Nashville, Tennessee
More people than ever have been grabbing their cowgirl boots and boogying their way to Nashville to enjoy the famous country music, sites, and celebrations. The praises from young tourists significantly influenced our choice of destination around this city and greatly influenced the intention of this destination. My college friends and I wanted to get our first taste of the south and meet cute cowboys. We went at the end of July, which was very hot and sweaty but classic summer weather. Our outfits consisted of shorts and sandals during the day and mini skirts at night. It was a quick girls' trip, so let me lay out the fi-tinerary for a jam-packed weekend getaway to Nashville!
Friday
Night
I grabbed a flight after work that landed in Nashville at 11 pm. Fortunately for me, the airport was 20-30 minutes away from the city center, so I chose to change at the airport and use my uber ride to get dolled up! After my flight, a cocktail was just what I needed. Right in the heart of Nashville, I met my friends at Bar Sovereign. The cocktail bar was dimly lit and had a fun woodsy vibe. Their specialty cocktail list was fun and tempting. Bar Sovereign was a great location to catch up with pals and start the weekend! After many laughs, we headed back to our Airbnb in Germantown. The neighborhood was quaint, safe, and mostly filled with young adults.
Saturday
Morning
We started our Saturday at 12 South, a few blocks long stretch, where a whole morning and early afternoon can be easily spent shopping and eating. If there are boys on the trip, this is a great time to send them to Top Golf while you boutique shop around Nashville. We grabbed a pastry and coffee from Frothy Monkey and ate it in Sevier Park. Next, we hit Amelia's Flower Truck for a photo op, then headed down the street, stopping at every little shop. You must check out Reese Witherspoon's boutique, Draper James, and other little shops like Krewe, Serendipity, and Hero Boutique. Along with the unique boutiques, there are brand-name stores on 12 South, like Madewell, Outdoor Voices, and Marine Layer. We walked along the street, enjoying the murals while on the hunt for a quick snack. We stopped at Blue Monkey Shaved Ice to cool off from walking and grabbed pastries from Five Daughters Bakery. Both snacks were delicious and exactly what we needed to hold us over until lunch.
Afternoon
I love some spice, and Nashville is known for its hot chicken, so we ventured to Hattie B's! Although the wait was 30-45 minutes, the crispy chicken with its delicate kick was well worth the wait. If you have little kiddos with you, I’d recommend leaving them in the car with the A/C and letting them nap while someone stands in line.
Hattie B’s Chicken Tenders
Night
An iconic stop in Nashville is Dolly Parton’s all-pink rooftop restaurant, White Limozeen. We made reservations two weeks in advance to ensure we didn’t miss out on the excellent photo opportunities and great food. Next, we hit Honky Tonk Highway for a night out on the town! It is a long street of bars where each place has live bands on every floor. We hit bars that didn’t require a fair amount of waiting in line. But, if you want to go to the famous ones, you have to go to Honkey Tonk Central, The Stage, Whiskey Row, Tootsie's Orchid Lounge, Wildhorse Saloon, Kid Rocks, and of course, Miranda Lambert's bar called Casa Rosa. If we had another night, we would've hit Midtown, which is said to be less touristy.
Sunday
Morning
For Breakfast, we put our name in at Milk and Honey, a trendy 1-hour wait brunch place, grabbed a smoothie from next door, and walked through The Gulch. It resembles the 12 South area with its boutiques and wall art. Kittenish, owned by Jessie James Decker, was the cutest shop! You will also find the recognizable wings mural in the Gulch. After a delicious brunch, we grabbed a drink at LA Jackson for another rooftop bar experience.
Afternoon
After filling up on good drinks and food, we hit Centennial Park to see the Parthenon, a city attraction, and chill on a picnic blanket. Next, we visited Vanderbilt’s stunning campus and the surrounding block of shops. My favorite boutique was Altar'd State, which had another mural on the street. Finally, after a weekend filled with lots of laughs and great food, we all flew home with smiles plastered on our faces. I cannot recommend a quick trip to Nashville, Tennessee, enough!
