As you might expect, some of the most popular sights to see in Nashville are centred on Country Music and the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum is a good starting point. There are also plenty of other attractions to occupy your time here with museums, art galleries, and historic buildings all popular with visitors to the city.
Belle Meade Plantation
This impressive house is an interesting place to visit and is instantly recognisable by the bullet holes which date back to the Civil War. The estate here is huge and was once the nation’s finest breeding farm of thoroughbred horses. Today, guides in period dress will take you around the house, which also contains a Victorian carriages museum and a good restaurant.
Phone: +1 615 356 0501; website: www.bellemeadeplantation.com
Belmont Mansion
Belmont Mansion is a 1850s Italian style villa which was once the home of Adelicia Acklen, one of the wealthiest women in 19thcentury America. The guided tours provides you with plenty of information about this impressive building which contains a number of original items of furniture, as well as Adelicia Acklen’s own collection art work sculptures. The sweeping staircase is an impressive sight and evokes memories of a bygone age.
Phone: +1 615 460 5459; website: belmontmansion.com
Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
Nashville is most famous for its place in country music history, so a visit to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum is a must. The museum offers live entertainment, a video about the country music scene and plaques honouring the great stars including Johnny Cash and Patsy Cline. The memorabilia here includes over 3,000 stage costumes, original manuscripts, instruments and the most revered item: Elvis Presley’s gold Cadillac.
Phone: +1 615 416 2001;
website: www.countrymusichalloffame.com
Fort Nashborough
A replica of the original Fort Nashborough was built in 1962 as a monument to the city’s founders. The building is authentic in its design and style and gives a good insight into the lives of the frontier pioneers from years gone by. There are five log cabins here, with people in full costume to recreate the feeling of the 18thcentury.
Hermitage
Located northwest of downtown Nashville, The Hermitage was once the home of Andrew Jackson, the 7thUS president whose face adorns the $20 bill. Jackson had the mansion built on the 600-acre site for his wife, Rachel, and both are buried in the family’s graveyard. The visitor’s centre displays a short film about Andrew Jackson’s life and there are a large number of artefacts exhibited here. Visitors to The Hermitage are free to wander around the grounds; the old slave quarters are one of the most interesting sights here.
Phone: +1 615 889 2941; website: www.thehermitage.com
State Capitol Building
This imposing government building on a hilltop in downtown Nashville was designed by William Strickland and is a great example of Greek revival architectural style. Strickland was so pleased with his creation that he asked to be entombed behind one of the walls. Some of the rooms within the building have been restored to the 19th century style and the grounds contain the graves of James K. Polk, the 11th US president and his wife.
Phone: +1 615 741 1621
Watch the Tennessee Titans
Watch the Titans and experience the atmosphere of an American Football game. The Titans were re-born in Tennessee having previously played in Houston. The team captured the hearts of the people with their heroic run to the 1999 Superbowl. They currently play at LP Fields and if you get the chance to see a game it’s a great experience.
Discover Country Music At The Wildhorse Saloon
The Wildhorse Saloon is one of Nashville’s favouring dining and entertainment venues. They have some good country stars performing here with live shows seven days a week, the food is tasty and there is even the chance to enjoy some free line-dancing lessons.
Take a Jack Daniels Distillery Tour
From Nashville, head to the town of Lynchburg, home to the oldest registered distillery in the USA, the Jack Daniel distillery. During a day tour there will be plenty of time to wander the streets of this quaint town and enjoy the Tennessee countryside.
Enjoy The Beauty Of The Opryland Gardens
The three gardens here are known throughout the country and house a conservatory dedicated to tropical plants, a huge indoor lake, waterfalls and shops and restaurants.
See The Grand Ole’ Opry
This is definitely one of country music’s most famous shows. The atmosphere is fantastic and they frequently have some of country music’s most popular stars performing here, occasionally even popping by unannounced. The whole place is pretty relaxed and even if you’re not generally a country music fan, you’ll probably find yourself getting caught up in the atmosphere.
