Going to Nashville.....
June 16, 2011 8:53 AM Subscribe
Heading to Nashville,TN sometime in August. Need suggestions for fun things to do that don't involve country music. Thanks!
What sort of things do you like? There's a zoo and some nice parks. The botanical gardens are doing a model train exhibit. There's a bunch of good places to eat.
There's a mini Parthenon
There's an Art Museum
It's going to be really hot.
posted by ghharr at 8:58 AM on June 16, 2011
There's a mini Parthenon
There's an Art Museum
It's going to be really hot.
posted by ghharr at 8:58 AM on June 16, 2011
Response by poster: I'm in NC so it'll be about the same kind of heat, lol. Would a trip to Franklin be worth it, say to Carnton?
BTW we have an Edward McKay's, looks kinda like McKay's....
posted by PJMoore at 9:36 AM on June 16, 2011
BTW we have an Edward McKay's, looks kinda like McKay's....
posted by PJMoore at 9:36 AM on June 16, 2011
If you want to go to a club and are queer-friendly, Play is really fun. Free entry on Wednesdays with college ID (don't know if you're a student or not-- otherwise it's only about $5), and fun drag shows on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
It looks as though the Frist is going to have an exhibition on Shaker furniture, which is kinda cool, as well as some Warhol and some Serbian photography. The Tennessee Performing Arts Center is pretty great, too. If you're just looking for a neighborhood to wander around in, you can't do better than East Nashville and the Five Points. Look for Woodland Street and don't forget to stop at the Pied Piper for ice cream and Mad Donna's for a drink.
Elsewhere, definitely stop in and enjoy lunch at Tin Angel, a late-night coffee at Cafe Coco, and if you're very, very lucky, you might even be able to find Sam's Sushi and have an authentic Sushi Nazi experience. You eat what he gives you, by God, and don't you dare come in with more than two other people, and you can practically pay for it with the change from your couch cushions, it's so cheap.
posted by WidgetAlley at 9:41 AM on June 16, 2011
It looks as though the Frist is going to have an exhibition on Shaker furniture, which is kinda cool, as well as some Warhol and some Serbian photography. The Tennessee Performing Arts Center is pretty great, too. If you're just looking for a neighborhood to wander around in, you can't do better than East Nashville and the Five Points. Look for Woodland Street and don't forget to stop at the Pied Piper for ice cream and Mad Donna's for a drink.
Elsewhere, definitely stop in and enjoy lunch at Tin Angel, a late-night coffee at Cafe Coco, and if you're very, very lucky, you might even be able to find Sam's Sushi and have an authentic Sushi Nazi experience. You eat what he gives you, by God, and don't you dare come in with more than two other people, and you can practically pay for it with the change from your couch cushions, it's so cheap.
posted by WidgetAlley at 9:41 AM on June 16, 2011
Oh, yeah, how could I forget: see who's playing at the Exit/In, and make sure you check out the shops around there. There's an antique old bookstore where the owner will yell at you if you talk, a disco-style retro clothing store, and of course The Great Escape!
posted by WidgetAlley at 9:42 AM on June 16, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by WidgetAlley at 9:42 AM on June 16, 2011 [1 favorite]
The "Parthenon" is indeed very amusing.
I liked Fort Nashborough - there's not that much to do there, really, but for some reason I just didn't expect something like that and thought it was neat.
And if you happen to be also looking for stuff around Nashville and not just in it, the Natchez Trace is one of my favorite things (places? whatever) in the whole country.
posted by DestinationUnknown at 10:46 AM on June 16, 2011
I liked Fort Nashborough - there's not that much to do there, really, but for some reason I just didn't expect something like that and thought it was neat.
And if you happen to be also looking for stuff around Nashville and not just in it, the Natchez Trace is one of my favorite things (places? whatever) in the whole country.
posted by DestinationUnknown at 10:46 AM on June 16, 2011
South of town, in the morning or early evenings (to avoid the heat), you could visit Radnor Lake, and enjoy a walk on the trails around the lake. If it's just too warm for walking, you could turn on the car air conditioner, and enjoy a leisurely drive in the woods of the Edwin and Percy Warner Parks, which also have many, many other fine recreational facilities, too. Out on West End Avenue, just off Acklen Avenue, you could visit Love Circle Park, climb the hill, and find a few of the air vents (they look like little slatted cupolas or well pump houses, about 4 feet high, with shingled roofs) for the 2 million gallon water reservoir that is dug into the whole of the hill, and then yell and sing like crazy, enjoying the weird and wonderful reverberations that result when your voice ricochets around a big limestone cavern on which you are sitting. For Sunday morning breakfast, you can not beat the Loveless Cafe's biscuits and home made jams, out on Highway 100 past Belle Meade, and you might visit Belle Meade mansion on the way back to town, depending on how and where you are then heading. For a good steak, or other Southern dinner, look no farther than Jimmy Kelly's. And finally, a bit farther out of town to the west are the very interesting Narrows of the Harpeth river, should your paths, to or from, lead in that direction.
posted by paulsc at 11:00 AM on June 16, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by paulsc at 11:00 AM on June 16, 2011 [1 favorite]
Nthing the Parthenon (and snorting at ghharr's description of mini - full size replica, actually), The Frist Center for the Visual Arts, and Cheekwood. At Cheekwood, be sure to see the museum in the main house, including the Faberge collection, in addition to all the wonderful garden trails. If you
As for Love Circle, the park area at the top does provide a great view of the city, but you also get a big view of Mt Richmore (John Rich's house - google that if you want a nice diversion) that you drive by on the way there. You can also wave to me, since I live in the neighborhood. :)
You could get biscuits at the Loveless or stand in line for ages at Pancake Pantry for breakfast, but my vote is weekend brunch at Fido's in Hillsboro Village, which is just a few blocks from Love Circle. Since it will be hot, I suggest Sweet CeCe's for a frozen yogurt or a delicious popscicle from Las Paletas.
And keep in mind that there are tons of places around town that have live music other than country, a surprising amount that is free. Unfortunately, I think Musician's Corner takes a break during August and Live on the Green doesn't start up until September, but there's bound to be some good music playing somewhere around when you're in town.
posted by southpaw at 2:22 PM on June 16, 2011
As for Love Circle, the park area at the top does provide a great view of the city, but you also get a big view of Mt Richmore (John Rich's house - google that if you want a nice diversion) that you drive by on the way there. You can also wave to me, since I live in the neighborhood. :)
You could get biscuits at the Loveless or stand in line for ages at Pancake Pantry for breakfast, but my vote is weekend brunch at Fido's in Hillsboro Village, which is just a few blocks from Love Circle. Since it will be hot, I suggest Sweet CeCe's for a frozen yogurt or a delicious popscicle from Las Paletas.
And keep in mind that there are tons of places around town that have live music other than country, a surprising amount that is free. Unfortunately, I think Musician's Corner takes a break during August and Live on the Green doesn't start up until September, but there's bound to be some good music playing somewhere around when you're in town.
posted by southpaw at 2:22 PM on June 16, 2011
here's a guide i put together for my wedding guests last year (obvs. you can skip the hotel info at the top).
posted by thinkingwoman at 3:57 PM on June 16, 2011
posted by thinkingwoman at 3:57 PM on June 16, 2011
Do you eat? You want Middle Tennessee's specialty, hot chicken. Go to Bolton's in East Nashville — others will tell you Prince's Hot Chicken Shack, but don't listen to them.
posted by cirripede at 9:46 PM on June 16, 2011
posted by cirripede at 9:46 PM on June 16, 2011
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posted by Captain_Science at 8:56 AM on June 16, 2011