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Image Courtesy of Nashville Convention & Visitors Bureau
Connections
Nashville is served by major airlines including American/American
Eagle, Continental, Delta, Northwest, Southwest, and United. Taxi
fare to downtown is no more than $20 and is available on the ground
level of the airport. The city is accessible by car on Interstates
24, 40 and 65. Sightseeing is easy aboard a trolley (Nashville Trolley
Co.; 615-862-5950) at $1 for either the downtown or the Music Valley
Drive route.
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Accommodations
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Surrounded by the convention center, the Country Hall
of Fame and the Gaylord Entertainment Center Arena,
the new Hilton Suites Hotel (121 Fourth Avenue South; 800-HILTONS;
www.Nashvillehilton.com)
with 330 suites is a convenient choice. Three dining spots,
an indoor pool and fitness center and complimentary hot breakfast
and cocktails make Hilton Suites even more welcoming.
Out in Music Valley, Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention
Center (2800 Opryland Dr.; 615-889-1000; www.gaylordhotels.com/gaylordopryland)
is a world of its own with almost 3,000 rooms, numerous restaurants
and shops and nine acres of indoor tropical gardens and waterways.
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Nightlife
As befits "Music City USA," there is nightlife aplenty in Nashville.
Don't miss the Downtown/Lower Broadway (known as the "District") scene
that still retains its authentic flavor. Of course many styles of
music are popular these days, including crossover, R & B and Americana;
but it's country music-loud and live-that folks expect. Start at Legends
Corner (428 Broadway), one of the city's coolest honky tonks featuring
live country and rock-a-billy music. Then head next door to the famous
Tootsie's Orchid Lounge (422 Broadway), where performers used
to pop in from the adjacent Ryman Auditorium for a cool beverage between
shows through the purple back door. The third in the trio of tawdry
must-see places is Robert's Western World (416 Broadway) whose
live music includes popular performers. Just around the corner is
the grand and glossy Wildhorse Saloon (120 Second Ave., N.;
615-902-8200), part of the Grand Ole Opry Group. Big name stars both
visit and perform here, and complimentary dance lessons ready guests
for the nightly country dancing. Don't leave town without enjoying
a performance of the Grand Ole Opry out in Music Valley, with
shows every Friday and Saturday. Call (615) 889-3060 for tickets.
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Shopping
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This is the place to buy country music and country wear.
Downtown in the District stop by the Ernest Tubb Record
Shop (417 Broadway) for an incredible selection of new
and old country music. Just across the street you'll find
western gear at Robert's Western World (#416). Downtown
also has numerous specialty shops with gifts galore.
Several shopping malls mark Nashville's central location,
including Bellevue Center, Hickory Hollow Mall
and the Mall at Green Hills. The big shopping news
was the May opening of Opry Mills (2828 Opryland Dr.;
615-514-1100; www.oprymills.com)
with 1.2 million square feet of shopping, dining and entertainment.
Among the choices here are Gibson Guitar's Bluegrass Showcase,
Sun & Ski Sports, Boot Country, NASCAR Silicon Motor Speedway,
Ghirardelli Soda Fountain & Chocolate Shop, and Mary Englebreit.
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Landmarks
One of the country's most important and most interesting National
Historic Landmarks is located only 12 miles from Nashville. The
Hermitage, home of Andrew Jackson and his beloved wife Rachel,
has been completely restored to its 1837 appearance and contains
almost all original furnishings. The daily tours include a biographical
film; a tour of the mansion, grounds and formal gardens; the 1804
log cabins; and the Tulip Grove mansion, church and confederate
cemetery. There is a restaurant, gift shop and ample parking (4580
Rachel's Ln., Hermitage; 615-889-2941; www.thehermitage.com).
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Family Fun
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The Imaginarium (1111 Laurel St.; 615-254-3334) is
one of Nashville's most unusual, interactive, innovative experiences,
a one-of-a-kind children's adventure museum. Among the themed
exploration areas are the dinosaur room, the outer space room,
the hospital, and the rain forest room.
Fair weather will lure families to the Nashville Zoo
(615-833-1534; www.nashvillezoo.org)
where new this year are the hyacinth macaw exhibit, the bobcat
exhibit and the Gibbon Islands. The zoo is located on the
grounds of Grassmere Historic Farm, only ten minutes from
downtown.
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Walking Tours
An outstanding walking tour is available from the Visitor Information
Center (Fifth and Broadway opposite the convention center; 615-259-4700)
open daily. City Walk, prepared by the Metropolitan Historical
Commission, is a two-mile, clearly marked walk tracing the city's
history and taking you past many sites of current interest. The
tour includes the Ryman Auditorium, Hatch Show Print and the Tennessee
State Capitol.
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Only Here
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The Country Music Hall of Fame (800-852-6437; www.countrymusichalloffame.com)
is a big part of the revitalized downtown. The architecture
itself is eye opening, spanning an entire city block and soaring
more than 107 feet into the new skyline. The building is shaped
like the musical notation, bass clef, with the dot of the
clef called the rotunda-a rounded tower with a 225-seat theater
on the lower level and the Hall of Fame above it. The $37
million building has 40,000 square feet of exhibit space for
an elegant display of the artifacts of country music and a
slice of American history. High-tech and highly interactive,
there is a daily menu of activities for visitors, including
live performances and broadcasts and the opportunity to compile
a personal CD of favorite tunes.
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Off the Beaten Path
The town of Lynchburg (population 361) may not ring a bell,
but the name "Jack Daniel" may. On the National Register of Historic
Places, the country's oldest registered distillery now features
a 15,000-square-foot visitor center that houses more than 30 exhibits
and displays in addition to being the nucleus of the personal guided
tours that attract 250,000 visitors each year. Jack Daniel's
Distillery (931-759-6180; www.jackdaniels.com)
is on Route 55, which is exit 111 on Interstate 24, about 70 miles
from Nashville.
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Weather
Nashville enjoys four distinct but mild seasons with average yearly
temperatures of about 70 during the day and 49 at night, which is
approximately the range both spring and fall. Summer daytime average
highs reach 88 with lows of 67, while winter highs may only average
50 with average lows around 30. All seasons have an abundance of
sun.
Current
Weather
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Links
Nashville
Convention & Visitors Bureau
Yahoo
Nashville Travel Guide
Nashville
CitySearch
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A Season of Celebration
From November 23 through December 30 Cheekwood Botanical Garden & Museum of Art showcases the sights and sounds of the season. Its many gardens and Museum of Art become a holiday fantasy with lavishly decorated grounds and rooms, including trees trimmed by some of Nashville's most creative people. Enjoy live music in the museum's intimate drawing room each weekend and learn about the many varied holiday traditions during the Festival of Holidays. Cheekwood's Season of Celebration is enchanting, entertaining, and educational. Guests can look forward to a variety of daily events taking place during the season, to go along with already established museum exhibitions, lectures and seasonal garden displays. For more details, call (615) 356-8000 or visit www.cheekwood.org.
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