Nashville Overview

Welcome to Nashville, the Music City and the gateway to the South. From the Grand Ole Opry to the home of President Andrew Jackson, our history and heritage is revealed in music, museums and the natural beauty of the Cumberland Plateau.

Districts

People who visit the Music City for the first time are always surprised by the lack of public transportation. Like many large cities in the Mid-South, Nashville has spread out, taking over land from plantations and farms and now covering a large area that limits the ability to walk from one district to another. Granted, there are a few public bus routes and many taxi companies, but Nashville is a lot like Los Angeles (at least in one respect): people here like to drive. There are more parking lots downtown than office buildings, and yet parking remains at a premium. If you arrive by plane, your first step should be to rent a car. Don't depend on public transportation—it's just not a dependable or convenient option.

The one exception to this overriding need for a car is if you plan on spending most of your time downtown. It's a short walk from tourist-friendly Second Avenue to famed Printers' Alley and all parts in between.

Entertainment

As you might have guessed, there is a lot of music in the Music City. Everywhere you turn, an aspiring singer is performing his or her latest work or a classic country favorite. The performances are not limited to honky-tonks and music halls, though. Take a stroll down Second Avenue and you will see up-and-coming stars singing their lungs out from the front stoops of clothing stores, from the display windows of specialty shops and from the small stages constructed in the backs of restaurants. Music put Nashville on the map, and music is where we will start.

Country Music is King in Nashville. If you hear a country song on the radio, it's virtually certain it was performed, recorded and mixed right here. You can hear your favorite songs and see your favorite artists perform virtually anywhere in Nashville.

For decades, the people of Nashville cried out for professional sports teams. Finally, the powers that be have heard their cries, and franchises of both the National Football League (NFL) and the National Hockey League (NHL) have been brought to the Music City.

If music and sports are not for you, perhaps you will enjoy one of the city's many museums. From fine art to local history, there is a lot to see and learn in Nashville.

The natural beauty of the Tennessee hillsides is the area's greatest resource, and you can enjoy it via one of the many state parks in or around Nashville. If you enjoy hiking, biking, swimming or boating, you owe it to yourself and your family to stop by one of these magnificent facilities.

Dining and Drinking

The Music City may have earned its fame through country music, but eating here is every bit as much a "foot-stomping" good time. You can find virtually every type of food imaginable, from a spicy lunch at a Mexican cantina to a romantic dinner at a French bistro. The requisite tourist restaurants like Planet Hollywood and Hard Rock Café are on Second Avenue, but they are certainly not the kings of the strip. Popular local establishments such as Mulligan's Pub and Big River Grille & Brew Works offer relief for diners who can't stomach another high-priced cheeseburger.

From fast food to upscale dining, all the options are within your reach. However, Nashville's real strength is not in how its chefs prepare succulent lobster bisque or construct a perfect phyllo pastry, although they do those sorts of things quite well. It's the Southern heritage, and the food that goes along with it, that sets Nashville apart.

Where To Stay

Business and leisure travelers have one thing in common: a need for convenient accommodations. For some, the solution may take the form of a simple hotel room with a comfortable bed. Others require a luxury suite with plenty of room to work and to prepare for a full day in the trenches of the business world. Still others prefer the quiet setting of one of Nashville's hospitable bed and breakfast inns. No matter what you are looking for or what district you will be staying in, you will be able to find quality accommodations with a down-home touch.

Did You Know?

Nashville is nicknamed Music City USA. Also, Presidents Andrew Jackson and James K. Polk called Nashville their home.

Orientation/Geography

Nashville is between the Gulf of Mexico and the Great Lakes around the Cumberland River in northern central Tennessee.


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