I’m going to start out this post in the worst way possible: I do not enjoy country music. There. I said it.
Aside from the occasional Zac Brown Band, country music is not my thing.
But the good thing is, there’s so much more to Nashville than country music (even though that’s a HUGE part). I’m a firm believer anyone could go and enjoy their trip.
So here’s my list of all my Nashville favorites.
Where We Stayed
Thompson Nashville
We booked our stay at Thompson Nashville in The Gulch area, and I LOVED the hotel. It was super modern and very clean.
You may recognize the name of the hotel for the famous rooftop bar, the L.A. Jackson, serving up drinks and Nashville city views. The hotel also has a cute coffee shop, Killebrew Coffee.
Where We Ate
Milk & Honey
Milk & Honey is located in The Gulch and was a huge hit among our group. The food and the atmosphere were both excellent. I highly recommend it.
Pinewood Social
Pinewood Social is the restaurant that everyone (and by everyone, I mean everyone on the Internet) said we had to go to. And I’m so glad we did! You can make a normal reservation or reserve a bowling lane. Pro tip: Order a latte from their espresso bar. You won’t regret it.
Barista Parlor
Barista Parlor was one of my favorite spots we visited during our trip. I’m a sucker for a good coffee shop and this one did not disappoint. We ordered breakfast sandwiches, coffees and (a VERY GOOD) turmeric latte. It’s a must when visiting Nashville.
Frothy Monkey
Frothy Monkey was one of the best places we ate. They have SO MANY OPTIONS. And I’m pretty sure you couldn’t go wrong. If you go, ask for Josh to be your server. He has a mullet and I’m pretty sure he’s the best (not because of his mullet – that’s just a perk).
White Limozeen
Did you know Dolly Parton owns a hotel in Nashville called The Graduate? Did you also know that she has a rooftop bar called White Limozeen? And spoiler alert: There’s a huge pink Dolly Parton head (not kidding) on the rooftop outside by the pool (where you can also make a poolside reservation in the summer).
Cafe Roze
Cafe Roze is located in the Greenwood neighborhood and is probably the cutest place we went for food. Asher and I both opted for the dinner bowl, and while it wasn’t the best thing I had on the trip, it sure was pretty. The waitress said their fries are the best in the city, so we ordered a side of those. Here’s all you need to know: go to Cafe Roze and order the fries.
Bartaco
If you frequent my site, you might remember me mentioning Bartaco before in previous posts. Tacos are my favorite, so it’s easily my favorite restaurant. I’m a huge fan of their nojito (a nonalcoholic mojito that is SO GOOD), the Asian slaw and the duck taco. We don’t have one locally, so I always make sure to visit when I can.
What We Did
Broadway
Would this be a Nashville blog post if I didn’t tell you about Broadway? We knew we had to at least walk through to get a glimpse of the oh-so-famous Tootsie’s. Apparently, lots of people have been discovered there. So we took a stroll by all the honky tonk bars and people-watched like pros.
The Parthenon
Did you know Nashville has a Parthenon that is an exact replica of the one in Greece? It’s located smack dab in the middle of Centennial Park and houses Nashville’s art museum. Weird, I know.
L+L Marketplace
L+L Marketplace is a very cool space full of shops and places to eat. The building houses restaurants like Five Daughters Bakery, Honest Coffee Roasters, Gracie’s Milkshake Bar and Taco Chela. My favorite shops to explore are Amelia’s Flowers and Living with Landyn.
12 South Murals
12 South is where you go to find most of the murals you see on Instagram. It’s also where you go to shop, including my favorites – White’s Mercantile and Madewell.
Draper James
I love Reese Witherspoon, so we had to visit her famous storefront, Draper James, in 12 South, easily my favorite area in Nashville.
White’s Mercantile
White’s Mercantile is my favorite store in all of Nashville (and in Franklin too for that matter). It’s the perfect place to buy a gift or find a souvenir for yourself. Asher and I bought plates, and I just LOVE them.
Bonus Trip: Franklin, Tennessee
Asher and I had one more full day in Nashville. We felt like we’d just about done everything, so we decided to make our way to the next town over – Franklin. Dare I say I LOVED Franklin a bit more than I did Nashville? The quaint little town won me over.
Downtown Franklin
Downtown Franklin is the cutest! We spent half the day walking through the shops on Main Street. My favorite stores in the town are White’s Mercantile, Rooted from Yarrow Acres and Hester & Cook Shop.
Honest Coffee Roasters & The Factory at Franklin
In our search for coffee in Franklin, we stumbled upon The Factory, a giant warehouse dedicated to tenants like Amelia’s Flowers, Five Daughters Bakery and Luna Record Shop. And of course, Honest Coffee Roasters. I opted for the almond-coconut milk latte and Asher got the Roosevelt latte. We both loved it!
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