Nashville - home of country Music
Broadway in downtown Nashville has live music playing each day in all the bars and venues from 11am to 3am (15 hours per day) if one has the energy to stay going. It is an amazing experience for music lovers with all the live gigs there is to see. It is just “electric” and “awesome.” We sampled some of the honky tonky and the wonderful atmosphere while there.
We flew with American Airlines from Dublin to Nashville via Philadelphia in premium economy class. I would highly recommend upgrading to premium economy class as you get a much wider seat and loads of leg room and the meals served on board were amazing. Supplements start from just €200 per person per journey to upgrade to a premium cabin on board American airlines (subject to availability at time of booking).
We stayed for 3 nights at the Hutton Hotel which was a lovely 4-star hotel boutique style hotel situated a short drive approx. 6 minutes from Broadway in downtown Nashville where all the action happens. There was music in the lobby each afternoon and the atmosphere was very relaxing at this hotel. The bedrooms were really comfortable and nicely decorated.
During our stay in Nashville, we used the Lyft app, which is just like the Uber taxi system, you request a pickup on the app from your location and your driver is there within a couple of minutes to take you to your destination. It is a really good value way of getting around Nashville.
On Tuesday morning after a leisurely breakfast, we went for a tour to the RCA studio, home to musical titans such as Elvis Presley, Roy Orbison and many more. This studio was once one of the world's most famous recording facilities. Today it serves as a popular cultural attraction and as a classroom for students who visit the country music hall of fame and museum. We then continued on for a tour at the country music hall of fame located in downtown Nashville. It has been called the “Smithsonian of country music” celebrated for its brand cultural impact, educational mission and unrivalled collection of historically important artifacts.
The country hall of fame was launched in 1967 on Nashville’s music row. The museum opened its current downtown location in 2001 and in 2014 unveiled a $100 million expansion that doubled its footprint in size. The country music hall of fame and museum now includes 350,000 square feet of dynamic galleries, archival storage, retail stores and event space, performance space in the CMA theatre and Ford Theatre which regularly host nationally recognized live music and cultural events.
After a leisurely lunch in downtown Assembly food hall, we enjoyed another tour at the Ryman Auditorium, rich in history and built in 1892, well known as the mother church of country music. It was also revered as a long-time former home of Grand Ole Opry from 1943 to 1974.
On Tuesday night, we had the most amazing experience at a live show at the Grand Ole Opry radio show which began broadcasting back in 1925. Today, it is an entertainment phenomenon showcasing a mix of country music greats, new stars, superstars, and legends. Before the show we got access to the Grand Ole Opry VIP lounge in the Auditorium called the Circle which I would highly recommend as you get drinks and get to meet a star in person who will perform at the live show on the night. We met Jennie Seely who performed that night. She has played at the grand ole Opry over 5,000 times during her career.
Wednesday morning after breakfast we embarked on a tour to Belle Meade Historic Site and Winery situated a short drive outside of Nashville. The 1853 Greek revival mansion was home to English Derby winner Iroquois and renowned as a thoroughbred stud farm. As one of the premier thoroughbred racing and breeding farms in the south, Belle Meade was always the centre of hospitability, today that tradition continues. In 2009, Belle Meade opened the only winery in Nashville and they offer complimentary wine tastings after each tour. After the tour of Belle Meade mansion we enjoyed a lovely lunch. I found the venue a lovely relaxing experience, steeped in history. I would highly recommend Belle Meade as a must do tour to experience the culture and history of the past associated with horse breeding.
That afternoon we enjoyed a great tour of the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum. The musician’s hall of fame is a premiere Nashville attraction and the one and only museum in the world that honours the talented musicians who actually played the greatest recordings of all time like Johnny Cash and many more.
On Wednesday evening we went for dinner and a live music gig at the Listening room café. The Listening Room Café hosts up and coming artists and the star song writers behind Nashville’s biggest hits. It reminded me of an open mic event and the food, drinks and atmosphere was excellent while we listened to lovely music being played live. I would highly recommend this as a must do for visitors to Nashville.
If you wish to plan your next getaway to Nashville please get in touch and I can share my experience with you and put together a bespoke itinerary to suit your requirements.