A Bite Sized Guide: 12 Hours in Nashville, Tennessee

Please make sure to follow all covid regulations, wear a mask, and social distance.

I’ve been wanting to go to Nashville, Tennessee for a LONG time. When we decided to drive across the country after my Grandpa’s funeral in Pennsylvania, I knew I wanted to make this our first stop.

Nashville is a city exploding with energy; It’s palpable. After a full year of strictly following lock-down procedures in Los Angeles, in my tiny, one room apartment, it was almost a sensory overload for me. Music pours out of every doorway, inviting you in for a cocktail and the camaraderie that we have all been longing for after a year of isolation.

The music city has a completely unique mix between old and new: neon signs and classical architecture, jazz and pop hits, college kids that just turned 21 and seasoned music lovers with their go to clubs. Since this was just a quick stop on our road trip (about 12-15 hours), we didn’t get to do everything that I wanted to or experience the city to its fullest. This is not a comprehensive guide to the city, just a quick overview if you have a couple of hours to spare. We’re definitely planning to go back for a longer stay in the next year (as domestic Covid travel allows).

Where to Stay in Nashville:

Let’s talk about Southern Hospitality. The front desk staff at Hotel Indigo was INCREDIBLE. I’ve stayed at hotels all over the world and I’ve never met more welcoming and accommodating staff. We got in late and they assisted us with parking and to our room. The hotel restaurant typically has live music, but due to Covid-19 restrictions, they were closed for the time being.

The hotel is located in the heart of downtown, right next to the historic Printer’s Alley. It’s just a short walk away from all of the bars, restaurants, and live music venues that you could ever need. The hotel IS dog friendly, since we travel with our two small chihuahuas. They have connected parking for a reasonable price, which is rare for hotels in downtown areas.

After years of working in the hospitality industry, I just love unique and fun boutique hotels. For our next stay we will likely check out Dream Nashville and the Kimpton Aertson. These are two hotel brands that I always gravitate to in terms of overall design, F&B, and amenities.

Dinner and Drinks In Nashville:

Since we got into town late and many of the restaurants/bars on are on shortened Covid hours, we didn’t get to visit the spots that we had originally planned. We just walked around downtown and looked for a space that was open. We ended up randomly choosing The Valentine and had the most fun that we’ve had in a long time. The drinks were amazing (strong!) and the live entertainment was incredible. It was the first time we’ve seen live musicians in over a year. They did not disappoint. There were only about 10 people in the bar at the time (it was a Thursday) and the tables were spaced well over six feet apart.

Their kitchen was closed so we grabbed some pizza at one of the only places still open on our way back to the hotel. I won’t recommend the pizza spot because they messed up our order, gave us a new one that didn’t seem fully cooked, and we both felt really sick after. MEH.

For dinner on our next trip we plan on checking out: Merchants and Ellington’s. We looked at the menus online and walked by (I pick a lot of my restaurants based on how cute they are… no shame).

I absolutely love a good cocktail and speakeasy vibe. House of Cards is a unique dining experience with live magic – it looks a lot like Black Rabbit Rose in Hollywood. Ironically, the second cocktail bar that I found is called Rabbit Rose. It was right across the street from our hotel but we just missed their last call.

Coffee Shops In Nashville:

We walked over to Moonshot Coffee Bar, connected to the TownPlace Suites. Seriously check out their Instagram feed – it’s a vibe. We both had a delicious seasonal latte and classic avocado toast.

They also had indoor/outdoor dining available and the tables were all socially distanced. This was one of our first stops INSIDE of a coffee shop in months!

Since we didn’t want to overdo it on caffeine before the next leg of our trip, we only went to one coffeeshop. However, I found three others that I can’t wait to visit on our next visit: Drug Store Coffee located in Noelle, Nashville, A Tribute Portfolio Hotel, Crema Coffee, a zero waste and carbon neutral company, and Barista Parlor.

Dog Friendly Sites to See in Nashville:

We went on a quick walking tour to check out as many outdoor sites as we could – but it was FREEZING. Our next trip will have to be in the summer months! This is an extremely brief list of the sites around our hotel:

Printer’s Alley

In its earliest days, Printer’s Alley was a set of posts where men bound for the courthouse (just across the street) hitched their horses. By the early 1900s, it became the center of Nashville’s printing industry, with thirteen publishers and ten printers that serviced the entire area. The street also contained hotels, restaurants, and saloons (many became speakeasies when Prohibition went into effect). In the 1940s, the street evolved again and nightclubs emerged that showcased historic talent like The Supremes and Jimi Hendrix.

My Grandpa told me that he stayed in Nashville in the 1970s while he was in the Marine Corps. Not much has changed except the hotel prices (he stayed at the YMCA for .50 cents a night) but he fondly remembered the nightclubs and live music here.

Broadway

This is the main stretch where the majority of the “tourist” bars and music venues are. We ended up getting dinner here and just enjoying the neon signs. It was such a treat to be out in public again (with masks on); We felt like 22-year olds! At least 50% of the people walking around were wearing masks… I wish it was more. Everyone seemed to just be pleased to see live music. For all the musicians out there, it must have been amazing to get back out on a stage. I know Nick had several gigs that were canceled over the past year and the loss of income has been tough.

*Images are pre-covid and from Unsplash*

Capitol Hill and the War Memorial

We walked over to Capitol Hill from our hotel in the very early morning. It was an easy walk past the Musician’s Hall of Fame, The Capitol Building, and the War Memorial pictured below. I loved the mix between classic greek architecture and new skyscrapers; it provided a juxtaposition of old and new, much like the city itself.

The Parthenon

Before hitting the road again, we made a final stop at the life size replica of the Parthenon. As a total art history nerd, I was freaking out. I didn’t realize until this trip how much I really miss parks/green spaces, since I live in a fairly dense area of LA. The dogs LOVED the trails and despite the weather, we had a lovely walk. I’ll be posting a full review of the Parthenon and its history later this week.

Thanks so much for following along. Stay tuned for posts on the rest of our road trip!