Nashville Visitors Guide
I am so honored and flattered by the amount of clients who come to visit us from out of state. Whether you are seeing us along your trip to Nashville or visiting just for us, we love having you here. That being said we often get asked of suggestions for things to see and do in and around Nashville, so I wanted to compile it all into a blog post so anyone visiting could plan some fun things!
I love living in Nashville, and I hope you love visiting! Nashville is the capitol of Tennessee, and was founded in the American revolutionary war. We host dozens of different colleges and universities and are also bachelorette party central. While you are here I hope you take some time to enjoy the city, the sights, and all the delicious food!
Sightseeing-
The Parthenon- The Parthenon stands proudly as the centerpiece of Centennial Park, Nashville’s downtown park. The re-creation of the 42-foot statue Athena is the focus of the Parthenon just as it was in ancient Greece. The building and the Athena statue are both full-scale replicas of the Athenian originals.
The Parthenon also serves as Nashville’s art museum. The focus of the Parthenon’s permanent collection is a group of 63 paintings by 19th and 20th century American artists donated by James M. Cowan. Additional gallery spaces provide a venue for a variety of temporary shows and exhibits. The park is beautiful, particularly in spring and summer, and the parthenon its self is amazing. It’s personally my favorite spot to hang out in a hammock, enjoy the weather, and relax.
Music Row- The area surrounding famous Music Square in downtown Nashville, Music Row is the heart and soul of the nation’s music industry. In addition to numerous souvenir and memorabilia shops and museums devoted to music and musicians, there are many memorials and plaques dedicated to some of the sites associated with music. For country fans, it’s all about places like the Country Music Hall of Fame, which commemorates the greats with its displays of artifacts and instruments.
Music Row is also where you’ll find such important landmarks as RCA Studio B, the recording facility credited as the birthplace of the unique “Nashville sound,” which defined so many big hits of the 1960s. (Now a teaching facility, tours can be arranged through the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.) Also found here in the hub of Nashville are names connected to other musical genres, such as gospel and Christian music, including recording studios, record labels, and radio and TV stations. It’s a great area to get your music fix, whether you’re sightseeing, shopping, or dining. Recently opened is the African American music museum and it’s beautiful curated with interactive exhibits, often live musicians, and gorgeous art. And it’s located directly next to a recently open food and shopping plaza downtown, making it a must visit.
Radnor State Park- While there’s certainly no shortage of great walking routes in town, those seeking a pleasant country hike couldn’t do much better than to pay a visit to Radnor Lake State Park (Radnor Lake State Natural Area). This beautiful nature preserve covers an area of 1,402 acres on the city’s outskirts and includes six miles of easy hiking trails, which meander around the lake and through its large expanse of woodland (one trail is also available for biking and dog walking). With a little advance planning, you can also participate in fun guided activities, such as wildflower walks, stargazing and nature hikes, and canoe trips.
Cheekwood Gardens and Museums- Cheekwood is well known for its lovely gardens and park-like setting and is a splendid place to spend a few hours. The city’s Museum of Art is also housed within the 1920s Georgian-style mansion, displaying a collection of American art from the 19th and 20th centuries. Nearby is the Tennessee Agricultural Museum with its collection of historic farm artifacts, as well as collections of rural Tennessee prints and folk art sculptures. The Frist Art Museum is another gallery worthy of a visit. Located downtown in the city’s attractive old post office building, it’s notable for its many visiting art exhibits from around the world. The Frist regularly has amazing exhibits, including recent showing of Picasso, van Gough, and other popular artists.
City Sightseeing: Depending on your schedule, you can choose between a morning or afternoon departure for the half-day Discover Nashville tour, which packs in all the city’s top attractions in a 3.5-hour tour. Music Row, Riverfront Park, and the Tennessee State Capitol are included on the itinerary, and the cost includes admission to Ryman Auditorium and the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Food and Drinks!
Nashville is a great city for food and drinks, and we have a large selection of foods. Pretty much anything you could wish for! We are famous for our hot chicken, and one of the city’s favorite hot chicken places is only a stones throw from the studio! Until about three years ago, hot chicken was pretty much just a Nashville thing, one of the most hyper-specialized regional foods in this country. Then it was discovered by folks who took it to places like Brooklyn, then by mass marketers who took it — at least in name — nationwide at Kentucky Fried Chicken. But Nashville is still the one spot where its namesake dish is widespread, beloved and done very well — it’s the place to try it.
Princes and Hattie B’s: The roots of Nashville Hot chicken are the old time classic spots, most notably Prince’s Hot Chicken Shack and Bolton’s Spicy Chicken and Fish, which are great, but there is a lot of to be said for Hattie B’s. It’s walking distance from the studio and though the lines can be long, it’s well worth the wait as the food is delicious. Legend has it that Nashville hot chicken was born at Prince’s when the current owner’s uncle, a lady’s man, angered his girlfriend so much with his flirtations that she took revenge by spiking his chicken with fiery additives. But instead of shock and disgust, he loved it, and decided to serve it. Today each place has a secret recipe, and the thing about this dish is that it is not just fried chicken covered in hot sauce, it is chicken marinated in a hot paste or sauce, then the breading is also spiced. So it’s not just a surface heat, like with Buffalo wings, instead it permeates the chicken itself, though the breading is the hottest part. Hot fried chicken generally has an evil reddish tint, and as you go up the heat scale, it turns a dark, disconcerting reddish-brown, like a brick. In some cases, like at Hattie B’s, you get a threatening almost black chicken. All of the staff loves hot chicken, although we regularly debate between Princes and Hattie B’s!
Frothy Monkey– Frothy Monkey is a local coffee shop with locally roasted flavors. Frothy Monkey has been a staple in the Nashville community since 2004. They were one of the first coffeehouses in Nashville and one of the cornerstone businesses to open in the transformed 12th South Nashville neighborhood. The chef driven menu offers breakfast, brunch every day until 5, kids menu, lunch + dinner with expanded beverage offerings including coffeehouse standards as well as craft beer, wine + cocktails. Favorites of Tim and Sam, if you want a great cup, this is the place.
Beehive- this vegan deli is a fan favorite of our FOH Rob. They make all their vegan meats in house and they are deliciously rich, spicy, and flavorful. They have a small shop of vegan products you can also purchase, including their vegan house lines. Their phillycheesteak is a huge favorite, and while it might not be wit wiz, its still delicious.
The Butcher and the Bee- Our artist tim’s favorite is the butcher and the bee! Butcher and Bee opened on King Street in 2011 with the simple mission of serving sandwiches made with flavor combinations and food quality usually reserved for fine dining. That mission has grown beyond sandwiches to include two locations of The Daily, a modern bodega and coffee spot, a second, full-service Butcher and Bee in East Nashville, a bigger Butcher and Bee Charleston location. Their whipped feta and honey is everything dreams are made of, and Lynn could devour a full order any day of the week.
The Flying Saucer- Named the best beer spot in nashville, the flying saucer keeps over 200 beers and ciders on tap and in stock. If you can drink all 200, you’ll have a saucer on the wall as well! You can spot some of our employees names up there if you look close enough. Their food is equally delicious, and their pretzels and burgers are all house favorites. Located a comfortable walking distance from downtown, close to the museums, it’s a great spot to hit after for some good drinks and solid bar food.