The country’s music capital of Nashville draws in hordes of tourists each year to listen to the newest blends of the popular American music. Whether you are interested in music or history, architecture or nightlife, walking tours or daytrips by rental car in Nashville, the city offers an abundance of sights and is a good base for exploring the rich outlying areas of Tennessee.
Getting there
Flights arrive at both Nashville International and nearby Memphis International airports, which are the busiest in the state and offer plenty of national travel deals. Although there is no rail service to Nashville, Greyhound buses connect the city to other destinations throughout the south and beyond. Car rental, however, remains the easiest way to explore Tennessee’s rural regions.
By road, I-40 passes from east to west, from Knoxville through Nashville to Memphis. The north-south passages through Nashville include I-65, which runs from Birmingham (Alabama) in the south to Louisville (Kentucky) in the north, and I-24 from Chattanooga to Clarksville in Tennessee. The scenic Natchez Trace Parkway, which traverses Mississippi, ends just south of Nashville, making it an attractive route to approach or leave the city by rental car in Nashville.
Key attractions
A famous sight here is Ryman Auditorium, which was home to the Grand Ole Opry before the current venue was constructed in 1974. Twenty years later, the original site was renovated so that today visitors can tour the Ryman and even sit in its famous auditorium for one of the many live performances. Even more country music can be found on Music Row, just a kilometer and a half west of downtown. The Country Music Hall of Fame contains treasured tokens of performers’ lives and works, informative displays, and vintage film clips and recordings.
Out and about
Music Valley is located 16kms northwest of Nashville’s center and is the area’s number one tourist attraction, with the Grand Ole Opry at its core. Every Friday and Saturday night of the year, this studio/theater is filled with live performances of famous country singers. Across the plaza, the Grand Ole Opry Museum has on display famous musicians cast in colorful wax with authentic artifacts.
Thirty kilometers northeast of Nashville is the Hermitage, the historic home-museum of Andrew Jackson, seventh US president. It encompasses well groomed gardens and a graceful 1820s mansion. Also of interest is the Cheekwood Museum of Art is housed in a three-story 1920s mansion 60kms southwest of Nashville.
Leisure options
Riverfront Park boasts a lively promenade running along the Cumberland River and there are paths through shady trees where you can sit and relax, stroll around, or take a ride in a horse-drawn carriage. The District, the historic downtown business area, is the place to head for good nightlife. It is crammed with shops, restaurants and nightclubs. Nearby cobbled Printers Alley has been known for its nightlife since the 1940s.
Safety
Tourists should be aware of pickpockets and petty thieves. Additionally, those driving car rental through the state should remain alert and vigilant. Be aware of your surroundings and take out travel insurance before visiting Nashville. Investigating national travel deals in advance is also important.