Continuing my short series on easyweekend destinations from Raleigh, Nashville is a must. Southwest flies there several times every day and the flight is all of one hour. The Nashville airport is easy to get in and out of, much like RDU. Nashville has many different neighborhoods to explore and we spent the weekend checking out several of them. We did not rent a car, so we took a few cabs and walked to several different places. We would probably rent one next time to save a little time. Its not like NYC trying to get a cab, but you can call one and they are pretty quick to pick you up.
Recently we were in Nashville to see Josh Rouse, a favorite musician of ours who only travels to the US on very few occasions. We decided to make a weekend of it and explore the city of Nashville for ourselves. When I think of Nashville,I have always thought of the stereotypical country music haven it is and I am not really a country music fan. So that being said, I've never really thought of spending time in Nashville. Needless to say, I was wrong. We ended up discovering some amazing places to eat, drink, shop, listen and enjoy. We will definitely be back!
COFFEE: Frothy Monkey was our first stop after arriving in Nashville. The line was out the door and a delicious breakfast menu was available. The coffee was fantastic and it provided some fun people-watching. Definitely put it on your list of coffee shops to check out while in Nashville. Frothy Monkey is in the trendy 12 South neighborhood, so there's a lot of great places to check out nearby. Another eclectic coffee shop in Nashville is Cafe Coco. They do amazing coffee and breakfast but also have a back room with live music at night. You can grab a coffee or a beer. Seemed like half coffee shop, half club! One of our favorite discoveries was Barista Parlor. Located in East Nashville, this garage turned coffee shop was unreal. I wish someone would create a venue like Barista Parlor in Raleigh. The place was spacious and felt like you were hanging outside due to the big garage doors that were open at the time. Its a nice large relaxing, hip space perfect for hanging out, working, reading and sipping coffee.
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| Frothy Monkey Coffee shop, Nashville, TN |
FOOD: We checked out some amazing restaurants while in town. West End Cafe served up a fantastic brunch. The breakfast burrito was delicious. West End Cafe was convenient for us while we were staying at The Hutton Hotel. It was walking distance from the hotel as were many fabulous places to eat and drink! 12 South Taproom and Grill was a great stop for a cold one later in the afternoon. We sat at the bar and sampled some local beers, but they also offered up a delicious looking menu.
Downtown Nashville is the ultimate country music city experience. From neon signs, to cowboy boot stores, and plenty of saloons with live music pouring out into the street, its definitely worth walking down day or night. If you are looking for something in that area that's a little more unique and not so touristy, we found it at Pub 5. A Nashville must! Amazing restaurant/bar/rooftop patio tucked away just off the main street. Perfect spot to get away from all the downtown hustle bustle. Another fun rooftop stop for a drink is Rock Bottom Brewery Restaurant and Brewery Rooftop Bar, Its entrance is on a side street as well. Take the elevator up to the rooftop for some nice views of downtown Nashville and the river.
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| Pub 5 |
We got some tips on a couple up and coming trendy restaurants to try out so we took a cab to City House. City House is in historic Germantown and is a short drive from East Nashville. Tucked away in a quiet neighborhood, the food is phenomenal. We shared some pork snacks and pate, and dined on their delicious pizza. We would definitely come back to City House again. Well worth getting there. Another up and coming place we heard about but didn't make it to was Rolf & Daughters.
BREWS: Brewery stops in Nashville must include Jackalope Brewing Company and
Yazoo Tap Room. The lines were out the door for brew tours on Saturday when we stopped by Yazoo. The weather that day was amazing so a lot of locals filled the outside patio. Whether it's a beer or coffee you are seeking, Jackalope Brewing Company's taproom includes a coffee shop, ZolliKoffee tucked inside the brewery. The beers were great and we enjoyed sampling both breweries.
MUSIC & RECORD SHOPS:
Record and music stores are a specialty of Nashville and usually have quite a bit of history to them. We enjoyed checking out several of these venues while in Nashville.
The Groove is just down from Barista Parlor and is worth a walk through. , Ernest Tubb Record Shop is located in downtown Nashville. On Saturday we attended National Record Store Day events at the world famous Grimey's New & Preloved Music. The place was packed for free shows from Paramore and Josh Rouse. Corner Music in 12 South is a great stop for guitar shopping or browsing.
Sunday night we went to see Josh at 3rd & Lindsley Bar and Grill, It was a quiet venue and the show was amazing.
SITES: We took the time while exploring downtown Nashville to do a tour of the Ryman Auditorium. It's worth taking an hour and walking through a space that once was home to so many famous country music entertainers. Its got quite a fascinating history as well. Another easy destination is in the heart of Centennial Park and that's the Parthenon. The Parthenon and the statue of Athena inside are both full scale replicas of the originals in Athens, Greece.
So, if you are looking to get out of Raleigh-town for a short, easy and fun getaway, put Nashville on your list. I think you will be pleasantly surprised, and very glad you went.
ADDITIONAL INFO:
Nashville neighborhoods: http://www.visitmusiccity.com/visitors/thingstodo/neighborhoods
Nashville Visitor Info: http://www.visitmusiccity.com/Visitors
Check out my 4Square Nashville Hit list
Check out my Nashville Favs Pinterest board
Check out Raleigh's Ashley Christensen at City House
ADDITIONAL GET OUTTA TOWN DESTINATIONS:
Asheville, NC
Richmond, VA
Coming Soon: NYC
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| Josh Rouse plays at Grimey's Record Store Day |
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| Trendy 12 South neighborhood |
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| Corner Music Store |
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| Touring the Ryman Auditorium |
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| Barista Parlor |
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| New and Hip, City House |
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| Breakfast at Cafe Coco |
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| Parthenon |
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| Upstairs at Pub 5 |
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| Boot and denim shopping in 12 South |
