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Hayley on Holiday

My Tour of Music City: How To Spend Two Days in Nashville

December 15, 2014 in North America, Tennessee, USA
How to spend two days in Nashville, Tennessee

This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please read the full disclosure policy here.

Looking for recommendations on how to spend two days in Nashville? Well, you’ve come to the right place, as I give you a glimpse at my weekend in Nashville itinerary.

L.A. to me feels like music industry, and Nashville to me feels like music community.

                                                                                        Sheryl Crow, Wall Street Journal

Two days in Nashville was always going to be a priority on my #BussingUSA journey, as I grew up on country music. I remember that on our family road trips, we had a pile of cassettes in the middle compartment of our car. They were all country. When I was that age I didn’t mind, singing along to hits by Lee Kernaghan (Australian country), with some Trisha Yearwood and Neil Diamond thrown in for good measure. But then I hit the age of Backstreet Boys, Five and Spice Girls and could no longer handle the country crooners.

Fast forward just a few pubescent years and a show called Nashville premiered on ABC and I was hooked. The cast makes the television series and as I watched the episodes I began to enjoy country music once more. Here is a look at my favourite moments in Music City and how you should totally spend two days in Nashville.

Table of Contents Show
1. The best things to do with two days in Nashville
1.1. 1. Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
1.2. 2. Honky Tonk Row
1.3. 3. Home of the Stars Tour
1.4. 4. Musician’s Hall of Fame and Museum
1.5. 5. Ryman Auditorium
1.6. 6. Parthenon
2. Where to stay with two days in Nashville
2.1. Music City Hostel

For more inspiration, here’s my entire #BussingUSA itinerary: 3 months, 3 countries, all solo

The best things to do with two days in Nashville

1. Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

Going to Nashville and not visiting this establishment is like going to New York and not seeing the Statue of Liberty – you can’t miss it. During my visit there was a Kenny Rogers exhibition happening, which I actually found interesting. He is currently focusing on his photography career and has had a few photos appear on the covers of prolific American magazines.

A weekend in Nashville - check out the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

I loved looking at the costumes of past and present, particularly Dolly Parton’s, of course. I also learned a lot about performers I had heard of but didn’t know much about. This includes Tammy Wynette, Patsy Cline and Hank Williams. The detail on display here is extraordinary and very informative. The Hall of Fame is very interactive. So if you do visit with the family be assured there is plenty to keep the kids entertained whilst you take a closer look at the exhibits.

A weekend in Nashville - check out the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

As I walked down the stairs to exit I had to hold onto the rail as I didn’t want to fall whilst looking at all of the records on display. It’s a magnificent wall of accomplishments by the best in the business.

2. Honky Tonk Row

Another place you have to visit with two days in Nashville is Honky Tonk Row. This is what my map named Broadway from the riverfront to 6th Street. I thought the name suited the brightly coloured buildings with neon signs flashing outside. As I walked down the street during lunch time, I had the hardest decision of my trip choosing where to eat. Obviously it had to be based not only on the menu but the best live music. After walking up and down each side I chose Rippy’s, which was a great choice for a decent priced burger and great music.

Myself and fellow patrons also got a surprise when a producer from America’s Got Talent walked onto the stage to promote the program’s upcoming auditions in Nashville. He then introduced last year’s runner up who performed. As a celebrity stalker, this was a big deal for me. I googled her immediately and found Emily West to have her own website and Wikipedia page, so of course she must have been legit.

How to spend two days in Nashville, Tennessee

Broadway has plenty of live music venues to choose from day and night, plus just a few boot stores if you are looking. You can also continue on down 2nd Street into the historic district for even more food, drinks and music options. This city’s downtown is full of life, which I loved. Everyone I met seemed happy to live in a place that breathes music.

3. Home of the Stars Tour

Okay, like I said, I have a slight celebrity issue. But this was too good to pass up. I thought our driver and guide could have had a bit more personality, but overall I enjoyed this Home of the Stars Tour. Not only because we saw some amazing houses/mansions/castles, but I liked being able to visit the neighbourhoods outside of Nashville too. We were focused primarily around Brentwood, which allowed me to see more of the city’s surroundings than I would have using public transit.

A weekend in Nashville - do a Home of the Stars Tour

Some of the houses we saw belonged to Trisha Yearwood and Garth Brooks, Dolly Parton, Taylor Swift, Reese Witherspoon, and Faith Hill and Tim McGraw.

4. Musician’s Hall of Fame and Museum

I actually didn’t know what to expect when I first walked in the door of this Hall of Fame. But I was immediately warmly welcomed into the facility and placed in a room to watch an introduction video. It explained that the museum is dedicated to the people behind the artists. This includes the bands, studio performers, back-up singers and producers.

I thought it was a great initiative. I really enjoyed walking through the different areas and viewing all the amazing displays. You learn all about what it takes to make a musician. I took lots of photos of guitars for my dad and I rather enjoyed this sign in particular. I recommend a visit here to see behind the scenes.

Things to do with two days/a weekend in Nashville, Tennessee

5. Ryman Auditorium

The Ryman is the world famous home of the Grand Ole Opry. It broadcasted from the auditorium between 1943 and 1974. I had honestly not heard of this country music institution until watching Nashville. But it was, and still is, an important milestone in a singer’s career to perform on this stage. You can also visit the new Grand Ole Opry located on the city’s outskirts.

Inside there are displays, an illustrated timeline of the auditorium’s history, and an educational video featuring some big country music stars. You are even able to get your photo taken on the stage, which is a big bonus for fans. The Ryman Auditorium is a National Historic Landmark and is nicknamed the Mother Church of Country Music. However, I think a visit here is only necessary if you are a diehard country music fan as it is $15 to enter.

A weekend in Nashville - check out the Ryman Auditorium

I also just wanted to mention that this Nashville TV show tour includes admission to the Ryman Auditorium. It takes you past the houses used in filming and to the Bluebird Cafe on select days as well. Sounds right up my alley!

Check out the 11 other cities I recommend visiting along in the USA

6. Parthenon

Yep, Nashville has a Parthenon. It’s a full-sized replica of the Parthenon in Athens, Greece. It was built in 1897 for the Tennessee Centennial Exposition and is the centrepiece of Centennial Park, just west of downtown Nashville. The best part of the structure is inside when you walk into the room and see this Athena Parthenos statue. Her golden presence towers 13 metres over you. It really has to be seen to be believed. She is also gilt with more than eight pounds of gold leaf, which I just find incredible.

A weekend in Nashville - visit the Parthenon

The park is well located just outside of the city with a public bus stop very close. I sat for a moment outside in a swinging bench chair, enjoying the nice afternoon and lake views next to the Parthenon. There were children running around the water, people feeding the local ducks and teenagers gossiping and giggling as they checked their smartphones. It seemed like an epicentre of Nashville life.

Where to stay with two days in Nashville

Music City Hostel

This is where I stayed during my two days in Nashville, which had both positives and negatives. Firstly, the staff here are fantastic and friendly. There’s also a communal kitchen and lounge area where I regularly sat at the dinner table on my computer. I chatted to everyone about their day, their plans and sometimes their music. The rooms are divided so when you enter there’s a little lounge area, one bathroom and three separate rooms housing usually four people each.

This was a little inconvenient in the morning as most people woke up around the same time. However, there was a spare bathroom in the communal area. I used this every morning without a problem. The room you sleep in is also quite small, so if you have a lot of luggage and your roommates do too it could prove difficult to move.

A weekend in Nashville - head to Honky Tonk Row

The hostel has a sister hostel a bit closer downtown but it was a little pricier. So I chose the cheaper option, as per usual. But I walked into the city both mornings which took about 25 minutes. It was quite a nice way to start my day. Then I caught a bus back to the hostel in the evening, which took less than 5 minutes. Perfect!

If you’re not travelling solo or are looking for non-hostel options, check out The Russell (that decor 😍) and The Hermitage Hotel.

Overall, I really enjoyed my two days in Nashville.

I can see why so many people at the hostel were moving to the city. It’s young, exciting and musical – what more could you want?

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Related reading

♥ In case you missed them, check out my entire North America itinerary, my budget travel guide to the US and other American cities I recommend visiting solo.

♥ You can also check out my guides for Atlanta, Charleston and Wilmington.

Thank you to Visit Music City for supplying me with a complimentary pass to the listed attractions. However, all opinions are my own.

3 Comments
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Comments

  1. Elle Croft says

    March 4, 2015 at 7:20 am

    I can’t say I’m a huge country music fan but if I ever find myself in this part of the world I’d love to check out all of these attractions! You know…when in Rome!

    Reply
    • Hayley | Hayley on Holiday says

      March 4, 2015 at 3:47 pm

      Definitely. It is a unique American city to explore if you ever find yourself in Southern USA!

      Reply

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Hi 👋🏻. I’m Hayley, an Australian who’s been solo travelling around the world for 10 years. 40+ countries and two working holidays in Canada later, Hayley on Holiday is my one-stop resource for solo and budget travel. I hope it inspires you to take the leap and explore this wonderful world we live in.

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Tower Bridge in London, England

My Complete Solo Traveller’s Guide to Lovely London

This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please read the full disclosure policy here. My latest solo travel guide focuses on lovely London. Keep reading to find out where I stayed in London, solo London travel tips and the best things to do alone in London. It’s about time I wrote a guide on solo travel in London. I’ve spent nearly a month in London overall, so I’m basically a local 💁‍♀️. It’s one of my favourite cities to visit – there’s just so many cool neighbourhoods to visit and attractions to see. It’s also a great city to visit as a solo traveller. So here’s my guide to visiting London by yourself, including the best things to do alone in London. If you’ve ever wondered what to do alone in London, I have you covered. Solo London travel tips First up, here are a couple of travel tips for fellow solo travellers visiting London alone. Most importantly, be aware of your surroundings in busy places as there are pickpockets in London (like every other major city in the world). I also found I felt safe walking from the tube back to my hostel at night alone, as it was located on a busier street and there were always people around. However, I only did this on a couple of occasions. As always, do what feels right to you. All of the amazing things to do alone in London listed below are daytime activities anyway. How to get to London alone Hello, my name is Hayley and I am now a pro at travelling to London alone. So far I’ve arrived and departed from London by plane, train and bus. I’ve flown in and out of London from both Vancouver and Australia – check Skyscanner for the best flight deals. I’ve also taken the Eurostar from London to Paris and FlixBus to Bruges. Within the UK, I have taken National Express buses and the train from London as well. So yes, there are plenty of ways to get to and from London. How to get around London Public transport is fantastic in London, so take advantage. I used the tube most days and even caught a few buses. I simply relied on Google Maps to figure out which tube line or bus would take me to my destination. The best hostel in London for solo travellers In my opinion, the best hostel in London for solo travellers is Wombats City Hostel. I’ve now stayed there multiple times in a six-bed female dorm room (with an ensuite). It’s conveniently located 10 minutes from both Tower Bridge and Brick Lane in East London. The hostel is also within walking distance of two tube lines and two grocery stores. I like the large common areas at the hostel and the onsite bar. The bar hosts weekly events as well, which is the perfect place to meet other solo travellers in London. I’ve also stayed overnight at the Astor Victoria as it’s walking distance from Victoria Coach Station. Let’s just say, Wombats is 100 times better. I had to walk up seven flights of narrow stairs to my female dorm, which isn’t the easiest with a nearly 20kg suitcase. I also thought the shared bathrooms weren’t the cleanest and the common areas at Wombats are so much better.  Here are my top hostelling tips & travel essentials for fellow solo travellers Fun things to do alone in London  Here are lots and lots of things to do in London on your own. You won’t be bored in London after reading this list! 1. Walk along the Thames to see the best London attractions If you’re wondering where to go alone in London, here are several ideas. On my first day in London in 2017, I ended up walking from my hostel near Tower Bridge to Oxford Street. It was a lot of steps, but I passed so many beautiful London attractions on the way. Firstly, there’s Tower Bridge and the Tower of London. I haven’t been to the Tower of London yet, but I’ve heard it’s worthwhile. Then there’s St Paul’s Cathedral before you make it to Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament. It was pretty quiet until I got to Big Ben, which is always overflowing with tourists. Don’t forget Westminster Abbey either. On another day, I walked on the other side of the River Thames to visit some Christmas markets. This is where you’ll find the Shard, the London Eye and Shakespeare’s Globe. A final, but nonetheless awesome option, is to take a cruise along the River Thames.  2. See the Queen at Buckingham Palace Can you even say you’ve been to London if you don’t visit Buckingham Palace? It’s fortunately located in central London, so there are other things to see and do nearby. If you happen to visit in autumn like me, don’t miss seeing all the falling leaves in St James’ Park and Green Park. It’s magical! While we’re on the topic, check out my autumn packing list 😉 3. Do a free walking tour Can you believe I’ve never done a free walking tour in London? I’ve done one in like every other country in Europe, but not London. Anyway, don’t be like me and join a free walking tour. It’s one of the best things to do alone in London (and any place for that matter). 4. Go shopping along Oxford and Regent Streets Oxford and Regent Streets are hectic, no matter when you visit. But Oxford Street is home to all of my favourite English stores (a.k.a. Primark), so it’s always on my personal list of things to do alone in London. If you end up visiting London at Christmas, you also must see the Christmas decorations along Oxford and Regent Streets. While you’re in the area, head to Carnaby Street, which has more independent stores. I loved the handmade products and unique London souvenirs inside We Built This City. Here are […]

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