Nashville’s Songs and Spirit Create an Interesting Destination for Visitors
The word Nashville is synonymous with country music. That unique form of American culture and entertainment is always close by when you visit Tennessee's capital city on the Cumberland River. But when you walk around Nashville for a few days, it is clear that the spirit of the city is thriving and community leaders are looking to the future as well as the past. There has been a real effort to upgrade the downtown and make the region prosper for businesses, tourists, and residents.
There is plenty to do in greater Nashville for adults and families seeking a short trip to a compact city. Some of the many interesting places to see and activities to consider during the visit to Nashville are the following:
Grand Old Opry - The Nashville experience is not complete without a visit to an event at the Grand Old Opry. For years, the Opry stage has served as the principal place for legends and newcomers of country music to sing a few songs for fans in the audience and be heard by radio and television listeners around the world. The format of having multiple performers, and occasional comedian and an master of ceremonies has worked well with country music fans. Until 1974, the Grand Ole Opry was principally presented at the Ryman Auditorium just a few blocks from Broadway in a large brick theater. Although that theater remains an active tourist attraction and shows are still held there from time to time, the main Opry activities now take place at the modern complex opened in 1974 known as Opryland located about ten miles outside of town off Interstate 40. The Grand Ole Opry theater seats 4372 people and has all of the visual, audio and sound technology to provide performers and the audience with a top notch experience.
We attended the Opry along with a sold-out crowd during the summer of 2021 and saw a show headlined by well-known country music star, Reba McEntire. The show was broadcast live and one of Reba's songs were recorded for national 4th of July show on NBC. The prior acts included several new and young groups, a banjo and fiddle group, and two female soloists with many prior country hits. It was a fun evening with an enthusiastic audience. Tickets for Grand Ole Opry performances can be purchased online and should be done in advance of a visit.
Broadway Clubs and Shops - The neon lights are bright on Nashville's Broadway just as in New York. This long street in the center of downtown and the surrounding area are full of clubs where new or rising artists play all day long seeking recognition, recording contracts, or the personal satisfaction of having performed in Nashville. Some venues like the three stages located in the purple colored Tootsie's Lounge or the Bluebird Cafe located in a different neighborhood have given rise to many leading artists over the decades. Other clubs owned or sponsored by existing artists like Kid Rock, Alan Jackson, Jason Aldean, Blake Shelton and others continue that tradition of looking for the next big star. However, the traditional image of country music performance as a man or woman with a guitar or banjo singing about lost love has given way to performers who sound like cover rock bands in some cases. Nevertheless, people still flock to walk up and down the street listening to the shows going on in the window of various clubs, or enjoying the restaurants and shops. Broadway is also the place to buy boots, country music memorabilia, and souvenirs.
Country Music Hall of Fame - A major attraction located in downtown Nashville is the Country Music Hall of Fame. Housed in a modern structure built in 2001, the building contains 350,000 square feet of exhibits, a theater, special event areas, classrooms and visitor amenities. In addition to tracing the origins and evolution of country music and its artists over the past hundred years, the Hall of Fame presents thousands of pieces of memorabilia, recordings, and videos of countries greatest stars. There are two huge walls with copies of hundreds of gold records from various artists, one of Elvis's automobiles, Shania Twain's leopard costume, and a replica of Taylor Swift's tour bus containing interactive tools to create your own stage settings or mix recording sounds. It is a bit difficult to understand why there are detailed exhibits on some artists while limited attention is devoted to other legends. But the overall effect succeeds in recognizing the role of country music in American culture. The final gallery where bronze plaques commemorate each of the 142 stars enshrined in the Hall of Fame with individual profiles provides a fitting tribute to familiar and unfamiliar artists.
Famous local eateries - Nashville is a great place to sample authentic Southern cooking and has lots of excellent restaurants to enjoy. Family owned Hattie B's Hot Chicken has several locations in the city including one on Broadway that offers up fried chicken, hot wings, tenders and similar fare with a kick based on traditional recipes. Barbecue is also big and Martin's Bar-B-Que Joint on 4th Avenue South is well known for serving ribs, brisket and pulled pork in huge portions to crowds of diners. If you want a special milkshake, you can select from dozens of choices at the popular Legendary Milkshake Bar located a few blocks from Broadway on 3rd Avenue North but expect to wait 30 minutes for it.
Soundwaves at Opryland Resort – The Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center is a hotel with 2,888 rooms operated by Marriott is located ten miles north of the city close to the Nashville Airport. It is adjacent to the Grand Old Opry, a Regal Cinema complex, and the 200 store Opry Mills mall. Hotel guests can have exclusive access to 217,000 square feet of heated indoor and outdoor water activities known as Soundwaves at Opryland Resort by purchasing a special package during their stay for approximately $50 per day. . The scope and variety of the water attractions offered at Soundwaves is impressive. There is a large wave pool with a movie screen, 11 waters slides, lazy and rapid rivers, cabanas, water sports areas, kids and adults sections, an obstacle course, live music, and just about any amenity you can need to be comfortable in and around the water. An attraction that families may find useful in rounding out a trip to Nashville.
Riverfront Activities - Reinventing crumbling industrial zones and waterfronts for public use is common for urban renewal projects. Several decades ago, the city began reconstructing its own waterfront by adding walking paths, restoring a colonial era fort, and adding park amenities on both banks of the Cumberland River close to the downtown. In addition, Nashville built a colorful NFL stadium known as the Nissan Center on the east bank of the river which was connected to the west bank by turning a 100-year-old bridge into a pedestrian walkway. More important, the walkway ends on the west bank of the river just a block away from Broadway and the Bridgestone Arena where entertainment events and NHL games are held regularly. Not surprisingly, it appears that many of the old warehouses and old wharf buildings on the west side of the river are being renovated into housing and additional entertainment venues.
For visitors to Nashville, the riverfront offers three interesting activities. First, people who enjoy running, walking, biking, or riding on Nashville's ever-present electric scooters can plan a sightseeing route that starts at the foot of the pedestrian bridge on 4th Street South, crosses the river, follows the path along the east bank and around Nissan Center, crosses back over the river at blank street, and then follows the path through the west bank riverfront park to the beginning. There are many spots on the pedestrian bridge or on the east bank of the river to take great pictures of the skyline. Second, some people enjoy taking a daytime river cruise or a dinner theater show on the 300 foot long General Jackson showboat birthed north of the city near the Opry Mills complex. Finally, sports enthusiasts will enjoy taking in a football game or another event at Nissan Center or the Bridgestone Arena.
Johnny Cash Museum - The Johnny Cash Museum draws thousands of devoted fans and curious tourists to an interesting set of exhibits located a block from Broadway. The museum presents information on the background and diverse musical recordings of the Man in Black. One unexpected thing to be learned at the museum is the depth of commitment which Johnny Cash showed to prison inmates throughout his career. He not only wrote songs like "I Walk the Line" and recorded a popular album "Live at Folsom Prison", he advocated throughout the nation and in Washington for prison reform and what we would now call second chance measures for people with convictions. It was also interesting to see how many movies and TV shows Johnny Cash appeared on as an actor or played himself. The museum does not hide the personal challenges Johnny Cash faced and overcame during his life as depicted in the movie Walk the Line starring Joaquin Phoenix.
Other Activities - There is much more to explore in the community. One unusual feature of the city is the majestic buildings of Capitol Hill which include several structures on the National Register of Historic Places. These include the Nashville Parthenon built in 1897 as part of the city’s Centennial Exposition. It is not only a replica of the actual Parthenon in Athens but the building also contains a full scale model of the statue of Athena and serves as an art museum for the community. The State Capitol Building and the War Memorial Building nearby also features Greek revival architecture and stand at one of the highest points in the city . The War Memorial Building contains some interesting military exhibitions focusing on America’s overseas wars and is a popular hall for performances and events.
The major attractions in Nashville are enough to keep visitors busy for several days, even for people who are not big country music fans. The focus on entertainment percolates throughout the community and creates a relaxing atmosphere. The outdoor orientation of most activities there make it a better place to visit during the spring, summer and fall. Future prospects for the city looks strong particularly if the present downtown revitalization efforts continue and longstanding issues of litter, crime, and homelessness can be addressed.