I can't believe I never got my little Nashville recap up after my trip with my family! Although it's a little bit later, I still thought it would be fun to share a few of my recommendations with you. It's a popular destination, especially for many Chicagoian's who are planning long weekend or bachelor/bachelorette trips. Luckily, my sister moved down there about a year ago, so she had a ton of great suggestions for us during our stay! Let's take a look at where to snooze, sip and what to see in good 'ol Music City.
SNOOZE
Since my whole family was headed down to Nashville for this trip, we stayed at the Marriott Hotel located near the airport. It was one of the redesigned concepts and it was very clean, trendy and modern. Perfect for the whole fam. If you're flying in from Chicago, it's a super easy flight. I can't recommend it enough!If you're looking for a more boutique experience, I've heard really great things about the Urban Cowboy! It's located in East Nashville and has a total of eight suites - so, pretty small! I believe you can also head to their kitchen and bar if you're not staying there, but the amazing interiors will want you to stay overnight. I was hoping I'd have a chance to pop by during this trip, but that wasn't the case. Looks like I know where I'm headed next time!
Another fun looking spot is the 21c Nashville hotel. The brand has a few locations in the Midwest, but are big on sharing contemporary, art-filled spaces. They are located right downtown, so if you're planning to head to a football or hockey game, this would be a great spot. It's definitely a funky little spot that's different than your standard hotel.
SIP
Guys, Nashville has so many cute cafes, restaurants and bars to check out. I'll try and keep this fairly short, but I'll definitely hit on the ones that we ate at plus one or two that are on my list for next time.Let's chat coffee and biscuits first :) Perhaps one of the most well known spots we visited was Barista Parlor. We went to the one in East Nashville (below), but there are two more in Golden Sound and Germantown. The coffee was delicious and the space was very cool. Totally worth a sit down.
We also visited Frothy Monkey once or twice. We originally popped in for lunch, but went back to another location later in the week to grab coffee. A great spot for a casual bite to eat, but really yummy coffee creations. If you're in Chicago, you can actually enjoy their espresso from Fairgrounds Coffee & Tea off Milwaukee in Wiker Park!
I'm big on my sweets, so we totally had to visit a donuts shop. We planned to visited 12south for a few reasons, and luckily Five Daughters Bakery was right there too! It's a quaint little house turned-bakery right off the main drag. You can't miss the white, blue and pink exterior. Trust me, it's even cuter inside. Did you see the "to-go" donut sign?!
Another spot we visited along 12south is Bartaco. It's totally decked out in beachy vibes making you feel like you're sitting on the coast somewhere even more south. We sipped on margaritas and enjoyed lots of delicious tacos! Reminds me a lot of Hampton Social in Chicago.
Last, but not least, we also ate at Adele's, a farm-to-fork eatery in The Gulch. Again, another really awesome interior with excellent food. We had a variety of lunch items, so you really can't go wrong with any of your picks. The interior was especially adorable - that always helps when making a decision :)
A few places on my list for when I return include Le Sel (that pink decor tho..), 5th & Taylor in Germantown, Biscuit Love, and Hattie B's for some hot chicken!
SEE
You know you can't go to Nashville with you visiting THE Nashville Wall. That's got to be #1 on your list... and if it's not, well, you better pencil it right in. It's located right in 12south, so you can grab your coffee at Frothy Monkey, enjoy lunch at Bartaco and snap a picture (or 20) right there. Don't forget to do some shopping at Reese Witherspoon's Draper James while you're there too - the wall is literally right next door just waiting to be posted on your Instagram.
Another stop on our list included the Parthenon. This is a full-scale replica of the original Parthenon found in Athens. How cool is that? It was spring time during our visit, so the beautiful trees were full of fresh blooms. It's right off of Vanderbilt University grounds so you can kill two birds with one stone if you're interested in taking a walk around the campus, too.
Of course, it wouldn't be a full trip if you didn't enjoy the music! My family booked tickets to head to the Grand Ole Opry. We had a mix of musicians that night but some key guests included the Osborne Brothers (anyone familiar with Rocky Top?) and Charles Esten who you might recognize from the show Nashville. You should also try to check out the Ryman. It's known as one of the most beautiful places in Nashville and is the original home of the Gran Ole Opry.
I definitely recommend picking a night to check out the scene downtown (if you're not staying down there) along Broadway. It's full of fun people and live music. You really can't go wrong with any of the spots (Robert's Western World, Tootsies, Honkey Tonk Central, Acme Feed & Seed). During the day, try taking a pedal tavern tour! There were soo many going on that it can be a bit much, but a fun activity for a big group.
I could really go on and on about what to do and where to eat just based off of our experience, but I hope this little guide helps you plan your next trip! Feel free to reach out with any specific questions - always happy to ask my sister for all the goods.
XO
katie
I'm dying to go to Nashville Katie! Your photos are so gorgeous! Hope you're having a great week:)
ReplyDeleteHeidi || Wishes & Reality
Yay Nashville 🎉
ReplyDelete