Nashville, Music City!
We flew out to Nashville with British Airway, one stop via London Heathrow. Terminal 5 was a dream, easy transfer between flights. Onboard our seats were in World Traveller Plus which is their Premium Economy product. I was really impressed with the wider seats; legroom and it was great to have a separate cabin. Of course, you also get little extra’s like an amenity kit, pillow, blanket, meals and complimentary bar service which were all excellent. Really friendly staff and the on-demand entertainment onboard made the 9-hour flight fly by.
On arrival at Nashville airport, we cleared immigration within 30 mins and heading out to see the sun set over the city skyline. We stayed at the Hutton Hotel, located steps away from Nashville’s Music Row. Such a lovely vibe to this hotel with live music in the lobby and friendly staff. Room was good size, comfortable and Fab Bathroom (I like my bathrooms). You are talking about a 25 Min walk to Broadway which is nice as you can relax after a day/night out at Broadway!
Within walking Distance from the Hutton Hotel, we took a Tour @ RCA Studio B where Elvis recorded over 200 of his songs and the Steinway Piano, he played which still sits in the studio. I wasn’t expecting to enjoy this, but it was really special listening to our guide tell us about the magic that was created in this studio. Next was a Tour of the Country Music Hall of Fame located in downtown Nashville, for country music fans it’s a must do with an unrivalled collection of historically important artifacts. You could spend hours walking around this huge museum. I was super excited about our Tour @Ryman Auditorium as I was a big fan of the Nashville Tv Show so I thought it was cool to see and to discover some of the current and past legends that have played here with the likes of Bruce Springsteen, Mumford and Sons, and Tom Petty in recent years.
Another venue which was on my wish list and I was so thrilled to find out we were going, was the Grand Ole Opry. The Grand Ole Opry is the live performance showcase that features today’s country music stars, superstars, and rising stars all on one stage, every week in Music City. It is the longest-running radio broadcast in U.S. history on WSM Radio. It was a great show and we had a bit of VIP Experience which gave us access to the Circle room which is limited to 100 guests with complimentary drinks and nibbles, and we also got a visit from an Opry Performer which was a real personal experience.
My favourite Museum on our itinerary was the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum. This is the one and only museum in the world that honours the talented musicians who played on the some of the greatest recordings of all time. So many stories you may never have heard before, it was fascinating. There is also an interactive area where you can sing, play drums, guitar and bring out the Rock star in you.
We also visited Bell Meade Historic Site & Winery which was home to English Derby winner Iroquois and was renowned as a thoroughbred stud farms one of the premier thoroughbred racing and breeding farms in the South, Belle Meade was always the centre of hospitality—today that tradition continues. In November 2009 Belle Meade opened the only winery in Nashville and they offer complimentary wine tastings after each tour. The Blueberry dessert wine was Fab!
Nightlife is not only at Night, Music spills out onto the streets of Broadway from 11am in the morning with roof top bars with live music on 3 levels, Its not all country, but music for all tastes. So many talented Musicians, singers and songwriters live in Music City, so you can experience some amazing intimate events in venues such as the Listening Room Café and The Local bar, a must add to your itinerary in Nashville! We really packed in a lot in our 3-night trip and still didn’t get to experience it all, so I will be back Nashville, such a special place… GO!