3 Days in Nashville
Allison, my amazing cousin from Mississippi, and I travel once a year to some place fun. All of this was inspired by my mom who wanted to reach out and see our Mississippi family about 10 years ago. Each adventure is full of too much fun, and is guided by the perfect principle - Thank you Dr. Seuss, “People who mind don’t matter, people who matter don’t mind.”
Some things we have learned over the years:
It’s ok to stay in multiple locations. Pick the spot that will make YOU the most comfortable. Good sleep and nice quiet time are important!
Be day crazy
Have one planned activity per day that everyone will do.
Have one planned meal a day that everyone will do.
Wing the rest by connecting the dots!
The Crew:
Grandma, Alyce, "aka" Doe Doe, 70. Likes to walk, art, cook, and plan adventures. Is always up for a good walk, a fun dinner party, and a provocative conversation.
Cousin, and daughter of Grandma, Janelle, 41. Likes traveling - literally anywhere, cooking and exercise. Is always up for meeting new people, talking about inspirational ideas, and hanging with family and friends. Traveling with with daughter 12.
Cousin to Janelle and Alyce, Allison, 38, loves the Cowboys, hanging with friends and family, and traveling with friends and family. Is always up for live sports, a great phone call, and meeting new people. Traveling with daughters 13 and 15.
Accommodations:
Airbnb: Allison and Janelle plus the kiddos, 2 bedrooms, two bathrooms, with a kitchen, outdoor space, cornhole and a pool - for the Cousins and the kids. Room to stretch! About $300/night
Doubletree Hotel Room - Alyce. With Hilton Honors you get a free breakfast and usually an upgrade to a nice room. Great, dependable place to stay for one or two people. About $200/ night.
Restaurants
Hard Rock Café, Fun waiting area, lots of rock swag to look at and talk about while you wait. Great gift shop for the folks back home! Food is fine and service is great. Its right across the street from the river so a great spot to take photos while you wait. A great spot for sunset photos. Sound: Loud, Accessibility: Easily, Energy Level: Low
Casa Rosa, located on the main street, Broadway, a new restaurant from Miranda Lambert. Food was fun and the design was great, a great spot for some Instagram photos. A fun way to get out of the heat with the group and have a margarita! Lunch - Hearing Rating: Good! It was a busy restaurant but it was easy to hear everyone at the table. Accessibility: Medium, Energy Level: Low
Eat IN. Grubhub. Its okay to stay in! Easy for everyone to relax a little have a quiet conversation and share stories about the day. Adults do an Evening Stroll after dinner and kiddos stay home and watch a movie. Hearing: Great!, Accessibility: Great!, Energy Level: Low
Brunch. The Southern. Delicious food and a fun booth for everyone to pile into. Last meal together! The grits were a great treat! Hearing: Great!, Accessibility: Great!, Energy Level: Low
Adventures
Both of our accommodations were in downtown Nashville. We used Ubers and walked which made it very easy to get around. To get a lay of the land we walked around and found ourselves on Broadway. Great people watching for all ages!
Photowalk Nashville: We found this experience on our through Airbnb Experiences. We met up at the Gulch, a newer area in Nashville, full of murals and cute shops and pretty architecture. You can book a private tour or go with a pre-arranged group. FUN TIP: The photographer can also make recommendations for the day. Sound: Easy to Hear, Accessibility: Medium, Energy Level: Medium
Country Music Hall of Fame. Really fun for the kids to see the costume collection! Doe Doe enjoyed the installation of the Country Music Timeline. Also, cocktails while you wait! Hearing Rating: There are crowds so it is hard to hear at times, Accessibility: Easy, Energy Level: Medium
Outside the museum you will also find the Hatch Show Print is a working letterpress print shop and its been open since 1879, used as the print shop for touring musician posters, its a part of the museum and worth a peek! Hearing Rating: Good, Accessibility: Easy, Energy Level: Medium
Shopping
Assembly Food Hall - A quick stop for us while we waited for our ticket time at the country music hall of fame. Fun for shopping, lunch and a beer. Hearing Rating: Good, Accessibility: Medium, Energy Level: Low
The Gulch - The Gulch is outside of downtown Nashville but still in walking distance. It is a great spot to stroll around, there are some high end shops and some great restaurants. The vibe is a little less party than downtown and its a welcome change. Hearing Rating: Good, Accessibility: Medium, Energy Level: High
Things we didn't do but have on the list for next time:
The Parthenon stands proudly as the centerpiece of Centennial Park, Nashville's premier urban 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.
Nissan Stadium: We got to hear the sounds checks for a Garth Brooks concert, you could hear it throughout downtown. We also saw them setting up for a NASCAR race for the next weekend. There is a lot happening here, and it is just across the river from the heart of Nashville. Seems like the perfect event venue!
River Adventures Nashville – Go With The Flow I sat next to someone on the plane who did this and it sounded like so much fun! Want to definately get a float in next time.
