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Things To Do in Nashville, Tennessee

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Nashville Places of Interest

Cheekwood Botanical Garden

Cheekwood Botanical Garden and Museum of Art
The 55-acre Cheekwood Botanical Garden and Museum of Art once served as the former estate for the Cheek family of the Maxwell House coffee brand, before it was made available to the public in 1960. Cheekwood houses the original estate gardens, including Japanese, herb, perennial, color, water, seasons and award-winning wildflower gardens, all visited by more than 140,000 visitors each year.

The site's 30,000-square-foot Georgian-style mansion serves as Cheekwood's Art Museum, a nationally-recognized collection of American and English decorative arts, contemporary paintings and sculpture, as well as the most comprehensive collection of Worcester porcelain in the United States. The estate's gardens and art meet in its Carell Woodland Sculpture Trail, a one-mile-long trail of contemporary sculptures nestled among Eastern red cedars, black locust and hackberry trees. Docent-led tours of the entire estate for groups of 10 to 60 people are available.

The venue features both indoor and outdoor spaces available for private event rentals, including the Pineapple Room Restaurant, with floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook the estate's West Lawn. Cheekwood is open Tuesday through Thursday from 9:30 AM to 8 PM, Friday and Saturday from 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM and Sunday from 11 AM to 4:30 PM. Admission is $5 for children ages 6-17 and $10 for adults. Admission for children under 5 is free. May 31 to August 30 admission is free. For more information: 615-356-8000

Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, located on the west bank of the Cumberland River, has been in operation since 1967. Easily recognizable by its modern exterior resembling piano keys, the museum tells the story of country music through video clips, recorded music, exhibits and live performances and programs. Museum highlights include the Hall of Fame Rotunda, a striking space lined with Hall of Fame members' plaques, as well as the Hatch Show Print, one of the oldest working letterpress shops in the United States that has produced original art for vaudeville, concerts and sporting events since 1879.

The facility is available for private rentals. The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum is open daily from 9 AM to 5 PM. Admission is $9.95 for children ages 6-17 and $17.95 for adults. Admission for children under 5 is free. The museum's popular SoBro Grill serves lunch Monday through Saturday from 11 AM to 2:30 PM and serves take-out meals and snacks daily during normal operating hours. For more information: 615-416-2001

Stage of The Grand Ole Opry

Opry Entertainment Complex
The Opry Entertainment Complex houses four entertainment venues, including the legendary Grand Ole Opry House, Acuff Theatre, Opry Museum and the Opry Plaza. As one of Nashville's most popular attractions, the Opry is dedicated to honoring country music's past and future by showcasing the industry's most famous talents. The Opry began as a radio broadcast in 1925, and has been housed in its current location as a live entertainment venue since 1974. Visitors can catch a live Opry show Friday, Saturday and Tuesday nights from March to December; backstage guided tours of the Opry House are available when it is not in use for public performances. The Opry Museum, located in the Opry Plaza, pays tribute to country music stars through interactive exhibits, complete with audio and visual displays.

The Opry Entertainment Complex facilities are available for private event rentals. The Opry Museum is open Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, March to October, from 10 AM to 6 PM, Tuesday from 10 AM to 7:30 PM, Friday from 10 AM to 8:30 PM, Saturday from 10 AM to 10 PM and Sunday from noon to 5 PM. Admission to the museum is free. For more information: 615-871-6779

The Parthenon

The Parthenon
Located in Nashville's Centennial Park, the Parthenon is the world's only full-scale replica of the original Greek Parthenon and home of the city's art museum. The Parthenon's 42-foot-tall Athena statue replica is the largest indoor sculpture in the Western world. Originally built for Tennessee's 1897 Centennial Exposition, the structure showcases the art of classical architecture and is the home of the renowned Cowan Collection, an assemblage of 63 paintings donated by James Cowan to Nashville that range in style from Neo-classical to Impressionist and date from 1765 to 1923. The Parthenon is intended to be self-guided, but its docent staff members are available for informal talks and tours.

The Parthenon is available for private event rentals after business hours; those who wish to rent the facility must join its non-profit organization instead of paying a rental fee. The Parthenon is open Tuesday through Saturday from 9 AM to 4:30 PM. It is also open Sunday, June, July and August, from 12:30 to 4:30 PM. Admission is $2.50 for children ages 4-17 and $5 for adults. Admission for children under 4 is free. For more information: 615-862-8431

Ryman Auditorium

Ryman Auditorium
Built in 1892, the Ryman Auditorium, known as the Mother Church of Country Music, was the home of the Grand Ole Opry from 1943 to 1974. The Ryman underwent a full restoration in 1994, and today is a premiere entertainment venue and museum. Visitors are welcome to partake in a self-guided tour where they can stroll the halls of Ryman's music memorabilia, sit in its balcony and even stand onstage. The guided tour, available for an additional fee, takes visitors to Ryman's backstage and dressing room areas. Guests may also visit the Ryman Recording Studio to sing from a selection of several tracks and leave with a recorded CD.

The auditorium is available for private event rentals. The Ryman Auditorium and Recording Studio are open daily from 9 AM to 4 PM, with concerts and music theatre in the evenings. The auditorium tour is $6.25 for children ages 4-11 and $12.50 for adults. The backstage portion is an additional $3.75 per person. Admission for children under 4 is free. The recording studio costs $15 for a solo singer and $25 for a duet. For more information: 615-889-3060

Tennessee State Capitol
Opened in 1859, the Greek Revival-style Tennessee State Capitol houses the governor's office, State Archives, Tennessee Supreme Court, assembly rooms for the House of Representatives and Senate and offices for the secretary of state, treasurer and register of land. The Capitol is also home to the State Library, featuring cast iron stacks and spiral staircase. The State Capitol grounds include statues honoring famous Tennesseans, as well as the tombs of President and Mrs. Polk. Guided tours of the Capitol run Monday through Friday from 9 AM to 4 PM. Admission is free. For more information: 615-741-2692

Tennessee State Museum
The Tennessee State Museum occupies 120,000 total square feet, housing exhibits dedicated to the history of Tennessee, ranging from prehistoric Indian cultures to the early 1900s. Permanent exhibits include the First Tennesseans, Frontier, Age of Jackson, Antebellum, Civil War and Reconstruction and New South. Museum highlights include President Jackson's 1829 inaugural hat, photographs of Tennessee African-American Union soldiers, a 3,600-year-old Egyptian mummy brought to Tennessee in 1860 and the quill pen used by President Polk to sign the peace treaty with Mexico in 1848. The Military Branch Museum, affiliated with the state museum, is located across the street from the main facilities. The Military Branch Museum houses exhibits detailing America's overseas conflicts, from the Spanish-American War to World War II.

The museums' facilities are available for private event rentals. The Tennessee State Museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 AM to 5 PM and Sunday from 1 to 5 PM, while the Military Branch Museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 AM to 5 PM. Admission is free for both museums. Visitors may use street meter parking on weekdays and park for free in the state employee lots a few blocks away on weekends. For more information: 615-741-2692

Nashville Restaurants

Acorn Restaurant
Located in Nashville's West End neighborhood, the Acorn serves fine contemporary American fare, infused with Italian, French, Mediterranean and Asian flavors. The restaurant's warm, comfortable interior is accented by candles and rich colors, while its patio is adorned with twinkling lights. The Acorn also features two full bars, specializing in unique martinis and high-end bourbon and scotch selections. Menu favorites include wasabi-green pea crusted tuna, braised lamb shank and spanakopita with garlic oil phyllo, spinach, herbed feta cheese and black olive tapenade.

The Acorn has two private dining rooms, including the Parthenon Room with views of Centennial Park and seating for up to 40 guests, as well as the Fountain Room, a climate-controlled outdoor patio with views of the Acorn's fountain and seating for up to 80 guests. The Acorn serves dinner Monday through Thursday from 5 to 10 PM and Friday and Saturday from 5 to 11 PM. Dinner entrees range from $17 to $29. For more information: 615-320-4399

B.B. King's Blues Club and Restaurant
Nashville's B.B. King's Blues Club and Restaurant is not only one of the city's largest music venues, featuring live music seven nights a week, but it is also "the place" to enjoy delicious Creole cuisine. B.B. King's features one main dining room with six additional dining rooms, four full-service bars and two stages. The vibrant interior is graced with exposed brick, cozy fireplaces, hand-painted table art and stained glass. Menu favorites include Southern-fried catfish with sweet onion hushpuppies, one-pound ribeye steak and Carolina BBQ salmon with rock shrimp, andouille sausage and tobacco onions.

The restaurant is available for private events and offers specialized buffet and reception menus. B.B. King's Blues Club and Restaurant is open Monday through Thursday from 11 to 1 AM, Friday and Saturday from 11 to 3 AM and Sunday from 11 AM to midnight. Lunch and dinner entrees on the full-day menu range from $13 to $24. For more information: 615-256-2727

Flyte World Dining & Wine
Serving an eclectic fusion menu, featuring organic produce and free-range meats, Flyte takes great care in pairing entrees to its impressive wine and beer menu. Flyte's exposed-beam interior is complemented with rich reds, elegant table settings and dark woods. Menu selections include citrus-poached langoustine with lemon poppy seed French toast, oatmeal-dusted pork loin with apple curry and wild boar sausage, and Colorado rack of lamb with eucalyptus jus and juniper berries.

Flyte offers three private event dining options: the semi-private Kitchen Dining Room, lounge area and entire restaurant for up to 250 guests. Flyte World Dining & Wine serves dinner Tuesday through Thursday from 5 to 10 PM and Friday and Saturday from 5 to 11 PM. Dinner entrees range from $25 to $38. Diners can opt for a $35 prix fixe menu when they bring a ticket stub from a downtown Nashville event they attended that night. For more information: 615-255-6200

Radius10
Located in Nashville's Gulch neighborhood, the glossy Radius10 serves eclectic modern American cuisine. The restaurant's interior is marked by white poured-concrete columns, shiny metal piping, open kitchen bar seating and all-white tables and chairs. Radius10's floor-to-ceiling windows boast unparalleled views of Nashville's downtown skyline. Menu selections include "low country" shrimp and scallops with creamy grits and roasted corn, chanterelle and asparagus ragout, as well as Hawaiian ahi tuna with Szechwan stir fry of snow peas, shiitake mushrooms and peppers with spicy sambal cilantro vinaigrette.

The restaurant has a private dining room for up to 65 guests. Radius10 serves lunch Monday through Friday from 11 AM to 2 PM and dinner Monday through Thursday from 5 to 10 PM and Friday and Saturday from 5 to 11 PM. Lunch entrees range from $14 to $17 and dinner entrees range from $24 to $29. For more information: 615-259-51015

Wildhorse Saloon
One of Nashville's most famous locales, Wildhorse Saloon is a 66,000-square-foot restaurant, bar, concert site, dance venue and TV studio that welcomes more than 1.5 million guests per year. Tables are arranged on the floor facing the stage; its wooden, three-tiered interior resembles an old-time saloon, while its neon lights add touches of modernity. Known for its authentic Southern fare, Wildhorse Saloon serves over two million pickle spears per year from its famous fried buttermilk-battered pickle selection, served with roasted jicama ketchup and sour cream. Other menu favorites include Jack Daniel's baby back ribs, flame-kissed ribeye steak with smoked tomato butter, and fresh salmon with smoky chipotle raspberry glaze.

The saloon's private Riverview Room is available for private dining for up to 100 guests. Wildhorse Saloon serves its full-day menu Monday from 5 to 10 PM, Tuesday through Thursday from 11 AM to 10 PM, Friday and Saturday from 11 AM to 11 PM and Sunday from 11 AM to 10 PM. Cover charges ranging from $4 to $8 must be purchased during live music and event nights, in addition to event tickets. For more information: 615-902-8200

Other Nashville Attractions and Activities

Adventure Science Center
Adventure Science Center offers more than 60 interactive stations and exhibits, including Bodyquest and Mission Possible, which explores how science and medicine interact to help the physically disabled. Guests can also pilot a three-minute flight, from take off to landing, on the Bluemax Flight Simulator, or experience weightlessness in the Infinity Star Chamber. The 160-seat Sudekum Planetarium is in the process of a $20 million expansion, which, upon its June 2008 completion, will increase its dome size from 40 feet high to 60 feet high, making it the largest in the nation.

The center, including the 60-seat Eureka Corner theater, discovery classrooms, Skyline Room and Jack Wood Hall, is available for private events. Adventure Science Center operates Monday through Saturday from 10 AM to 5 PM and Sunday from 12:30 to 5:30 PM. Admission is $7 for children ages 3-12 and $9 for adults. Admission for children ages 2 and under is free. Public parking is available adjacent to the center. For more information: 615-862-5160

General Jackson Showboat

General Jackson Showboat
The 300-foot-long General Jackson Showboat is a paddlewheel riverboat that offers great dining and entertainment cruises along the Cumberland River. The boat consists of four decks and the two-story majestic Victorian Theater. Evening cruises are offered year-round, and include such shows as the Sing! musical, NashVegas celebrity impersonators and Christmas on the Jackson River, as well as party cruises and the Southern Night Cruise and Buffet.

The General Jackson Showboat is available for private event rentals. Evening cruises board Monday through Saturday at 6:15 PM and return at 10 PM and board Sunday at 5:15 PM and return at 9 PM. Mid-day cruises include Country Christmas and Peking acrobat shows. Mid-day cruises board daily at 11:30 AM and return at 2 PM. Tickets range from $18 to $89 and include entertainment and dining. Cruises depart from downtown Nashville. For more information: 615-889-1000

The Hermitage
The Hermitage, the 1837 mansion of seventh president Andrew Jackson, is the most authentic presidential home in the United States. The 1,100-acre plantation is home to the Jackson family mansion, formal garden, slave quarters and original log cabin that the Jacksons inhabited in 1804. The grounds are also home to the tombs of President and Mrs. Jackson. The Hermitage features Jackson artifacts and permanent exhibits, and much of the original home furnishings are on display.

The grounds, terrace and café are available for private event rentals. The Hermitage is open daily from 9 AM to 5 PM. Tours are self-guided, save for the 20-minute guided tour of the mansion. Adult admission is $7 for children ages 6-12, $11 for students ages 13-18, $15 for adults and $13 for seniors. Admission for children under 5 is free. On-site parking is complimentary. For more information: 615-889-2941

Jack Daniel Distillery
Just over an hour's drive from Nashville, the Jack Daniel Distillery in Lynchburg, licensed in 1886, is the oldest registered distillery in the United States. Guests to the distillery can catch a first-hand look at the whiskey-making process or enjoy one of the weekly luncheons with live music at the open-air Barbeque Hill venue Friday, June to September, from 11 AM to 1 PM.

Barbeque Hill can be reserved for private events of 50 people or more. The Jack Daniel Distillery is open daily from 9 AM to 4:30 PM. Tours are free. Lunch at Barbeque Hill is $10 for children ages 4-10 and $25 for adults. Gray Line Tours provides round-trip transportation for area hotels to the distillery Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, April to October. Tickets are $16 for children ages 6-11 and $33 for adults. For more information: 931-759-6357

Nashville Zoo at Grassmere
The 200-acre Nashville Zoo at Grassmere features hundreds of animals from around the globe, including such visitor favorites as African elephants, Bengal tigers and red pandas. Habitats include the Giraffe Savannah, Alligator Cove and Lorikeet Landing, where visitors can enter an aviary and be surrounded by more than 50 Australian parrots. The zoo's 66,000-square-foot Jungle Gym playground is the largest community-built playground in the United States. The zoo also features daily keeper talks and animal shows, as well as a wild animal carousel.

TThe zoo is available for both indoor and outdoor private event rentals. The Nashville Zoo is open daily, April 1 to October 15, from 9 AM to 6 PM and daily, October 16 to March 31, from 9 AM to 4 PM. Admission is $8 for children ages 3-12 and $13 for adults. Admission for children under 3 is free. Zoo parking is complimentary. For more information: 615-833-1534