Nashville is the capital of Tennessee and is located on the Cumberland river. It is considered to be the heart of the country music industry giving it the nickname “The Music City, USA.” Nashville was founded in 1779 and has grown into a center of country music creation and production. It is also home to countless universities, museums, colleges and art collections. If you are looking for southern hospitality, legendary music, great museums and tasty food then you should visit Nashville, Tennessee.
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Grand Ole Opry
Grand Ole Opry is the show that made country music popular. It was created on November 28th, 1925 by George D Hay. It started as a simple one hour radio barn dance show. Today it is a weekly country music stage performance in Nashville, Tennessee. The Grand Ole Opry showcases a line up of new stars and legends performing country, gospel, skits and comedic performances . It is Nashville’s most popular attraction and is an American icon.
Carrie Underwood, Marty Stuart, Brad Paisley, Vince Gill, Dolly Parton, Bill Anderson, Trace Adkins and Mel Tillis are some of the legends that are a part of the Opry family. It attracts millions of visitors from around the world and millions of internet and radio followers. It is the country’s longest running radio show.
On Thursday nights, it hosts the Opry country classics at the Ryman Auditorium, The host is Larry Gatlin, a Grammy award winner. The show presents the classic country songs that people love. Visitors can take a backstage tour and even record their own song in the studio. The schedule is available on their website ‘www.opry.com/calendar‘
Belle Meade Plantation
Belle Meade Plantation is a historic landmark that was commissioned by John Harding in 1845. It is known as the “Queen Of The Tennessee Plantations” The breathtaking Greek Revival mansion is at the center of the plantation. The plantation houses other historic buildings such as the mausoleum, carriage house, gardens, dairy, log cabin and horse stables. It houses the country’s first and most famous thoroughbred breeding farms. Belle Meade Plantation portrays various architectural trends of the 19th century.
Guides dressed in period costumes give tours of the mansions beautiful interiors. There is also a winery that provides free wine tasting for the visitors. It has a gift shop and an on site restaurant, Harding House. Special tours are available for adults and school children.
The Belle Meade Plantation throws events such as antique auctions and Easter egg hunts during the fall and summer. It is located a few miles southwest of Nashville and is open Monday-Saturday(9.00 a.m- 5.00 p.m) and Sunday(11.00 a.m – 5.00 p.m) For more information, visit their website ‘www.bellemeadeplantation.com/’
Cheekwood Botanical Gardens and Museum of Art
Cheekwood is a 55 acre garden which was originally constructed as the home of Leslie and Mable Cheek. It was built in 1929 and is nationally acknowledged for its greatness in horticulture and art. It has an art museum and a botanical garden located on the grounds. The art museum is in the center of the grounds and has a stunning collection of antique furniture, artifacts and 19th and 20th century art. The garden has beautiful flower displays, greenhouses and sculpture trails.
Cheekwood is one of Nashville’s top tourist attractions with over 250,000 visitors from all over the world. It offers world class exhibitions, festivals honoring the seasons and fun family activities.
It is located 8 miles southwest of Nashville and is open Monday-Sunday( 9.00 a.m-5.00 p.m). For more details, visit their website ‘www.cheekwood.org/’
The Hermitage
The Hermitage was built for President Andrew Jackson, the 7th President of the US. The Greek Revival mansion, built in 1821, is now a national landmark. The mansion contains most of Jackson’s original furniture and other belongings. The 1000 acre estate consists of the the main house, kitchen, Jackson’s tomb, an original log shed and the Old Hermitage Church. There is a famous exhibit that narrates the story of the 150 slaves that worked at the Hermitage
The Hermitage gardens and the Hermitage cotton plantations show the way of life for the Jackson family. The majority of the tour is spent outside on the grounds. The Hermitage hosts annual galas, ghost tours and annual hauntings. It can also be rented for weddings, photo sessions and engagements. It was voted the best wedding location in Nashville.
It is located 12 miles east of Nashville and is open Monday-Sunday(8.30 a.m – 5.00 p.m) The timings may change according to the season. For more details, visit their website ‘www.thehermitage.com/’
Belmont Mansion
Belmont Mansion is a stunning Italian style villa mansion and is the biggest house museum in Nashville. It is also known as Acklen Hall, Belmont, Belle Monte and Belle Mont. It is located on the campus grounds of Belmont university and is situated on the highest hill in Nashville. Belmont mansion is a 10,000 square foot mansion and was built in the mid 1800’s. It was built for Adelicia Acklen, one of the wealthiest women in the US, as a summer house. Adelicia Ackeln was a fervent art collector and she assembled Nashville’s first extensive art collection. Belmont mansion has some of the world’s best busts and statues. It has stunning interiors, well preserved art, antiques and well informed docents. It is a must visit for genuine historians
A complete tour of the mansion takes around one hour. It can be rented for weddings, photo sessions and engagements. Belmont Mansion is open Monday-Saturday(10.00 a.m.- 4.00 p.m). and Sunday(12.00 pm – 4.00 p.m) . For more details, visit their website ‘www.belmontmansion.com/’
The Parthenon
The Parthenon was built to honor Tennessee’s 100 year anniversary of being admitted into the union. It was built in 1897 and is a complete replica of the Parthenon in Athens, Greece. It is the world’s only complete replica of the Greek temple. It was created for the Tennessee centennial exposition and was meant to be temporary. It stands as a magnificent highlight in the middle of the Centennial Park.
The Parthenon is one of the most loved attractions in Nashville. It is illuminated in the evenings and has a tranquil atmosphere. It has a great art collection, well maintained grounds, stunning buildings, a statue of Athena and the tallest sculpture in the west. The Parthenon in Greece was built in honor of the Athena, the Goddess of learning and wisdom.
It also has a visitors center, plaster casts of the Elgin Marbles and a gift shop. It is known as “The Athens Of The South”
It is located 2 miles southwest of Nashville, and is open Tuesday-Saturday(9.00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m). and Sundays(12:30 pm – 4:30 p.m) For more details, visit the website ‘www.tnvacation.com/vendors/the_parthenon‘
