Nashville: America’s Lively Capital of Country Music

The capital of Tennessee, Nashville is famous for being the birthplace of country music and many of the genres famous musicians. Aside from being home to the great Grand Ole Opry, Nashville also has a great collection of other amazing sightseeing activities. There is much to gather about the origin of this magical town from the early 1920’s. Below are some of the great sightseeing attractions you should check out when visiting the city.

1. Grand Ole Opry

Photo by Ron Cogswell

The Grand Ole Opry is an iconic attraction in Nashville that serves as a classic American icon for its thriving entertainment industry. The atmosphere is very welcoming for people of all ages. The acoustics inside the theater are great offering a perfect ambiance that only heightens the performances there. For country music fans, this is the ideal location to enjoy their favorite artists. with some of the grand legends once gracing this establishment. Average shows take about 15 minutes per act and there's usually also a backstage tour before shows that's often well worth checking out.

2. Ryman Auditorium

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The Ryman Auditorium is one of the most famous concert halls in Nashville. It's the perfect place to enjoy in-house country music or any form of live musical event. It''s unique in that concerts here often take place on a nightly basis unlike the Grand Ole Opry, which only offers weekly shows. The backstage area is also part of the tour and isn't charged extra, which provides a great insight into the venue. Aside from great performances held at this enchanting concert hall, the warm staff make the visit such a worthwhile experience with their exceptional hospitality.

3. The Johnny Cash Museum

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The Johnny Cash Museum has the largest collection of memorabilia belonging to music legend Johnny cash in Nashville. The 'Man in Black' is showcased in the many exhibits here as guests get a glimpse of his life through the numerous displays and films shown there. The museum itself is endorsed by the Cash family of Nashville. As much as it may not seem like much from the outside, the collection found inside is expansive with some fascinating items that's well worth checking out for any music fans.

4. Andrew Jackson's Hermitage

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Andrew Jackson's Hermitage is one of the best places for seeing into the history of the Tennessee region, a plantation owned by the seventh President of the United States now turned into a museum showcasing his life. Apart from the main building and museum there, you'll find around 30 historical buildings over the huge 1,000 acres of land that once belonged to the president.

5. Belle Meade Plantation

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Another historic plantation turned museum outside the city, it's a great insight into what life was like especially in the south of the US before the Civil War and abolishment of slavery. After reveling in the history and learning about the hardships of life at the time, visitors can enjoy a complementary wine tasting session at the end of the tour.

6. RCA Studio B

Photo by Ron Bulovs

One of the most famous recording studios in the city, RCA Studio B was once used by music legends such as Elvis Presley for recording music giving their music a distinctive production style that soon became known as 'Nashville Sound'. Nowadays the studio has been turned into a museum where you can learn about the greats who once produced music there. Guided tours are available at the museum and there's often music-related exhibits on rotation throughout the year.

7. Fontanel Mansion

Another of the city's iconic stops for getting to know Nashville's fascinating music history, this large mansion covers over 27,000 square feet and was once the home of Barbara Mandrell, a famous country musician. The idyllic setting of mansion outside the city in the countryside with rolling hills and beautiful green forests makes the trip worth it alone. There's a range of things to do here such as zip-lines, an amphitheater and a winery to visit that can easily fill up a day's itinerary.

8. Nelson's Green Brier Distillery

For those that enjoy a drink, Nelson's Green Brier Distillery is a great place to get an insight into the Tennessee whiskey scene of Nashville. The distillery tour starts with the history and tourists are then taken through all the production and storage rooms to see how the distilling and aging process is conducted. Afterwards you'll get to visit the tasting room to sample the different kinds of whiskey that are made there.

9. Lane Motor Museum

Photo by Aaron Headly

Lane Motor Museum is one of the best places to see a vast collection of classic American cars and motorcycles. The vehicles displayed there are often highly unique with some even being rare models only found in Nashville. In total expect to find about 150 cars on display, although the complete collection is much more, as some are kept in storage and brought out on rotation.

10. Schermerhorn Symphony Center

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Home to the Grammy award-winning Nashville symphony Schermerhorn Symphony Center is the perfect place to catch a show for those with a love of classical music. The museum was named in honor of Kenneth Schermerhorn who served as Nashville’s symphony orchestra director from 1983 till 2005. Over 140 events are hosted at this venue annually from various different genres of music.

Conclusion

Aside from the great music scene. Nashville has some vibrant neighborhoods around its streets to take a stroll and admire as well as sampling various restaurants. The city has a charm and uniqueness to it that sets it apart from many other US cities making it well worth taking a trip there to see for yourself.

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