Nashville
By Ashlee Hess
Marketing Assistant
AAA Central Penn

The thought of journeying to Nashville might conjure up images of cowboys and rhinestone-studded shirts, but those suppositions would be quite incorrect.

This geographically large city feels small with quaint shops, friendly people and superb restaurants. Honky-tonks and performance venues are what has given Nashville its moniker "Music City, USA," but the elegance and ease the rest of the city offers deserve to be explored.

Some may also know Nashville as "The Athens of the South" for the 17 institutions of higher learning within the city limits and Greek architectural influence on several of its most prominent buildings. The newest of these is the revolutionary Shermerhorn Symphony Center, which will open its doors on September 9. The $120 million Schermerhorn will become the new home of the Nashville Symphony, recognized as one of the nation’s most successful emerging orchestras. This acoustically ideal concert hall will be among the top performance venues in the world. The Shermerhorn will also offer an extensive music education program to the school districts of middle Tennessee - many of which have had to cut music programs in their schools. Visit www.nashvillesymphony.org for upcoming events and performances.

Directly across the street from the Shermerhorn is the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. This mammoth building became the new home of Country Music history in May 2001. Originally located on Nashville’s Music Row from 1967-2001, this temple to country music has welcomed more than a million visitors including all of its 100 plus Hall of Fame Inductees. The museum’s permanent exhibit, Sing me Back Home: A Journey Through Country Music, immerses visitors in the story and sounds of country music through costumes, instruments, photographs, text panels, recorded sound and automobiles. Some artifacts change periodically, but this exhibit will remain the core presentation of the museum. The museum’s temporary exhibit, I Can’t Stop Loving You: Ray Charles and Country Music, presented at the invitation of Ray Charles Enterprises, provides an overview of Charles’ music career with a focus on his country music contributions and influences. The exhibit is being presented as part of general admission until Dec. 31. This touching tribute to a man whose music crossed boundaries and changed lives is a must see. Visit www.countrymusichalloffame.com for admission packages and more.

Two blocks from the museum sits Nashville’s legendary honky-tonks of Lower Broadway including Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge, Legends and Roberts Western World. On any day of the week at almost any hour you can walk down this street and hear live music of all kinds. Songwriters and celebrity hopefuls frequent these stages to get their music heard. Many recording artists call Nashville home and enjoy the atmosphere on Lower Broadway just as much as the locals, so don’t be surprised if you walk into the Tootsie’s on a Friday night and see your favorite country singer. You can’t take two steps in Nashville without walking into a church, bar or barbecue spot. Broadway offers two of those three options in spades.

Also on Broadway is the historic Hatch Show Print. This unassuming print shop (not in its original location) has printed posters since 1897. If you follow country music, country music history or the history, art and culture of the American South, sooner or later you’re bound to run into the letters, images and unmistakable "look" of Hatch Show Print. Pick up Nashville’s most famous souvenier - a Johnny Cash show poster from Hatch ($12-$15). This inexpensive artwork is easy to fall in love with and easy to take on the plane home, just ask for a travel tube. To take a closer look at Hatch, visit www.hatchshowprint.com.

Behind the honky-tonks of Broadway sits the legendary Ryman Auditorium, once home to the Grand Ole Opry. The Ryman is actually the fifth home of the Opry and from June 5, 1943 to March 15, 1974 the Opry was broadcast into millions of homes over the airwaves from this location. The Opry is now in its 81st year of live production and currently broadcasts from the Grand Ole Opry House off the Briley Parkway in the Gaylord Opryland Resort.

To many fans, the Ryman is the home of country music and its grandest weekly showcase, The Grand Ole Opry, has become an American tradition. Many, if not all country music stars got their start at the Opry and many more revere it as the single most important venue to play at some point in their career. Tours of this historic landmark are very reasonable and can include the backstage area. See www.ryman.com for admission prices and tour options.

Also in downtown Nashville is the Frist Center for the Visual Arts. This art museum, unlike any traditional museum you’ve ever visited, has become a magnet for Nashville’s rapidly expanding visual arts scene. With an exhibition schedule that has new art flowing through the magnificent Art Deco building every six to eight weeks, there is always something new and exciting to see in the spacious galleries. The Frist resides in a former post office building on Upper Broadway, which is a work of art unto itself. Be sure to stop by the museum café; they serve the most amazing hand-cut potato chips. Guests 18 and under are free, check out www.fristcenter.org for more admission plans.

If you care to venture outside of downtown Nashville, the city has much more to offer. The Hermitage, home of Andrew Jackson, is just east of the city and offers guided tours around the house and property. As with all historic sites, the guides here have plenty of interesting stories to tell you. The Hermitage (pronounced her-mi-tij) estate has been an acredited museum since 1889. Visit www.thehermitage.com for seasonal events and hours of operation.

Nashville never has a shortage of good restaurants and good food. Some suggestions for fine dining would be The Acorn just outside of Centennial Park, or Sambouca in "the gulch". For good ribs and other meat dishes, just ask the locals. Some famous favorites are Jack’s on Broadway and Rippy’s, directly across from Gaylord Entertainment Center home of the Nashville Predators NHL team. But for good, old fashioned, deep-fried, southern cooking head slightly south west of the city to the Loveless Café. This restaurant serves dishes like fried catfish, glazed country ham, smothered pork chops (don’t ask what they’re smothered with), beef brisket and the Loveless’s legendary biscuits. Southern cooking may be a bit heavy for some, but you’ll get over it!

With so much to do and see (and eat) in a city like Nashville, it’s hard to leave. Country music has its roots here, but you don’t have to be a country western fan to enjoy everything Nashville has to offer. This beautiful city has a unique pulse and is somewhat of an undiscovered gem by most northerners. I encourage you to discover the charm and splendor of Nashville for your next long weekend or summer vacation. You won’t be sorry!