Obviously most people go to Nashville for country music, in particular all of the live music venues on Broadway (which I found to be a lot of fun). Here are my top 5 attractions in the music city other than Broadway with a few helpful tips at the end:
The Grand Ole Opry– The radio show began in 1925 but the Grand Ole Opry has been in it’s current home since 1974. If you have the time, I recommend seeing both a live show and taking the backstage tour. The live show consists of several artists each performing a few songs. Expect the traditional radio commercials in the middle of the show, but I found that to be part of the experience. As for the backstage tour, you get to see the private artists entrance, all of the dressing rooms, the member’s mailboxes and more.
The Bluebird Cafe– If you have seen the show “Nashville” then you will inevitably know of the Bluebird Cafe. If you haven’t seen the show, it is an unassuming little venue just south of Nashville where songwriters come to perform. Don’t let its location in a small strip mall fool you…you will no doubt hear some amazing music if you are able to score tickets to a show. Due to its increasing popularity, tickets are purchased via an online system that randomly queues people and then lets them buy tickets based on that order. Tickets go on sale one week before the show. We were in Nashville for three nights and weren’t able to get tickets until the last night we were there. My best advice, have everyone in your group log on to the site to try to get lucky and get an early spot in line. If you get into the “room” to buy tickets don’t be picky since they have the potential to sell out even if you make it this far.
Country Music Hall of Fame– Although my husband and I don’t typically like museums, we both agreed that the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum was very well done. The exhibits in the museum change frequently, often highlighting a different artist who has had an impact on country music. In doing some research for this post, I found that one of the inductees to the hall of fame this year was Don Schlitz, the songwriter who happened to be the performer at the Bluebird Cafe the night we went.
The Ryman Auditorium– Again, I think the show “Nashville” helped bring some fame back to this venue but it has a long history. It was opened in 1892 as the Union Gospel Tabernacle and was the home of the Grand Ole Opry radio show from 1943-1975 and again in 2010 when the Grand Ole Opry House was closed due to flooding. It hosts many performances throughout the year, including Bluegrass Nights at the Ryman.
RCA Studio B– This studio was once the recording home of many famous artists including Elvis Presley. It was built in 1957, but really became famous in the 1960’s. If you visit you will get to hear numerous songs that were recorded in the studio and hear about the history of its most famous artists.
Budget Saving Tip: The Nashville Total Access Pass lets you choose 4 attractions to visit from a list of 32 attractions for only $75 a person. We chose 4 of the of the 5 sights I listed in this post for our Total Access Pass: Grand Ole Opry Backstage Tour, Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, Ryman Auditorium, and RCA Studio B.
Restaurant Recommendation: If you do find yourself making your way up and down Broadway, I highly recommend checking out Merchant’s, a locally owned restaurant on the corner of Broadway and 4th Avenue. We ate on the first floor bistro which has a variety of appetizers, sandwiches and entrees on its ever changing menu.
Bar with a View: Acme Feed and Seed, a remodeled building at the east end of Broadway, has 3 floors of space featuring a variety of food and drinks. We found the rooftop bar to be our favorite place to grab a drink on a nice evening, especially since it has amazing views of the city.
Last Tip: Looking for the view below? Check out the John Seigenthaler pedestrian bridge. It spans the Cumberland River and is one of the longest pedestrian bridges in the world.
