We wanted a quick getaway and since Nashville is only about a 4-hour drive, it was the perfect choice. Because of other commitments, we weren’t able to get up there until Saturday afternoon. It turned out to be a good thing as Vanderbilt’s Homecoming football game against University of Georgia was earlier that day so we didn’t have to fight traffic and crowds.
The Hermitage – Home of President Andrew Jackson
The Hermitage – the sprawling plantation of 7th U.S. President Andrew Jackson lies on the eastern outskirts of Nashville. The visitor center had a large exhibit called Andrew Jackson: Born for a Storm. In it we learned all about Jackson’s meager beginnings to becoming a large plantation owner, his political career and his role in the War of 1812 – especially in the Battle of New Orleans.
During the film presentation, several controversies were discussed. The first was Jackson’s decision to remove Native American Indians to Oklahoma and the other was his ownership of slaves. We also found out about his battle to close the National Bank and the Eaton Affair (also called the Petticoat Affair).
Outside we walked around the gardens with our audio listening guides en route to the mansion. With its large columns, it looks right out of “Gone with the Wind” and that day, we saw no fewer than three different wedding parties. The Hermitage was mostly rebuilt after a serious fire in 1834. One interesting fact is that the brick on front side is painted white to look like stone, but the back of the house is the original red brick. A costumed docent took us in groups of 12 -14 for a 30 minute tour of the interior of the mansion. Unfortunately, pictures weren’t allowed inside, but most of the items inside are original.
Afterwards, we saw the original farmhouse, which was the precursor to the large mansion. Built out of wood, it resembled a log cabin. Originally it was two stories, but after Rachel and Andrew moved to the mansion in 1821, they converted the farmhouse to a one-story cabin.
Vanderbilt University Campus
Originally founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church with a $1 million endowment from Cornelius Vanderbilt in 1873, Vanderbilt University enrolls over 10,000 students. Red-brick buildings with stone columns graced the Peabody Esplanade – an expanse of green lawn leading to the Wyatt Center. We walked into the Sarratt Student Center while I texted a friend whose daughter attends Vandy. We agreed to meet her at her sorority house on the other side of campus past a modern Barnes & Noble.
Dinner at Burger Up – 12th Avenue South
My friend’s daughter recommended that we try a dinner spot in the 12th Avenue South area. Not far, but still a drive from Vanderbilt, we found parking on a side street. After putting our name on a list at Burger Up, we walked around. Not yet dark, the place was bustling with activity. We had heard about Five Daughters Bakery and decided to buy their famous 100 Layer Doughnut to eat after dinner. These delicacies take several days to make and are obviously in high demand. Although the bakery stays open until 10 pm, they closed early on this night because they had sold out of all items earlier that evening.
The area also boasted shops like Reese Witherspoon’s Draper James and many of the Nashville murals. After dinner, we walked down to Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams for dessert.
Breakfast at Biscuit Love – Hillsboro
The next morning, we got up early and headed to the Hillsboro neighborhood. Located between Belmont University and Vanderbilt, the area is one of the best walkable neighborhoods in Nashville. College students and young couples brimmed the streets looking for brunch spots. Pancake Pantry is one of those places, as well as Biscuit Love.
We waited in a small line and ordered Bonuts – a cute name for fried biscuit dough. At Biscuit Love, they place five bonuts on top of blueberry jam and topped with lemon mascarpone cheese. It tasted as good as it sounds!
It’s a good thing we got there when we did. By the time we left, which was before 9:00 am, the line was out the door and down the street.
The Johnny Cash Museum – Downtown
Nashville is known as the home of Country Music. If you’re not a fan of country, you don’t have to spend all day at the Country Music Hall of Fame. Instead, several smaller museums reside downtown like the Patsy Cline Museum and The Johnny Cash Museum that will give you a flavor for Nashville’s music scene.
Since DH is a huge fan of “The Man in Black,” we decided on the Johnny Cash museum. We purchased our tickets when it first opened at 9 am and walked right in. Although it’s not very large in size, it displays a treasure trove of Johnny and June Carter Cash memorabilia.
With music coming from the speakers, visitors get a glimpse into Cash’s upbringing, family life and rise to stardom. Most people think of Cash as a country music legend, but his early songs were more rockabilly – blending gospel, folk and rock and roll. As one of the front-runners of the rockabilly movement in the 1950’s, he was first signed at Sun Records in Memphis.
Because of this connection, there’s an area in the museum devoted to other Sun Record protegés including Roy Orbison, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis – and of course, Elvis Presley.
Through memorabilia, we learned about what drove Cash to perform one of his signatures songs, “Folsom Prison Blues” inside the actual prison in 1968, his marriage to June Carter Cash and his struggle with alcohol and drugs. A favorite part for me was seeing the walls lined with album covers and records of Cash’s hit songs. Another case showed a couple of Cash’s 8-track tapes. I hadn’t seen those in years!
The exhibit ends with the video Cash made of the Nine Inch Nails song, “Hurt.” When we exited into the gift shop, a ling had formed for people trying to enter the museum. We definitely hit that at the right time.
Lunch at Puckett’s Grocery – Franklin, TN
In our effort to see every different part of Nashville and its environs, we drove south the to quaint town of Franklin for lunch.
After eating at Puckett’s Grocery – an ode to Southern comfort food, we walked around the historic downtown. Founded in 1799, the area was home to the devastating Battle of Franklin during the Civil War. It hosts many antebellum homes and Civil War museums.
McKay’s Used Books
This massive used book, video and music store is unbelievable. Before we set out on our trip, we knew the weather forecast would be rainy. It was the after effects of Hurricane Irma that battered Puerto Rico and Florida. I did and internet search on things to do in Nashville when it rains and this bookstore popped up. I love reading and had a shopping bag full of books to trade in. I took them with us since we were travelling by car.
Located on the west side of Nashville, we entered the warehouse-type building. Trading my books was organized and easy. After giving the cashier my books, I was given a number. I could look around until I heard my number light up on the screens. When it lit up, I went to the same cashier with my receipt. He totaled up my items and said I could use about $28 for in-store credit. As an alternative, I could take cash at a lower value, but I wanted to buy new things. There were three items they couldn’t use. The man asked if I wanted them back or if I wanted to donate them. I donated them and set out to use my store credit.
DH bought a DVD, while my kids and I bought books. They even had used calculators but they weren’t the kind our school requested. It was fun for all of us and I’m glad we spent the hour there.
Opryland Hotel
How to describe the Gaylord Opryland Hotel? I couldn’t and my children couldn’t understand what the big deal was all about – until they saw it.
“Why are we going to look at a hotel?” they asked us. “Don’t we have to stay there?”
I can’t properly describe it. You just have to experience it. Fortunately, the Gaylord Opryland encourages people to enjoy the hotel grounds. For a small parking fee, you can come in and walk through the enclosed 9 acres of gardens and waterfalls, watch fountain shows and dine at the many restaurants.
The resort hotel is huge at over 2,800 hotel rooms. I had stayed there back in 1993, which was before a massive expansion that doubled the size of the property. I didn’t think it could get better than it had been. But with the addition of the Delta section, resembling the Old South and New Orleans, I was amazed.
About this time it was late afternoon and we needed to make the drive back to Atlanta. We had packed a lot into 24 hours but it was well worth it. And, we left a lot to do on a return visit sometime in the future!