If I’m being totally honest, I headed to Nashville with fairly low expectations that I would like it very much. While I don’t dislike country music, it’s not at the top of my listening charts, and I thought a visit to Music City would be, well, all about the music. But I found a sophisticated food scene, some of the kindest strangers I’ve ever met, and a whole lot of fun. I was pleasantly surprised by Nashville, and I think I’d go back soon! Also, I’m currently listening to this playlist, so maybe this will give me a newfound appreciation for country music?

Where We Stayed in Nashville

We stayed at the Soho House Nashville, located in an area called Wedgewood-Houston. It’s a really industrial area that is currently under development for more housing and entertainment, but it has a few places in and around the neighborhood that you can check out. The hotel is an old factory and they kept that really industrial feel to it. Our room was on a corner and had these big huge windows. The bathroom is one of the most beautiful bathrooms I’ve ever had in a hotel, and the room itself was well laid out and spacious. Their bath products were so good (I’m considering ordering some of them), and they had most of the items you would need (hair dryer and hair iron (both Dyson), razor, face wash and serum, toothpaste and mouthwash).

Where We Ate in Nashville

• Bastion – This was located down the street from our hotel. Bastion is a cocktail bar on one side, with some serious cocktail options. There is also a small restaurant (reservation only). We grabbed drinks at the bar and it was a very cool space. Laid back and fun, and not crowded.
• Rolf & Daughters  – I had seen this on a few lists, and hadn’t been able to get a reservation. We were a party of three and we showed up and were able to get a table after about a 30 minute wait or so. The food was incredible – the pasta dishes were so so good.
• Milk & Honey  – I actually stopped in here alone on Friday afternoon while Eddie was at a meeting. I ordered a burrata & fig toast; it was delicious (definitely a shareable plate, but I was alone). Eddie and I stopped here on Saturday during the day to grab some coffee to go and we went ahead and got some biscuits (with honey butter), which were so yummy. If you don’t want to wait for a table, you can order items to go at the counter.
• Henrietta Red – This might be my favorite restaurant we went to! Located in the Germantown neighborhood, this place is really unassuming. I would have walked past the outside and thought nothing of it if I hadn’t been looking for it. Inside it was clean and bright, and had a very sophisticated but laid back vibe. The food was also 10/10. They have a great oyster selection (we had some wood fired ones that were delicious). We also had a cinnamon roll, the best quiche I have ever had in my life, and a mushroom polenta that was way better than I thought it would be.
• Husk – One of the best dinners I’ve had in a long time. The ambiance of Husk is 10/10, especially for a date night. It’s a really intimate spot and I’m glad we were able to get a reservation here. Everything we ordered was spectacular. We tried a couple of things that we normally wouldn’t get – the kohlrabi, and the country ham were amazing. We also had the heritage chicken and the shrimp and grits, both outstanding. We weren’t going to order biscuits, but our waitress said, “Come on, you’re in the South, you gotta get biscuits!” So we gave in and I’m glad she pushed us to because they were delicious!
• The Twelve Thirty Club – This is Justin Timberlake’s bar/restaurant. It’s large and upscale. We grabbed a seat at the bar and listened to some music while we had a drink.

What to Do in Nashville

• Grand Ole Opry  – One of my favorite things we did was the backstage tour at the Grand Ole Opry. I honestly had no idea what this was all about (again, not a country music diehard), but it was really impressive and the tour was very cool. It is a little further away from downtown Nashville (15 minute drive or so), so make sure you factor that into your plans.
• Walk around The Gulch – This is a shopping area and there are a few restaurants and hotels. It’s not a huge area, a couple blocks – it is walkable to Broadway and some of the bigger attractions. If you’ve ever seen a photo with the big angel wings, this is where it was taken (no I did not take this photo, because I didn’t want to stand in line).
• Rustler Hat Co. – This is located in The Gulch. This is the place to purchase beautiful hats, get them personalized, texturized, and add accessories to them. They are pricey, so keep that in mind.
• Graduate Nashville, White Limozeen – The Graduate is a kitschy hotel; we almost stayed here. The hotel itself seemed like one of the more family friendly options in Nashville. We stopped by it because I really wanted to see White Limozeen, a Dolly Parton themed bar and restaurant. By the time we arrived, it was pretty quiet and the outside wasn’t busy at all. I did get my Dolly pic, though. The decor is fun, but it wasn’t lively enough to warrant a visit for me (plus it is a little out of the way).
• Broadway – You can walk up and down Broadway and see something new every time. This is where all the Honky-Tonks are located. You can go into any one of them and hear some great live music, watch people dance, and grab a drink.
• Country Music Hall of Fame – We only walked into the lobby and the shops here, but the building was very cool. I wish we had time to see it all!
• Walk! We do this in every city we visit, and it’s always one of my favorite ways to see cities.

Have you been to Nashville? What would you add? Leave your suggestions in the comments below.

xoxo