Happy Monday friends!! What a week AND weekend!! We had an absolute blast in Nashville and I’m excited to share a little travel guide with you! When I first started researching a quick getaway for us, the location needed to tick off just one box – direct and short flight from Boston! Gary and I didn’t really have a set plan of what we needed to do and sort of just went with the flow, but through a lot of recommendations and a little luck we had a stellar time in Nashville! Settle in because this is going to be a long one!
Where to Stay & Get Around ||
Where to Stay & Get Around ||
Hotels were pretty expensive for the days that we were looking at so we researched a lot of Airbnb options and decided on a cute little one bedroom in the West End area of Nashville. In researching a city that neither one of us had ever been to, figuring out what part of the city to stay in was especially hard. It came down to the West End & downtown and here’s why the West End won out! .
– 15 minutes to / from the airport
– 10 minutes to Broadway / downtown Nashville
– 10-15 minutes to 12 South (where Draper James is)
– 5 minutes from Vanderbilt
– centrally located
Since this was the first time either one of us have used Airbnb I had no idea what to expect but our host was extremely helpful and communicated quickly and efficiently. We were getting in a bit earlier than her usual check in time, but she was incredibly accommodating! It was nice feeling like we were at home rather than a hotel and still had all the amenities that you would with a hotel. Free wifi, an incredibly comfortable bed, all the toiletries you’d expect at a hotel & coffee! With a full kitchen we could cook if we wanted to, BUT when you’re in a foodie city like Nashville it wont get much use!! Unlike staying at a hotel, we didn’t have to pay for parking a car which was an added bonus!! Another bonus was that our host owns 2 yoga studios in the city so we were able to take a class one morning which was such a treat!
We were going to use Uber as our main method of transportation and did for the first day we were there, but quickly realized that $5-$10 per trip would add up so we got a great deal on a rental car that we used for the rest of our trip!
Where to Eat ||
Where to Eat ||
When I started to ask for recommendations for things to do in Nashville the only thing people kept referring me to were places to eat!! What a foodie city! I think we’d need a few trips back just to experience all the great places, but in our few short days we managed to eat at some of Nashville’s best spots! Huge thank you to Chesson for sharing all of her favorite eats!
Fido || Our first stop was Fido for breakfast. For a Wednesday late morning it was pretty packed and that’s probably due to the fact that it’s close to a college campus and the breakfast is pretty phenomenal. I had the salmon scramble and a specialty latte. Off to a great start food wise!
Sinema || I only made one reservation for our entire time in Nashville and it was to Sinema – an old movie theater converted to give you an upscale dining and lounge experience – both of which were stellar! If you follow me on snapchat (@blovedboston) you saw what a fun vibe this place had – including the dressing room type bathroom that I may or may not have done a few twirls in!! Gary and I split the truffle aranicni, filet and not one but two orders of the brussel sprouts with bacon because after one bite we decided each of us needed our own!! Our waitress was so sweet and even though we weren’t celebrating anything special she treated us to mini cupcakes and caramel popcorn!!
The Perch || After our Yoga class in Green Hills on Thursday we were in need of breakfast and quick! The Perch was in the same plaza so we decided to check it out. It was a small cafe with hands down one of the best latte’s I’ve ever had! Gary and I both decided on savory crepes – I went with the egg, cheese and ham – you know to completely undo any type of exercise that was just completed!! They actually have 4 locations and 2 that we saw in Nashville. It was really tasty and I’d go back for the latte alone!
The Pharmacy Burger Parlor and Beer Garden|| I was really looking forward to trying the burger’s at Pharmacy since it had been dubbed one of the best in Nashville and possibly the best you’d ever eat! That’s a pretty high bar to live up to! So the question is did it?! I had the standard pharmacy burger and Gary opted for the messy but equally delicious chili burger – both with tots! It’s hard to pin down what made these burgers so tasty, but there must be some secret sauce that they add on the inside of the bun – it was crazy good and we both devoured them! They also have these fun soda’s that are completely free of corn syrup, caffeine and artificial flavors that are made to order.
Acme Feed & Seed || Located on lower Broadway, Acme gave us a really interested food experience. You basically order like you would at a fast food restaurant then proceed to the community seating section to find a spot. The runners find your table number and bring your food over. Once you get your food you can go to the second level or even the roof deck to eat – on the second level they have sushi as well. We stayed on the lower level because we nabbed a prime spot right in front of the stage for the live band. Gary and I split the Red Neck Lo Mein (amazing) with black beans and Mexican street corn! We weren’t starving so this was perfect for sharing – actually I’d say a lot of their food would be good for sharing and if you’re looking for more of a relaxing eating experience.
The Southern || Apparently The Southern is quite popular with the celebrities in Nashville and it probably has a little to do with the atmosphere and a lot to do with the food! Of course I had serious food envy after Gary’s Shrimp BLT came out – not to say my fish tacos weren’t good, but his sandwich was mouthwatering good! You are probably in for a wait here if you haven’t made reservations or come during peak hours, but we lucked out and spotted two seats at the bar so no need to wait!
What to Do ||
What to Do ||
Centennial Park & the Parthenon || Nashville is known / was known as the Athen’s of the South due in large part to all the academic institutions they have in the city. So for the 100th anniversary of the city they built a recreation of the Parthenon and a 42 foot statue of Athena sits inside. It’s a pretty impressive building, but we weren’t really looking forward to paying $24 to go inside. Luckily we stopped by the museum about 15 minutes before closing time and were allowed to just go in for free to look around! So that would be my tip, if you’re not into museums but would like to see the statue of Athena then try heading there right before closing time to see if you could go for free!
12 South || The 12th South neighborhood is super trendy with really nice boutiques and great restaurants. I was pretty excited to do some shopping there and then I picked up a hat for $300 and just as quickly put it back! Draper James, Reese Witherspoon’s store, is located in the neighborhood and I couldn’t go to Nashville without stopping in. Unfortunately everything is pretty pricey in the store even though it’s super cute! They do give you a complimentary sweet tea while browsing which was a nice treat! If you’re looking for a fun instagrammable (not a word but we’ll go with it) wall – this is a great place for that!! There’s also a cupcake ATM – yes that’s right – Sprinkles Cupcakes dispenses cupcakes!! Check out my instagram for a photo!
Segway Tour || Nashville has a ton of history and while we usually opt for a hop on and off tour Gary really wanted to do a Segway Tour so he quickly booked us with iRide for Friday morning. For 3 hours we rode around Broadway and Downtown Nashville and took in a TON of sites that we honestly wouldn’t have gotten to if we were on foot / on our own!
We were in a small group (5 of us total) and were able to stop and take photos whenever we wanted. As someone that has zero balance I was really nervous to ride a Segway, but it feels completely natural and even though I felt a little silly – it’s a great way to see a city without having to log all those miles on your feet! They keep you away from super busy streets & you get to feel like you’re in the Jetson’s flying through the city!
The Escape Game || One of Gary’s fraternity brother’s lives in Nashville and suggested that we do something a little different so we tested out our skills with the escape game! If you’ve never heard of this, you basically go with a group (up to 12 people) and are given a mission. Your goal is to escape the room in an hour. You’re given clues to solve puzzles and you have to work together to get out of the room! Sadly we were close to escaping, but fell short, so the competitive person in me is ready to try this in Boston!! It’s great for team building but also really good if you’re looking for a fun group date idea!
Broadway || Obviously Nashville is known as the Music City for a reason! You can’t go anywhere on Broadway without hearing a musician or live band playing! I was really nervous that this was going to be reminiscent of the craziness that isBourbon Street, but it was so much more tame – wild in it’s own fun way! We saw a great funk band at Acme, our friend’s brother play his part in the dueling piano bar The Big Bang and a super fun band at The Tin Roof.
The Sutler Saloon || Before dinner at the Sinema we stopped into The Sutler Saloon for a few drinks during happy hour and the cucumber cooler was de-li-cious!! They have a really cool downstairs bar area where you can get cozy and pretend that you’re back in time at an old time saloon…or you can hop onto saddle for a photo op!
We had an incredible time in Nashville and after 3 days we headed home – happy, full & already planning our next trip! Have you ever been to Nashville? What’s your favorite way to explore a city?
‘);
This is such perfect timing- I'm headed to Nashville Thursday for a girls weekend!! I cannot wait! We're staying in 12 south and I'm so excited to take in all the music, shopping, and sights!
I'm so glad you guys had a blast…I loved watching your snaps! After watching Alex and Michael on YouTube, I totally want to go to Nashville…even more now that you shared all of this yummy food and fun stuff to do!
We have something similar to The Escape Room here too…haven't had time to go since it's pretty new so it's always super busy.
Hope you have a great Monday!
xo, Lily
Beauty With Lily๏ปฟ
Looks like Nashville was so fun! We were there for a wedding when I was still in college and I feel like we missed so much! We did see the Parthenon, which is so impressive. Super jealous you got to go to Draper James! I would have probably spent way too much if I was there. Happy Monday!
xo, Rachel
A Blonde's Moment
Nashville is my favorite place to go! I'm so glad you got to eat at Fido! I try to eat there every time I'm there haha!
Sarah at MeetTheShaneyfelts
What a fun trip! We are hoping to plan a girls trip to Nashville soon, so this is a huge help!!
Xoxo,
Whitney & Blaire
Peaches In A Pod
It's been years since I've been to Nashville, but you're post is making me want to plan a trip ASAP!!
Fizz and Frostingโ
Nashville is one of my favorite cities! My Dad lives there and we always have so much when we get to visit! If you are ever back, you have to stop at Noshville Deli and the Nashville Farmer's Market!!! The deli is amazing, has a full on pickle and olive bar and amazing black and white cookies-that coming from a NY'er-are delicious! Glad you had a great time!!
So much fun, and all of that good looks (and sounds) delicious!
All of that food looks amazing!! I will remember this post whenever I get to Nashville, it's on my list!
Looks like you had a great time! The Segway tour sounds like so much fun. I'd love to do that!!
Isn't a weekend away so much fun?! I love all your Nashville outfits and that Airbnb looks really nice! One of my best friends recently moved to Nashville so after reading this post, I want to visit even more!
rosyoutlookblog.com
So glad you liked feed and seed, such a fun place!
Nashville is such a fun city and I love the 12 South area! Looks like y'all had a blast!
OMG the food in Nashville looks amazing! I've only been to Nashville once and it was for a quick family thing so I definitely need to go back and explore more. Glad you guys had so much fun and I can't believe Gary got you on a Segway! I probably would have fallen FLAT on my face ha!<3, Pamela Sequins & Sea Breezes
This all looks so good! Especially all the food!!! I am loving all the food haha naturally! But looks like you guys had such a blast! The escape room looked like such a blast!!! I did one in charleston and loved it! Glad to see you had a great time!
xoxo,Victoria
coffeendablonde.blogspot.com
Ahhhh I LOVE Nashville. Every time I got to go was for a quick trip, and it was while I was in college so it focused heavily on the bars and music and less on real food and shopping! I think I need to go back!!
I'm so glad that y'all enjoyed Fido & The Pharmacy. Those are two places that we would 100% go back to the next time we're in Nashville. Y'all fit in SO MUCH on your trip down there! I think you hit all the highlights while you were in town.
I live in the South and have yet to visit Nashville, love your guide
This is such a great guide for Nashville, and I'm so glad that y'all had a great time! I loved seeing all of your snaps while you were there, and it looks like y'all did a great job of eating your way through Nashville too! I would go back to Sinema time and time again! It was that delicious, not to mention how cute it was since it was a converted old theater!
Looks like you guys had a blast!! I have always wanted to try the Escape game !!! Chelsea @ thewilliamsjourney1.blogspot.com
Oh my word… how do your pants fit after that trip!? Jeez louise your food porn made me salivate!!! Looks like a successful trip; glad you guys had fun! Happy Monday, doll! XOXO, R
Such a fun trip! You did so much in your time there and I'm drooling from all of that amazing food! Also loving that last picture of you!
girlllll all this food! i love it. that popcorn! what a cute little airbnb. i swear, sometimes they're cuter than my own apartment!!
I could've used this guide a few tears ago! Me and friend drove up there when I was still in Atlanta and it was easy to get there, but we didn't have any plans. We just drove….we ended up not knowing what to do lol. It was not the best trip, though we had great BBQ. I love going to the Draper James site because everything is so cute, but I can't quote afford anything, lol. Window shopping for now!
Audrey
lululinden.com
Oh my gosh, how fun!! Nashville is great. I haven't been in years, but I am pretty sure I need to go now if only to try some of this food. Yum!
Amy Ann
Straight A Style
all of the food!! You guys look like you had the best time and Nashville is definitely on my list of places to visit now. I love that you did such a variety of things- it seems like people tend to talk about or go just for the going out, which is fun, but there's obviously so much more to see and do! So jealous you got to go to Draper James & riding segways always seems so fun, but scary!
That Air B&B looks so cozy and homey and that food looks delicious! Looks like you had a wonderful trip!
Awesome tips!! We're heading to Nashville in a few weeks! I'm dying to go to the Draper James store (even if I don't buy anything lol) I'll definitely be saving this post!
Oh wow! All of that looks fantastic!!! It looks like you had a wonderful time!
Looks like a great trip! the food pics have got me drooling..
I already wanted to go to Nashville based on my friends' review of it last year when she and her husband went during our Spring Break, and now this has me wanting to go even more!
Nashville is on my list of places to go – sounds like you guys had such a blast! So much good food (my mouth is water at all your pictures) and some really neat sights!
Loved following along with your Nashville trip! We're headed there for my Bachelorette party in the spring and I can't wait! And I need a trip to Draper James ASAP.
Zelle
Southern Style
All the food looks phenomenal.
I love everything from Draper James but the prices are absolutely ludicrous.
I have always wanted to visit Nashville! Looks like such a blast!
kelseybang.com
I'm so glad you had so much fun! You put together such a great guide with so much detail. All of your food looks amazing! I love that you stopped by Reese Whiterspoon's store, and you look awesome in that maxi dress by that great wall! Definitely instagrammable! xo Beautifully Candid
Looks like you had an amazing time. My cousin is there right now and I am sending this to her for places to go, sights to see and food to eat. Thank you!
WOW! WOW! WOW!!! The Nashville Chamber of Commerce should pay you for this post! AMAZING!!! The heck with "what to see" I am sitting here DYING from the FOOD!! OMG!!!!! Amazing!! My brother and sister-in-law went to Nashville a few weeks ago for the first time, wish they had your post before they went. I will have to share this with her to see if they went to any of the same places. They went with another couple and rented a home or something…….love your idea as well!! Fabulous post! xoxoxo catchatwithcarenandcody
Oh…my…gosh! Such a great post! I love Nashville and so want to take my hubby. My daughter and her friends are headed there in January for a bachelorette weekend…so fun.
Glad you liked our town! We love living in Nashville and everything it has to offer. The Pharmacy…we go there way too often but we just can't help it. They are SO good! So glad you had a great time! ๐
Sounds like you guys had a fun time! You certainly need a car while in Nashville, the areas are too spread apart to walk it! You ate at so many awesome places. It has been a few years since I have been and I really need to get back up that way. We usually go to Chattanooga or Gatlinburg when in Tennessee but Nashville is totally worth the drive!
Sounds like Nashville was a blast. So much good food. I love that you all did a Segway tour, how fun. Love the pictures of Draper James. They have such cute stuff but the prices are bit high.
What a fantastic trip! Nashville is one of my favorite places! My uncle is a music producer there, so we always have a free place to stay, which is nice! We haven't visited them in quite sometime, though, and your post is making me want to plan a trip! I've never been to Draper James, but it's on my list! I just love those walls!
We have an escape room here in our city, but I have yet to try it. B and I want to go on a date night and do it sometime, though, because it sounds like fun!
It's definitely on my list! Mark went up for the the last Vandy game so I think it needs to be a girls trip instead ๐
It looks like you had such a great time in Nashville, girlie! I've never been before, but I've heard such great things about the food and night scene, too! I've also never used Airbnb before, but my mom has and loved it so much that we're considering it the next time we vacation, too! I'll have to reference this post whenever we do decided to pay a visit, you've included some great information and suggestions here; I'm loving all that yummy food! Thanks so much for sharing, beauty, and I hope you have the best week ahead!
XO,
Jalisa
thestylecontour.com
I'm glad that y'all had a great time! I definitely want to go back after this weekend but for a longer time next time.
I was so sad we missed Draper James when we went to Nashville! It just looks so cute! I wasn't planning on going inside the Parthenon (though tickets were only $6 when we were there), but my in-laws were with us and wanted to go. It was neat to see that massive Athena! haha.
Nashville is on my list of must visit cities. All the food looks amazing and of course Broadway. So glad you had a great time. Definite bummer everything at Draper James was so expensive though.
Sounds like a great trip and I'm glad that you two had fun!! ๐ Love all of your pictures too. ๐
You guys got in so much – definitely loving the little things like Draper James and the cupcake ATM! Your meals look quite delicious!!
That park is on my list of places to visit now. Lovely. I want to try Air BnB; I think it would be more fun than seeing generic hotel rooms. I have heard a couple of scary stories about Uber, though.
So glad to hear you had an amazing trip…Nashville sure doesn't dissapoint with all the different things you can do! Sounds like you lucked out on that cute AirBnB rental. You guys definitely fit so much fun things in on your trip and got to dine at some amazing restaurants. Acme Feed & Seed was on my list although we never made it there on our trip but I agree with you that the Pharmacy has some amazing burgers and I'm not even huge on burgers. We loved that place!
Ahhh I just love Nashville! Airbnb is definitely the way to go! Acme Feed and Seed is one of my favorites! Love their roof top bar and the Parthenon was where my cousin got proposed to last time we were there! Your making me want to go back asap! So glad you had an amazing trip!
<3 Shannon
Upbeat Soles
Your trip looked amazing! I'm planning a Nashville trip for my friend's bachelorette party and totally using this for some recommendations! Draper James looks adorable and I'm so jealous of all the fun walls in Nashville (Boston needs to step up it's game!) The Escape Game looks like so much fun, I was actually just talking about Escape the Room with my co-worker today- must be a sign I need to go! Hope you and Gary had the best time!!!
xx Tess | Sequins are the New Black
Looks like a great trip! Nashville is definitely on my list, and I can't wait to go!
oh wow, how cool that your host owns yoga studios and you were able to do a class. that's awesome! i've never used airbnb but i would consider it somewhere like nashville for sure. Sinema looks amazing and i might plan a trip to nashville purely to go there! that sucks about reese witherspoon's store, her stuff is so cute but i should have known i couldn't afford anything in there haha. that wall is definitely instagrammable. i've always wanted to do a segway tour, good to know without balance they are still easy to use. you seriously got a ton done!
Nashville has been on my places to visit! It looks like such a fun trip! The Escape game would be a blast!
Jill
Doused In Pink
This looks and sounds like so much fun and your pictures are incredible. I'm glad you enjoyed your Nashville trip, seems like a blast! XO – Kim
Nashville is one of my very favorite cities!! SO much fun! And omg all that delicious food is making my mouth water!
This looks like such a fun trip! The food looks delicious ๐ and that Escape Game sounds so fun for a group date night! xx
I loveeee Nashville! Looks like you guys did it right and had so much fun! Drooling over all of the food pics!
Such a fun city, right? I went to Nashville in high school and was surprised with how cool it was- definitely need to go back now that I'm a full-fledged adult! ๐
-Ashley
Le Stylo Rouge
How fun! I have always wanted to go to Nashville, it looks like it was a total blast!
The Adored Life
Y'all did SO many fun things while in Nashville!! I've only been once for work, but we would love to go back. I think there's a direct flight from here, too. Draper James would definitely top my shopping (…browsing…) list ๐
Meg, Borrowed Heaven
Looks like y'all had a fun trip! I love Nashville! Went a few years ago and did some of the things you did, including staying in an Air bnb, it was a smart decision! I need to go back and try the things that you did and i didn't, pharmacy burger, draper james and the escape game for sure! Thanks for sharing!
What a fun travel roundup! I love Nashville! xx Caitlin Dash of Darling
Nashville is on our list to visit, and now I want to go even more! Your Airbnb looked so cute, and even better that the location was prime. And, I want all that food like now. lol. ๐
Looks so fun! Nashville is next on my list of places to go! I'm trying to plan a girls trip there and will definitely be looking back at this post for ideas.
So glad you had a great time. Nawhville is fantastic. We love the sodas at The Pharmacy too. I love eating outside there.
Looks you had an amazing time! The food at Fido looks so delicious!
Adi xx
fancycorrectitude.com
instagram.com/fancycorrectitude
What an exciting time in Nashville! You weren't kidding when you said foodie city! Dang that food looks bomb! I would have needed several yoga classes. (; #noselfcontrol
It sounds like you had an amazing time! We've used Airbnb a couple of times and have had nothing but wonderful experiences.
Heidi || Wishes & Reality
This is a great post! Nashville is definitely on my bucket list! I'm a huge Draper James fan, so that's so neat you got to stop by!
Soooo much fun and again, killing it with all the food! Yum! We stopped in Nashville just for one night on a drive through. We didn't realize how much there was to do so we would love to go back sometime! Glad you had a great trip!
Yay!!!! I live right off of West End Avenue.. perfect place to stay!!! You made some great stops! My fiancรฉ and I almost got married at The Parthenon! And Acme is one of my favs.. I agree that Draper James is too expensive. And I'm so happy you made it to Broadway to the honky tonks. Next time, go get some drinks in the Midtown area.. it's my favorite place to have go to bars & hang out!! Let me know next time you return and I'll give you all my recommendations (I was born and raised here!!!) Thanks for coming to our town & I'm glad you had such a fun time!! <3 Virginia