surprise nashville trip

Unique Things To Do In Nashville: 50+ Ideas On & Off Broadway

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Disclaimer: This blog post is sponsored by Pack Up + Go . They worked with me to go on one of their Surprise Plane Trips in exchange for content and a feature on my blog. My mom and I were truly so surprised when we found out our destination was Nashville, and I couldn’t recommend this experience to my readers more. As always, all opinions written here are my own, so keep on reading to learn everything about this unique surprise travel agency.

Unique Things To Do In Nashville, Tennessee

1. drink on broadway.

This one doesn’t need much of an explanation. I’m kicking off this unique things to do in Nashville post with this one because whether you consider yourself to be a drinker or not, you will definitely find yourself on Broadway during your time in Nashville. This is where all the famous, multi-story bars and restaurants are located, like Jason Aldean’s and the FGL Bar. You’ll also find lots of fun Nashville shops here that are worth the browse – like boot stores and custom hat shops.

2. Take a chocolate making class at Goo Goo Chocolate Co.

I would’ve never thought to take a chocolate making class in Nashville, but this is definitely one of the best, unique things to do in Nashville! Nashville is actually quite famous for its Goo Goo Clusters – the first combined candy bar in the US. You hear that Reese’s and Snickers? Goo Goo did it first! Beginning in the early 1900s right here in Nashville, Goo Goo has been serving chocolates to all of Nashville and beyond. The original store, located right off Broadway, allows guests to customize their own cluster or even take a class! The class came with multiple tastings and was so fun and informative.

Address: 116 3rd Ave S, Nashville, TN 37201

3. Walk around Vanderbilt University

The first time I visited Nashville , I visited my cousin as Vanderbilt. Vanderbilt is one of the top-ranked schools in the US and happens to be right in the center of Nashville, not too far from the other major university – Belmont. Check them out!

4. Hangout in Centennial Park

Centennial Park is one of Nashville’s largest urban parks located about two miles west of downtown Nashville, near Vanderbilt. Within the 132 acres you’ll find the iconic Parthenon, a one-mile walking trail, Lake Watauga, the Centennial Art Center, an events center, dog park, and more. 

5. See the Parthenon replica

Located in the center of Centennial Park, you’ll find a full-scales replica of the original Parthenon in Athens that was built in 1897 as part of the Tennessee Centennial Exposition. There are exhibits inside, so check the event schedule before your visit to Nashville. You probably wouldn’t expect to see a site like this in Tennessee, but visiting the Parthenon is one of the most unique things to do in Nashville.

Pro-tip: Tickets  cost $10 for adults to enter and $8 for all children and seniors.

6. Shop in the Gulch neighborhood

The Gulch is an upscale neighborhood in Nashville known for its chic hotels, high-end fashion boutiques, and trendsetting restaurants. Here you’ll find the Frist Art Museum, various music venues, and some of Nashville’s most iconic murals.

  Pro-tip: Looking for the famous wings shot? Head to the “What Lifts You” wings mural by Kelsey Montague at 230 11 th Ave S.

7. Take photos at the murals in the 12South neighborhood

Speaking of murals, three of the other most famous ones are located within the 12South neighborhood. 12South Ave is covered in famous paintings, coffee shops, boutiques, and yummy restaurants. To find two of the most famous murals, you’ll want to walk down to Draper James, which just so happens to be Reese Witherspoon’s boutique. 

Blue & White Striped Wall: On the side of the building here is where you’ll find the famous blue and white striped wall.

“I Believe In Nashville” Mural: The opposite side of the alley is home to the legendary “I Believe In Nashville” mural, located at  2702 12th Ave S, Nashville, TN 37204 .

 “Nashville Looks Good On You” Mural: In the  parking lot behind the Moda Boutique at 2511 12th Ave S, Nashville, TN 37204.

8. Shop in Opryland / See the Opryland Convention Center

The Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center sits adjacent to the Grand Ole Opry and is a 9 acre property. There’s SoundWaves, the city’s premier aquatic attraction, indoor garden atriums, award-winning restaurants and bars, and over 750,000 square feet of meeting space.

Address: 2800 Opryland Dr, Nashville, TN 37214

9. Ride on a Pedal Tavern

This has to be one of my TOP recommendations for unique things to do in Nashville. BOOK A PEDAL TAVERN TOUR ! Even if you’re just with one other person, you can book two seats on a public ride. If you have a large group, you can rent out the whole thing! Each tour lasts 1.5 hours and brings you all around town. The highlight was definitely the cruise around Broadway, including a quick bar stop and photo-op. The taverns are BYOB, except for wine / champagne, and hard alcohol. 

10. Walk across the John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge

This bridge connects Broadway to the Nissan Stadium and is one of the longest pedestrian bridges in the world. It has super cool views from the center as one side shows the skyscrapers downtown and the other is the windy and lush Cumberland River.

11. Tour the Tennessee State Capitol

One of the oldest working capitols in the United States, the Tennessee State Capitol serves as home of the Tennessee General Assembly and houses the governor’s office. The building, one of 12 state capitols that does not have a dome, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970 and named a National Historic Landmark in 1971.  Visitors can take a self-guided tour of the Capitol Monday through Friday from 9-4 pm.

Address: 600 Dr. Martin L King, Jr. Blvd., at the top of Capitol Hill.

12. Photo Op in Printer’s Alley

In 1915, thirteen publishers and ten printers were located in the area serviced by the alley. Nashville’s two largest newspapers, The Tennessean and the Nashville Banner, had their offices here at one time. The street contained hotels, restaurants, and saloons, many of the latter becoming speakeasies when Prohibition went into effect in 1909. Nightclubs opened here in the 1940s. They alley is  between Third and Fourth Avenues, running from Union Street to Commerce Street.

13. See a Tennessee Titans Game

Nissan Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Nashville. It’s the home field of the Tennessee Titans and the Tigers of Tennessee State University. If you are a sports lover, catching a game is a fun, unique thing to do in Nashville.

Pro-tip: You can walk across the pedestrian bridge mentioned above to get there from Broadway!

Address: 1 Titans Way, Nashville, TN 37213

14. Hang out at Pinewood Social

This is a trendy hangout featuring New American cuisine, cocktails & bowling in an industrial-chic space.

Address: 33 Peabody St., Nashville, TN 37210

15. See a Predators game at Bridgestone Arena

Bridgestone Arena is a multi-purpose venue in downtown Nashville. Completed in 1996, it is the home of the Nashville Predators of the NHL. Lots of concerts and events are held here too!

Pro-tip: Be sure to check the concert calendar here too for events!

Address: 501 Broadway, Nashville, TN 37203

16. Ride the Nashville Party Wagon

The Nashville Tractor operates Nashville’s biggest Tractor Party Wagons. This company provides the only rolling entertainment where you get non-stop partying and dancing for 75 minutes. You can book a private one or ride the public party, which holds up to 35 people.

17. Shop for cowboy boots

While walking down Broadway, you’ll notice pretty much everyone rocking cowboy boots. If you failed to pick up a pair of your own before your trip, no worries – there’s boot stores on every corner here. I personally recommend French’s Boots . It’s on a side street off Broadway and has a bargain basement, so much cheaper than shopping on Broadway, where boots average $200-$300 a pair.

Address: 126 2nd Ave N, Nashville, TN 37201

18. Shop at the mall at Green Hills

Speaking of shopping, for Nashville’s best mall, you’ll want to drive over to Green Hills. This mall is home to over 120 stores, and has Tennessee’s only Nordstrom.

Address: 2126 Abbott Martin Rd, Nashville, TN 37215

19. Catch dinner and a show on the General Jackson Showboat

While “rollin’ down the river,” you’ll enjoy stunning views, a delicious meal freshly prepared by chefs and toe-tapping entertainment.  One of the largest showboats ever built, the grand General Jackson has been cruising the Cumberland since 1817.

Unique Things To Do In Nashville For Music Lovers

20. tour the ryman auditorium.

Originally opened as the Union Gospel Tabernacle in 1892, the Ryman Auditorium is well known for being the birthplace of Bluegrass and is music’s most iconic stage. It was the home of Grand Ole Opry from 1943 – 1974. This 2,362-seat live-performance venue is located on John Lewis Way, right off Broadway, and was listed on the Register of Historic Places in 1971. The Ryman is known for its pivotal role in the popularization of country music.

Address: 116 5th Ave N, Nashville, TN 37219

21. Take a backstage tour of the Grand Ole Opry

  The Grand Ole Opry is a live music venue, meaning there’s only two ways to see the inside – either by attending an event or by taking a backstage tour. I highly recommend the backstage tour! The tour gives you an inside look at everything from the dressing rooms to an exclusive photo-op at the circle on the stage. This tour is one of the most unique things to do in Nashville, especially if you love country music. I did it on my 11 day USA road trip a few summers ago and LOVED this experience!

Address: 2804 Opryland Dr, Nashville, TN 37214

22. Listen to live music on Broadway

  This one is fairly obvious for a weekend trip to Nashville, but it truly can’t be missed. Any restaurants or bars you go to on Broadway will have live music. There’s tons of restaurants with live music too.

23. Visit the Johnny Cash Museum

Whether you’re a huge fan of Johnny Cash or not, check out this red brick museum right off Broadway. This museum features the world’s largest, most comprehensive collection of Johnny Cash artifacts and memorabilia. I recommend buying tickets online and in advance for this.

  Address: 119 3rd Ave S, Nashville, TN 37201

24. Tour the Country Music Hall of Fame

  The Country Music Hall of Fame may not be the most unique thing to do in Nashville, but it has to be one of Nashville’s most iconic attractions. The hall of fame is one of the world’s largest museums and research centers. The museum has amassed one of the world’s most extensive musical collections. 

Pro-tip : If you try to walk into the Country Music Hall of Fame, you’ll see the ticket line wrapped around the building. Instead, buy tickets right on your phone online! You can hop right into the entry line and breeze through.

25. Walk around Music Row

  Home to record label offices, radio stations and recording studios, Music Row is at the heart of Nashville’s country music industry. The iconic Historic RCA Studio B, where legends like Elvis Presley and Dolly Parton recorded hits, is open for tours. 

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26. See a show at the Bluebird Cafe

The Bluebird Cafe is a pristine music venue that over the past 39 years, has gained worldwide recognition for where the “heroes behind the hits” share their stories and perform their original songs. Artists such as Garth Brooks, Faith Hill and Taylor Swift have had career defining moments at the club along with countless hit songwriters whose music is represented on a wide-range of charts. 

Address: 4104 Hillsboro Pike, Nashville, TN 37215

27. Catch a show at Musicians Corner

Since 2010, Musicians Corner has provided free public access to live music in the heart of Music City. Located in beautiful Centennial Park, the series generally takes place in May / June and September each year.  Over 1,500 artists have been showcased on the Musicians Corner stage, including legendary artists Emmylou Harris, Chris Stapleton, The Blind Boys of Alabama, Vince Gill, and Preservation Hall Jazz Band.  Musicians Corner is a program of Centennial Park Conservancy , a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that aims to preserve, enhance, and share the Parthenon and Centennial Park.

Address: 2500 West End Ave, Nashville, TN 37203

Unique Things To Do In Nashville For History Lovers

28. visit andrew jackson’s hermitage.

Nearly every facet of Jackson’s life revolved around his mansion at The Hermitage . It served as much as an office, gathering hall and place for entertaining as it did as his home. Purchase tickets ahead of time to view the grounds and explore Jackson’s 1,000+ acres of beautiful scenery and historic architecture.

Address: 4580 Rachel’s Lane, Nashville, TN 37076

29. Tour the Belmont Mansion

The Belmont Mansion , also known as Acklen Hall, and originally known as Belle Monte, Belle Mont or Belmont, is a historic mansion located in Nashville, Tennessee. Constructed between 1849 and 1860, Belmont Mansion was the home of Adelicia and Joseph Acklen, and was the largest home built in Tennessee prior to the Civil War.

Address: 1901 15th Ave S, Nashville, TN 37212

30. Explore the Tennessee State Museum

The Tennessee State Museum is a large museum in Nashville depicting the history of the U.S. state of Tennessee.  It’s open from Tuesday – Sunday and admission is FREE!

Address: 1000 Rosa L Parks Blvd, Nashville, TN 37208

31. Explore the Cheekwood Mansion and Botanic Gardens

If you’re looking to escape the hustle and bustle of the city, I highly recommend hoping in an Uber or car and driving 25 minutes outside of the city to the Cheekwood Estate . This estate was built and owned by the Cheek family in 1929. The top floor of the estate has been transformed into an art gallery which can be visited by tourists. Additionally, the grounds of the estate are equally as beautiful and totally worth the visit. Walk through the various flower gardens, past the pond, into the Japanese Zen garden, and enjoy the seasonal exhibitions – such as the pumpkin patch.

Address: 1200 Forest Park Dr., Nashville, TN

Unique Things To Do In Nashville: Where To Stay

32. nashville union station.

Established in 1900, this former train terminal was converted into a grand boutique hotel . The bar here, Ergo, is open daily and offers curated cocktails, local & domestic drafts, savory wines, and small plates.

Address: 1001 Broadway, Nashville, TN 37203

Unique Things To Do In Nashville: Where To Eat & Drink

 33. try frothy monkey coffee.

While strolling around the shops in 12South be sure to grab a latte from the Frothy Monkey . This chain is a café, speciality coffee roaster, and bakery. If you head to this neighborhood on a weekend, prepare to wait for a table for brunch.

Address: 2509 12th Ave S, Nashville, TN 37204

34. Eat donuts at Five Daughters Bakery

Five Daughters is a yummy bakery in the 12South neighborhood. They have different flavors of the week, homemade donuts made from scratch, and mini donuts. You can get them by the singles, half dozen, or dozen. There’s a cute deck here with a mural too.

Address: 1110 Caruthers Ave, Nashville, TN 37204

35. Try famous Nashville hot chicken at Hattie B’s

Hattie B’s Hot Chicken is a classic Nashville chain that shouldn’t be missed. Known for its wings and sandwiches ranging from no-heat southern to “shut the cluck up” (which comes with a burn notice), this popular spot usually has a line but is worth the wait. It’s quick service.

Address: 112 19th Ave S, Nashville, TN 37203

36. Drink at Arrington Vineyards Winery

Known for its affordable luxury wines and scenic views, this winery is a popular spot to visit from April to November and has become known as “Nashville’s Wine Country”. Tennessee is super famous for its wine, making this spot a unique thing to do in Nashville.

Address: 6211 Patton Rd, Arrington, TN 37014

37. Eat at Martin’s BBQ Joint

Looking for some of the best BBQ in Tennessee? Head to Martin’s BBQ joint! There’s a few locations, but I recommend the one by Vanderbilt. It’s a quick service restaurant, but so yummy. Try the pulled pork!

Address: 2400 Elliston Pl, Nashville, TN 37203

38. Drink at Yee-Haw Brewing Company

Beginning in Johnson City, TN, the Nashville location is such a fun spot to visit if you like beer! The Nashville taproom shares a space with Ole Smoky Moonshine and White Duck Taco Shop. This is the largest property and hosts big events out in the back beer garden, including local artists, touring bands, and epic watch parties.

Address: 423 6th Ave S, Nashville, TN 37203

39. Dolly Parton’s White Limozeen bar

T his is the all-pink cocktail bar that you’ve probably seen on TikTok. White Limozeen is the rooftop bar at the Graduate Hotel. If you’re looking to dine here you’ll need a reservation. I just recommend taking the elevator in the lobby up to the pink roof for fun drinks!

 Address: 101 20th Ave N, Nashville, TN 37203

40. Hampton Social day drinking

The Hampton Social is a fun American restaurant off Broadway in Nashville. This spot is super Instagrammable with their “Rose All Day” sign and day drinking / brunching atmosphere.

Address: 201 1st Ave S, Nashville, TN 37201

41. Go out at Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge

Tootsies is the most famous honky tonk on downtown Nashville’s Broadway. It has hosted and nurtured dozens of Country Music’s legends. The bar is bright purple, so you can’t miss it!

Address: 422 Broadway, Nashville, TN 37203

42. Brunch in the Gulch neighborhood

The Gulch is known for its trendy restaurants. For brunch I highly recommend trying Biscuit Love or Milk & Honey Cafe . These are two of the cutest restaurants in town, and is a top unique thing to do in Nashville if you like breakfast food.

43. Dinner at the Nashville City Winery

City Winery is Nashville’s only live music venue, fully-functioning urban winery , restaurant & private event space… all rolled into one! Eating here is one of the most unique things to do in Nashville if you’re a wine lover .

Address: 609 Lafayette St, Nashville, TN 37203

Unique Things To Do In Nashville For Couples

44. tour the bella mead plantation & gardens.

Greek Revival-style plantation house & grounds dating to the 1840s, with a winery & event spaces. There are tours here, so be sure to book tickets online and in advance to visit.

Address: 5025 Harding Pike, Nashville, TN 37205

45. Go Line Dancing at Wildhorse Saloon

The Wildhorse Saloon offers complimentary line dance lessons on the largest dance floor in Nashville every Wednesday – Saturday. No reservations are needed.

Address: 120 2nd Ave N, Nashville, TN 37201

46. Shop at the Nashville Farmers Market

Find fresh produce, artisanal food, restaurants, shops and crafts at the year-round Nashville Farmers’ Market. A stroll through here is the perfect weekend morning activity, and is a top, unique thing to do in Nashville for couples. It’s open daily from 8-6 pm.

Address: 900 Rosa L. Parks Blvd., Nashville, TN 37208

47. Relax at Woodhouse Spa

This award-winning day spa has over 80 locations, offering facials, massages, relaxing rituals, and body treatments.

Address: 2001 Division St., Nashville, TN 37203

48. Kayak on Cumberland River

Voted Nashville’s “Best View of the City”,  this music city kayak journey offers stunning city views as you paddle along the riverwalk. Your trip will end downtown, offering the Nashville skyline as a backdrop for your post-paddle photo!

Unique Things To Do In Nashville For Families

49. visit the nashville zoo.

The Nashville Zoo at Grassmere is a zoological garden and historic plantation farmhouse located 6 miles southeast of Downtown Nashville. The zoo is home to 6,230 individual animals, encompassing 339 species. This is Nashville’s number one family attraction and is a fun, unique thing to do in Nashville for families.

Address: 3777 Nolensville Pk, Nashville, TN 37211

50. Do a Hop-On Hop-Off bus

Easy way for families to explore the city. This double-decker bus has an experienced guide on board who can point out things you may otherwise miss, such as the recording studios and certain sections of town, and all at a great price. This is a unique thing to do in Nashville that is perfect for families and kids.

Introducing Today’s Sponsor,  Pack  Up + Go

Pack Up + Go plans trips around the United States. All you have to do is decide how you’re getting to your destination, your number of travelers, complete the Pre-Trip Survey , and tell them your budget. Pack Up + Go takes care of booking your travel + accommodations – all while keeping your destination a surprise.

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As mentioned above, my mom and I were able to enjoy a weekend in Nashville together all thanks to Pack Up + Go! Since we were celebrating my mom’s birthday, I told them she loves wine and chocolate. The travel planners at Pack Up + Go nailed our Plane Trip activities – including a dinner at a winery and a chocolate making class! Pack Up + Go provides curated recommendations for each Trip, based on the Pre-Trip Survey answers that travelers provide. Each Trip is truly curated to each traveler’s preferences.

I normally like to plan my own trips to ensure I cover all the things on my bucket list, but I would entrust Pack Up + Go to plan all my vacations for me after this experience. If you’re looking to surprise a loved one with a trip, like I did for my mom, consider checking them out. They even offer gift cards , so you can gift the surprise of a lifetime to a loved one.

And that makes 50! I hope this list of unique things to do in Nashville provides you with (more than) enough inspiration to plan your trip! Thank you again to Pack Up + Go for working with me.

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Your Friends Will Love These Nashville Weekend Trip Ideas

• Updated: 04/03/2024

Nashville, the capital city of Tennessee, is known for its rich history, vibrant culture, and legendary music scene. From honky-tonks on Broadway to delicious Southern cuisine, Nashville is a perfect destination for a weekend getaway and a winning pick for group friend trips .

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I visited Nashville with friends in mid-fall when the weather was still warm enough to walk without a jacket, the music spilled out onto the street, and the smells of southern food were everywhere.

Whether you and your friends are music lovers , foodies , outdoor enthusiasts , or looking for a sure-to-please next group destination—you will find it in Nashville. Use my recommendations  and tips to help you plan your best Nashville trip below.

Getting to & Around Nashville

Nashville is easily accessible by air, with Nashville International Airport served by 20+ airlines .   Fewer than 10 miles from Midtown, or about a 15 to 20-minute drive depending on traffic, the airport is close to town , helping you get started with your fun weekend faster.

If you are arriving by car, Nashville is at the intersection of several major highways, including I-65, I-24, and I-40, within a three to four drive from cosmopolitan areas such as Atlanta, Indianapolis, St. Louis, and Cincinnati.

Once in Nashville, getting around is easy , with several transportation options available. You can hail a ride-sharing service, take a taxi, rent a car, pick up a bike or scooter, or use the city’s public transportation system . 

If staying downtown, you will find many attractions within walking distance.  And although the neighborhoods in Nashville are spread out, requiring you to take transport to get there, you will find most individual neighborhoods walkable once you arrive.

Where to Stay in Nashville

There are plenty of great places to stay in Nashville, though if you are looking for a central location, Downtown or South of Broadway (SoBro) is ideal. 

You will be close to all the major attractions, including the honky-tonks on Broadway and the Country Music Hall of Fame. Midtown and The Gulch also offer a great alternative if you want to stay central and like access to trendy restaurants and boutiques. For a more relaxed vibe and neighborhood feel with lower-key restaurants, bars, coffee shops, and great shopping, consider staying in Germantown or renting around 12 South.  

These leafy neighborhoods offer charm and character, with great restaurants and shops to explore. Here is a short list of the highest-rated accommodation for groups in each area: 

Downtown: Courtyard By Marriott .

South of Broadway: Omni Nashville Hotel or Drury Plaza Hotel .

Midtown: Conrad Nashville or the Kimpton Aertson .

The Gulch: Thompson Nashville or W Nashville .

Germantown: The Germantown Inn .

12 South: This highly-rated VRBO rental sleeps up to 10.

Top Things to Do in Nashville: Music, Food, & Culture

Nashville offers such a rich collection of experiences that you will likely find plenty of reasons to extend your quick weekend trip into a longer visit. Find the top things to do on a Nashville group getaway below. 

• Explore the music scene .
• Savor the flavors.
• Soak in some history .
• Shop the stores .
• Take a day trip (and get outdoors).

Sign up for my monthly Discovery Newsletter & get a free Trip Budget Calculator !

Explore the Music Scene in Nashville

No trip to Nashville is complete without exploring the music scene. Start with wandering down Broadway like we did. You will hear the music spilling into the street through the open windows, doorways, and second-story balconies of the heavily trafficked honky-tonks. 

Step into any bar where you like the sound, order a cold beer or some hot chicken, and stay awhile to enjoy the live music of up-and-coming artists and established musicians alike.

Or you can be more deliberate and visit the nearby Country Music Hall of Fame , which features exhibits on country music history and culture. Or join a backstage tour of the historic Ryman Auditorium , which has hosted countless music legends.

Before your trip, check the show schedules of the Ryman Auditorium or the Grand Ole Opry websites and buy tickets. Find more nightlife and live music all over town—the Gulch and East Nashville offer excellent alternatives.  Or pair your dinner with a show at one of these venues shared on Eater —I am an absolute yes on okra fries and hot chicken with a side of live music.

Savor the Flavors of Nashville

Speaking of hot chicken, Nashville is known for this and more delicious Southern cuisine. When visiting, try this local specialty of crispy and spicy fried chicken served with pickles and bread. Other must-sample dishes include biscuits and gravy, BBQ, and fried catfish. 

Nashville offers many great options to sample these favorites, including Hattie B’s Hot Chicken , Loveless Cafe , and Red’s 615 Chicken .

For BBQ, our group loved dinner and easy ordering at low-key Peg Leg Porker .   Additionally, be sure to reserve a table for your group for brunch. Our group loved Pinewood Socia l —an oversize trendy locale with huge booths perfect for groups paired with a bowling joint. It had southern specialties, updated brunch favorites, and delicious drinks and was walkable from the Omni , the South of Broadway hotel where we were staying.

Other weekend brunch places ideal for groups include (some offer reservations, others do not):

• 12 South: Urban Grub or The Buttermilk Ranch
• The Gulch: Biscuit Love or The Mockingbird
• Germantown: Geist

Soak in Some History

Nashville is rich in history, from its Civil War past to its significant role in the Civil Rights Movement.  Visit The Hermitage , the home of President Andrew Jackson, or the Belle Meade Plantation , where you can learn about its history and the winery through one of several group tour options , which could include wine or food tastings.

Or join for a Civil Rights Tour to learn about Nashville’s significant sites and people who played a role in the movement.

Shop Local Boutiques & Markets

Nashville is home to great shopping. Our favorite area was the 12 South neighborhood, a bustling boutique hotspot full of crowds, cafes, and cute stores, like Draper James and White’s Mercantile . 

Find more eclectic shopping options at the daily Nashville Farmers Market just south of Germantown, or the Nashville Flea Market , typically open the third weekend of every month. Check the schedule here before you plan to visit. 

Take a Day Trip (& Get Outside)

If you have extra time during your stay, consider taking a day trip from Nashville to explore the surrounding areas.  The historic town of Franklin is just a 30-minute drive away, with its charming downtown area and Civil War history. 

For outdoor enthusiasts and hikers, the natural beauty surrounding Nashville offers a great draw. If you want to stay closer to town, go to Radnor Lake State Park , where you get there in a 20-minute drive, and then hike or paddle around the lake.

Although technically in-town versus out, 132-acre Centennial Park , a 10-minute drive from downtown, is another nearby great option, with walking trails, a pond, and a replica of the Parthenon.

For a scenic drive, head to the Natchez Trace Parkway , a 400+-mile scenic roadway that winds through stunning forests and rolling hills across three states. Or opt for more top-rated hikes with waterfalls at Burgess Falls State Park , about an hour and a quarter drive east of Nashville.

Looking for more fun things to do in Nashville ? Check out this list from Globetrove.com .

The Best Nashville Group Tours & Activities

I love booking tours or activities for group trips because the top-rated ones are nearly always a lot of fun to do. Plus, they usually help the group to experience a new place or a unique thing to do together, making for a more memorable trip. 

Here is my list of top tours and activities I recommend according to group type.

For the active groups:

I love bike tours. They are fun to do and offer a great first introduction to a new place. Try this Electric Fat Tire Bike Tour . Or opt to glide past the downtown skyline on this kayak tour , or get out of town on this all-day guided hiking trip to waterfalls .

For the art lovers:

Join this Mural and Mimosas Tour or this Mural PhotoWalk With a Professional Photographer .

For the epicures:

Consider this Taste of Nashville Food & Sightseeing Tour or this Underground Donut Tour . And for the drink aficionados try this local Brewery & Distillery Tour by golf cart. Or get out of town on this 7-hour experience of a Jack Daniels Distillery Tour to Lynchburg, TN. 

For the partiers:

Let loose on this   Pedal Pub Bike , Downtown Nashville Pub Crawl , Line Dancing Class , or this Pontoon Party Cruise (summer only).

For the fashionable:

Dress your best for this Sip and Shop Walking Tour or capture your most flattering pose on this Photoshoot and Insider Tour . 

Tips For Experiencing the Best of Nashville

To help you make the most of your Nashville getaway, watch this monthly Instagram Live “ Where to Go Next ” video series where two travel advisor friends, Juli Hall of Celebrate & Explore and Laura Cox of Travel80By80 , and I ask and answer questions anyone planning a friend getaway to Nashville, Tennessee, might have.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Juli | Travel Advisor (@celebrateandexplore)

To catch our “Where to go next” destinations , such as Iceland and Belize , f ollow us on Instagram ( @gatherandgotravel , @travel80by80 , and @celebrateandexplore ) or sign up for my monthly Gather and Go Travel Discovery Newsletter.

Additionally, check out this list of my top Nashville things-to-know-before-you-go tips below.

• Wear comfortable shoes. You will be doing a lot of walking, especially if you are exploring downtown or the honky-tonks on Broadway. My favorites are these sneakers from On .
• Bring a hat and sunscreen. Nashville can get hot and sunny, especially during the summer months. I always bring sunscreen from Aussie-based Blue Lizard.
• Plan for popular attractions. The Country Music Hall of Fame and Ryman Auditorium get busy—consider booking tickets in advance.
• Be prepared for crowds. Nashville is a popular destination, especially on weekends and during major events.
• Watch for accommodation price surges. Nashville is the home to several mid-size colleges, such as Vanderbilt, Belmont, and Tennessee State. Expect higher accommodation pricing during parents’ weekends, graduations, and other busy university times.

Related Reading

Looking for more group friend destination inspiration? Try these articles: 

• What to Do in Asheville, NC: A 4-Day Insider Friend Getaway Guide
• 35 Places You Will Love for Your Next Ladies’ Trip
• Need an Itinerary for a Spring Trip to Europe? Here Are 25 Amazing Ideas

Additional Trip Planning Resources

To further help you with travel planning, I share my go-to resources for every trip below. 

Google Flights. My first research stop for affordable flights for every trip. Learn why here . 

Google Hotels . Use its “ Where to stay ” button to discover the best neighborhoods to base your visit.

Booking.com. For hotel and rental bookings, I appreciate its flexible cancellation, candid user reviews, discounts, loyalty program, and easy-to-use interface.

Viator , Get Your Guide , & Airbnb Experiences . Quickly find and book highly-rated tours and activities on these sites.

Google Travel Things to Do & Google Maps . Find more things to do in your destination on Google Travel, then record where you want to visit on a custom Google Maps list. 

AllTrails . Love to hike? Me too. I religiously use AllTrails to discover hiking and biking trails and download its offline maps to manage my hikes.

Guide Along . 5-star self-guided audio tours that are GPS-compatible for US road trips and national parks. We loved the Glacier National Park tour .

Insure My Trip. I never travel internationally without trip insurance. Learn why here . My preferred place to shop and compare policies is InsureMyTrip.com . 

Plus, check out the 15 travel apps I use on trips, my preferred guidebooks , and my free customizable travel itinerary template , downloadable in four file formats.

About the author:  Janice Moskoff is a travel writer and blogger who loves hiking, exploring the world, and reading. She writes to inspire travel-loving families, adult friends, and couples on her blog,  Gather and Go Travel . Check out  her bio , learn how she became  a blogger , and discover how to  work with her . Sign up for her monthly  Discovery Newsletter  to get her latest travel recommendations and  how-to’s .

Love to travel? Sign up for m y monthly Gather & Go Travel Discovery Newsletter and get a free trip budget calculator .

Affiliate Disclosure: Some of the links on this page may be affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I earn a commission if you make a purchase. I only recommend products and companies I use. And the income goes to keeping the site community-supported and ads minimal.

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Welcome to Gather and Go Travel , a blog inspiring families, adult friends, and couples to explore US and international destinations and to get outdoors. I am Janice, an experienced traveler to over 50 countries and a travel writer, book lover, and blogger. Learn more about me , read our story , and how to work with me .

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A Nashville Weekend Guide: How to Celebrate a Big Birthday, Music City-Style

It’s not uncommon that I have visitors to Nashville; it’s one of those places you live where people just want to come visit you. So I was more than happy to plan a Nashville weekend for two of my best New York friends to celebrate a big birthday with food, cocktails, laughter, bear hugs and—what we do best—photo shoots.

This post was last updated in January 2023.

Planning a Nashville weekend is easy; the hard part is narrowing down what you’re going to do. Are you coming to Nashville for the restaurants ? The music scene? Nashville’s murals ? A little bit of everything? I always ask friends what their priorities are before I plan them their perfect Nashville weekend itinerary.

Where to Stay in Nashville

Nashville hotels aren’t cheap, so a lot of what neighborhood you choose to stay in while in Nashville is dependent on your budget; there are also thousands of vacation rentals in Nashville if you prefer to go the house route.

If you’re coming to do the tourist thing, you may be inclined to stay downtown. Personally, I prefer the neighborhoods with more personality: Five Points, Lockeland Springs, Germantown, Music Row, 12 South. Nashville’s hotel scene is absolutely exploding. As of the start of 2023, there were 269 hotels with 38,755 hotel rooms already available and another 2,208 rooms slated to open this year and next. These are a few of my favorite Nashville hotels for a special occasion:

• 1 Hotel Nashville
• Four Seasons Hotel Nashville
• Conrad Nashville
• Graduate Nashville
• Kimpton Aertson
• The Germantown Inn
• Thompson Hotel

Your Perfect Nashville Weekend Guide

Coming to Music City? Whether you’re staying three days or five, here’s your play-by-play guide to planning a Nashville weekend.

Day 1: East Nashville

You can’t come to Nashville without taking a taco crawl (seriously, it’s a thing), and Mas Tacos has the best tacos in Nashville. After eating an early dinner at this East Nashville staple, you can either head to Five Points to check out the local bar scene or venture into downtown for the Honky Tonks. As a local, I will not go to Lower Broad on a weekend, so a Thursday is my limit when visitors come to town.

Day 2: Hillsboro Village + Broadway

Up and at ’em and off to Fido Cafe for breakfast. This Hillsboro Village restaurant is one of my favorites as it offers a delicious all-day breakfast menu, but it’s so ridiculously crowded on weekends that I’ll only go during the week.

Since we were already in Hillsboro Village, we walked around a bit as I showed them some of my favorite walls and murals.

From there, we hopped in my car and drove to Downtown Nashville where I parked and we explored the area by foot.

On Josh and Trina’s last visit, we avoided Broadway for the most part. This time, it was a blissfully gorgeous fall day, and even though the street was already packed at just lunchtime on a Friday, we decided to take a mosey anyway.

Trina, who could make a garbage bag a style statement, picked herself up a new outfit with some boots to match. If you’re looking to buy cowboy boots in Nashville, there’s no shortage of options along Broadway and 2nd Avenue.

I, on the other hand, decided hats just aren’t my thing. (You’re welcome.)

By this point, we needed a drink, and to escape the masses on Broadway, we walked up Second Avenue and stopped in at one of the many bars that were open midday and had seating galore.

I hadn’t made dinner plans for the evening as I anticipated us being pretty wiped, and I was right: Instead, we arrived at Bastion the minute it opened, had a couple rounds and some nachos and called it a night. This is one of my favorite bars, but there’s also a restaurant component for which reservations are required. You can always go to the bar side and order nachos, though.

After heading back to the condo and crashing—midday drinking is tiring, y’all—we all woke up around 9:30, planned to get up and head out, then went to bed for good at midnight instead. I guess this is the difference in celebrating a birthday in your mid-20s vs. your mid-30s: You’d much rather spend your Friday night catching up on sleep than losing even more of it!

Day 3: Germantown + Nashville’s gay bars

On Saturday morning, we went down to Bicentennial Mall, one of my favorite green spaces in Nashville, for a yoga festival. There’s almost always something going on down here at the mall, but even if not, Nashville Farmer’s Market is open seven days a week and worth a visit.

From Germantown, we went to the Tennessee Titans’ Nissan Stadium for a back-eating event. The cool part about our NFL team’s stadium is that it is connected to downtown by a pedestrian bridge, meaning you can be out and about and then walk right over to the game or event without ever needing to get in a car.

That night, we all had dinner at the Farm House, my favorite of all the Nashville restaurants . Chefs Trey and Bobby spoiled us rotten with so many decadent fall dishes, and we wound up sticking around after to have a round or two of beers with them.

After that, we toyed with the idea of going home as we were all nodding off into our beers, but then we rallied and went to Church Street, home to Nashville’s small collection of gay bars and also home to Play, where the drag queens congregate.

We had a blast watching Deception and the other queens do their routines and could not wait to come the next day for drag brunch.

Day 4: drag brunch + Shops on Porter

Somehow I’ve never been to Nashville’s famed drag brunch, and Josh’s actual birthday seemed like the perfect time to go to Suzy Wong’s House of Yum. I was surprised to find that not only was this brunch a whole lot of fun, but the food was pretty tasty, too.

We ordered the fishbowl drink to share, and quickly polished it off.

And Josh even got a little serenade from Dolly herself (who had played Taylor Swift the night before at Play … Nashville’s a small town!).

I’d seen on social media that the Shops at Porter East were having their First Sunday market, so we swung by there to support my friends. The Shops at Porter East are one of my go-to stops for gifts: at Apple & Oak and all the surrounding small business.

After the market, SVV and Ella went home, and Josh, Trina and I went down to the Entrepreneur Center for another winter market, where we were sidetracked when we saw a s’more truck. Naturally, we had to get some.

We had a couple hours to kill, so popped over next door to Pinewood Social for cocktails in the meantime. Is there anything better than a lazy Sunday Funday with your best people? I can’t think of anything.

Our dinner ended pretty early, then it was back to the condo for an early bedtime.

Day 5: East Nashville + Cornelia Street Airpark

Last time Josh and Trina were here, I’d taken them all over East Nashville, so we skipped the Eastland Avenue corridor and the shops on Woodland and made our way to Cornelia Street Airpark. Every band needs an album cover, wouldn’t you say? I think this is our new one.

This former airport was acquired by the city five years ago and is now part of Shelby Park. It’s also a popular spot for runners, bikers and—if you are us—photo shooters.

We stopped by Barista Parlor, one of my favorite Nashville coffee shops despite its snobby hipster vibe, for a tea before we continued onto the Gulch for one last stop.

I’d been meaning to swing by the Gulch to check out Kelsey Montague’s WhatLiftsYou wings mural, and it was truly worth the wait. At 60 feet tall, it took Kelsey 60 paint pins to create! Cool, right?

Then, it was off to drop these two at the airport, and since it was the height of rush hour, we had a good 45 minutes ahead of us, in which we picked up Hattie B’s hot chicken for the drive and belted out 90’s tune. It seemed an appropriate goodbye.

Looking for other Nashville travel tips? Start here:

• Eat + Drink Nashville: The Best Restaurants & Bars
• Planning a Bachelorette Weekend in Nashville
• Bachelorette Reboot: Planning an Epic Weekend
• The Ultimate Nashville Vacation
• Nashville Neighborhoods: SoBro + Rutledge Hill
• Nashville Neighborhoods: The Best of the Gulch
• Our Nashville Urban Adventure

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Your Tennessee Bucket List: Must-Do Experiences in the Volunteer State

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Nashville Day Trip: Visit Centerville, the Home of Minnie Pearl

A Game Weekend in Knoxville, Tennessee

A stroll around historic jonesborough, tennessee.

I’m going to be in Nashville in January. I can’t wait to check out some of those places!

Let me know if you need additional tips for your visit! My email is CamelsAndChocolate AT gmail =)

Kristen, I continue to LOVE reading Camels & Chocolate!! So much info in this one for work connections, friends and relatives who come to Nashville and ask – Where should we eat? What should we do? Thank you for sharing!!

You’re too kind, Dianne! I plan to add more Nashville content this year because this city changes SO fast!!

I swear you could make a day of grueling chores look stylish and fun. This post makes me want to visit Nashville. So much color and life and nice views, too!

And this is why I love you! I need a cheerleader in my life. Thanks, Jenna =)

This looks like another amazing and well-planned weekend trip. Especially, the food pictures look delicious as always!

I really hope you make it to Nashville! I will create you a Dominique’s Most Excellent Music City Adventure itinerary 😉

I love those Instagram Street Art Installation Wings. Those are so cool! I’ve seen a little interactive street art with instagram hashtags, but nothing like that!

And she made it with paint pens, too! Mind-blowing.

Great photos! I grew up in Nashville and haven’t been back in probably 7 years. Looks like a LOT has changed and maybe I need to plan a trip back home sometime soon.

It has changed SO much! I came back in 2012 after a decade gone and it’s a whole different city.

I am as a person who lives outside USA, with this article I can find out many things about Nashville. Thanks for sharing

I hope you come visit us here someday, Ami!

You are truly the Queen of Nashville! I can’t wait to return and see what you plan for me next 😉

It’s happening SOON!

Faboulous! Great food (and drink) for thought for my next trip to the US which MUST include Nashville!

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About Magical Mystery Tours

As the original mystery travel provider, Magical Mystery Tours has been planning mystery vacations since 2009 and has been featured in numerous local and national media outlets, including O, the Oprah Magazine; The Wall Street Journal; The Washington Post; Vogue; The New York Times; Good Housekeeping; Travel + Leisure; and AFAR.

Magical Mystery Tours was officially born in 2009 when founders Denise Chaykun and Stephanie Whitesel booked a surprise vacation for a busy friend who needed a break, but didn’t have time to research and plan a trip.

The conditions: He would provide travel dates, a budget, some basic parameters, and his credit card information…and his destination would be a secret until he arrived at the airport.

The trip was a hit, and with that, Magical Mystery Tours was born as the first mystery travel company! Ever since then, our goal has been to provide customers with enjoyable, individually customized, and care-free vacation experiences.

Meet Your Travel Planner

KATIE TRUESDELL

Although Magical Mystery Tours has been in the business of surprise vacations for more than a decade, the story starts even earlier for Katie. In 1997, her dad planned a Christmas getaway for the family and kept the destination and all activities a surprise. Weeks in advance, mysterious red envelopes began arriving in the mail with clues about the destination, the weather, what should be on the packing list, and what activities were in store. And then, early in the morning on departure day, the family piled in the car and set off for an unknown locale, keeping an eye on road signs throughout the journey. By that evening, they had arrived…in Nashville! The trip was such a success that it became an annual tradition, leading to many of Katie’s favorite family memories. Now, Katie uses her background in mystery travel and her own travel experience to plan surprise getaways for customers and help them create unique and treasured vacation memories of their own.

Pop-ups & Speakeasies in Nashville

Explore seasonal pop-ups and local favorite hideouts throughout Nashville that boast secret passcodes and off-the-menu cocktails.

Pop-ups | Speakeasies

Step into a pop-up or hidden bar for your next Nashville adventure. Music City loves to celebrate each season with temporary pop-up bars that are decorated with unique themes and offer special menu items. For those looking for something a little cozier, there are plenty of speakeasies  throughout the city that are waiting to be explored. From speakeasies to intimate lounges, you'll find the perfect spot that fits your style that you didn't know existed.

Now-TBD This spring, Thistle & Rye has transformed into a Secret Garden! Inspired by the classic novel, experience a whimsical soiree full of color, petals, and a touch of magic as we kick off the season. Plus, you can challenge your friends to a game of croquet while sipping themed drinks at this pop-up event!

thistleandrye.com

dreamhotels.com

Beginning February 12 Prepare for a flashback to the funky and fabulous 19070s! The Fairlane Hotel lobby is transforming into a groovy haven of nostalgia, featuring five epic selfie booths that'll transport you straight to the disco era. Get ready to unleash your inner retro style and capture those unforgettable moments.

fairlanehotel.com

Now-May 21 Step into the Queen of Hearts subterranean land of enchantment. Creative concoctions and amusing bites bring all the magic of the underground. Who doesn’t love a little royal revelry?

noelle-nashville.com

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A Nashville speakeasy packed with ambiance, tucked into the heart of historic Printers Alley. Alley Taps offers a warm vibe with live music and a nostalgic alternative just two blocks away from Lower Broadway.

The minimalist speakeasy-style East Nashville iteration of this tipple lab prepares flat-rate, off-the-cuff creations chilled with block ice. No menu—drinks are personalized to your liking.

Bar Sovereign

At this intimate, late-night SoBro gastropub and craft cocktail bar, the small plates, cocktails, beer, and artwork are all in constant rotation. They also have a secret ramen bar located in the back.

Bastion is a casual watering hole for the creative community thriving at Houston Station in Wedgewood-Houston . Refurbished seating, kitschy photography, stringed lights, and an indoor pergola provide the backdrop for creative cocktails, draft and canned beer, and wine. It's a great lounging spot for people looking to unwind and hang out with friends.

Bobby Garage Bar

A gritty bar that intrigues outsiders with an entryway from Printers Alley. The bar in Bobby Hotel is adorned with neon art by LA street artist Risk, wall graffiti of guests and passersby, salvaged car parts, and a bar with fire doors fit for any gear aficionado.

Chopper Tiki Bar

A hush-hush tropical hideout that is full of futuristic robot technology located in East Nashville . From the booth upholstery and the stereo system to the woodwork and the menu’s layout, robots are a key element throughout. Cool down with frozen drinks and daiquiris in a one-of-a-kind tiki glass or order a glass of wine by color.

Dirty Little Secret

Hidden amongst the shadows of Printer’s Alley, dark and seductive energy fuels Dirty Little Secret, an intriguing experiential nightclub located inside the Dream Nashville Hotel. The ever-evolving entertainment collective takes center stage, complete with live performances, surprise acts, and a rotation of emerging musicians and turntablists.

Earnest Bar & Hideaway

A relaxed and rustic-chic tavern in Wedgewood-Houston serving comfort food classics and craft cocktails with names inspired by Ernest Hemingway. The interior has exposed pillars, warm lighting, period woodwork, limestone and brick walls, handcrafted wooden tables all of which create a cozy, comfortable yet upbeat aura.

Flamingo Cocktail Club

A laid-back bar in Wedgewood Houston with a sustainable focus offering seasonal cocktails, live music, and art exhibitions. Flamingo is located in a former church with exposed vaulted ceilings, aging walls, and rusted windows. Flamingos are sprinkled throughout the space for pops of color and character.

Fox Bar & Cocktail Club

Step into this cozy cocktail concept from Bryan Rushton and Andrew Cook in East Nashville . Enjoy imaginative, seasonal cocktails and modern shareable plates served in a stylish space. The bar is located around the back. If you see the large fox mural created by Brian Wooden, you know you’re on the right path.

Green Hour Cocktail & Absinthe Lounge

Take a step back into the Belle Époque era of Paris, France when poets, artists, and dreamers consumed this elusive libation in hopes of meeting “La Fee Verte” (the green fairy). Located in Germantown , the Green Hour Cocktail & Absinthe Lounge signature cocktails and traditional absinthe drips are only served when the green light in the window is lit, during The Green Hour.

Greenhouse Bar

A vibey neighborhood dive bar located inside an actual Greenhouse located in the heart of Green Hills . This unique hangout specializes in craft cocktails and local beers and provides sandwiches and sides, along with happy hour and TVs.

It’s called Hidden Bar for a reason. Beneath Noelle Hotel is the Hidden Bar, a fun and ever-changing speakeasy where you can find curious cocktails and surprising pairings. Take the elevator to the lower level to discover a hidden bar guaranteed to broaden your perspective.

Jane's Hideaway

Jane's is serving up re-invented Southern classics with local ingredients, paired with very listenable live music from the next generation of bluegrass and Americana virtuosos. Hideout tonight in East Nashville with a Tennessee spirit-based cocktail and you'll quickly become a friend of Jane's.

Minerva Avenue

Named after the owner’s childhood home, Minerva Avenue is a new bar experience accented by nostalgic reflections of home with an eclectic blend of art, food, and music. From the portraits on the walls and menu items names, Minerva Avenue highlights the impact of music and film from the 70s into the 21st Century.

Never Never

Never Never is your elegantly simple bar in Wedgewood-Houston where you, and your friends, can enjoy delicious cocktails, food, and live music. Whether you live in the neighborhood or you’re just visiting, Never Never is the perfect spot to sip a cold one on the patio or cozy up to the bar inside.

A subterranean bar located in what used to be the boiler room for White Way Cleaners, formerly one of the largest steam cleaning facilities in Nashville. The space features the original electrical boxes, coal hopper, and smokestack that were in use in the 1920s. The Soler sisters transformed the space into a bar/lounge, intertwining the original elements into their design. While Old Glory doesn’t have a sign, find the golden triangle off of Edgehill Avenue for entrance.

One More Cocktail Club

The perfect hidden destination to start or end your night. You're invited to Assembly Food Hall 's One More Cocktail Club to experience exclusive culinary cocktails and explore curated wine lists. Mixologists will entertain and guide you through an elevated menu, always ensuring you feel VIP.

The Patterson House

The Patterson House is an intimate, seated cocktail bar located in the Midtown neighborhood. With a nod to pre-Prohibition times when cocktails and conversation were a part of a stimulating evening, The Patterson House provides an intimate environment, artistic cocktails, and pleasant service to make your night memorable.

Pearl Diver

This casual exotic hideout in East Nashville is focused on tropical food and drinks in a converted mid-century auto garage. Watch surfer movies on the projector screen inside or step onto the outdoor patio with cabanas and a pool-like pit area.

pearldivernashville.com

Pullman Standard

Pullman Standard is a cocktail lounge in an iconic Nashville building located in The Gulch focused on top-shelf liquor and wine, inventive craft cocktails, and creative small plates. The concept is inspired by the renowned dining and “sleeper” train cars that originated in the 1860s and reached their heyday in the Roaring ’20s.

pullmanstandardbar.com

Pushing Daisies

A margarita bar has shaken up the cocktail scene in Music City. Located underneath the bustle of Nashville’s iconic Upper Broadway, Pushing Daisies is a place where friends come together with one thing in common: their love for tequila, that sweet liquor.

drinkdaisies.com

Red Phone Booth

Showcasing the 1920s speakeasy theme, this upscale cocktail lounge in Downtown Nashville is a warm environment serving Prohibition Era Cocktails as well as contemporary favorites. The food menu revolves around famous true Neapolitan style pizza and guests can enjoy a cigar in a state of the air filtered environment. While Red Phone Booth is open to anyone, guests will need to secure a secret phone number from a member, concierge, or friend and dial it into a restored London antique red phone booth to gain entry.

Rosemary & Beauty Queen

This measured cocktail bar in an old yellow historic home located in East Nashville is low-lit, moody, and lends itself well to the bar-goer who wants to be discreet. The drink menu is small but features a spin on all the classics you expect from a nice cocktail bar like old-fashioneds, Manhattans, G&Ts, and more.

Rudy's Jazz Room

Nashville's jazz club located in SoBro delivers world-class live music, New Orleans food, local brews, and prohibition-era cocktails every night in an intimate and casual setting. This historic space is furnished with Persian rugs, armchairs, and colorful Moroccan lights giving it the warm feel of a speakeasy. Rudy's signature menu items include authentic New Orleans andouille and shrimp gumbo, red beans and rice, po-boys, crawfish grilled cheese, creole seafood pies, beignets, and more. Each evening features top-notch live music with multiple varying styles of jazz groups.

Sid Gold's Request Room

Sid Gold's is a piano karaoke bar and lounge in East Nashville that is a vibrant place to grab drinks, listen to live music, and sing karaoke. Guests can expect classic cocktails such as French 75s and Moscow Mules.

Guests can revel in the sour liberties of Printer’s Alley at this music-centric, approachable speakeasy located in the Dream Nashville Hotel . In addition to a selection of monthly rotating craft and local beers, Snitch provides a creative platform for the musicians of Music City with weekly live programming.

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My mom loves classic country but isn't a honky tonk lady. I'm trying to come up with an amazing trip and am going for WOW!! Would you suggest staying at the Opryland Hotel???

I'm planning on attending a show at the Grand Ol Opry, shopping the Opry Mills , taking a showboat ride on the General Jackson and visiting the Country Music Hall of Fame ... Do you have any other suggestions that both she and my 5 yr old may enjoy???

Thanks for your help!

The Ernest Tubb record shop might be a place she would like. ET's tour-bus is on display in the store.

Every saturday night, following the Grand Ole Opry , the Midnight Jamboree broadcast live from the Texas Troubadour Theatre. http://etrecordshop.com/mj.htm

Get up early Sunday morning and bring your mother to the Nashville Cowboy Church (Texas Troubadour Theatre) for some great Country artists singing great Gospel songs combinded with the ministry of Joanne Cash Yates and her husband Harry Yates. You can also listen to the service at wsmonline.com

http://nashvillecowboychurch.org/design/pages/index.htm

I'm sure your daughter will love the Opry Mills . My four year old daughter loved it. The huge carosel in the middle of the food-court was great fun.

Hi onesassymom,

Orpossum2 is spot on about places for you all to visit. If your mother is a musician or wants to know about the great folks behind the scenes, be sure to check out the Musician's Hall of Fame downtown. http://www.musicianshalloffame.com

Be sure to check out the Opryland website often to check out their packages that would include many of the sites you want to see.

If she also likes great antebellum homes, let everyone know and we can direct you on that path.

Is the Musician's Hall of Fame different than the Country Music Hall of Fame?

Also, do you suggest Opryland at the WOW hotel to stay at???

correction ... Opryland AS the Wow! Hotel for us to stay at???

Good Downtown hotels which carry on the old higher end feel in the right area are The Hermitage , with a rather small but grand old lobby and a historic feel and Union Station Hotel, which as the name implies is the renovated former gothic styled Nashville train station. I've stayed at The Hermitage, but not Union Station so I can't vouch for it's sleeping rooms, only the terrific architecture & design. If you begin your days in the neighborhood which reflects the early days of the stars and near the Grand Ol Opry's birthplace I think she'll get more of what she's looking for. Just a thought.

I wouldn't rule out the Opryland Hotel...

It is a sight to see in itself, the conservatory is beautiful, lots of places to explore. It is HUGE, lots of walking. But it is convenient to the outlet mall and the Opry show (if it is not at the Ryman). I think the hotel is a WOW, but the rooms are pretty generic.

And the Country Music HOF and the Writers HOF are not the same. The CMHOF is very well-done, tracing the history of the genre, lots of memorabilia from the clasic artists.

http://www.musicianshalloffame.com/

http://www.countrymusichalloffame.org/

If Mom is able to walk a lot Opryland Hotel will be real nice, there is so much to see just right there in the hotel.

You are packing a lot in to one trip.

I would do a tour or 2 on the first day or two like Tommy's Tours. You will learn so much and then decide what you see that you want to go back to.

This topic has been closed to new posts due to inactivity.

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Nashville Hotels and Places to Stay

• What area of town should I stay in?
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Sherri Jackson 615-906-5207

Surprise trips anywhere in the United States designed especially for YOU!

Equal Opportunity travel planner. We will not discriminate against those who do not like surprises.

My Background

I am a former career banker, turned office manager/comptroller of a manufacturing company in Nashville, TN with a fierce love of travel. I love to travel anywhere, anytime for any reason. I enjoy the planning part almost as much as the actual travel part.  Every detail, every off the beaten path activity and every sight seeing thing! I have two young adult kids who are the loves of my life. I have enjoyed traveling with them and seeing them both find cities with which they feel an instant connection. Mine is New York City, and theirs are Chicago and Atlanta.  

How I Got Started

I remember going to Florida with my girlfriends in the 80s with $20 to my name!  Proof that I have always been ready to go anytime, anywhere.  Since then I have been fortunate enough to travel all over the US with both friends and family and sometimes I even have more than $20!  :) In 2010, one of my BFFs (Sharon) took me on a surprise trip to cheer me up. It was a blast! Since then, we take turns every other year planning a surprise for each other. My travel partners, besides my friends, are my 2 kids, my sister and lots of first cousins who also share my love for travel.  I am very thankful for it all.  

Top Destinations

I made a decision years ago to try and see as much of the US before venturing to other countries. So, for now, my travel passion is anywhere in the states with New York City being my favorite. I am quickly gaining a new love for the mountains, in particular, Utah and Colorado. I love that there's always something going on in bigger cities but also appreciate the need for some down time in slower, calmer places.

Everyone Likes Surprises No one Likes to Plan Them

Let me do ALL the scheduling 

and ALL the planning for you!  You simply fill out a questionnaire so I can get to know you better and leave the rest to me! 

The Suspense is Exhilarating

It's way more fun to pack for a surprise trip when you aren't exhausted from doing all the planning and prep work. All you have to do is show up with your luggage!  

Enjoy your Vacation

Whether a weekend getaway or a week long adventure, give me a budget and I'll make it happen! 

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(and those who don't)

I am excited to announce the merger of DreamWorld Travel and Destination Unknown!

Nicole Backlin at DreamWorld has been Dickson's go-to travel planner for 20 plus years

But now, she's ready to retire and has given me the opportunity to merge with

DreamWorld. It's the perfect addition to Destination Unknown. Now we can officially be

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How the Predators’ canceled trip to a U2 concert sparked their run to the NHL playoffs

When you’re the team operations director of a hockey team, you’re used to putting out fires.

Flight delays, middle-of-the-night phone calls from players and staff, practice-time changes. If there’s a problem, you find a way to fix it … and there’s always an unforeseen problem.

On Feb. 16, hours after the Nashville Predators were clobbered 9-2 at home by the Dallas Stars in a third straight “horrible” performance coming out of their bye/All-Star break, director of team operations Brandon Walker got word from general manager Barry Trotz that he should cancel those 40 tickets he had purchased for $13,000 in December so players and staff could attend the U2 concert at the Sphere in Las Vegas on Feb. 18.

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Well, that was not only easier said than done, but it was also impossible.

“I didn’t really care,” Trotz said.

The decision made by Trotz, the Preds’ “rookie” GM, and Andrew Brunette, the Preds’ first-year coach after guiding the Florida Panthers in 2022 to a Presidents’ Trophy and their first playoff series win in 26 years, created a wild domino effect for Walker. It meant the Predators’ fun three-day jaunt to Sin City between road games against the St. Louis Blues and Vegas Golden Knights would have to be reworked immediately. The Predators were leaving that day for St. Louis, but they would now return from St. Louis to Nashville for one day of practice before continuing their five-game trip.

The Preds had two planes in St. Louis because one was to bring corporate sponsors. The Preds ditched their normal first-class-outfitted plane and jumped on board the regularly configured commercial-style plane with sponsors back to Nashville. Walker booked a new Nashville-to-Las Vegas chartered flight for Feb. 19, then shortened the dates for 60 hotel rooms and rearranged buses and a bunch of meals.

And what about that block of U2 tickets he’d bought Dec. 7, three days after U2 extended its Sphere residency?

Walker couldn’t even flood secondary markets with the tickets because they were printed tickets that would be under his name at will call, and he wouldn’t be in town to pick them up. So Walker came up with a genius idea. He called his hotel’s VIP host, traded him the tickets and then transferred them to his name so the host could give them to some of his high-roller clients.

Walker isn’t sure yet what the team will receive in trade, and you guessed it: “I don’t care,” Trotz said.

Seeing U2 at the Sphere was on Trotz’s bucket list, too. Brunette is also a huge U2 fan. And the decision to cancel the Vegas vacation didn’t just affect the players; it stung the entire staff, which had been looking forward to the season respite for months.

“We were taking everybody,” Trotz said. “But there’s a certain standard and a certain way that you have to prepare, and our players’ focus after they got back from the All-Star break was awful.”

How Andrew Brunette got the Predators to buy in: The film, the lost U2 concert, the roller coaster

That decision turned out to be the defining, galvanizing moment of the Predators’ season.

The Predators went from 4 points out of a playoff spot to soaring on a 16-0-2, 18-game point streak, including five consecutive victories on that rearranged trip to St. Louis, Vegas, L.A., San Jose and Anaheim. They finished the season 20-5-3 from Feb. 17 on and have returned to the playoffs after missing the dance last season following an eight-year run, which included a trip to the 2017 Stanley Cup Final.

Sunday night, they’ll be in Vancouver to open a best-of-seven series against the Canucks .

“I’ve been on many teams, and trust me, this could have gone one way or the other after you make a harsh decision like this, but it speaks to the leadership group that we have,” said Brunette, who played more than 1,100 NHL games and scored the first goal in Predators history in 1998.

Brunette’s not just talking about captain Roman Josi and Stanley Cup winners like Ryan O’Reilly and Ryan McDonagh . He’s talking about guys like Filip Forsberg , first-year Pred but longtime NHLer Gustav Nyquist and Preds lifer Colton Sissons , who has played 618 games over 10 seasons for Nashville.

And Trotz, the original Predators coach who spent 15 years there, won a Stanley Cup with the Washington Capitals and is third in NHL history with 914 coaching victories, was more than willing to take the risk, too, because of the trust he has in his players.

“But we knew this could have backfired quickly, but we were willing to take the risk,” Brunette said. “I love to have fun as much as anybody, but hockey has to come first, and that’s been always my mantra. As a player or as a coach or anywhere else in the game, hockey has to come first. You have to work first, and you have fun after.

“And hockey didn’t feel like it was first during that week, and I think we just had to make a point.”

The Preds came back from a 10-day break, and like most teams in the league, they were sloppy in their first game back yet got away with a win over the Arizona Coyotes.

Then, the players had their Super Bowl party and followed that up by getting plowed twice at home.

“These were crucial points to grab, and we stunk the joint up in front of our fans,” Brunette said. “Just wasn’t acceptable. I wasn’t very happy with them on the Monday after the Super Bowl. I got caught getting pissed off at them on the ice, and they had a little bit of a bag skate. But the message, and the urgency, wasn’t received, I guess you could say.”

Trotz couldn’t believe what he was watching during that seven-goal loss to Dallas, and like Brunette, he couldn’t stop thinking about the fact he was about to bring this team to Vegas for three days.

“Our mindset wasn’t right, and I didn’t feel that you should reward that, and I couldn’t accept the way we were playing,” Trotz said. “So, … ‘We’re not going.’”

Trotz went down to the coach’s room after the Stars loss and had a two-minute conversation with Brunette.

“It was on my mind anyways,” Brunette said.

Then Trotz met with Josi, O’Reilly, McDonagh and a couple of the other leaders to inform them Vegas was off.

“I probably wasn’t the most popular guy, but when you talk to them now, they get it,” Trotz said. “They weren’t probably the happiest, but you know what? I wasn’t happy, either. This is a good life lesson for everyone. I know everybody looked at it as though I just punished them. I didn’t punish them. I just said, ‘This is the standard we have, this is not acceptable, and you have to start acting like professionals. Because the way you’re playing is not fair to each other, isn’t fair to the organization and, most of all, isn’t fair to your fans.’ I said, ‘You earn respect and you earn privilege, and right now you haven’t earned the right to have fun in Vegas, so we’re coming home from St. Louis.’

“It’s like being at home and telling your kids, ‘Clean up your room, clean up your room, clean up your room.’ If they don’t do it, what are you going to do, take them to a movie?

“But what I love is our men responded.”

They sure did. Not coincidentally, many of the Predators’ leaders took off right from that first victory in St. Louis.

During their 16-0-2 run, Forsberg, who had a career year with 48 goals and 94 points, scored 15 goals and 28 points; Josi had 24 points and was plus-22; and players such as Nyquist, who had a 75-point season, O’Reilly and McDonagh erupted.

Juuse Saros went 12-0-2 in that stretch with a 1.92 goals-against average and a .932 save percentage. During that 18-game point streak, the Predators scored the third-most goals in the NHL (74) and gave up the fewest (33).

Nashville’s top scorers during 18-game point streak

“They went from easing back in the season and watching it slip away to being all business and playing with the standard we expect as an organization,” Trotz said. “Our leaders, our team, they understood. They go, ‘You know what? Hey, you’re right. We’re better than this.’ And then they started to show it. It wasn’t calculated or anything. It was just a reaction to what I call a standard and foundation of this hockey team.

“Like Bruno, I know this could have gone the other way, but I didn’t care. If you do what’s right, you’re never wrong. And that was right. That was the right decision for us. No matter how that would’ve played out, it was the right decision because what you’re doing is setting the standard. And if that was acceptable, then the next group behind them goes, ‘Oh, that’s acceptable. I don’t have to be a pro.’ It’s like in practice, if you want them to go from goal line to goal line and touch the line and you got guys that turn five feet from the line, well, what do you do?”

You set the standard by blowing your whistle.

The Predators are a physical, fast, relentless team that should be able to compete with the Canucks, who have had a marvelous year. But if Forsberg can keep up his star-studded play, if Saros can continue to be lights out, if Josi can continue to play the best hockey Brunette has ever witnessed from a defenseman these past few months, the Predators’ brass believes they have a real chance to not only win the series but also make a run.

2024 NHL playoff preview: Canucks vs. Predators

The one area they probably aren’t as strong is overall depth.

“They’re four lines deep,” Brunette said. “But we’re going to need the Tommy Novaks, the Jason Zuckers, the Luke Evangelistas to score. We need the secondary scoring. We talk about that stretch of 18 games and how good our top players were, but without that secondary scoring, the fourth line scoring, we probably wouldn’t be where we are today.”

The Predators have had quite the season considering how honest Trotz was with the fan base that the expectation this season was a bit of a retool. Now the team is soaring into the playoffs as confident as any of the 15 others, and Trotz credits his leaders and Brunette, who he thinks “should be Coach of the Year.”

“You look at preseason rosters, you look at us, there’s not a person in hell that’s picking us to make the playoffs,” Trotz said. But we don’t play the game on paper. That’s the great thing about this game is that there’s a human factor and there’s a commitment factor and just the randomness of things that happen during the year that can define a team or take a team down.”

And what defined the Preds was standing up Bono and taking it personally rather than letting things go sideways.

(Photo of Gustav Nyquist and Filip Forsberg celebrating a goal: John Russell / NHLI via Getty Images)

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Michael Russo is a senior writer covering the Minnesota Wild and the National Hockey League for The Athletic. He has covered the NHL since 1995 (Florida Panthers) and the Wild since 2005, previously for the South Florida Sun-Sentinel and Minneapolis Star Tribune. Michael is a four-time Minnesota Sportswriter of the Year and in 2017 was named the inaugural Red Fisher Award winner as best beat writer in the NHL. Michael can be seen on Bally Sports North and the NHL Network; and heard on KFAN (100.3 FM) and podcasts "Worst Seats in the House" (talknorth.com), "The Athletic Hockey Show" on Wednesdays and "Straight From the Source" (The Athletic). Follow Michael on Twitter @ RussoHockey

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Season 7 E 11 • 04/18/2024

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A star-inspired Maine hotel, a look at Drift Nashville, and collapsible luggage

Travel news you can use..

STAR-INSPIRED HOTEL OPENS ON MAINE CAMPUS

The stars shine bright in Central Maine, so it’s no surprise that the Hotel Ursa was inspired by the Ursa Major and Minor constellations and the North Star that connects them. Located at the center of the campus of the University of Maine in Orono, the 95-key hotel was developed through a historic rehabilitation of two original buildings on campus, Coburn Hall and Holmes Hall. Designed in the Romanesque Revival style of the late 1870s, the transformed rooms and suites offer modern comforts along with vintage charm. A new third building, Polaris Hall, sports contemporary guestrooms. The MajorMinor is a cafe and bar (with locally roasted coffee, baked goods, Maine craft beer, snacks, and wine-by-the-glass) that serves both hotel guests and members of the university community. Guests can access the state-of-the-art New Balance Recreation Center, with a fully stocked gym and leisure pool with lap lanes, and explore the DeMeritt Forest Trail, 15-plus miles of trails for walkers, joggers, cyclists, equestrians, skiers, and snowshoe enthusiasts. Perfect for Parents’ Weekend visitors, however, you don’t need to be on campus-related business to stay there. Anyone exploring the area’s recreational offerings — skiing, hiking, canoeing — is welcome. April rates from $119; May from $169. 207-962-1313, hotelursa.com

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DRIFT DEBUTS IN NASHVILLE

If you’re planning a trip to Music City you may want to check out Drift Nashville, a newly opened hotel in the heart of East Bank, a developing district located just east of the Cumberland River, a mere 10-minute drive from Nashville International Airport. A beacon of minimalist modernity, Drift Nashville breathes new life into a former 1965-era inn, retaining the building’s architectural integrity while adding curated comforts in line with the brand’s signature Baja flair. The spacious 87 rooms and suites feature custom walnut beds and local artwork, with warm colors such as rust and forest green, complemented by earthen materials and textures of the Southwest and Mexico including leather, terrazzo, wood, and terracotta. The one-, two- and three-bedroom suites include kitchenettes, multiple bathrooms, desks, and dining and lounge areas. Drift bath products and bathrobes are handmade in Oaxaca, Mexico.

The seventh-floor Penthouse, an expansive 1,800-square-foot space, is considered the crown jewel of the hotel. Featuring sweeping views of the city and Nissan Stadium, the Penthouse includes a living room, large outdoor balcony, outdoor dining and lounge area, three king beds, and three bathrooms, including a primary bathroom with a free-standing tub and a powder room that features a golden toilet, paying homage to Elvis’s frequent stays in the building throughout the ‘60s. Hotel amenities include a resort-style outdoor pool with double teak loungers and luxe cabanas, an onsite gym with free weights, squat racks, and cardio machines, and three food and beverage concepts that serve sharable small bites, grab-and-go menu items, and cocktails. April/May rates from $183. 884-234-2973, www.drifthotels.co/nashville

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SLIM COLLAPSIBLE LUGGAGE

A reliable carry-on suitcase is a must-have item for those who like to pack tight and travel light. For this traveler, the three most important criteria for choosing a bag are its weight when empty (don’t want to carry unnecessary pounds), durability, and ease of maneuvering when traipsing long airport corridors between gates. Happy to report that two new carry-ons by Rollink, Flex Vega and Flex Aura, meet these specifications and add another: collapsibility. When not in use, this flexible luggage folds flat to around 2 inches thick, meaning it can easily be stored in your home, vacation rental, or hotel room. The hard shells are made of durable, impact-resistant polycarbonate that come in a variety of stylish colors. Choose from three sizes: the standard domestic flight carry-on, the international flight carry-on and — if you prefer a larger size — the medium checked bag. Additional features include coated wheels for smooth and silent gliding, a height-adjustable telescopic handle, and a three-year warranty. Flex Vega from $185; Flex Aura from $269. www.rollink.com

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What You Need to Know About Taking a Mystery Trip

Travelers typically don’t find out their destination until the last minute for a true surprise.

Sheryl Jean,

All Kaye and Jim Peloquin stipulated before their first “mystery” trip was that they wanted to go somewhere warm for four days and that they liked food and history. When they arrived at the airport, they opened an envelope to learn they were headed to New Orleans .

“The funny thing was that New Orleans was a place we had always talked about wanting to visit,” says Kaye, 59, who lives in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. “It was like Pack Up + Go was fulfilling a dream of ours.”

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The Peloquins paid that Pittsburgh-based company to plan their mystery trip, which included airfare, hotel, a food tour and tickets to the National WWII Museum . They enjoyed the hassle-free experience so much that they’ve taken two other trips around the country.

They’re not alone. A recent Booking.com survey found that 52 percent of global travelers want to book trips where the destination remains a mystery until arrival.

Mystery or “surprise” vacations where the destination is hidden until the last minute are gaining in popularity as travel continues to rebound to pre-pandemic levels and people seek more spontaneity and less stress in their vacation planning.

At least 15 web-based companies offer mystery travel packages either in the U.S. or internationally.

Vacationers 50-plus comprise a large share of mystery travelers, some companies say. Pack Up + Go notes 33 percent of participants are 50-plus, including empty nesters, people too busy to plan a trip and those celebrating a milestone.

Trusting someone else to plan a trip can be a little scary, but it also provides a sense of freedom and adventure.

“My husband and I were like, ‘What if this is horrible?’ ” Kaye Peloquin says. “But I was really busy in my career, and I just didn’t have the time to plan travel. It’s exhausting, and it takes a lot of research.”

How it works

Although there are small differences between companies, the general concept of mystery travel is similar. You choose how to travel (by plane, train or car) and provide a financial budget based on how many people will travel for how many days. Then you fill out a 10-15-minute survey about past trips (so you aren’t sent somewhere you’ve been), interests, preferences (Do you like the beach or the mountains?) and any dietary or mobility restrictions.

London-based Brown & Hudson uses a psychological-based survey to tailor surprise travel worldwide to each traveler’s personality. Pack Up + Go’s pre-trip survey includes a checklist of about 35 interests. Because of that, “no two trips are the same,” says Lillian Rafson, who founded Pack Up + Go in 2016.

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Travelers usually receive a weather forecast, a packing list and instructions on when to arrive at an airport or train station before departure. They learn their destination at the airport in an Instagram-worthy moment of ripping open an envelope to reveal the place. Most companies provide clues in a series of envelopes mixed with emails to heighten the anticipation. The exact timing of deliverables differs from company to company.

Whym Travel doesn’t reveal departure details until 24 hours beforehand and the destination two to three hours before departure. With Black Tomato, a New York-based luxury travel company that offers Get Lost mystery adventures, travelers don’t learn of their destination until they get there.

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Up to $200 onboard credit on select cruises

The cost varies — from $30 for a road trip itinerary to tens of thousands of dollars for a multi-week, survival-type adventure overseas. Most trips don’t include food unless they’re billed as all-inclusive.

Pack Up + Go’s average price for a plane trip for two people for four days and three nights is $2,700, Rafson says. That includes airfare, accommodations, a guaranteed activity, dinner reservations and recommendations. If any budget is left over, it goes toward other activities. Train or car trips start at about $1,000 for two nights. All travelers receive printed and digital itineraries.

Another mystery travel company, Guess Where Trips offers one-day digital road trip itineraries for $39, or $65 for a “pretty package” that arrives in the mail, founder Jessica Off says. Prices exclude overnight lodgings but include recommendations. In the mailing, travelers don’t learn their final destination until the last of five envelopes.

What are the options?

Some surprise travel companies focus on shorter domestic trips.

“One day appeals to people because many don’t want to pay for a multiday surprise trip because it’s a little risky,” says Off, whose 2019 Christmas gift to her parents inspired her to start Guess Where Trips a year later.

The Canada-based company offers road trips in that country and certain U.S. cities in about a dozen states plus Washington, D.C. California was added this year, and Michigan, Ohio, Washington and Texas are also on tap for 2024, Off says.

Guess Where Trips’ 50-60-page itineraries include maps, facts, at least one free stop such as a walk, and recommended pay stops such as museums. Off boasts that the company sends someone to test “every single road trip.”

One California Day provides day trip itineraries in that state mapped with four surprise stops. It’s the least expensive option at $30 for a downloadable PDF.

Because Guess Where Trips’ and One California Day’s “itineraries to go” don’t include bookings, travelers can use them whenever it suits them.

Mercedes “Mercy” Mesa, 49, and husband Eduardo, 50, have taken two Guess Where road trips with their 20-something daughters near their home in Miami. She liked the affordability, easy-to-follow directions and the lack of crowds wherever they went.

“The Everglades was fantastic,” Mesa says. “We went to a little store that had so much history, and we got to meet the owner. We also went to the smallest post office in the U.S. [in Ochopee, Florida]. I was born and raised here, and I didn’t even know those places existed.”

Ramping up options

For more adventure, some companies offer mystery mixed with physical challenges similar to The Amazing Race television show.

On Competitours’ worldwide trips, teams compete in daily surprise challenges to win prizes. Most 10-day trips cost about $4,000 per person.

Black Tomato’s Get Lost trips go even farther — into remote areas on every continent. Travelers choose a terrain (polar, jungle, desert, mountain or coastal), and the company might plan trekking in Borneo or navigating the desert in Jordan, including any necessary visas, says Rob Murray-John, head of special projects. The company provides survival-skills training pre-trip and upon arrival, where travelers are outfitted on site with everything needed, including a satellite phone for emergencies, he adds. Trips start around $15,000.

Because of Get Lost’s complexities, travelers should start the process at least six months ahead. With other companies, such as Guess Where Trips, the planning process can take as little as two weeks.

Some companies, including Guess Where Trips and Pack Up + Go, offer wheelchair-accessible options.

Peloquin already is thinking about her next surprise trip — maybe this fall or next year.

“We love to travel, but I can only handle planning one big thing a year,” she says of herself and her husband. “It’s nice to go to places in the U.S. where we haven’t been.”

Sheryl Jean is a contributing writer who covers aging, business, technology, travel, health and human-interest stories. A former reporter for several daily metropolitan newspapers, her work also has appeared in the  Chicago Tribune  and  The Dallas Morning News  and on the American Heart Association’s website.

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How Nashville Predators must exploit this advantage in NHL playoffs vs Vancouver Canucks

On Sunday, when the Nashville Predators take on the Vancouver Canucks in Game 1 of their best-of-7 first-round series, each side will be looking to exploit favorable matchups.

In the NHL playoffs, teams hunt tirelessly for that edge. A skilled forward group against a slow-footed defensive pair. A quick-skating defenseman who can outmaneuver a forecheck. Hockey is a game of small margins in the regular season — in the playoffs, those margins shrink dramatically, so finding advantageous matchups is key.

For the Predators, one matchup in particular gives them an important edge.

Predators' power play vs. Canucks' penalty kill

This may surprise some longtime Predators fans, but Nashville's power play is a strength heading into the playoffs.

Since Feb. 1, the Predators have the second-ranked power play unit in the league, scoring at a 27.2% rate and putting up 25 power-play goals in the team's final 31 games. Even after the franchise-record 18-game points streak ended, the power play was still putting up numbers, scoring 10 times in the team's final 10 games.

Looking at Vancouver's penalty kill in that same span, the advantage goes to Nashville.

Since Feb. 1, the Canucks' penalty kill has a 77.9% success rate, which ranks 16th in the league. Opponents have scored 23 power-play goals in their final 33 games — including nine goals allowed in the team's final 10 games.

Not an awful unit, but not a stifling one, either. It's a small margin, but an important one.

Nashville Predators' power play needs to create momentum

The Predators' top power-play unit consists of Filip Forsberg, Roman Josi, Ryan O'Reilly, Gustav Nyquist and Luke Evangelista.

Evangelista was a late-season addition, replacing Cody Glass. He has been a key part of that success, bringing a unique set of skills and playmaking vision. His ability to operate in tight spaces makes him a perfect complement to the rest of the group.

Because the group includes Forsberg, who just put up the highest-scoring season in Predators history , and Josi, who leads all NHL defensemen in goals , you like their chances of putting pucks in the net.

But one thing to remember about power plays: While scoring is always the goal, power plays carry other ramifications. If you create chances, tire out the penalty killers and make the goaltender work hard for saves, even if you don't score, you've done your job. Those minutes of hard work add up.

On the other hand, a huge kill at the right moment can give a team a significant boost. The Predators saw that happen in their comeback win against Vegas a few weeks back.

For the Predators to take full advantage of this matchup, they need to use their power play to build momentum in games. Again, scoring is the goal, but using the man advantage to boost your play at even strength is just as important.

If they are able to do that, this matchup should help them find enough of an edge to win the series.

PREDICTIONS: Nashville Predators vs. Vancouver Canucks: NHL playoffs series prediction, scouting report

Man shocked by $143,000 phone bill from overseas trip

(Gray News) - When it comes to your phone plan, it helps to read the fine print. A Florida man learned that the hard way after he incurred a fortune in roaming charges during a trip to Europe.

Rene Remund told WFTS he was charged $143,269 for using 9.5 gigabytes of roaming data during a three-week trip to Switzerland.

He said he’s been a T-Mobile customer for more than 30 years and said he had been assured beforehand at a T-Mobile store that he would be “covered” while overseas.

At first, Remund said his eyes deceived him, as he thought the bill was for $143.

He said he got in touch with a representative, who assured him the bill was correct. At that point, he turned to legal help.

T-Mobile ended up crediting him for the account.

The Federal Communications Commission encourages people to know the details of their cellular plan coverage before they go on international trips, including whether your mobile phone will work there, what the roaming rates are and how to track your usage.

T-Mobile similarly encouraged its customers to check the details of their plans before setting out, as some older plans don’t include international roaming.

“If you’re not on a Go5G, Magenta, ONE Plan, Essentials, or a Simple Choice plan and you’ll be traveling outside the U.S., you can add World Class International Roaming to each line,” T-Mobile said on its webpage devoted to explaining its international roaming services . Customers can do this by managing their plan .

Other options include blocking international data and having a prepaid plan while overseas.

Copyright 2024 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

Morgan Wallen makes first statement after tossing chair off roof

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Country musician Morgan Wallen makes first statement since arrest for tossing chair off roof

NASHVILLE, Tenn. ( WSMV /Gray News) - Country music artist Morgan Wallen broke his silence after his arrest earlier this month for throwing a chair off the roof of a bar in Nashville, Tennessee.

Wallen was arrested April 7 after he allegedly threw a chair from the rooftop bar of Chief’s at around 10:45 p.m.. The chair almost hit two Metropolitan Nashville Police Department officers standing below on Broadway.

“I didn’t feel right publicly checking in until I made amends with some folks. I’ve touched base with Nashville law enforcement, my family, and the good people at Chief’s. I’m not proud of my behavior, and I accept responsibility,” Wallen said in a statement posted on X, formerly Twitter.

Chief’s is owned by country music star Eric Church. The bar celebrated its grand opening the same weekend as Wallen’s arrest.

The 30-year-old musician was arrested on three counts of felony reckless endangerment and one count of disorderly conduct.

According to his arrest affidavit, witnesses watched Wallen pick up a chair, throw it over the roof and laugh about it.

The officers said the chair landed 3 feet from them, according to the affidavit.

“I have the utmost respect for the officers working every day to keep us all safe,” Wallen added .

Investigators spoke with bar staff and witnesses, and reviewed security footage, which all confirmed Wallen’s alleged actions.

Worrick Robinson, Wallen’s attorney, said after the incident that his client was “cooperating fully with authorities.”

Wallen is due in court on May 3, which is the second day of three scheduled performances at Nissan Stadium in Nashville.

Wallen said in the statement there would be no change in his tour.

Copyright 2024 WSMV via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

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