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.
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.
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.
For 124 years, the Ryman Auditorium has undoubtedly been one of the best venues to experience music in Nashville. Originally opened as the Union Gospel Tabernacle, the Ryman began leasing its facilities to non-religious events to pay off debts. Under the leadership of Lula C. Naff, the “first lady” of theater management, the Ryman booked world-renown entertainers, and became home of the Grand Ole Opry from 1943 to 1974.
From the Fisk Jubilee Singers to the Grand Ole Opry, Nashville has been a prominent source of creativity and growth in the American music industry since the late 1800s. Although country music was the foundation of that growth, locals will stress that there’s more to see and hear in the city than the Broadway strip, honky-tonks, and Johnny Cash Museum. So if you come to Nashville and want to live like the locals, keep reading.
