Nashville is one of those places where there are so many things to do, it gets hard to decide where to get started.
We know. We’ve experienced it, also. Here’s a suggested itinerary based on our most recent trip to Smashville. It’s full of food, music and history – pretty much Nashville in a nutshell.
8 am | Breakfast at Biscuit Love
Get up and going if you don’t want to waste a lot of time standing in line at Biscuit Love, because that’s the norm for this popular Nashville eatery. Pros bring an umbrella to ward off the sun or rain and grab a cup of water at the door to stay hydrated while waiting. The coffee is a strong local roast and the biscuits are made with love, just as you’d expect.
10 am | Tour the Country Music Hall of Fame and RCA Recording Studio B
You have options when stopping by the Country Music Hall of Fame – tour just the museum and Hall of Fame, or combine your tour with a second tour of either the Hatch Show Print or the RCA Recording Studio B. Since you have a limited number of hours in Nashville, do the museum and one of the secondary tours. Then prepare to enjoy your time.
We took an hour to go through the top floor (3rd level) of the museum, which contains many special exhibits and a good overview of the history of country music. Then we headed back to ground level to tour RCA Recording Studio B.
A bus took us on a short ride (10 min or so) to Music Row – home of many recording studios. Studio B is famous for inventing the Nashville Sound and for producing 1,000 hits. It was also Elvis’ favorite recording studio. If you love music, you’ll love learning about the recording process and the stories behind some of the most memorable recording sessions.
1 pm | Lunch at Party Fowl
A trip to Nashville isn’t complete without enjoying the famous Nashville hot chicken. A great place to give it a try, located just 15 min walking distance from the Country Music Hall of Fame, is Party Fowl. Pro tip: Unless you eat incredibly hot food all the time, opt for the medium spice level.
2:30 pm | Complete Tour of the Country Music Hall of Fame
Walk back and finish your tour of the museum. The second floor is full of more special exhibits and quiet theaters to listen to performances and mini-documentaries. You’ll wrap your tour in the Hall of Fame – a beautiful and almost spiritual space. Don’t forget to spend some time in the ground-level gift shop before calling it a day.
5 pm | Rehydrate and Rest
There are lots of corner cafes, bars and restaurants to grab a cold water (or a cold one of your choice) for a while. You need to regroup because your day isn’t done yet.
6 pm | Catch a Show at the Historic Ryman Auditorium
Great music has been filling the room at the Ryman Auditorium since 1892. With historic (yet comfortable) wooden pews and unbeatable acoustics, the Ryman (former home of the Grand Ole Opry) will ruin you for live performances anywhere else.
11 pm | Get Some Shut-eye
It’s time to call it a night.
7:30 am | Grab a Down-Home Breakfast at Puckett’s Grocery
There are several locations (including in downtown Nashville if you don’t have a car), but we’re partial to Puckett’s in Franklin. The country-cooking is especially at home in Franklin’s historic downtown. And you might just run into a celebrity who’s there to tuck into grits and eggs.
