WHY NASHVILLE?

My husband and I are newlyweds and we never got our “Honeymoon” thanks to COVID-19. We wanted to do a weekend getaway with just the two of us in a random city that we never been to. We booked a cheap flight and headed out to Nashville! Let’s just say that this is our “pre” honeymoon.

PLANNING A TRIP TO NASHVILLE RECOMMENDATIONS:

Rent a car: If you are renting a car, just know that you are on a journey for about 15 minutes from the gate to the car rental. It’s literally a journey. I honestly recommend renting a car for Nashville because some of the locations are spread out. While we took note of everything we did, we ended up pretending we were going to call for Lyft and documented the prices. The calculated price that was saved was $137 (the total was really high for Lyft) compared to our renting a car from good ole’ Enterprise.

HATTIE B’S HOT CHICKEN:

With 7 different locations, Hattie B’s Hot Chicken is based in Nashville! They are very famous for their traditional Hot Chicken, traditional and classic southern sides.

MY EXPERIENCE:

We wanted to make sure that we were getting food straight from the airport around lunchtime. I put Hattie B’s first because everyone kept talking about it. The closest one from the airport was the Melrose location. There are a total of three locations for this restaurant in Nashville. When we arrived at Hattie B’s, the line was wrapped around the inside parking lot. My husband and I went to look for parking around the neighborhood because the restaurant parking lot was filled. We ended up having to walk about 10 minutes before we actually got to Hattie’s. Let’s remember that we went on a Saturday during lunch. A positive, if you’re at the back of the line (we started at the to-go parking spot), it would only take you about 25 minutes until you entered the building. That’s honestly not bad. Just prepare yourself for the weather. When you’re done ordering, you can pick your seat. The cashier gives you a number and the team member will find you. From the register to the table, it took them 10 minutes to bring it to us. That’s honestly very impressive, especially on a busy weekend.

I actually didn’t know what I wanted when I went to the register. I was stressed out. I ended up getting a Large White Meat Nashville Hot Chicken Plate. This included 2 breast/wing quarters, two sides, two slices of bread, and pickles. My husband ended up getting the 3 jumbo tenders, two sides, and a slice of bread. Honestly, when we got the food, we were like, “we could have shard the large white meat,” because it was a lot of food.

When choosing your chicken, you can pick your spice level. I ended up getting the Hot because hello, I’m in Nashville. My husband opted for mild. When I got my chicken I was very excited because this is literally the sandwich everyone talks about. My two sides were mac and cheese and greens. Let me build your suspense factor right quick and talk about the sides first. The mac and cheese were really cheesy. The consistency reminded me of Chick Fil A's sauce however with added peppers for flavor. The collard greens were actually really good and I was surprised at how much I liked them. My Large White Meat Nashville Hot Chicken Plate, whew. It had the perfect amount of spice that wasn’t too much. The best part was that even with all the sauce on top, the crunch of the chicken was still there. The meat of the chicken was also very juicy. It was perfect. Honesty, the large is big enough for two people. My husband and I kept talking about how full we were after our meal

RESTAURANT INFORMATION:

Location: 2222 8th Ave S, Nashville, TN 37204 (there are multiple locations, check which is closest to you).
Parking: The lot fills up fast. It’s a gamble to get one. They ask that you respect the neighbors and not park in their areas. The areas that were free for guests on the street were filled. If you can, have someone stand in line while you look for parking.
Hours of operation:
- Monday- Thursday: 11:00 AM - 9:00 PM
- Friday- Saturday: 11:00 AM - 11:00 PM
- Sunday: 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Website: www.hattieb.com
Cost: $$

NASHVILLE “WHATLIFTSYOU” MURAL:

MURAL INFORMATION:

Location: 302 11th Ave S, Nashville, TN 37203
Parking: Lot parking around
Hours of operation:
- Sunday-Saturday: 24 Hours
Website: www.kelseymontagueart.com/nashville-whatliftsyou-wings
Cost: Free

COUNTRY MUSIC HALL OF FAME AND MUSIC:

The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum is one of the world’s largest museums and research centers. This museum is dedicated to preserving the interpretation of American vernacular music. The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum is known to be the Smithsonian of country music.

MY EXPERIENCE:

My husband and I didn’t know that we were going to come here but we ran into it when were just driving around the city. We ended up waiting at least an hour until our ticketed time outside and in the gift shop. Once we got into the museum, we learned so much about country music because him and I are not familiar with this genre and how it began. We are only familiar with the current country music stars. The information that we learned about was very interesting and eye opening. I recommend this museum to anyone who is interested in the background of country music!

MUSEUM INFORMATION:

Location: 222 5th Ave S, Nashville, TN 37203
Parking: There is garage parking across the street. You have to pay. Put at least $30 to the side for your time in the museum.
Hours of operation:
- Sunday - Saturday: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Website: www.countrymusichalloffame.org
Cost: $$ Buy tickets here: TICKETS

BROADWAY HISTORIC DISTRICT:

This is where the life of Nashville lives. This place is really known for “Honky Tonk”. When we walked to this area when we left the museum. Home of 26 different bars and restaurants. There’s so much music, lights, & food that it might get overwhelming. My husband compared it to Bourbon Street in NoLA. Post COVID-19, I can definitely see myself actually enjoying Broadway!

STREET INFORMATION:

Location: 329 Broadway, Nashville, TN 37201(Start at Honky Tonk Central)
Parking: There are parking areas around the corners of Broadway
Hours of operation:
- Sunday - Saturday: Depends on what restaurant / bar you want to go to
Website: Downtownnashville.com
Cost: $$

DESANO NAPOLETANA PIZZERIA:

Dinner at Desano was amazing. Knowing me, you know I had to find at least one pizza place while in the city. As I did my research, I found Desano at the top of the list.

MY EXPERIENCE:

This pizza spot is very easy to find. When we walked inside, I asked the cashier what were the popular pizza choices were on the menu and he recommended a couple. We ended up getting the DeSano. How funny right? The DeSano contains San Marzano tomato sauce, sausage, pepperoni, garlic, scamorza, mozzarella di bufala, and pecorino romano. One thing that I loved with the experience is that I can could watch the bakers make it. Their firewood oven really makes a difference in their pizza, especially the crust (which was the best part). The toppings were really fresh and my favorite part was the sausage. I definitely recommend this place if you’re looking for a good pizza in Downtown Nashville.

RESTAURANT INFORMATION:

Location: 115 16th Ave S, Nashville, TN 37203
Parking: Parking lot available however, if overfilled, there’s paid parking across the street.
Hours of operation:
- Sunday - Thursday: 11:00 AM - 10:00 PM
- Friday-Saturday: 11:00 AM - 11:00 PM
Website: www.desanopizza.com
Cost: $$

THE BAKED BEAR:

I am always the type of person who wants desserts after eating a filling dinner. I legit will not stuff myself to make sure I have room for something sweet. This night I was craving ice cream. I saw that Baked Bear was on the list for ice cream in the area.

According to their website, their mission is to, “spread joy and create memories, bringing a smile to every customer’s face one ice sandwich at a time.” I feel like that I got that experience while there. Their cookies are homemade everyday.

MY EXPERIENCE:

I walked up and could smell the ice cream right at the door. You know, that’s how you know that the ice cream is nice and fresh. I also could smell the cookies also! There were so many ways that you could eat your ice cream. I opted for the custom ice cream sandwiches! The cookie I ended up getting was the Gooey Butter Cake with the Bear Batter. The Bear Batter included cake batter with brownies and sprinkles. When I tell you that combination was the best ice cream sandwich I ever. I am such a fan of the Gooey Butter Cake cookie. I don’t know about you but I love a butter cake. They pressed the cookie and the ice cream together to make fuse together and it was PERFECT. I would definitely recommend this ice cream place if you’re looking for ice cream in Downtown.

RESTAURANT INFORMATION:

Location: 1809 Division St, Nashville, TN 37203
Parking: There are parking areas around the the restaurant / street parking lot.
Hours of operation:
- Sunday - Thursday: 12:00 PM - 10:00 PM
- Friday - Saturday: 12:00 PM - 11:00 PM
Website: www.thebakedbear.com
Cost: $$

FIVE DAUGHTERS BAKERY AT 12 SOUTH

Want to know the best thing we ate in Nashville? It came from Five Daughters Bakery. I couldn’t wait to go here for breakfast because a lot of blogs said this was a must go and I agree. Five Daughters Bakery is a family business that gets all the love in Nashville.

MY EXPERIENCE:

When we pulled up to Five Daughters Bakery and there was a line out the door. It’s really a “duh” because it’s a Sunday morning. The line moved really quickly and I was entertained by other guest in line. I did ask the person behind me what their favorite was and they said that the Vanilla Cream 100 layer donut was the best one and it was also featured on Food Network. I also got Chocolate Pumpkin Cheesecake 100 layer donut (seasonal flavor). When I tell you that the Vanilla Cream 100 layer donut is something I cannot stop talking about, I cannot. The cream was not overpowering and the layers on donut were very interesting but it really can make a difference. For my vegan friends, they also have vegan donuts for you! Highly recommend this place.

RESTAURANT INFORMATION:

Location: 1110 Caruthers Ave, Nashville, TN 37204 (there are different locations)
Parking: Street Parking
Hours of operation:
- Sunday - Thursday: 7:00 AM - 11:00 PM
- Friday - Saturday: 8:00 AM - 11:00 PM
Website: fivedaughtersbakery.com
Cost: $$

THE PARTHENON:

The Parthenon and The Statue of Athena is my favorite exhibit in Nashville. Before Nashville was Music City / Country Strong it was considered "The Athens of the South," a city that prided itself as a center of learning and enlightenment. The tallest indoor statue in the United States is Athena, standing at 42 feet tall. She is covered in real gold, too. When Nashville hosted Tennessee's Centennial Exposition in 1897, the city wanted to remind everyone of its "Athens" claim, so it built a temporary full-size replica Parthenon (the original is in Athens, Greece). After becoming very popular, the site became permanent with the title of Centennial Park in 1931.

MY EXPERIENCE: 

I loved everything about this museum. I was confused on why my husband brought me here until I actually read about it. The outside with the columns was my favorite part at first until I went inside and saw Athena. She is so tall and beautiful. At every angle of Athena was a new fact about the statue, from home it’s made, to what different parts meant, I loved it all! I highly recommend this museum and it was cheap ($10).

MUSEUM INFORMATION:

Location: 2500 West End Ave, Nashville, TN 37203 (Located in Centennial Dog Park)
Parking: Street and lot parking
Hours of operation:
- Monday: Closed
- Tuesday - Saturday: 9:30 AM - 4:30 PM
- Sunday: 12:30 PM - 4:30 PM
Website: www.nashville.gov
Cost: $

EDLEY’S BAR-B-QUE AT 12SOUTH

For Dinner my husband and I wanted BBQ for dinner. We heard this place has some great brisket. Now, brisket is our favorite cut of meat so we were so excited when we heard that.

Edley’s Bar-B-Que is is a tribute to all things Southern. They strive to serve the best food and make you feel as if you are in the comfortable in your own home. They smoke all their meat and prepare eight to ten sides daily from scratch.

MY EXPERIENCE:
When I walked in I was greeted by so many people and it did make me feel like home. I also was starring at the menu for a little bit. I ended up getting the Brisket Platter that included two sides and cornbread. My two sides were macaroni and cheese and baked beans. The food came out really quickly and I was excited to dig in. The Brisket was perfect. It had the right amount of fat and char on the meat. The sauce that they used on top added an extra kick to it also! My macaroni and cheese was very good also. Those two were my favorite out of all of the plate. I recommend this place for BBQ!

RESTAURANT INFORMATION:

Location: 4500 Murphy Rd, Nashville, TN 37209
Parking: Street and lot parking (in the back)
Hours of operation:
- Sunday-Thursday: 11:00 AM - 8:30 PM
- Friday-Saturday: 11:00 AM - 9:30 PM
Website: www.edleysbbq.com
Cost: $$