Category: Nashville

Local activities in Nashville

Take a Day Trip: Jack Daniel’s Distillery

Few brands of liquor have earned such fame as Jack Daniel’s whiskey. Maybe it’s due to incredible marketing efforts. Maybe it’s because the name alone conjures images of old-timey men in the South sitting in cozy chairs and drinking their nightly glass. Whatever the case, people flock from near and far to the tiny town of Lynchburg, Tennessee, to tour the distillery and explore the surrounding area, all the while getting to peek at the life of the brand’s protagonist.

Tennessee Performing Arts Center

One of my favorite parts of living in Music City is its proximity to exceptional performance spaces and as a result, access to incredible performers. For most people familiar with Nashville, this typically means events at Ryman Auditorium or Bridgestone Arena, not to mention the many music venues throughout the city. However, I feel equally lucky that Nashville is home to the Tennessee Performing Arts Center (TPAC) and the theatrical performances it hosts.

The Nashville Farmers’ Market

The Nashville Farmers’ Market is a melting pot of shops, restaurants, and merchants that offer local and international food and crafts. Open every day of the year, NFM is perfect for taking a quick lunch break or spending the afternoon touring the historic area. One of the many Rent-A-Bike stations throughout the city is outside the market, and a great option for those that want to expand their exploration of Nashville.

Nashville’s Warm Weather Treats

As Nashville finally welcomes the spring weather, we now have an excuse to venture outside for picnics at the park and weekend strolls down 12South. And as the temperatures skyrocket, I’ve already started to crave cool treats to replace my winter staples of steaming lattes and hot slices of pie.

It just so happens that Nashville is home to a number of excellent dessert shops, any of which will exceed your expectations for warm weather goodies. Take a look at the list below, and if you don’t see your favorite, share your recommendation in the comments section below!

Jackalope Brewing Company

There’s no stopping the craft beer craze that has sprung up these past couple of years, but then, why would you want to? Nashville has over fifteen small breweries that provide the area with a broad selection of beer options. Yazoo, Black Abbey, and Jackalope are just a few of the widely known breweries that can be spotted at one of the twelve beer festivals scheduled for 2016. In Nashville, we listen to more than country music, and we drink more than Bud Light.

Bartaco 12 South

Come for the food, stay for the atmosphere. At least, that’s what I’m telling myself after finally venturing to 12 South’s hotspot, bartaco. Only open since October, the restaurant has already made a name for itself with its fresh drinks and tasty food. Though it has multiple locations across the South and Northeast, our very own Nashville location somehow feels one of a kind.

Now that we have finally welcomed the warmer weather, the restaurant has opened its massive garage-style doors in celebration. You can take advantage of the lounge seating under the warm spring sun or simply enjoy the occasional breeze from the indoor tables.

Nashville’s Hot Chicken

Hot chicken is a must-try Nashville specialty. Today, there are over two dozen restaurants in the city that serve the dish, and chefs throughout Atlanta, New York, Chicago, and Australia have created their own “Nashville-style” chicken. KFC has even jumped on the hot chicken train. This January, the fast food chain began selling “Nashville Hot Chicken” and “Nashville Hot Tenders” in its U.S. locations. Although many natives refuse the quick substitute, it is said by the company to be highly successful. While restaurants have their own spin on the local favorite, hot chicken is essentially fried chicken with a cayenne pepper paste served with pickle chips on top and white bread on the bottom.

Cauliflower: Nashville’s Favorite Veggie

Until I moved to Nashville, I didn’t consider myself a big cauliflower fan. To me, it was broccoli’s less flavorful, less palatable cousin and nothing more. It turns out that in the past few years, Nashville restaurants have become a bit obsessed with their cauliflower appetizers and side dishes, and thanks to their creative takes on the veggie, I’ve finally come to understand what the hype is all about.

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