Our family vacation was long overdue and we’d been really raring to have that much-needed getaway. After that stressful event in January about the hubs, I wanted to go somewhere and just relax and have fun, if even just for a few days. Then an opportunity came on Memorial Day weekend in Nashville. I am a big fan of country music and the hubs knows how badly I wanted to go to Nashville so when the opportunity came, we grabbed it without a second thought. It was kind of a short notice, but everything fell as planned and we couldn’t be any happier about it!
We arrived Saturday in Nashville and spent the whole day to take care of business. First things first, right? Then Sunday was spent exploring the Music City. We stayed in a hotel near the airport, but it was only about a 10-minute drive to downtown Nashville and the traffic wasn’t bad at all so we were in downtown before we knew it.
We went straight to where the center of the music scene is…Broadway, known as Music Row. We got there at around 11 o’clock in the morning and found us a great parking on 4th Avenue N, just a few steps down from where I took this photo of the AT&T building which is also known as the ‘Batman Building.’ We paid $15.00 for an hour of parking. Not bad, I guess since it was really right where the fun is. And that parking area isn’t big and was already filled when we got back. So glad we got there before anybody else.
Ryman Auditorium
The hubs had been to Nashville a few times before and remembers the Ryman Auditorium, the home of the original Grand Ole Opry, so well. It was what he wanted to see first so from where we parked, we walked up to 5th Avenue N to where the auditorium is located.
The Ryman Auditorium is the building on my left. It was 88 degrees in Nashville that day and it was really hot so I had to have that water bottle. You could take a tour of Ryman Auditorium, but the line was so long we opted not to do it and just browse its souvenir shop instead. The hubs is going to talk more about the auditorium on his next blog post.
Broadway
Then we walked both sides of Broadway which was just so fun. It was so lively with all the live music playing from almost every restaurant or those famous Honky-Tonk bars that we passed. The colorful building is the famous honky tonk Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge. And see that green tractor with all those ladies? They kept on circling Broadway while singing and dancing at the same time.
There was so much to see and do on Broadway and that is why I thought of sharing another post just for Broadway alone next time. The hubs already talked about the music store that we browsed – the Ernest Tubb Record Shop – which was where we also bought our souvenirs…the souvenirs that didn’t make it home because we left them at the hotel. Oh well!
The Parthenon
Then off we went to ‘The Parthenon.’
It was Sunday and there were a lot of people checking the area so we had a hard time looking for parking. But after what seemed like forever, we finally got lucky and saw one right close to where this plane is located. And parking is for free.
This locomotive is located adjacent to the plane. Both the plane and train are located inside the Centennial Park where ‘The Parthenon’ is also located.
And there’s ‘The Parthenon’ – the centerpiece of Centennial Park. This replica of the original Parthenon in Athens, Greece also had a re-creation of a 42-foot statue of Athena which I am going to share next time. Just like Broadway, there is so much to tell and share about this amazing architecture. Have you seen the movie, Percy Jackson? Our son is a huge fan of the series. The Parthenon was featured in one of the movies so we made it a point to really see it in person. And it was not only our son who was amazed by this great landmark, the hubs and I too.
Have you been to Nashville?
I love all of your pictures! Absolutely gorgeous! It looks like you had a great time along with great weather! 🙂 Nashville is definitely on my bucket list! I would absolutely love to go someday soon!
I have been to Tennessee a number of times and I love it. I have never gotten to Nashville, but it’s on my list of cities to visit!
I LOVE Nashville it is one of my favorite places to visit! I can’t wait to go again! There is so much to see and do there!
I would love to explore Nashville like this!! What a fun weekend trip!
I’ve never been to Nashville. I would love to go there someday and take pictures of the replica of the Parthenon. That was so cool to have that in the Centennial Park. Thanks for sharing your photos and happy to know you had a great time with your long overdue vacation.
That looks like a fun weekend trip. There is so much to see in Nashville. I would love to go there one day.
We have not been to Nashville, but it’s on our bucket list for sure! Thanks for all the pointers! Looks like you enjoyed yourselves so much!
Nashville looks like so much fun! I’ve been wanting to take a trip down south, but haven’t had the chance!
I have always wanted to go to Nashville. I love country music and that’s one of my main reasons of wanting to go. It looks like a beautiful place from all your photos too.
It looks like you had a good time. I’ve heard such great things about Nashville, I really need to visit someday!
I really want to go to Nashville someday. I have a cousin who lives close by. One of these days I will get down there. A friend of mine wants to move there within the next year. She has been trying to get me to move, too. LOL
Nashville is somewhere i have always wanted to go and explore. I am hoping to get there in the next year.
I’ve lived next door to TN my whole life, but never visited. I did finally drive through a few months ago. Those darn mountains make it a heck of a drive.
I’ll be sharing this with my daughter. She and her father are going to visit Vanderbilt University in a few weeks.
I had no idea there was a replica of the Parthenon in Nashville – I would love to see that! It looks like there’s so much to see and do besides that too. You guys must have had a blast 🙂
This sounds like a great trip. I haven’t been to Nashville, TN yet. I would love to surprise my husband. He plays the guitar and loves music.
Awww lucky you sis, I haven’t been to Nashville. It would be a dream to go there.
I have always wanted to visit Nashville. We go to Pigeon Forge a lot. Next trip I am going to be planning a day trip to Nashville.
I love Nashville. There’s so much to do there, and it night, it looks a little bit like Gotham City.
We live outside of Nashville. We moved here about two years ago and LOVE it. Always something fun to do. Glad you enjoyed your time here.
Nashville is one of my favorite haunts, especially since it’s a hop, skip, and a jump from I where I live. I’m hoping to go there again sometime soon!
I love going for small trips away during the weekend just to relax with the kids and take a break from work. I come back ready to take on the world!
I love all your pictures! I would love to visit Nashville someday soon!
i’ve never been to Nashville, but it looks like an amazing place to visit! Added to my bucket list!