Nashville TN :: Country Music Hall of Fame & Grand Ole Opry - Visit Tennessee, Tennesse Vacations, Tennessee Hotels, Cheap Hotels and Vacations



Set amid the gentle hills and fertile farmlands of central Tennessee, NASHVILLE attracts six million people each year a mixture of devoted fans and the just plain curious to immerse themselves in country music . They come to enjoy themselves, and the city makes sure that they do, offering not just the relatively mainstream Country Music Hall of Fame and Grand Ole Opry , but all the wonders of "Tacksville." To make the most of this facet of Nashville, you need to abandon any idea of detachment, and get out there among the nightspots and gift emporia, joining the quest for souvenir T-shirts, Stetsons, rattlesnake belts and photos of your favorite star. However, there is a real city beneath the rhinestone glitter. Nashville has been the leading settlement in middle Tennessee since Fort Nashborough was established in 1779. State capital since 1843, it is now the financial and insurance center of the mid-South, as well as a fast-growing manufacturing base. Giant Nissan and Saturn motor plants have been attracted to its immediate hinterland, and rapid growth since World War II has transformed a once-compact city into a sprawling conurbation stretching out in all directions along the undulating roads, here known as pikes . For all its blue-collar "Nash-Vegas" image, Nashville has maintained a strong reputation for learning since planter times, and is home to sixteen higher education establishments, including Vanderbilt University and the renowned colleges of Fisk University and Meharry Medical School. The city likes to see itself as the "Athens of the South" and, endearingly, has built a replica of the Parthenon to bolster its claim. Even at night, Nashville offers more than country music, with enough going on to satisfy most tastes. It has also boosted its image by attracting an NFL team (the Tennessee Oilers) and NHL side (the Nashville Predators) here. The other conspicuous element in Nashville's make-up is religion . There are over seven hundred churches, more per capita than anywhere else in the country. But what really earns it the tag of "Protestant Vatican" is the proliferation of colleges for training preachers and missionaries, church administrative offices and Bible-publishing plants.

The City Downtown Nashville looks much like any other regional business center, dominated by office blocks and parking lots, and dotted here and there with major flagship structures like the gigantic Nashville Arena sports and entertainment complex at Fifth Avenue and Broadway, and the Country Music Hall of Fame at Fifth and Demonbreun streets. It's perfectly possible to spend a busy day in Nashville without coming into contact with country music. A good starting point is Riverfront Park at First Street and Broadway, a thin stretch of grass and terracing dipping down to the Cumberland River . A replica of the wooden Fort Nashborough (Tues-Sun 9am-5pm; free) stands on a promontory above the river as a monument to the city's founders of 1779. A few blocks away, the worthy Tennessee State Museum at 505 Deaderick St (Tues-Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 1-5pm; free) is strongest on the Civil War, highlighting the hardships of the ill-clad, ill-fed soldiers, of whom 23,000 out of 77,000 died at Shiloh alone. Other displays in this huge space focus on frontier life and on black Tennesseans, looking at slavery, Reconstruction, the founding of the Ku Klux Klan and the civil rights movement. Marking downtown's northern boundary at Sixth and Charlotte avenues, the resplendent Tennessee State Capitol (Mon-Fri 9am-4pm; free), modeled on an Ionic temple, looks out across the city from its hilltop perch. Early in the twentieth century, this area was yet another "Hell's Half Acre," notorious for its drinking holes, gambling clubs, sex shows and dope dens; it's considerably tamer now, housing hotels and offices. At the 1897 Tennessee Centennial Exposition, Nashville's "Athens of the South" exhibit featured a full-size wood-and-plaster replica of the Parthenon, which proved so popular with Nashville residents that the present permanent structure, in the middle of Centennial Park southwest of downtown at West End and 25th avenues, was built in 1931. This impressive edifice - familiar to moviegoers from the finale of Robert Altman's not-always-flattering Nashville - is now home to Nashville's premier art museum (Tues-Sat 9am-4.30pm; April-Sept also Sun 12.30-4.30pm; $3.50). The lower level contains American paintings; the upper hall is dominated by a 42ft replica of Phidias's statue of Athena. Just across West End Avenue, weather-beaten Gothic structures sit alongside more modern utilitarian buildings on the campus of prestigious Vanderbilt University . This bastion of conservatism was one of the very few colleges to witness student demonstrations in support of US involvement in Vietnam. Nearby Fisk University is one of the nation's oldest black colleges, and on campus is the excellent Van Vechten Gallery , at Jackson Street and D.B. Todd Boulevard (Tues-Fri 10am-5pm, Sat & Sun 1-5pm; closed Sun in summer; donation). In addition to works by Picasso, Cézanne and Renoir, and a wide array of pieces by Georgia O'Keeffe, there are changing exhibits, many of them with an African-American theme. Of the many buildings erected by Nashville's antebellum elite, none was more elaborate than the Belmont Mansion , a mile southeast of the Parthenon at 1900 Belmont Blvd (June-Aug Mon-Sat 10am-4pm, Sun 1pm-4pm; Sept-May Tues-Sat 10am-4pm; $7). This 36-room Italianate 1850 villa looks out across ornamented gardens that once kept bears and a lake stocked with alligators.

Arrival Nashville International Airport is eight miles southeast of downtown. Metropolitan Transit Authority buses into town (weekdays 8.13am-5.33pm; weekends 6.49am-4.19pm; tel 615/862-5950) leave every half-hour and cost $1.45. The Gray Line shuttle (every 15min 6am-11pm; $11 one-way $17 round-trip; tel 1-800/669-9463) drops off at most downtown hotels. Taxis are probably the quickest option but will set you back around $25. Greyhound buses arrive in a seedy part of downtown at 200 Eighth Ave S; there's no Amtrak service. Nashville is so spread out that a car is a good option. However, the one-way system can be maddening, and the roads change name without warning. MTA runs buses until midnight to most parts of the county, from the transit mall on Deaderick Street and Fifth Avenue ($1.45 flat fare), and trolleys , leaving Broadway and 9th Street (Tues-Sat noon & 2pm, Sun 1-3pm), that cover the entire downtown area plus Music Row for a fare of $1 (an unlimited 1-day pass is $5; a similar 3-day pass is $8). To get out to the Opryland area MTA offer a city bus express #34 that leaves from 5th Street and Broadway about every hour Mon-Fri 10am-8.30pm, Sat-Sun 10am-6pm. Another system of trolleys runs between the Opry mills mall, the Opryland Hotel and the various attractions in Music Valley. Grand Ole Opry Tours (tel 615/889-9490), Gray Line (tel 615/883-5555) and Johnny Walker Tours (tel 615/834-8585), among others, offer a variety of both cultural and specialist country music bus tours . Expect to pay $25 for a three-hour trip, not including admission to attractions. Alternatively you can hop on the "Big Pink Bus" with the singing guides of NashTrash Tours (Sat & Sun 11am & 2pm; other days by arrangement; $20; tel 615/226-7300), who dig up the dirt on the country stars. Nashville Black Heritage Tours offers walking tours concentrating on the city's considerable African-American history (tel 615/890-8173; call to arrange at least 3 days in advance). The city also produces a handy CityWalk map of downtown, following two miles of painted blue lines around the major historic sights. These maps, as well as discount tickets to attractions, are available from the visitor center , next to the massive Nashville Arena at 501 Broadway (daily daylight hours; tel 615/259-4747 or 1-800/657-6910, ). Eating Nashville has its share of awful chain restaurants, but it also offers many down-home southern joints, as well as upmarket places well suited for expense account dining. Many live music venues also serve food. If you have a car, be sure to get out to The Loveless Café , quite simply one of the best country restaurants in the South. Brown's Diner 2102 Blair Blvd tel 615/269-5509. A classic diner where the cheeseburgers are to-die-for. Order one with everything on it - a perfect hangover "cure." Cock o' the Walk 2624 Music Valley Drive tel 615/889-1930. Fantastic catfish served in cheery environs. Open daily until 9pm; until 10pm at the weekend. The Loveless Café 8400 Hwy-100, 20 miles south of town tel 615/646-9700. Friendly motel café famed for its superb country food. Breakfasts are best: hunks of salty ham with gravy, eggs, toast and fluffy biscuits slicked with succulent homemade jams. Noshville Deli 1918 Broadway tel 615/329-6674. Huge sandwiches and wicked shakes until midnight on Fri and Sat in this student-friendly haunt. Pancake Pantry 1796 21st Ave tel 615/383-9333. One of Nashville's most popular breakfast spots - expect to wait for a table. Close to Vanderbilt University and Music Row in the likeable Hillsboro Village district. Open daily 6am-4pm. Prime Cut Steakhouse 170 2nd Ave tel 615/242-3083. Generous-sized steaks and huge portions of Texas Toast at reasonable prices in a stylish yet relaxed atmosphere. Sammy B's 26 Music Square E tel 615/256-6600. A smart-looking music industry hangout, but the great-tasting lunch plates of grilled chicken and fish are excellent value ($8-10). Sunset Grill 2001 Belcourt Ave tel 615/386-3663. Stylish restaurant in Hillsboro Village, serving upmarket food such as fresh fish in smoky sauces. The terrace is great for people-watching. Around $30 per head; all food half-price after 10pm Mon-Thurs and after midnight Fri-Sat. Wild Boar 2014 Broadway tel 615/329-1313. A nationally renowned French restaurant with an impressive wine list. Slightly pretentious, with entree prices touching $30. Nightlife Of all Nashville's country music venues, the main ones to avoid are the ersatz clubs along the much-hyped and tacky downtown Printers Alley . The honky-tonks on Broadway, between Second and Fourth avenues, are more genuine and down-to-earth, though steer clear if you're on your own. Dine-and-dance places like the Nashville Palace offer good-quality mainstream country music (and more crowds), while up-and-coming progressive country bands play smaller venues like the Bluebird Café .

Every June, the Fan Fair is a week-long series of concerts and opportunities to meet the stars (tel 615/770-2040, ). Every Thursday evening in summer, the free Dancin' in the District event in Riverfront Park features talent from various genres. For listings of upcoming gigs and events, check the free weekly Nashville Scene , Thursday's Nashville Banner , or Friday's and Saturday's Tennessean . If you're looking for music other than country, Second Avenue is a popular downtown hangout for both locals and tourists, offering everything from bluegrass to funk and punk, and various interesting venues can be found around Vanderbilt's campus. Nashville's prime venue for theater, dance and classical music is the Tennessee Performing Arts Center at 505 Deaderick St (tel 615/726-3372). Its symphony orchestra also puts on concerts in Centennial Park , at West End and 25th avenues by Vanderbilt University, from June to August. Bluebird Café 4104 Hillsboro Rd tel 615/383-1461. Intimate café, six miles west of downtown, which has become the place to see the latest honky-tonk and country artists. Early evening entertainment is free, but a cover of $7-15 is charged for the second show. Reservations recommended. Bourbon Street Blues & Boogie Bar 220 Printers Alley tel 615/242-5837. Consistently good blues in the otherwise awful downtown Printers Alley. Ernest Tubb's Record Store Midnight Jamboree Texas Troubadour Theatre, 2414 Music Valley Drive tel 615/889-2474. A live radio show, recorded every Sat from midnight to 1am, next to Tubb's store, in a purpose-built theater that puts out musical and other productions most evenings. Features genuinely promising newcomers as well as major Opry stars. Exit/In 2208 Elliston Place tel 615/321-4400. Very popular venue for rock, reggae and country, with the occasional big name; serves beer and pizza. Tues-Sat until late; $5-20 cover after 9pm. Nashville Palace 2400 Music Valley Drive tel 615/885-1540. Resident country bands, and Oprey acts on summer Mon; good country food. Cover around $5. Robert's Western World 416 Broadway tel 615/244-9552. The best of Broadway's country music by far, which also doubles up as a cowboy boot store. Country Music Attractions The status of Nashville as country music's capital city dates back to the Twenties and the arrival of thousands of migrants fleeing rural poverty. The music they brought with them, rooted in the folk songs of Tennessee's first Irish and British settlers, soon mutated in the urban environment into something new, incorporating elements of Tin Pan Alley musicals, religious hymns and the songs of ex-slaves. As radios and record players became widely available for the first time, the recording industry began to take off, and Nashville became the obvious geographical base for the musicians of the mid-South. Radio station WSM had championed the country sound since 1925, and its live weekly Grand Ole Opry concerts spearheaded the city's burgeoning live music scene. The first big commercial boom came in the decade of prosperity after World War II. Nashville proliferated with recording studios, publishing companies and artists' agencies. The big labels recognized that a large slice of the (white) record-buying public wanted something a bit safer than rockabilly. The easy-listening Nashville Sound they came up with, pioneered by Patsy Cline and Jim Reeves, perpetuated by the likes of Barbara Mandrell and Kenny Rogers and virtually preened free of twang by Shania Twain and Garth Brooks, remains the clean-cut face of country - though country music has always had its earthier side - and the concentration of stars and music-biz executives has turned Nashville into something of a downmarket Hollywood. Though Nashville's country scene is both conspicuous and accessible, submerging yourself in it takes time and quite a lot of money; prices are set at what the industry knows enthusiastic fans will pay. Downtown at 116 Fifth Ave, you can take a self-guided tour of the Ryman Auditorium (daily 8.30am-4pm; $6; tel 615/254-1445), the former home of The Grand Ole Opry. With its wooden church pews and glass cases filled with flowered frocks and bootlace ties belonging to the stars, it's certainly an evocative place to visit - it also presents live performances in the evening. Around the corner, among the Broadway honky-tonks, Hatch Show Print at no. 316 (Mon-Fri 9.30am-5.30, Sat 10.30am-5.30pm, hours vary on Sun; tel 615/256-2805) has been in business since 1879. It still prints and sells evocative posters from the early days of country and rock'n'roll, using the original blocks, along with probably the best postcards in the USA. Flamboyant leather and sequined garments are sold in Dangerous Threads , at the foot of Second Avenue nearby at no. 105, but to see some really outlandish stage costumes, visit Manuel's Exclusive Clothing up toward Music Row at 1922 Broadway. Blue route trolleys run along Broadway to the Country Music Hall of Fame , at 222 Fifth Ave S (daily 9am-5pm; $10.75). This is packed with costumes, guitars and personal possessions of the stars, including Boxcar Willie's hobo hat, Gram Parsons' acoustic guitar and Elvis's gold Cadillac, whose forty coats of paint contain crushed diamonds and fish scales. Film and TV clips abound to help to clarify the arcane distinctions between bluegrass, cowboy, rockabilly, honky-tonk, Cajun and western swing. Music Row is the heart of Nashville's recording industry, with companies like Warner Bros., Mercury and Sony operating out of plush office blocks. Almost adjacent are the garish souvenir shops on Demonbreun Street, and several tacky "museums." With the exception of the Grand Ole Opry itself, Opryland , the area nine miles northeast of downtown on Briley Parkway, just off the I-40 E loop, isn't all that country. The old theme park has been ripped down and replaced by Opry Mills , a giant series of malls filled with flagship stores, restaurants and cinemas. Also leaving from here are paddlesteamer trips on the beautifully restored General Jackson Showboat ($25-65; tel 615/871-6100). You can ride a bus #34X to nearby Music Valley , opposite the Opryland hotel, which boasts the popular Nashville Palace , along with a museum dedicated to Willie Nelson and others, that showcases wax dummies and surplus cars of the stars. A factory outlet mall, various stores and movie theaters all compete to snatch the tourist dollar. South of Nashville As you head southeast from Nashville, large nineteenth-century plantation homes line US-31 between suburban Brentwood and the historic town of FRANKLIN , eighteen miles out. One of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War occurred here on November 30, 1864, when 8500 men fell in less than an hour. Despite forcing the Union troops back to Nashville, huge losses meant that the Southerners could not follow up their victory. Among several strategic buildings open to visitors is Carnton Plantation (April-Oct Mon-Sat 9am-5pm, Sun 1-5pm; Nov-March Mon-Sat 9am-4pm, Sun 1-4pm; $7; tel 615/794-0903), about a mile southeast of the town on Hwy-431, a former Confederate hospital where bloodstains are still visible on the floor. The town's entire fifteen-block center, now full of antique and specialty shops, is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Several country stars favor the area, among them Billy Ray Cyrus, who owns a 400-acre ranch outside the town.