Helpful Travel Info

Take It From Them!
Nashville Travel Advice From Your Fellow Opry Fans

Who better than country music's biggest fans to provide tips on planning a trip to Nashville?

The opry.com staff asked Opry fans who have visited Music City to provide travel tips based upon their experiences in Nashville, and they really delivered! A plethora of tips where to dine, where to go in addition to the attractions you'll find in all the travel guides, and what items to have on hand at all times are below. Here's hoping that in addition to the other information found in the Opry's online travel planner, the tips below ensure you have the experience of a lifetime when you take the journey to Music City.

Time Marches On!

Since Nashville is growing at such a rapid pace, I would suggest, at least the first visit, you book a tour. That way everyone in the party will be able to relax and enjoy the sights. Be sure you take a tour with a guide since there is so much to see and do. It is much more fun if you learn about the history as well as visiting the sites.

Naturally, everyone goes to Nashville to visit the "Opry" and you will visit as many times as your vacation allows. Be sure to visit the Ryman Auditorium as well. It is smaller than the Opry and, therefore, a warmer and cozier atmosphere.

Don't forget the extensive history of Nashville and Davidson County. If you are a Civil War (War Between the States) buff. there are many places to visit. Again, a guide is nice. Take a cruise; the scenery is fantastic. Visit "The Hermitage," and take in the architecture of the universities and the many antebellum homes.

Enjoy the good old country music. I grew up with it, and even though I learned to appreciate "Classical Music" and "Light Opera" as well as many other genres, country, bluegrass, and folk music will always be the major part of my music history.

- Charlotte Price; Mount Dora, FL

The most fun we had was to go to the Country Music Hall of Fame. After that you should go to the Wildhorse Saloon to eat - everything is good. Also take a boat cruise on the General Jackson and see all of the sights at night - it was really relaxing. And most of all stay at the Gaylord Opryland Resort. It is beautiful! One of the most interesting things was that my husband's name is James Robertson, so we went to James Robertson Parkway. The old paint store still had the man with the bucket of paint on the side. This was at the Hard Rock Cafe. The carriage ride through town was fun. At last a trip to the Grand Ole Opry was great to sit back and enjoy all the different stars in one show. The more time you have, the more you can see. We only had two days and we used every minute. Hope to visit again soon!

- Janet & James Robertson

We live in the United Kingdom and have visited Nashville twice in the last three years. We love it, with all the country music taking place in the bars and clubs as you walk along the street. Everyone is so friendly. We have seen the Grand Ole Opry twice on Saturday nights, and we think it is just great.

- Mr. and Mrs. Tony Carter; Southampton, England

Wear good, comfortable walking shoes and walk from the Ryman to Tootsies, then to the Ernest Tubb Record Shop, and finally to Printers Alley to be able to really appreciate each area. Also plan to go to Centennial Park. A cruise on the General Jackson is a good way to relax and enjoy good food and entertainment. If you're not staying at the Gaylord Opryland Resort, plan to visit it and enjoy all you can. We spent several hours there in the Atrium, the Cascades Lounge, and shops. It is a beautiful place with much to see.

- James T. Converse

We treated our 10-year-old granddaughter to a trip to Nashville over Spring Break. We advise coming with great energy and the desire to experience all that is Nashville . It worked for us. What a wonderful trip!

- Patsy, Hometown; Chesterfield , VA

My tip is to get as much sleep as you can before you go to Nashville. There is so much to do in Nashville that sleeping is not an option.

- Debbie Hughes; Franklin, IN

Whatcha Got Cookin'?!

I would like to recommend the Loveless Cafe (great biscuits & jam), BB Kings (great music), and Mulligan's Pub (drink prices are more reasonable).

- Lisa Kearns; McHenry, IL

Have breakfast at the Pancake Pantry or the Loveless Cafe.

- Robert Henicksman; Las Vegas, NV

Stop by Opry Mills and eat at the Rainforest Cafe or the Aquarium. Both are wild and great eating adventures that you can't visit everywhere you go. While near the Mills, the General Jackson Showboat is a great show. I love visiting Nashville !

- Sherrie Lewis; Greenville, KY

Any time you go to Nashville, the Opry is a must to see. After the Opry, go to the Ernest Tubb Record Shop and the Midnight Jamboree on Music Valley Drive next to the Opry. Some of the stars go there after the Opry, and it is free! Also a good place to eat after the Opry is at the Louvin Bros. Museum and Josh Snyder's Dog House. It is three doors from the Ernest Tubb Record Shop, and they stay open until 2:00 a.m. Sometimes they have live music with Charlie Louvin or Josh singing or other people dropping in to sing. You never know who you will see there. Josh fixes the best barbecue sandwiches, hot dogs, grilled cheese sandwiches, or you could get milkshakes or an ice cream sundae.

- Kenny and Marie Beauchamp

Fancy Meeting You Here!

The most exciting part of Nashville for me was seeing Brenda Lee at the mall with her granddaughter. My mom ran up and hugged her! We loved getting to talk to singers and getting our pictures with them.

-Vickie Casey; Evansville, IN

ALWAYS be prepared with camera in hand or close by! You never know who you'll run into. While dining in the Cracker Barrel across from the Opry on one of our trips, I had the honor of 'singing' with Hank Locklin! I waited until he and his family had finished their lunch, and as we got up to leave, I politely walked over, put my arm around him and started singing, "Send Me The Pillow That You Dream On." And guess what - Hank joined in with me! Yes, dreams are made even outside the Opry House,so don't be caught off-guard.

-Betty Parrish; Danville, VA

Make sure you always have a pen or pencil and paper with you in Nashville for autographs. We were on the streets of Nashville last year and ran into George Jones. We got his autograph. You never know who you might run into.

- Gloria Caldwell

My husband and I love to go to Nashville and to the Grand Ole Opry. We take pictures with the stars when we can and have them enlarged to a 5x7. Then when we go back to Nashville we take them with us and ask the stars to autograph them. Country music stars are so nice. When you see one and can get close to him, just ask to have your picture made with him. If he says he can't right now, respect that and wait for another time. Usually, he will stop and sign an autograph, and it is just as easy then to ask if you can have your picture made with him. You could make a photo album with your pictures, or do as we do. We have a hall and on one wall we display our pictures we have made with the stars. We have pictures with Garth Brooks, Vince Gill, Minnie Pearl, Roy Acuff, Trisha Yearwood, Martina McBride, Randy Travis, Charlie Louvin, Porter Wagoner, Little Jimmy Dickens, and the list goes on. There are too many to name here, but you can see we have been very fortunate.

The only other thing I can think of is to bring plenty of film. One roll just won't be enough. Have a good time!

- Kenny and Marie Beauchamp

Hit The Road, Jack!

My husband and I like to go downtown and just hang around (people watch) on Friday and Saturday nights if we don't get to the Opry.

As for where to stay, we like the Inn at the Stadium. From there you can see downtown. It is just a beautiful sight day or night. Easy to get to also! Staying at the Gaylord Opryland Resort out on Briley is a good place also. You can park your car there and never leave the hotel. There is so much to do inside the hotel alone.

If you are in town on the third weekend of the month, there is the Flea Market off of I-65 on Wedgewood. Nashville has so much to see and do, people can't see it all in just a weekend. Then there are things that keep you coming back again and again.

- Jetty Waggoner

If you like steel guitars, go to Steel Guitar Nashville in Hendersonville (123 Mid Court). It is the largest steel guitar showroom in the world, has several of Bobbe Seymour's Gold records on the wall, some old stage show pictures and a famous steel guitar player is always in the showroom giving a demo, trying out a new/used guitar or just visiting while off the road and in town. This place is sacred for steel guitar fans but unknown to most people and visitors to the Nashville area.

- Russ Holder, Huntsville, AL

A trip to Nashville is not complete without listening to all the great music that you can enjoy on Broadway in all the great bars that are within walking distance of each other. Don't forget to attend the Midnight Jamboree at the Ernest Tubb Theatre after the Opry lets out.

- Mike Wenzel; Milwaukee, WI

Anyone visiting Nashville needs to visit the Ryman Auditorium. When you walk into those doors you get goose bumps - believe me, I did.

- Julia (Kathy) Heiss; St.Chillicothe, Ohio

Visiting the local cemeteries is great fun! There are so many country stars buried a short distance from Nashville. I have enjoyed the trips several times just to get to pay my respects to people I have listened to most of my life.

- Janie Gregory; Smyrna, Tennessee

We live just 2 1/2 hrs. from Nashville and love to take trips to see all the shows we can. One thing we really like is to go downtown and ride the horse and buggy. There is a lot of history down there. When we ride around I can just feel how it must have been back when the Opry was at the Ryman and all the stars went to Tootsie's afterwards. As far as packing goes, just pack something comfortable (especially shoes) because you will be going A LOT!

- Lynda Winfrey; Mayfield, KY

Last April 2004 we planned our two week trip to drive from Montreal to Nashville. We headed for the 40th anniversary of the Mustang. But the overwhelming emotional rush of actually being in the Opry waiting for the show to start is a thrill I'll never forget. Bring Kleenex! The theater has such an intimate feeling to it that it wraps around the stage. Also just sitting on the peaceful, shady lush grounds listening to country music piped in through speakers in the landscaping is heavenly. This truly is the heart of music city.

- Valerie McRae; Montreal, Quebec

So, you're goin' to visit this amazing town ... well, put on your walkin' shoes & bring your dancin' boots. The CMA Music Festival is a cool time to be here, there's music, parties and events happenin' on every corner of downtown Nashville.

Well, let's get started!

Here are a few places you might want to enjoy and kick up your heels:

1. 2nd Ave is always hoppin'. There's line dancing to live music on Fri/Sat. nights at the Wildhorse Saloon. There's also a blues bar & restaurant, and delicious food ranging from Italian, sushi, and of course, the Hard Rock Cafe.
2. Take a horse & carriage ride down Broadway ... it's a slice of life from days gone by.
3. Venture into Hatch Show Prints, a historical printing shop that's been around forever, well close to it anyway. They make all the Ryman's musical show prints- FANTASTIC!
4. Speaking of The Ryman, it's way beyond cool, built in the 1890's- it's the mother church of country music ... can't do better than that, plus they do backstage tours. People say there are ghosts singing in the pews (like Minnie Pearl and Hank Williams). Check it out yourself.

- Dove Joans

These Boots Were Made For Walkin'!

Wear comfortable shoes if you plan to walk. Nashville is captivating and you will enjoy every moment if you are properly footed. If not, plan to make an appointment with a podiatrist when you return home!

JoAnn Smith; Woodlyn, PA

When going to the CMA Music Fest be sure to bring comfortable shoes (lots of standing and walking) and a rain parka (it always rains at least one day.) Oh and don't forget your sharpie! That's all you need! (little cash doesn't hurt either)

- Jessica; Kalkaska, MI

For The Good Times

At Christmas time, the Gaylord Opryland Hotel has Country Christmas. The two million lights that the hotel puts up are beautiful and almost take your breath away. The visitor needs to see the lights at night. The visitor needs to go through the entire inside of the hotel and then go all around the outside. I believe the Christmas lights at the Opryland Hotel are the most beautiful that I have ever seen.

- Ruth Williams; Valparaiso, IN

Bring the one you love. Country music is so romantic. Nashville is a place for lovers. Believe me - I've been there. Celebrate your anniversary there. We do every year and we've been married for 52 years.

- Eleanor E. Lakatosh; Walnutport, PA