edit Nashville Travel Guide

• Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, 222 Fifth Ave S, 1-800-852-6437. Daily 9AM-5PM except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Days. Regularly changing exhibits and live performances make this Nashville landmark someplace to visit often. The original Country Music Hall of Fame was built in 1967 and lasted until 2000 when they moved into their new $37 million dollar location. Ticket packages for guided or audio tours also available, as well as combining a tour with the RCA Studio B and the Ryman Auditorium. Adult $17.95, Youth $8.95, Children under 5 free.
  
• Centennial Park, West End Avenue at 25th Avenue. Features a nice duck pond, where you can get up close with the ducks and feed them, as well as a real steam engine train, dating back in the 1800's and a fighter jet on a large, metal stand, to give the appearance of flight.
  • The Parthenon, located in Centennial Park. Tu-Sa 9AM-4:30PM. Also Su 12:30PM-4:30PM from June to August. Originally created for Tennessee's Centennial Exposition, this monument was such a well-received attraction that a permanent form was constructed. It maintains the dimensions of the original Athens Parthenon to within a quarter of an inch (at 2/3 the scale), though constructed mainly of concrete as opposed to marble. Inside stands a replica of the statue of the goddess Athena thought to have existed in the original Parthenon. Adults $5, Seniors $2.50, Children 4-17 $2.50, Children under 4 free.

By plane

• Nashville International Airport (BNA). Is about five miles from downtown.
• John C. Tune Airport, 110 Tune Airport Dr., +1 615 350-5000.
• Smyrna/Rutherford County Airport, 278 Doug Warpoole Rd., Smyrna, +1 615 459-2651.
• Cornelia Fort Airport, 2640 Air Park Dr., +1 615 226-4258
• American Charter Express, 4432 Airport Rd., Springfield, +1 615 384-4181.
• Lebanon Airport 760 Franklin Rd, Lebanon, +1 615 444-0031.
• Murfreesboro Municipal Airport, 1930 Memorial Blvd, Murfreesboro, +1 615 848-3254,

By train

By car

Nashville is the nexus of several interstate highways, including I-65 (north-south), I-40 (east-west), and I-24 (northwest-southeast). The various highways sometimes merge and split without the typical exit-offramp design, so travellers should consult maps before attempting to navigate the area. There is easy access to/from Chattanooga, Knoxville, Memphis, Louisville, among others.

By bus

Greyhound, 200 8th Ave, +1 615 255-3556. Located right in the Music Row downtown district.

By Car

Car is always your best bet. Average speed on highways ranges from 55-70 mph, while city streets are generally 35 mph unless otherwise posted.

By bus

Nashville MTA, +1 615 862-5969. Operates routes throughout downtown and the surrounding area. $1.25 for an adult local fare, with no transfers allowed. An all-day pass for an adult is $3.75.

Nashville's bus system is designed around a central station. The schedule accommodates a 9AM-5PM schedule with limited late night service.

By train

The Music City Star, +1 615 862-8833. Commuter train runs Monday - Friday. The train runs from Lebanon to Downtown's Riverfront Station. One-Way tickets purchased at the platform are $5.00 each. There are two shuttle services that transport people for no extra charge, passengers use their Music City Star ticket to board. Shuttle 93 goes up Broadway, West End, and around the Vanderbilt area. Shuttle 94 loops through Downtown. If you wish to go to any other place in the city, you can catch the Downtown Shuttle at the Riverfront Station and exit at the downtown bus mall then catch the bus that is going to your destination.

By Foot

Police

Fire Department

Hospitals

Crime

While Nashville is not known for being a particularly dangerous city, crime is a growing problem in many districts. North Nashville, especially the Bordeaux and MetroCenter areas should be avoided if travelling on foot or at night, if possible. Gang activity is also a moderate risk in South Nashville, and to a lesser extent the increasingly gentrifying East Nashville area. Some malls have implemented curfews and strict rules for all teenagers, though this has had the negative affect of fostering resentment and leading to crime in other areas.

Walking through Central Downtown, whether during day or night, is generally fairly safe. Nonetheless, one should watch out for a fair number of panhandlers. While a simple "I'm sorry, but I don't have any spare change" will usually dissuade most, some may become aggressive and will follow you down several blocks in an attempt to intimidate you. However, very few of these individuals actually mean to do you any harm, so it is best to merely ignore them.

Nashville's (and indeed, Middle Tennessee's in general) police are known for having some of the most strict officers in the Southern states.

Smoking

Nashville is a very historic town and as such, many of its attractions are restorations or museums.

• Belle Meade Plantation, 5025 Harding Road, +1 615 356 0501 (group sales: 1-800-270-3991). Tours by costumed guides available M-Sa 9:30AM-4PM, Su 11:30AM-4PM. Featuring the mansion built in 1853 and restored restored, as well as the carriage house from 1890 and one of the oldest log cabins in Tennessee, built in 1790. There is a great deal of history associated with the plantation starting from before the American Civil War. Adult $11, Seniors $10, Children 6-12 $5, Children under 6, Free.

• BellSouth Tower. An instantly recognizable downtown Nashville landmark, the Bellsouth Tower is the tallest building in Tennessee and can be seen from quite some distance when the hills aren't in your way. It's two tall spires on the building have resulted in it being nicknamed "The Batman Building."

• Bicentennial Mall A fascinating state park stretched out in front of the state capitol building. Features a giant map of the state, monuments recounting the history of the state since prehistoric times, a carillon, and more. In the summer, the fountains are often filled with splashing kids. The park is located right next to the farmers market, which includes a food court, fish market, nursery, as well as the expected vendors hawking fruits and vegetables.

• Belmont Mansion 1900 Blemont Blvd, +1 615 460-5459. M-Sa 10AM-4PM, Su 1PM-4PM. Closed Memorial Day. An approximate one hour guided tour of 16 rooms in the mansion. Also walk the grounds to examine the marble statues and cast iron ornaments in the gardens. Adults $8, Seniors $7, Children (6-12) $3.

• Cheekwood Botanical Garden and Museum of Art, 1200 Forrest Park Dr, +1 615 356-800. Tu-Sa 9:30AM-4:30PM, Su 11AM-4:30PM. Closed on every Monday except for Memorial Day and Labor Day. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's day, as well as the second Saturday in June. A 55 acre estate built by the founders of Maxwell House coffee on the fringes of the city featuring an art museum and a beautiful botanical garden. The art museum features American and Europeans exhibits. Adults $10, Seniors $8, College Students $5, Children 3-13 $5, Children under 3 free. The most any family will pay is $30, thanks to an admission cap.

• Fort Negley. A civil-war era fort partially reconstructed by the Works Progress Administration in the 1930s. Taken by Union forces early in the war, Nashville quickly became second most fortified city in the US during the Civil War because it was seen as crucial to supplying troops engaged on the war's western front. The 1864 Battle of Nashville -- a failed attempt by the Confederate army to retake the city -- raged throughout what are now the residential and commercial districts on the fringes of the city. Fort Negley is one of the few remaining reminders of this time period. Much of the work on the fort was done by slaves and freed blacks who were rounded up and forced to work on the structure. The fort was closed for years (allegedly because it reminded many Nashvillians of the Union occupation), but reopened in 2004 with new boardwalks and interpretive signs.

• Frist Center for the Visual Arts, 919 Broadway. M-W 10AM-5:30PM, Th 10AM-8PM, Fr 10AM-9PM, Sa 10AM-5:30PM, Su 1PM-5PM. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's, shortened hours the day after Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve. Featuring 24,000 sq. feet of gallery space with exhibits from local through to regional and all the way to international artists. The Frist strives to be a family friendly museum and as such has created ArtQuest, a colorful space with 30 interactive stations. Adults $8.50, College Students $6.50, Seniors $7.50, Visitors 18 and under free.

• Hatch Show Print, 316 Broadway, +1 615 256-2805. Visit this traditional printing shop that uses letterpresses to create posters for entertainment events to see them prepare some posters. As the Hatch brothers allegedly put it, "Advertising without posters is like fishing without worms."

• Military Museum. Tu-Sa 10AM-5PM. Closed New Year's Day, Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Admission to the permanent exhibit is free, and only a few temporary have an admission charge.

• Musica. Revealed in 2003, Musica is a 38 foot tall sculpture featuring 9 nude dancing figures created by Alan Lequire and is located in a roundabout in the heart of Music Row.

• Music Valley Wax Museum, 2515 McGavock St, +1 615 883-3612. Between Memorial Day and Labor Day hours are 9AM-9PM, otherwise they are 9AM-5PM. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's. See over 50 country music stars dressed in their stage outfits as well as hundreds of autographs on the "Sidewalk of the Stars." Adults $3.50, Children (6-12) $1.50, Children under 5 free.

• Radnor Lake, Otter Creek Road, +1 615 373-3467. Open 6AM to sunset. Visitor Center Su-Th 9AM-5PM, Fr-Sa 8AM-4:30PM. Often called "Nashville's Walden," Radnor Lake was formed when the railroad companies dammed up a small stream to provide a reliable water source for their railroad yards. Although it is located in the heart of a residential suburb south of town, hikers on the miles of trails around the pond feel like they are in the heart of the wilderness. $3 daily or $30 annual parking fee.

• Ryman Auditorium, 116 5th Ave N, +1 615 889-3060. Daily 9AM-4PM for tours. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day. Completed in 1892 as the Union Gospel Tabernacle as commissioned by riverboat Captain Thomas Green Ryman, a newly converted southern evangelist. The Ryman has earned its mark in history by hosting the Grand Ole Opry from 1943 to 1974 and is now a fantastically intimate setting for concerts of all genres. It has been named Pollstar's "America's Theatre of the Year" for two years in a row, as well as one of CitySearch's top ten "Best Places to Hear Live Music." Adults $8.50 for the standard tour or $11.75 to add the backstage tour, Children (4-11) $4.25 or $7.50 respectively.

• Shelby Street Pedestrian Bridge. Built between 1907 and 1909, the bridge was used for automobile traffic between East Nashville and Downtown. The bridge has recently been converted to a pedestrian bridge, and offers a spectacular view of the riverfront and downtown skyline. It is a very popular and convenient route to the Titan's football stadium.

• The Hermitage, 4580 Rachel's Lane, +1 615 889-2941. Daily 9AM-5PM, except Thanksgiving, Christmas and the 3rd week of January. The former home of US President Andrew Jackson is full of his family's personal possessions, and is adorned with much of the furniture that they personally purchased. It was one of the first historic preservation projects in the state of Tennessee. This was accomplished by the Ladies' Hermitage Association which was modeled after the Mount Vernon Ladies Association that had restored George Washington's home. Plan for a two hour tour with a moderate amount of walking. Cameras, video cameras, food nor drink are allowed within the Hermitage or the exhibit gallery. Security precautions are taken and the Hermitage asks that all backpacks or large bags be left in your vehicle. Adults $12, Seniors $11, Students (13-18) $11, Children (6-12) $5, Children 5 and under free. Family pass for 2 adults and 2 children, $34.

• Tennessee Performing Arts Center, 505 Deadrick St, +1 615 782-4000. The TPAC, as it is known, is home to the Nashville Ballet, Nashville Opera Association, Tennessee Repertory Theatre, and the acclaimed Nashville Symphony.

• Tennessee State Capitol. Guided tours available M-F 9AM-4PM. Closed all holidays. Free admission.

• Adventure Science Center, . Formerly the Cumberland Science Museum, it's been remodeled recently. You should be able to get in for under ten bucks, and they have a lot of interesting exhibits which change every few weeks.

• Centennial Sportsplex, 222 25th Avenue N, +1 615 862-8480. Featuring two indoor ice skating rinks, two pools, indoor and outdoor tennis courts, and a fitness room. Ice skating admission is $6 with skate rentals available for $2. Memberships are available. Call or check online for the schedules, as they vary from month to month. The Sportsplex is also a practice location for the Nashville Predators professional hockey team.

• General Jackson Showboat, 2800 Opryland Dr, +1 615 458-3900. Get a meal and a show on this classically styled 300 foot long paddlewheel boat. Midday cruises, including buffet and show, $38.95 plus tax for adults and $21.95 for kids 4-11. Dinner cruises range from $44.95 to $74.95 for adults and $27.95 to $42.95 for kids. Shows and schedules vary throughout the year.

• Nashville Zoo at Grassmere, 3777 Nolensville Rd, +1 615 833-1534. Displaying many animals and hosting activities for the family, including a large playground with two-story netting that you can swing onto (off a rope), or just jump and roll around on. The zoo is getting bigger and better every day. Two recent additions include an aviary where you can feed lorikeets nectar by hand, and an amazing hand-carved wooden carousel. Admission from April through October is $11 for adults, $9.50 for seniors (65+), and $7 for children (3-12) and the hours are from 9AM-6PM. From November through March, $8 for adults, $7 for seniors, $6 for children with hours of 9AM-4PM. Closed Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day. Inclement weather may cause an unannounced closing for safety.

• Nashville Candy. Did you know that the first documentation for "...commercializing cotton candy was in 1897 when it was produced by the Nashville candy makers William Morrison and John C. Wharton..." ? Did you know that the first "combination" candy bar was invented in 1912 by the Standard Candy Company in Nashville? Candy is as popular now as it was then. Visit the home of the GooGoo Cluster, Standard Candy Company.

Sports

• Nashville Predators. The local NHL hockey team plays their home games at the Sommet Center, which is located on Broadway in the heart of downtown. In May of 1998 the Predators were named the 27th franchise in league history and their first playoff game came in 2004. Tickets start at $10 and are available through Ticketmaster.

• Nashville Sounds, +1 615 242-4371. The local minor league baseball team currently plays in Greer Stadium, but talks about a brand new stadium are ongoing. General admission tickets are $6 and reserved seats are $10.

• Tennessee Titans. The local NFL football team plays their home games at LP Field, (formerly Adelphia Coliseum), which is located across the river from downtown (it's big, you'll see it). Once the Houston Oilers, the team was reborn as the Tennessee Titans in 1999.

test