Broke, Brunette, & Busy: Nashville
Welcome to Broke, Brunette, & Busy, a series where I discuss where I’ve traveled, when I traveled, and how I did it all as a seriously broke, soon-to-be graduated, curious woman in her twenties. Who is brunette.
Nashville. Nashvegas. Music City, USA. The Hot Chicken Capital.
I recently had the treat of going to Nashville for a girl’s trip for a concert. While I was there, I learned a thing or two and thought I would share what I learned about the city and its people.
One of my biggest tips is to prepare your liver. Broadway, the main street, and probably most famous street in Nashville, is not meant for the weak. She’s home to over thirty bars, most with rooftop overlooks, multiple floors, and live music. Bar hopping is a must if you’re going to be on Broadway, because there are so many famous bars to hit. I wouldn’t necessarily classify myself as the biggest country music fan, but going to bars like Whiskey Row, Tootsie’s, and Jason Aldean’s Rooftop bar was still a good time (and not every bar was playing country music).
If you don’t think your liver can handle Broadway, or if you want to do some sightseeing, there are other things to do as well. I would definitely recommend doing some research before heading to the city to see just exactly what there is to do, and to be able to plan accordingly for reservations, traveling, etc.
The Country Music Hall of Fame is a must-do if you’re going to be in Nashville. There’s lots of history to unpack there, as well as some shops if you’re looking for some souvenirs.
The White Limozeen is another highly suggested must-do. This is a Dolly Parton themed rooftop bar that’s housed at a hotel called the Graduate that has incredible food, drinks, and photo opportunities. The biggest thing for the White Limozeen is you have to make a reservation about two weeks in advance. When we went, we weren’t able to make a reservation on time, so we didn’t actually go up to the rooftop, but the hotel itself is still a good place to visit. There are lots of photo opportunities in the hotel, as well as a little coffee shop.
Something else that was highly recommend to us was vising a portion of Nashville called “The Gulch.” This is an upscale neighborhood that’s best known for its boutiques, restaurants, hotels, and live music venues. We didn’t have time to hit this section of Nash, but this seemed to offer an alternative to being on Broadway while still being able to experience Tennessee culture.
Another thing that my friends and I ended up doing was going to a vineyard. The Arrington Vineyard was about a thirty-minute Uber drive from our hotel. They had a main shop where you could buy bottles of wine, get a flight of different wines to try, and even ingredients to make your own charcuterie board. There was a food truck the day we went, and a tent pitched up with live music and tables inside. I will say – this outing is probably better suited for warmer weather. The day that we went it actually snowed, so we weren’t too focused on the wine, music, and the scenery just because it was pretty cold and gloomy out.
This leads me to my next tip. Pack accordingly for the weather. The first day we were in Nashville, it was sunny and seventy degrees. The next day it was overcast and there were snow flurries coming down from the sky. That being said, make sure you pack enough to be able to properly layer if necessary. As the world’s worst packer, this is something I tried to be mindful of when shoving almost every article of clothing I own into my suitcase, and I will say, it helped me out a lot. Visiting a new place and trying to pack for new weather is always pretty difficult, so I would say bring some staple items (jeans, a basic top, a warm jacket) and then other items that can elevate the staple pieces and also be appropriate for the changing weather (sandals, boots, scarves, or a lighter jacket).
The last thing to mention about Nashville is of course, the food. There were tons of dining options that we were able to hit that had things like pulled pork, barbeque, and sliders (we ate really good this trip). Something that Nashville is most known for is its hot chicken, which was basically explained to me as a better, spicier version of a Chick-fil-A or Popeye’s chicken sandwich. I have the lowest tolerance for anything that is remotely spicy, so unfortunately, I never experienced Nashville’s hot chicken, but if you are a big foodie or don’t cry the minute you eat something spicy, I would definitely recommend trying any of the local restaurants that have a hot chicken sandwich.
Overall, Nashville treated us well. My favorite thing about Nashville had to have been the people. Everyone we met was incredibly sweet, and everyone we encountered, whether that was our waitress, hotel concierge, or Uber driver, talked with us like they really cared to get to know us. Everyone was excited to give us guidance and tips on how to navigate the city and to chat with us about where we were from and what brought us to Nashville.
Nashville is one of those places I think everyone has to go just to live it once. The rush of people pushing through Broadway, screaming and singing with strangers to songs you love, and sitting and overlooking the skyline of a city that is so alive is something I think everyone should get to experience.