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Wednesday, March 19, 2008
In a Nashville state of mind
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Years ago on a Simpsons episode, Bart and his buddies took a madcap cross-country road trip. As they crossed the state line into Tennessee on their way to Knoxville, the welcome sign read, “Tennesseein’ is Tennebelievin’”.
While it may not be the official tourism slogan of Tennessee, that Simpsons’ road sign springs to mind every time I find myself in the Volunteer State. (The official Tennessee tourism motto, by the way, is…”Tennessee, the stage is set for you!” Huh?)
I have spent quite a bit of time in Tennessee, and it’s a beautiful place with a geographical and cultural variety as wide as the state itself. I can find something of interest in all three of its Grand Divisions (East, Middle and West), but I am particularly fond of Nashville in Middle Tennessee.
Music City definitely has a cowboy-boot reputation, and I’m not much of a cowgirl. Still, Nashville makes a great getaway even if you never plan to step foot inside of the Grand Ole Opry.
Not to be cliché, but I have always found Nashville to be a friendly, southern city. It’s beautiful with lots of classic architecture and history, yet it doesn’t feel antiquated. Perhaps that’s because the city is also home to a dozen colleges and universities, as well as trendy neighborhoods and a growing arts scene. (More here.)
April is a good time to head to Nashville because the city puts on its Awesome April series of musical and cultural events, which include country music’s CMT awards, the Nashville Film Festival, as well as opera, jazz, ballet and children’s theatrical presentations.
Of course, there’s always the Wild Horse Saloon, the Ryman Auditorium, Opryland or the prospect of spotting a country celebrity to keep you busy too.
What’s your take on Nashville? Do you go for the entertainment scene, the history, or some other reason? Where’s the best place to stay when you go?
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