madolyn
xxx
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