April 3, 2025 • 23 mins
Watch this before planning a trip to Nashville. Travel Lemming Editor Elizabeth Demolat is a Nashville local and dishes what travelers should know before they go. From how to navigate the party scene on Broadway to where to stay if you’re on a budget - Elizabeth knows it all. She also shares her favorite day trips from the city, family-friendly things to do, and more.
📰 Articles from Travel Lemming.com
-All Nashville guides: https://travellemming.com/nashville/
-Things to do in Nashville: https://travellemming.com/things-to-do-in-nashville/
-Where to Stay in Nashville: https://travellemming.com/where-to-stay-in-nashville/
-The Graduate Hotel Review: https://travellemming.com/graduate-nashville-review/
- When to visit Nashville: https://travellemming.com/best-time-to-visit-nashville/
- Getting around Nashville: https://travellemming.com/getting-around-nashville/
- Day trips from Nashville: https://travellemming.com/day-trips-from-nashville/
- Safety in Nashville: https://travellemming.com/is-nashville-safe/
- Nashville Bachelorette parties: https://travellemming.com/nashville-bachelorette-party/
🎙️ Other Links Mentioned:
-Travel Lemming Community Meetups: https://www.meetup.com/pro/travel-lemming/
#Nashville #Tennessee #TravelTips
Segment Timestamps
00:00:00 – Episode Teaser
00:00:41 – Show Intro & Welcome
00:00:55 – Meet Guest: Elizabeth
00:01:46 – Living & Traveling in Nashville
00:03:07 – What Makes Nashville Special
00:03:49 – Who Should Visit?
00:04:12 – Where to Stay
00:05:00 – Budget Travel
00:07:00 – Getting Around
00:08:34 – Best Things to Do
00:15:00 – Top Day Trips
00:17:41 – Safety & Drinking Tips
00:22:57 – Wrap-Up & Thanks
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
If you're planning a trip toNashville, this podcast is for you.
Here's a 30 second teaser of the episode.
Nashville has such a special energy.
It's been able to retain itsauthenticness and character, despite
becoming a huge tourist destination.
Broadway is something that youwill not find anywhere else.
It's just bars after bar, live music.
Some of the bars are fivestories tall with different live
(00:22):
bands playing on each floor.
For the most part, you are going toneed a car if you're in Nashville.
The city is not super publictransportation friendly.
You can sometimes find cheaperhotels in Music Valley, which is a
little bit farther out of the city.
That's where the Grand Ole Opryhouse is located and where you can
still smell music there as well.
Hi everyone.
(00:42):
And welcome to the Travel Lemming Podcast.
I'm your host, Betty Hurd.
And today's destination spotlightis Nashville, Tennessee.
I'm joined by our Nashville expert.
Who's an amazing writer andeditor for travel loving tons of
fantastic content on the website.
So welcome to the show, Elizabeth Demolot.
Hi, Betty.
Thanks so much for havingme on the podcast today.
I'm so excited to be here andtalk about all things Nashville.
(01:04):
I grew up in a small town inMississippi, and I spent my summers
coming with my family to Tennessee.
We visited places likeGatlinburg, Chattanooga,
Memphis, and of course Nashville.
Since I've moved to Nashville, I'vegotten the chance to find out more
about the city, and really get to enjoyeverything that makes it so great.
I have been writing with TravelLemming for several years now, and
(01:26):
I've been an editor with Travel Lemmingfor the past year and a half or so.
Amazing.
Yeah.
It's so good to have you here.
And I'm really excitedto talk about Nashville.
I think it's a top bucket list uscity for a lot of people, me included.
And I I've technically been there, butonly for 16 hours on a work layover.
So I don't really count that.
So I'm really excited to hearabout your expertise living there.
So let's jump right in.
(01:47):
Will you give us some background onyour experience living in Nashville?
I moved to Nashville in 2019, andbefore that, I got the chance to
travel a bit around the world.
And see a lot of different places.
Since moving to Nashville, I have hadtwo kids, and now we are not traveling
quite as far as we did in the past.
So I'm taking this time to reallyexplore Nashville, get out and
(02:07):
see what the city has to offer.
And then we're also taking trips within,two to three hours of Nashville as well,
and getting to see new parts of Tennessee.
So, during the weekdays, I'm takingmy kids out, we're in the car,
we're going to cute little bakeries,we're checking out coffee shops.
And then on the weekends, we'regoing a little bit farther,
checking out state parks and someof the different places around.
(02:28):
Tennessee.
Amazing.
How old are your kids?
My youngest is eight months old, andmy oldest is about two and a half.
So, they are coming along with us.
Yes.
That seems they're at an agewhere you got to take them with.
That's great though, because I think alot of people that we've talked to from
the travel lemming team don't have kidsor at least don't have really young kids.
(02:49):
So I think a lot of listeners willappreciate your insight as a mom.
And you know, just being inclusiveof bringing along the whole family
on your, your local travels.
Yes, we just go with the flow,and sometimes it goes well, and
sometimes, you know, it's a disaster.
Yes, so is life, but you're doing awesome.
So what makes Nashville unique to you?
(03:09):
One thing that people reallyassociate with Nashville is the music
industry, especially country music.
There's so many country music starsrecord here, and a lot of singers
have gotten their start in Nashville.
So that's why a lot of people dowant to come to the city, but I
think that Nashville is really greatplace for creative people in general.
There's a lot of really good energyin Nashville, just creatively.
(03:31):
And there are also people doing reallygreat things when it comes to restaurants.
You can go to a lot of differentmuseums and also learn about, about
history while you're in Nashville too.
Yeah, the music scene seemspretty unparalleled there.
So aside from music lovers,what kind of travelers do you
think should visit Nashville?
I think there's a little bitof something for everyone.
(03:52):
Obviously if you're a huge music fan,there's plenty for you here, but I think
it's also really great for families.
There's lots of familyfriendly things here.
There's the Nashville Zoo, and thenalso it's really easy and friendly,
you know, like it's, if you're from asmaller area and you're nervous about
coming to a bigger city, I do thinkNashville is one of the ones to come to.
(04:12):
Awesome.
So I know we're going to talk about thebest things to do time of year, how to get
around Nashville, all of that good stuff.
But I like to start with where to stay.
So where should someone stay inNashville who has never been before?
I usually recommend that visitorsstay in downtown for their first time.
That's where a lot of the bigNashville attractions are.
(04:33):
So you have things like theHonky Tonks on Broadway, which
are bars playing live music.
You also have a lot of themuseums, like the Country Music
Hall of Fame and the Johnny CashMuseum, and it's a walkable area.
So it's good if you don't want tohave to find your way around the town.
Great, and that's like, a lotof people go for bachelor and
bachelorette parties, is that correct?
Yes, that is correct.
(04:54):
So the bars are very popular.
The nightlife is unlike anythingyou will find anywhere else.
Awesome.
So, what about budget travelers?
What's like a cheaper area ofthe city for people to stay?
For budget travelers, it is harderto find places to stay in Nashville.
It's a popular place to be.
You can sometimes find cheaperhotels in Music Valley, which is a
(05:15):
little bit farther out of the city.
That's where the Grand Ole Opryhouse is located and where you can
still smell music there as well.
But you will need a car to driveinto the city from Music Valley.
So for people who don't know,what is the Grand Ole Opry House?
The Grand Ole Opry house is wherethe Grand Ole Opry is recorded.
(05:35):
And this is a live broadcast thatgoes out on the radio It's introduced
country music to households all acrossthe US and stars like Dolly Parton
And it's also where you might hearsome up and coming stars as well.
Very cool.
So the, the music legendsdefinitely go way back in Nashville.
(05:58):
Yes.
What are some other notableplaces to stay in the city?
Another place I really recommendis to head to Midtown and
stay at the Graduate Hotel.
This is a fun kind ofDolly Parton themed hotel.
It has a lot of rhinestone glamour,everything is pink and girly,
and there's even a rooftop bar.
(06:18):
Oh, that's awesome.
I love the graduate hotels.
There's one actually in Tucsonwhere I'm recording right now.
That's where I'm from.
And, they're really good at justmaking everything like they really stick
to the theme of the city they're in.
So I've been to the one in Tucson.
I've been to the one in Eugene,Oregon, the graduate hotels just have
more personality than probably anyplace I've ever stayed in the States.
(06:40):
Yes, I've stayed overnight at the one inNashville, and I also sometimes just go
there to work in the coffee shop, justbecause it has a very good, fun vibe.
I love that.
Any other places you recommendstaying in Nashville?
Another area I recommend is actuallyoutside of Nashville, so if you want to
do budget, and you're okay with drivingfurther, some of the suburbs like
Hendersonville are great places to stay.
(07:02):
The accommodations are kind oflike your basic chain hotels.
But it is cheaper than tryingto stay closer into the city.
So you mentioned a couple times driving.
So I want to get right intohow to get around Nashville.
What are the best waysto navigate the city?
For the most part, you are going toneed a car if you're in Nashville.
The city is not super publictransportation friendly.
(07:26):
We do have a couple bus lines.
And there is a bus line that will takeyou from the airport to downtown, if
that's how you're coming into Nashville.
So that's a good option ifyou want to stay downtown.
But as far as getting around theother neighborhoods, Nashville has
grown pretty quickly and doesn'tnecessarily have the infrastructure
that you might expect in a larger city.
So I suggest either renting a caror maybe planning to do a ride share
(07:49):
if you're not going to have a car.
Yeah, I was going to ask you, doyou think that Ubers and Lyfts
are fairly affordable if you don'tnecessarily want to rent a car?
I would say so, just be careful if you'retrying to like leave from a concert.
The prices tend to go up when thousandsof people are leaving at the same time.
Great point.
Okay, awesome.
So for the most part, not the bestpublic transportation, probably should
(08:13):
rent a car, especially if you want tostay in a more budget friendly area.
So that you can drive into downtown.
Cause downtown's probably themore happening party central,
more expensive prices, right?
Yes.
Now if you want to stay in downtown,you don't really have to have a car.
That's a good point.
If you don't want to drive, you canjust walk everywhere and pay a little
bit more in your accommodations.
(08:34):
Yes.
All right.
Good to know.
All right.
Well, for our next segment,what are some of the best
things to do in Nashville?
The top of the list isdefinitely the Rybin Auditorium.
I talked earlier about the Grand Ole Opry.
So the Grand Ole Opry actuallystarted In the Ryman auditorium.
It is a converted tabernaclethat is now a music venue.
(08:55):
So it still looks kind of like a church.
When you go in, you sit down in thepews that all surround the stage,
there are stained glass windows inthe back of the building, and it's
just a really great experience.
Every show I've been to there, likethe artists just have such a great
connection with the fans in a way thatyou don't get in other music venues.
(09:15):
So I definitely suggest that one.
Even if you just want to take a tourof it and you're not able to see a
show, that's the top place to go.
Yeah, that sounds awesome.
What are some other great things to do?
Another thing I tell visitors todo is to make sure you go to the
Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.
This is where you'll find all aboutthe history of country music, not just
in Nashville, but around the world.
(09:36):
So there are, I believe, like 2 millionartifacts related to country music
at the Country Music Hall of Fame.
So you really learn more aboutcountry music in general and
also how it relates to the city.
Are you a fan of country music?
So I said, I grew up in asmall town, Mississippi.
So I dig her up, listen to country music.
So I recognized a lotof the singers there.
(09:57):
And there's also a lot.
I didn't know when it came to howcountry music started and finding out
about like the roots of country music.
Yeah.
Do you think that somebody whodoesn't like country music would
enjoy Nashville's music scene?
I think if you enjoy music ingeneral, you will at least be
impressed by the quality of.
The singers, the artist, it's really likenothing that you will hear anywhere else.
(10:20):
Like everyone is good, which makes sense.
You know, they're here for that reason.
Yeah.
They kind of have the best of the best.
So if you're listening to thisand you're not a fan of country
music, don't knock Nashville.
Okay.
It's still got some reallytalented, awesome people.
And you might change your mind.
You might really like the countrymusic that you hear there and when
it's in person and you're seeinghow talented these people are.
(10:42):
Yes.
And country music is definitely morethan just what you hear on the radio.
There are a lot of artists doingcool things that don't always make it
to the mainstream country radio to,
Very true.
All right.
So what else is there to do in Nashville?
another place to suggest isthe Grand Ole Opry house.
I know I said the Opry startedin the environment auditorium
and in 1974, it moved to its ownlocation out of Music Valley.
(11:06):
So this is something where evenif you're not a fan of country
music, I've been to the shows.
I had a great time, and I dosuggest at least checking it out.
Awesome.
And, you mentioned earlier Broadway,like downtown where all the bars are.
Can you tell us a littlebit more about that?
Yes, so Broadway is something thatyou will not find anywhere else.
(11:26):
If you listen to country music, you'veheard about honky tonks and neon signs.
Broadway is Almost impossible to describe.
It's just bars after bar, live music.
Some of the bars are fivestories tall with different live
bands playing on each floor.
People go there to have a good time.
There's line dancing.
There's usually lots of drinking.
(11:47):
And it's one of the mostpopular things to do.
Yeah, I, like I said earlier, I've beento Nashville once it was for one night for
a very short amount of time, but I wentout with my crew because I really wanted
to see Broadway and we were right there.
And it's so true.
It's like every single place it's justdoor to door to door is a different bar
and there's several floors and there's.
(12:09):
Some incredible singer on each floor.
And like, it's just, I've neverexperienced anything like it.
I've never seen such an appreciation forlive music the way I have in Nashville.
And it just made me fall inlove with the city immediately.
It's so cool.
And like we were talking about,I'm not a huge fan of country music
personally, but I was just likeenthralled by these, these artists.
(12:30):
They were so talented and, it actually,you know, kind of opened my eyes to
country music a little bit that night.
Yeah, so it really is amazing.
You know, a lot of them are doing covers.
They know so many songs.
They're able to just like pull outso many different styles of music.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Something else.
and a lot of them are also likeartists who are trying to also make
(12:51):
it big in the music industry here.
And that's kind of not their dayjob because it's up in 24 7 but kind
of their like side gig as they'reworking on their own music and work.
yeah, it's very cool.
And even if you're not intothe drinking scene, like, I
know I'm not into that anymore.
I, I still think it's definitely aplace that you can really enjoy, even
if you're not going and You know,having a bunch of drinks with your
(13:14):
bachelors and your bachelorette parties.
Yeah, I really think thatBroadway is a place for anyone.
Yeah, it's crafting my favoritething, but it's worth it to at
least head down the street once.
Yeah, absolutely.
So what are some other specifictips or maybe even hidden gems
that travelers should knowabout before visiting Nashville?
There's a lot to do outside ofdowntown Nashville as well, and
(13:36):
I really recommend getting out ofdowntown if you're able to, and
checking out some of the neighborhoods.
In a place called Green Hills,there is an independent bookstore.
It's called Parnassus Books, andit's owned by author Ann Patchett.
There are lots of special events therewhere you can listen to authors talk.
And it's a really greatcreative space in the city.
(13:57):
Very cool.
So they kind of have like famousauthors or up and coming authors
come and kind of display their work.
Yes, and there's also a localsection if you want to find out
more about authors in the area too.
Oh, that's awesome.
Very unique.
Yeah.
Another place I recommend to almosteveryone, and I talk about it all the
time, is the Tennessee State Museum.
This is a free museum thatbasically guides you through
(14:17):
the history of Tennessee.
And my favorite thing aboutit is the children's gallery.
There's not a lot of free things to doin Nashville, so it's nice to have this
space where the kids can come and play.
My daughter is, like I said, two anda half, and she loves going there.
She likes to play at thetrain table for Chattanooga.
And it's a good space in general.
thing I love that really gets overlookedis the Southern Festival of Books.
(14:39):
This is a free festival.
It takes place every year in Octoberand again, lots of authors, hundreds
of authors from around the areacome and give talks on their books.
It's really interesting to hearall the different subjects.
And also a lot of the authors arereally good storytellers as well.
Okay, so if you're visiting Nashvillein October, that's definitely an awesome
thing to add to your list of things to do.
Yes.
(15:00):
So we talked about renting a carbefore you said that's probably the
easiest way to get around Nashville,and obviously there's a lot more
to Tennessee than just Nashville.
So are there any great day tripsfrom Nashville that you can take
if you do have access to a car?
Yes.
If you have access to a car, I'dsuggest adding in some time to
take a day trip from Nashville.
One of the top places Irecommend is going to Memphis.
(15:21):
It's a bit of a drive.
It's three to fourhours to get to Memphis.
But if you're a music lover,Memphis is the home of soul music.
It's the birthplace of rock and roll.
That's where Elvis Presley got his start.
And if you're able to go there,you can see his house, Graceland.
You can see Sun Studio, and you can alsosee the Stax Museum of American Soul.
So it's worth it to spend a daydriving out and driving back.
(15:43):
Wonderful.
And for listeners who might beinterested in heading to Memphis as
a day trip from Nashville, Elizabethhas an article on the best things
to do in Memphis, so definitelycheck that out after the episode.
One of the places I checked outrecently was Long Cunter State Park.
It's a state park about 30 to40 minutes outside of Nashville.
It's easy to get to.
If you like to go hiking, if youlike to go mountain biking, fishing,
(16:06):
swimming, basically all the outdooractivities, you can do them at this park.
I like that it's so close to Nashville andI also like that it's so family friendly.
So that's definitely thetop of my list as well.
Awesome, yeah.
Sounds like there's a lot ofreally good family friendly
places to visit in the area.
Yes.
My last place is alsovery family friendly.
Chattanooga, Tennessee isalso a top spot for families.
(16:29):
It's a town surrounded bymountains, it's a beautiful place
to visit, they have places likethe Chattanooga Zoo, the Tennessee
Aquarium, and there's also actuallya historic train that you can take.
It's called the Tennessee ValleyAuthority, and you're able to ride a
historic train through the mountains,which is lots of fun for everyone.
Oh, yeah.
So can you take that train fromNashville to Chattanooga, or is it just
(16:50):
when you get there you can take it?
It's just when you get there.
So it's, these are historic trainsand they have kind of like a loop
that they do, you're able to go on.
Okay, awesome.
And do you know about how long thatdrive takes from Nashville to there?
Hence between two to three hours.
Okay, so not too bad.
Definitely can make it a day trip.
(17:10):
Yes.
Well, thank you for that list ofgreat day trips from Nashville.
So I want to ask you, what is thebest time of year to visit Nashville?
Nashville has the best weatherin the spring and the fall.
So from about like April untilJune and then in the fall
from September and October.
I would say that most people wouldprobably come in the summer though,
(17:30):
this is when the weather is goingto be hot, but that's also when
Nashville has the most things going on.
So either way, you really can't gowrong, but just know that if you come in
August and you're not used to the heat.
You're going to want to drinklots of water and also make
sure you have something toprotect yourself from the sun.
Yes, definitely a good tip.
Do you consider Nashville pretty safe?
(17:52):
Nashville is relatively safe.
You know, it is a big city and youwant to make sure you're aware, just
like you are anytime you're traveling.
The two things I would really suggestlooking out for is, first of all, you want
to make sure you're locking your cars.
There's not a lot of randomviolence, but people do sometimes
break into cars in different areas.
And the next thing iskind of personal safety.
We mentioned before that Nashvillehas a big nightlife scene.
(18:13):
So just as you're drinking, makesure you have a plan for how
you're getting home and make surethat you're not the one driving.
If you're drinking.
Yeah, very good tip, especiallycause I, I think when you're out in
a place that's pretty well known forpartying, there's a lot of people
there who aren't from there as well.
So it's especially important, I think,in those kinds of environments to watch
(18:34):
your back, make sure you're with a trustedgroup of people and, just play it safe.
Always, always take an Uber if you'regoing to drink and also make sure you kind
of have a buddy system so that you know,you're getting home with the same people.
And everybody has a great time that way.
Yes, Nashville is pretty safe, so Ifeel like occasionally you have to get a
little bit lax when it comes to drinking.
So just like, you know, you're,you're drinking somewhere.
(18:57):
Yeah, for sure.
And actually I think correct me ifI'm wrong, but I Nashville is one of
the places in the U. S. where you canactually drink in the street, correct?
I think there's three majorcities in the U. S. where you can.
Is, is Nashville one of them?
Yes, there are certain areas whereyou can drink in the streets.
You need to stay like inthe perimeter, but yeah.
Yeah, I can definitely get a little wild.
(19:17):
So be careful, but still,you're going to have a fun time.
Of course.
Okay.
Well, we're just coming up tothe end of our episode here.
So if you could give us just oneor a few reasons why someone should
visit Nashville, just to kind ofwrap everything up into one main
idea, what would that main reason be?
(19:37):
Nashville has such a special energy.
It's been able to retain itsauthenticness and character, despite
becoming a huge tourist destination.
To me, It really does feel likeeach neighborhood is a small town,
but you have all the access tothings that big city would give you.
So you also get the museums, you get therestaurants, you get the nightlife while
(20:00):
still getting that like small town feel.
And I want to add to that too.
Like I know Nashville is a verywell known as like a bachelor,
bachelorette party destination.
Same with Scottsdale, Arizona,which is very close to where I am.
I feel like those are like the twobiggest us spots for that kind of.
activity.
Yeah.
And, and I think people will fly in andall they'll experience is a crazy weekend
(20:23):
vendor with their friends, you know?
And, that's why I really appreciateyou coming on here today and
telling us about all these otheramazing things to do in Nashville.
It's not just like one massive,like party destination, you
know, there's so much more to it.
The music, the, the historyof the music, especially is.
It's really unmatched in the States and,yeah, I think, I think it's great that
(20:46):
you're here to tell all these listenersabout why else, you know, like come,
come to Nashville, not just for, not justfor a bachelor, bachelorette party or
a birthday party, like come spend sometime and really get to know one of the
most iconic cities in the United States.
Yeah.
I mean, it really is.
There is just so much to thecity as much as I love downtown.
(21:06):
I also want to show peoplewhat makes it special.
Absolutely.
Yes.
And, you know, there's always so much moreto, to a city than just the downtown area.
So.
All right.
Well, that's all for today.
Listeners check out Elizabeth'sarticles at travellimbing.
com and type in Nashvillein the search bar.
You can go more in depth on allthe topics that we covered today.
(21:27):
She has dozens of awesome guidesthat are super in depth and, anything
that we talked about, you know,you can kind of do a deep dive.
And if there's anything that we didn'tcover, drop us a comment on the episode.
We'll get back to you as soon as we can.
We'd love to hear from our listeners.
And, of course, all of thosearticles that we're discussing.
Anything relevant to the episode is goingto be linked in the show notes, so make
(21:48):
sure to check them out after the episode.
And listeners, if you have Instagram,you can check out Elizabeth on
Instagram at Elizabeth Demolat.
That's Elizabeth with a Z D E M OL A T. There she's documenting her
adventures around the state, includingher quest to find the best chicken
salad in Tennessee, which I wouldbe very interested in knowing about.
(22:08):
I love chicken salad.
As well as visiting the 59state parks in Tennessee.
with her family.
So definitely go check her outon Instagram and make sure to
check out her articles on travellemming after the episode.
We also host community meetups ineight major cities in and around
the U S including Nashville.
(22:28):
So if you want to meet Elizabeth, makesure you check out the information on the
next meetup in Nashville on our website.
Again, that's travellemming.
com.
And thank you, Elizabeth, fortelling us everything we need to
know about visiting Nashville.
I'm going to go download somecountry music to prepare for
my, my first official visit.
You've been awesome today tellingus all about , the great things
to do in and around the city.
(22:50):
And I really appreciateyou being here today.
I hope you had a good time on the travel.
I'm in podcast.
Thank you.
It's great to be here and I hopeto see everyone in Nashville soon.
Absolutely.
Thanks for tuning in.
We'll see you next time onthe Travel Lemming podcast.
If you're planning a trip toNashville, this podcast is for you.
Here's a 30 second teaser of the episode.
Nashville has such a special energy.
It's been able to retain itsauthenticness and character, despite
becoming a huge tourist destination.
Broadway is something that youwill not find anywhere else.
It's just bars after bar, live music.
Some of the bars are fivestories tall with different live
(00:22):
bands playing on each floor.
For the most part, you are going toneed a car if you're in Nashville.
The city is not super publictransportation friendly.
You can sometimes find cheaperhotels in Music Valley, which is a
little bit farther out of the city.
That's where the Grand Ole Opryhouse is located and where you can
still smell music there as well.
Hi everyone.
(00:42):
And welcome to the Travel Lemming Podcast.
I'm your host, Betty Hurd.
And today's destination spotlightis Nashville, Tennessee.
I'm joined by our Nashville expert.
Who's an amazing writer andeditor for travel loving tons of
fantastic content on the website.
So welcome to the show, Elizabeth Demolot.
Hi, Betty.
Thanks so much for havingme on the podcast today.
I'm so excited to be here andtalk about all things Nashville.
(01:04):
I grew up in a small town inMississippi, and I spent my summers
coming with my family to Tennessee.
We visited places likeGatlinburg, Chattanooga,
Memphis, and of course Nashville.
Since I've moved to Nashville, I'vegotten the chance to find out more
about the city, and really get to enjoyeverything that makes it so great.
I have been writing with TravelLemming for several years now, and
(01:26):
I've been an editor with Travel Lemmingfor the past year and a half or so.
Amazing.
Yeah.
It's so good to have you here.
And I'm really excitedto talk about Nashville.
I think it's a top bucket list uscity for a lot of people, me included.
And I I've technically been there, butonly for 16 hours on a work layover.
So I don't really count that.
So I'm really excited to hearabout your expertise living there.
So let's jump right in.
(01:47):
Will you give us some background onyour experience living in Nashville?
I moved to Nashville in 2019, andbefore that, I got the chance to
travel a bit around the world.
And see a lot of different places.
Since moving to Nashville, I have hadtwo kids, and now we are not traveling
quite as far as we did in the past.
So I'm taking this time to reallyexplore Nashville, get out and
(02:07):
see what the city has to offer.
And then we're also taking trips within,two to three hours of Nashville as well,
and getting to see new parts of Tennessee.
So, during the weekdays, I'm takingmy kids out, we're in the car,
we're going to cute little bakeries,we're checking out coffee shops.
And then on the weekends, we'regoing a little bit farther,
checking out state parks and someof the different places around.
(02:28):
Tennessee.
Amazing.
How old are your kids?
My youngest is eight months old, andmy oldest is about two and a half.
So, they are coming along with us.
Yes.
That seems they're at an agewhere you got to take them with.
That's great though, because I think alot of people that we've talked to from
the travel lemming team don't have kidsor at least don't have really young kids.
(02:49):
So I think a lot of listeners willappreciate your insight as a mom.
And you know, just being inclusiveof bringing along the whole family
on your, your local travels.
Yes, we just go with the flow,and sometimes it goes well, and
sometimes, you know, it's a disaster.
Yes, so is life, but you're doing awesome.
So what makes Nashville unique to you?
(03:09):
One thing that people reallyassociate with Nashville is the music
industry, especially country music.
There's so many country music starsrecord here, and a lot of singers
have gotten their start in Nashville.
So that's why a lot of people dowant to come to the city, but I
think that Nashville is really greatplace for creative people in general.
There's a lot of really good energyin Nashville, just creatively.
(03:31):
And there are also people doing reallygreat things when it comes to restaurants.
You can go to a lot of differentmuseums and also learn about, about
history while you're in Nashville too.
Yeah, the music scene seemspretty unparalleled there.
So aside from music lovers,what kind of travelers do you
think should visit Nashville?
I think there's a little bitof something for everyone.
(03:52):
Obviously if you're a huge music fan,there's plenty for you here, but I think
it's also really great for families.
There's lots of familyfriendly things here.
There's the Nashville Zoo, and thenalso it's really easy and friendly,
you know, like it's, if you're from asmaller area and you're nervous about
coming to a bigger city, I do thinkNashville is one of the ones to come to.
(04:12):
Awesome.
So I know we're going to talk about thebest things to do time of year, how to get
around Nashville, all of that good stuff.
But I like to start with where to stay.
So where should someone stay inNashville who has never been before?
I usually recommend that visitorsstay in downtown for their first time.
That's where a lot of the bigNashville attractions are.
(04:33):
So you have things like theHonky Tonks on Broadway, which
are bars playing live music.
You also have a lot of themuseums, like the Country Music
Hall of Fame and the Johnny CashMuseum, and it's a walkable area.
So it's good if you don't want tohave to find your way around the town.
Great, and that's like, a lotof people go for bachelor and
bachelorette parties, is that correct?
Yes, that is correct.
(04:54):
So the bars are very popular.
The nightlife is unlike anythingyou will find anywhere else.
Awesome.
So, what about budget travelers?
What's like a cheaper area ofthe city for people to stay?
For budget travelers, it is harderto find places to stay in Nashville.
It's a popular place to be.
You can sometimes find cheaperhotels in Music Valley, which is a
(05:15):
little bit farther out of the city.
That's where the Grand Ole Opryhouse is located and where you can
still smell music there as well.
But you will need a car to driveinto the city from Music Valley.
So for people who don't know,what is the Grand Ole Opry House?
The Grand Ole Opry house is wherethe Grand Ole Opry is recorded.
(05:35):
And this is a live broadcast thatgoes out on the radio It's introduced
country music to households all acrossthe US and stars like Dolly Parton
And it's also where you might hearsome up and coming stars as well.
Very cool.
So the, the music legendsdefinitely go way back in Nashville.
(05:58):
Yes.
What are some other notableplaces to stay in the city?
Another place I really recommendis to head to Midtown and
stay at the Graduate Hotel.
This is a fun kind ofDolly Parton themed hotel.
It has a lot of rhinestone glamour,everything is pink and girly,
and there's even a rooftop bar.
(06:18):
Oh, that's awesome.
I love the graduate hotels.
There's one actually in Tucsonwhere I'm recording right now.
That's where I'm from.
And, they're really good at justmaking everything like they really stick
to the theme of the city they're in.
So I've been to the one in Tucson.
I've been to the one in Eugene,Oregon, the graduate hotels just have
more personality than probably anyplace I've ever stayed in the States.
(06:40):
Yes, I've stayed overnight at the one inNashville, and I also sometimes just go
there to work in the coffee shop, justbecause it has a very good, fun vibe.
I love that.
Any other places you recommendstaying in Nashville?
Another area I recommend is actuallyoutside of Nashville, so if you want to
do budget, and you're okay with drivingfurther, some of the suburbs like
Hendersonville are great places to stay.
(07:02):
The accommodations are kind oflike your basic chain hotels.
But it is cheaper than tryingto stay closer into the city.
So you mentioned a couple times driving.
So I want to get right intohow to get around Nashville.
What are the best waysto navigate the city?
For the most part, you are going toneed a car if you're in Nashville.
The city is not super publictransportation friendly.
(07:26):
We do have a couple bus lines.
And there is a bus line that will takeyou from the airport to downtown, if
that's how you're coming into Nashville.
So that's a good option ifyou want to stay downtown.
But as far as getting around theother neighborhoods, Nashville has
grown pretty quickly and doesn'tnecessarily have the infrastructure
that you might expect in a larger city.
So I suggest either renting a caror maybe planning to do a ride share
(07:49):
if you're not going to have a car.
Yeah, I was going to ask you, doyou think that Ubers and Lyfts
are fairly affordable if you don'tnecessarily want to rent a car?
I would say so, just be careful if you'retrying to like leave from a concert.
The prices tend to go up when thousandsof people are leaving at the same time.
Great point.
Okay, awesome.
So for the most part, not the bestpublic transportation, probably should
(08:13):
rent a car, especially if you want tostay in a more budget friendly area.
So that you can drive into downtown.
Cause downtown's probably themore happening party central,
more expensive prices, right?
Yes.
Now if you want to stay in downtown,you don't really have to have a car.
That's a good point.
If you don't want to drive, you canjust walk everywhere and pay a little
bit more in your accommodations.
(08:34):
Yes.
All right.
Good to know.
All right.
Well, for our next segment,what are some of the best
things to do in Nashville?
The top of the list isdefinitely the Rybin Auditorium.
I talked earlier about the Grand Ole Opry.
So the Grand Ole Opry actuallystarted In the Ryman auditorium.
It is a converted tabernaclethat is now a music venue.
(08:55):
So it still looks kind of like a church.
When you go in, you sit down in thepews that all surround the stage,
there are stained glass windows inthe back of the building, and it's
just a really great experience.
Every show I've been to there, likethe artists just have such a great
connection with the fans in a way thatyou don't get in other music venues.
(09:15):
So I definitely suggest that one.
Even if you just want to take a tourof it and you're not able to see a
show, that's the top place to go.
Yeah, that sounds awesome.
What are some other great things to do?
Another thing I tell visitors todo is to make sure you go to the
Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.
This is where you'll find all aboutthe history of country music, not just
in Nashville, but around the world.
(09:36):
So there are, I believe, like 2 millionartifacts related to country music
at the Country Music Hall of Fame.
So you really learn more aboutcountry music in general and
also how it relates to the city.
Are you a fan of country music?
So I said, I grew up in asmall town, Mississippi.
So I dig her up, listen to country music.
So I recognized a lotof the singers there.
(09:57):
And there's also a lot.
I didn't know when it came to howcountry music started and finding out
about like the roots of country music.
Yeah.
Do you think that somebody whodoesn't like country music would
enjoy Nashville's music scene?
I think if you enjoy music ingeneral, you will at least be
impressed by the quality of.
The singers, the artist, it's really likenothing that you will hear anywhere else.
(10:20):
Like everyone is good, which makes sense.
You know, they're here for that reason.
Yeah.
They kind of have the best of the best.
So if you're listening to thisand you're not a fan of country
music, don't knock Nashville.
Okay.
It's still got some reallytalented, awesome people.
And you might change your mind.
You might really like the countrymusic that you hear there and when
it's in person and you're seeinghow talented these people are.
(10:42):
Yes.
And country music is definitely morethan just what you hear on the radio.
There are a lot of artists doingcool things that don't always make it
to the mainstream country radio to,
Very true.
All right.
So what else is there to do in Nashville?
another place to suggest isthe Grand Ole Opry house.
I know I said the Opry startedin the environment auditorium
and in 1974, it moved to its ownlocation out of Music Valley.
(11:06):
So this is something where evenif you're not a fan of country
music, I've been to the shows.
I had a great time, and I dosuggest at least checking it out.
Awesome.
And, you mentioned earlier Broadway,like downtown where all the bars are.
Can you tell us a littlebit more about that?
Yes, so Broadway is something thatyou will not find anywhere else.
(11:26):
If you listen to country music, you'veheard about honky tonks and neon signs.
Broadway is Almost impossible to describe.
It's just bars after bar, live music.
Some of the bars are fivestories tall with different live
bands playing on each floor.
People go there to have a good time.
There's line dancing.
There's usually lots of drinking.
(11:47):
And it's one of the mostpopular things to do.
Yeah, I, like I said earlier, I've beento Nashville once it was for one night for
a very short amount of time, but I wentout with my crew because I really wanted
to see Broadway and we were right there.
And it's so true.
It's like every single place it's justdoor to door to door is a different bar
and there's several floors and there's.
(12:09):
Some incredible singer on each floor.
And like, it's just, I've neverexperienced anything like it.
I've never seen such an appreciation forlive music the way I have in Nashville.
And it just made me fall inlove with the city immediately.
It's so cool.
And like we were talking about,I'm not a huge fan of country music
personally, but I was just likeenthralled by these, these artists.
(12:30):
They were so talented and, it actually,you know, kind of opened my eyes to
country music a little bit that night.
Yeah, so it really is amazing.
You know, a lot of them are doing covers.
They know so many songs.
They're able to just like pull outso many different styles of music.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Something else.
and a lot of them are also likeartists who are trying to also make
(12:51):
it big in the music industry here.
And that's kind of not their dayjob because it's up in 24 7 but kind
of their like side gig as they'reworking on their own music and work.
yeah, it's very cool.
And even if you're not intothe drinking scene, like, I
know I'm not into that anymore.
I, I still think it's definitely aplace that you can really enjoy, even
if you're not going and You know,having a bunch of drinks with your
(13:14):
bachelors and your bachelorette parties.
Yeah, I really think thatBroadway is a place for anyone.
Yeah, it's crafting my favoritething, but it's worth it to at
least head down the street once.
Yeah, absolutely.
So what are some other specifictips or maybe even hidden gems
that travelers should knowabout before visiting Nashville?
There's a lot to do outside ofdowntown Nashville as well, and
(13:36):
I really recommend getting out ofdowntown if you're able to, and
checking out some of the neighborhoods.
In a place called Green Hills,there is an independent bookstore.
It's called Parnassus Books, andit's owned by author Ann Patchett.
There are lots of special events therewhere you can listen to authors talk.
And it's a really greatcreative space in the city.
(13:57):
Very cool.
So they kind of have like famousauthors or up and coming authors
come and kind of display their work.
Yes, and there's also a localsection if you want to find out
more about authors in the area too.
Oh, that's awesome.
Very unique.
Yeah.
Another place I recommend to almosteveryone, and I talk about it all the
time, is the Tennessee State Museum.
This is a free museum thatbasically guides you through
(14:17):
the history of Tennessee.
And my favorite thing aboutit is the children's gallery.
There's not a lot of free things to doin Nashville, so it's nice to have this
space where the kids can come and play.
My daughter is, like I said, two anda half, and she loves going there.
She likes to play at thetrain table for Chattanooga.
And it's a good space in general.
thing I love that really gets overlookedis the Southern Festival of Books.
(14:39):
This is a free festival.
It takes place every year in Octoberand again, lots of authors, hundreds
of authors from around the areacome and give talks on their books.
It's really interesting to hearall the different subjects.
And also a lot of the authors arereally good storytellers as well.
Okay, so if you're visiting Nashvillein October, that's definitely an awesome
thing to add to your list of things to do.
Yes.
(15:00):
So we talked about renting a carbefore you said that's probably the
easiest way to get around Nashville,and obviously there's a lot more
to Tennessee than just Nashville.
So are there any great day tripsfrom Nashville that you can take
if you do have access to a car?
Yes.
If you have access to a car, I'dsuggest adding in some time to
take a day trip from Nashville.
One of the top places Irecommend is going to Memphis.
(15:21):
It's a bit of a drive.
It's three to fourhours to get to Memphis.
But if you're a music lover,Memphis is the home of soul music.
It's the birthplace of rock and roll.
That's where Elvis Presley got his start.
And if you're able to go there,you can see his house, Graceland.
You can see Sun Studio, and you can alsosee the Stax Museum of American Soul.
So it's worth it to spend a daydriving out and driving back.
(15:43):
Wonderful.
And for listeners who might beinterested in heading to Memphis as
a day trip from Nashville, Elizabethhas an article on the best things
to do in Memphis, so definitelycheck that out after the episode.
One of the places I checked outrecently was Long Cunter State Park.
It's a state park about 30 to40 minutes outside of Nashville.
It's easy to get to.
If you like to go hiking, if youlike to go mountain biking, fishing,
(16:06):
swimming, basically all the outdooractivities, you can do them at this park.
I like that it's so close to Nashville andI also like that it's so family friendly.
So that's definitely thetop of my list as well.
Awesome, yeah.
Sounds like there's a lot ofreally good family friendly
places to visit in the area.
Yes.
My last place is alsovery family friendly.
Chattanooga, Tennessee isalso a top spot for families.
(16:29):
It's a town surrounded bymountains, it's a beautiful place
to visit, they have places likethe Chattanooga Zoo, the Tennessee
Aquarium, and there's also actuallya historic train that you can take.
It's called the Tennessee ValleyAuthority, and you're able to ride a
historic train through the mountains,which is lots of fun for everyone.
Oh, yeah.
So can you take that train fromNashville to Chattanooga, or is it just
(16:50):
when you get there you can take it?
It's just when you get there.
So it's, these are historic trainsand they have kind of like a loop
that they do, you're able to go on.
Okay, awesome.
And do you know about how long thatdrive takes from Nashville to there?
Hence between two to three hours.
Okay, so not too bad.
Definitely can make it a day trip.
(17:10):
Yes.
Well, thank you for that list ofgreat day trips from Nashville.
So I want to ask you, what is thebest time of year to visit Nashville?
Nashville has the best weatherin the spring and the fall.
So from about like April untilJune and then in the fall
from September and October.
I would say that most people wouldprobably come in the summer though,
(17:30):
this is when the weather is goingto be hot, but that's also when
Nashville has the most things going on.
So either way, you really can't gowrong, but just know that if you come in
August and you're not used to the heat.
You're going to want to drinklots of water and also make
sure you have something toprotect yourself from the sun.
Yes, definitely a good tip.
Do you consider Nashville pretty safe?
(17:52):
Nashville is relatively safe.
You know, it is a big city and youwant to make sure you're aware, just
like you are anytime you're traveling.
The two things I would really suggestlooking out for is, first of all, you want
to make sure you're locking your cars.
There's not a lot of randomviolence, but people do sometimes
break into cars in different areas.
And the next thing iskind of personal safety.
We mentioned before that Nashvillehas a big nightlife scene.
(18:13):
So just as you're drinking, makesure you have a plan for how
you're getting home and make surethat you're not the one driving.
If you're drinking.
Yeah, very good tip, especiallycause I, I think when you're out in
a place that's pretty well known forpartying, there's a lot of people
there who aren't from there as well.
So it's especially important, I think,in those kinds of environments to watch
(18:34):
your back, make sure you're with a trustedgroup of people and, just play it safe.
Always, always take an Uber if you'regoing to drink and also make sure you kind
of have a buddy system so that you know,you're getting home with the same people.
And everybody has a great time that way.
Yes, Nashville is pretty safe, so Ifeel like occasionally you have to get a
little bit lax when it comes to drinking.
So just like, you know, you're,you're drinking somewhere.
(18:57):
Yeah, for sure.
And actually I think correct me ifI'm wrong, but I Nashville is one of
the places in the U. S. where you canactually drink in the street, correct?
I think there's three majorcities in the U. S. where you can.
Is, is Nashville one of them?
Yes, there are certain areas whereyou can drink in the streets.
You need to stay like inthe perimeter, but yeah.
Yeah, I can definitely get a little wild.
(19:17):
So be careful, but still,you're going to have a fun time.
Of course.
Okay.
Well, we're just coming up tothe end of our episode here.
So if you could give us just oneor a few reasons why someone should
visit Nashville, just to kind ofwrap everything up into one main
idea, what would that main reason be?
(19:37):
Nashville has such a special energy.
It's been able to retain itsauthenticness and character, despite
becoming a huge tourist destination.
To me, It really does feel likeeach neighborhood is a small town,
but you have all the access tothings that big city would give you.
So you also get the museums, you get therestaurants, you get the nightlife while
(20:00):
still getting that like small town feel.
And I want to add to that too.
Like I know Nashville is a verywell known as like a bachelor,
bachelorette party destination.
Same with Scottsdale, Arizona,which is very close to where I am.
I feel like those are like the twobiggest us spots for that kind of.
activity.
Yeah.
And, and I think people will fly in andall they'll experience is a crazy weekend
(20:23):
vendor with their friends, you know?
And, that's why I really appreciateyou coming on here today and
telling us about all these otheramazing things to do in Nashville.
It's not just like one massive,like party destination, you
know, there's so much more to it.
The music, the, the historyof the music, especially is.
It's really unmatched in the States and,yeah, I think, I think it's great that
(20:46):
you're here to tell all these listenersabout why else, you know, like come,
come to Nashville, not just for, not justfor a bachelor, bachelorette party or
a birthday party, like come spend sometime and really get to know one of the
most iconic cities in the United States.
Yeah.
I mean, it really is.
There is just so much to thecity as much as I love downtown.
(21:06):
I also want to show peoplewhat makes it special.
Absolutely.
Yes.
And, you know, there's always so much moreto, to a city than just the downtown area.
So.
All right.
Well, that's all for today.
Listeners check out Elizabeth'sarticles at travellimbing.
com and type in Nashvillein the search bar.
You can go more in depth on allthe topics that we covered today.
(21:27):
She has dozens of awesome guidesthat are super in depth and, anything
that we talked about, you know,you can kind of do a deep dive.
And if there's anything that we didn'tcover, drop us a comment on the episode.
We'll get back to you as soon as we can.
We'd love to hear from our listeners.
And, of course, all of thosearticles that we're discussing.
Anything relevant to the episode is goingto be linked in the show notes, so make
(21:48):
sure to check them out after the episode.
And listeners, if you have Instagram,you can check out Elizabeth on
Instagram at Elizabeth Demolat.
That's Elizabeth with a Z D E M OL A T. There she's documenting her
adventures around the state, includingher quest to find the best chicken
salad in Tennessee, which I wouldbe very interested in knowing about.
(22:08):
I love chicken salad.
As well as visiting the 59state parks in Tennessee.
with her family.
So definitely go check her outon Instagram and make sure to
check out her articles on travellemming after the episode.
We also host community meetups ineight major cities in and around
the U S including Nashville.
(22:28):
So if you want to meet Elizabeth, makesure you check out the information on the
next meetup in Nashville on our website.
Again, that's travellemming.
com.
And thank you, Elizabeth, fortelling us everything we need to
know about visiting Nashville.
I'm going to go download somecountry music to prepare for
my, my first official visit.
You've been awesome today tellingus all about , the great things
to do in and around the city.
(22:50):
And I really appreciateyou being here today.
I hope you had a good time on the travel.
I'm in podcast.
Thank you.
It's great to be here and I hopeto see everyone in Nashville soon.
Absolutely.
Thanks for tuning in.
We'll see you next time onthe Travel Lemming podcast.
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