I couldn’t have asked for a better time for my first time in the Music City. On my recent trip to Nashville, I enjoyed late honky tonk nights, lots of drool-worthy food, and an endless ambience of country music.
I’d say that my S.O. and I planned just the bones of our trip before visiting. We knew where we were staying, how we were getting there, and we had tickets for the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Grand Ole Opry. Yet, we left quite a bit of room in our itinerary to explore.
We decided to stay right in the heart of Downtown Nashville at the Moxy for a few nights. This hotel was very different than your average stay. The lobby had live music, games, a swing, and lots of lounge space. On the first night, we checked in at the Moxy bar and got our hotel keys along with a couple of drink chips.
The rooms at the Moxy were very clean and modern with an industrial style. If you ever stay at a Moxy hotel, definitely click the “bedtime story” button on the phone in your room for a laugh.
It was around dinner time by the time we settled into our room and got ready, so I booked us a reservation at The Diner. This place was a quick walk away from our hotel. I’m still thinking about the shrimp and grits that I had; it was seriously the most delicious start to our trip.
After dinner, we walked over to some of the bars. Our first stop was Johnny Cash’s bar. Here we learned that you better pay attention when the band tells you to raise your glass. My S.O. and I may have been distracted in conversation and a bit surprised when the bar went silent (and everyone was looking at us). I’m thankful for the bartender that tapped me on the shoulder so we could all get on with a “hell yeah” cheers.
After Cash’s, we checked out Kid Rock’s Honky Tonk. This spot became one of our favorites. The music was great, and the atmosphere was very fun. According to some locals, it’s one of the louder bars. That night we also went to Ole Red; it was a good time with a more laid-back vibe.
We began day two with a tasty brunch at Another Broken Egg Cafe. Pro tip: make reservations ahead of time for this place, so you don’t have to wait as long as we did.
Once we were full of coffee and beignets, we headed to the Johnny Cash museum. It was conveniently across the street from our hotel. If you’re a fan of Johnny Cash or country music history, I’d say that this is a must-see spot.
Later that day, we grabbed a quick dinner and went over to the Grand Ole Opry. It was an incredible experience to see a show at the Opry, and it was an added bonus that we got to see Jon Pardi take the stage.
The next day we went on a tour of Studio B and explored the County Music Hall of Fame. Overall, it was a really cool experience. At Studio B we even got to sit at the piano that Elvis used to record his music.
At night, we hung out downtown again. As a Big & Rich fan, I had to visit John Rich’s Redneck Riviera.
We also grabbed drinks at Miranda Lambert’s bar and Nudie’s Honky Tonk. Casa Rosa had a great dance floor and all the pink decor you could dream of. When we went to Nudie’s, it was gorgeously decorated for the holiday season.
As we walked around downtown, I did some window shopping at Boot Country. But, all I got was a photo with their giant boot. Unfortunately, I was not going to fit new boots in my luggage.
The following day, we checked out of the Moxy and into the Graduate. We thought it would be a nice place to spend our last night in Nashville. Full transparency: the hotel was gorgeous, but the service was not. I wouldn’t book a stay there again, but I would probably stop by to snap some insta-worthy pictures.
Soon after we got into our room, we went to the rooftop bar, White Limozeen. I had a “Queen of the Rodeo” cocktail, which was absolutely delicious. Later, we grabbed dinner at an Italian restaurant across the street and then watched a movie in our room. It was a good and relaxing night before traveling home the next day.
When we got back to Green Bay, we had a lot of sleep to catch up on, but it was absolutely worth it. I’m looking forward to planning another adventure soon.
Have you ever been to Nashville? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments or on Instagram. Let’s chat!
Megan Roshak 