Local Guide to Nashville

 

Courtesy of Dixie Lynn – 104.5 The Zone in Nashville TN. Featured on #3hl with Clay Travis, Blaine Bishop. Daily 3-6 p.m. and the top-rated sport talk show in the country.

Welcome to Nashville, the city Atlanta wishes it was.

This city has everything and all within walking distance from SEC venue, Bridgestone Arena. If you think you see someone famous, guess what? You did. I still sign Tanya Tucker’s autograph when people chase me down. This is the all important guide to spending no money on parking and all your money on FUN! That’s why you’re here right?

PARKING

• Avoid Central Parking at all costs. My car got stolen at the OVC tournament off their lot in college, and I have never forgiven them. Park in the public library garage next to the Renaissance Hotel. Has a flat rate of like 5 or 8 dollars for entire day.
• Minimum of 3, is exempt from those crazy special events parking hikes.
• If you want to walk a bit and who doesn’t? You can find tons of street parking by the Frist, which is next to the Federal Building so free 24-hour around the clock security. Feed the meter unless it is after 4:30pm on Friday, then forget it. We don’t have those boot things and unless you are in a tow away zone, it’s all good.
• If there’s nothing there, hit the street up behind the Frist called Demonbreun, and yes it is pronounce with as much Cajun flair as you can summon. Park in front of Cummins Station.
• You can also go to the bottom level of Metro Transit and park free.
• If you head to the old Municipal Arena or TPAC area you can always find a spot someone just left. Trust me. I have so many tight little one-spot places that look like a tow zone but aren’t. You are talking to a women who parked at the Interstate and walked to the Music City Bowl in freezing weather, which is across the river at LP Field. It’s a pretty level city except for the small incline that starts on 5^th and runs to downtown. You can always park in the West end area and grab the bus or a cab.

SIGHTS

• The Frist, The Parthenon full-scale replica and use your student ID.
• The Country Music Hall of Fame.
• The Upper Room which is on Grand Avenue a block off 21^st by Vanderbilt. Admission is free; this is a non-denominational church and museum. It was once affiliated with the Methodists; rumor has it they got kicked out for allowing AA meetings to go on there. You see letters written by Florence Nightingale. The collection is outstanding; I say this as a total museum geek. The three-story stained glass and the wood carving of the Last Supper are world-famous commissioned pieces.
• Not to be missed as well – The Capitol Hotel. Minnesota Fats lived there.
• The Union Station Hotel which used to be the train station.
• We no longer have an amusement park but the elevator at the Renaissance Hotel is glass and so fast your stomach will flip like a roller coaster. Do not attempt this drunk and never get in the elevator with me. I have a trick where it skips all the floors, which increases velocity.

MUSIC VENUES

• Not listing the obvious such as Tootsies, Roberts Western World, if it’s in Neon you should go.
• Hit up 3^rd& Lindsey, The Exit Inn, Mercy Lounge, The Basement, The Bluebird (that is in Green Hills, and you do need to try and call ahead for reserve seating).
• Want a nice dive bar? Try SpringWater behind the McDonalds next to Centennial park. Keith Urban and everyone has played there at one time or another.
• Best BBQ in town – Hog Heaven – is also right there, too. If you are very gracious and they have had a ton of Yankees that day, you might get your sweet tea on the house. It helps if you’re a blonde.

SHOPPING

• If you want to give your GPS a nervous breakdown and leave downtown looking for West Coast boho chic, thrift head to Berry Hill – 100 Oaks area.
• There is also a great antique place above the Staples store just down from Home Depot called Gaslight Antiques. This is a great and unique space with tons of booths. Antique stores here will give you sticker shock; this is the only one I recommend.
• You want the upper crust shopping then head to Green Hills area. Tiffany’s will disappoint if you have ever been to Sissy’s Log Cabin. Nordstrom’s anyone? I love Trader Joe’s which is there too and very affordable. Its one of the few stores I go out of my way for. Be warned, even New Yorkers complain about the traffic in that area, very congested but very walkable from mall to other stores in Hill Center. Green Hills Mall is also home to The Cheesecake Factory.

FOOD

• A great place downtown is Demo’s. Everyplace is great, I can honestly say that.
• Try Midtown Café, Sunset Grille, Pancake Pantry, Ted’s Montana Grill for buffalo burgers from Ted Turner’s ranch. That is the only so-called chain and really, can 85 restaurants be considered a chain?
• You can try anything in the Sylvan Park area with is just off West End and 440 and be ecstatic. McCabe Pub which is the “Cheers” of Nashville, an outstanding meat and three, hybrid-sports bar. Jimmy Buffet eats there when he plays golf at McCabe, one of the many great public courses in the area. How do I know this? I used to work there, and he is friends with the owner. No more name dropping from me, but feel free to drop my name there to James or Ken if they are tending bar.

If you can’t fit it all in, well come on back. We’ve got a lot going on here. You don’t have to wait for the SEC tournament to visit us. Feel free to contact me with any and all complaints regarding your visit. I’d be totally crushed if you don’t. Enjoy this guide to Nashville.