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Had the pleasure of going to Nashville, Tennessee for the Beyonce & Jay Z “On the Run II” tour. Yes, we went all the way to Nashville for the show. Why? Because why not turn a concert into a mini-vacation experience! I went with one of my closest friends, Tiara. We had lots of great food, and definitely had a great time! Check out my vlog, as well as few of my recommendations below:
Lodging
Sheraton Music City Hotel
We stayed at the Sheraton Music City Hotel in Nashville. It was in close proximity to BNA Airport, and even offered a free shuttle to and from the airport. They also offered a shuttle to downtown for a few bucks (our Uber/Lyft rides were very reasonably priced as well). Amenities included indoor and outdoor pools and hot tubs and multiple restaurants. Our room was very cozy and also featured a balcony overlooking the pool. Thanks to friendly staff and a great room, I would definitely recommend this hotel when you book your trip to Nashville.
Food
The Pharmacy Burger Parlor & Beer Garden
This was our first Nashville eating experience, and no words to describe it but AMAZING! This quaint little restaurant in East Nashville is home to amazing burgers, bratwursts, and homemade soda. I had their version of the "Cheese Burger" which featured three different cheeses, and a delicious garlic aioli sauce. As a side, I had their fries which were to die for! I stepped outside of my box and tried the Vanilla flavor of their homemade soda, called "Phosphates". Their outdoor beer garden was the setting for our dinner, and was very nice and well kept (rare to eat outdoors, with not bugs in sight).
Sun Diner
We had a great breakfast experience at the Sun Diner. This 24 hour eatery downtown shocked me with their menu selections. I had the "Lets Do The Twist Creme Brulee French Toast", it was comprised of HOMEMADE Cinnamon Rolls, battered with Rum Chata (yum!), and topped with fresh berries, pecans, and whipped cream. This was hands down the best french toast I have ever had! Tiara had the "Donut Breakfast Sandwich", which was homemade sausage, an egg, and cheese stuffed between two donuts. The food was delicious and the prices were even better.
Burger Republic
Aside from the name, we actually went to Burger Republic pre-concert for spiked milkshakes! This spot, located in the trendy new area of Nashville "The Gulch" had tasty adult milkshakes. I had the apple pie flavored one which had apple pie flavored moonshine. Tiara had the S'mores milkshake which was even topped with graham crackers, chocolate, and a marshmallow.
Legendairy Milkshake Bar
Yes, more milkshakes lol! But this time, a fun shake perfect for the entire family. Lengendiary Milkshake Bar features milkshakes topped with all sorts of fun treats including, cheesecake, cupcakes , and more. They have an extensive menu of handcrafted shakes (you can also create a custom one) and hand scooped Blue Bell Ice Cream in many flavors. I chose the "Strawberry Cheesecake" shake, sans the chocolate fudge drizzle. It wasn't only topped with an entire slice of cheesecake, but it also had an entire slice inside of the shake. A signature shake will run you about $13, but it's definitely worth it being that it's a full meal on it's own.
Hattie B's Hot Chicken
Nashville is famous for "Hot Chicken", legend says it was created on accident when Thornton Prince III was caught cheating and served extremely hot chicken in a revenge ploy by his girlfriend. Whatever the origin, Hattie B's is one of the most popular spots to try the dish in Nashville. They offer their chicken in five different heat variations for your particular palate. Due to it's popularity, you can almost guarantee that the line will be wrapped around the building to try this local favorite. We attempted to go to the Midtown location with no success, but our second attempt led us to the Melrose location (which is significantly larger) which proved to be successful. I tried the Two Wing Meal in the Mild heat index, along with their Pimento Mac & Cheese, and Collard Greens. The food was delicious, and worth the hype of standing in line.
Fun
Fun in endless in Nashville, the new "Bachelorette Party Capital of the World". There are plenty of tours you can go on, from walking tours, to bus tours, to segway tours. We decided to go on the Gray Line Tours bus tour of Nashville, which was an hour long loop around the city on a double decker bus, for less than $20! We saw downtown up close, the many neighborhoods of Nashville, and received a great history lesson from our tour guide Starlene.
Broadway is filled with tons of restaurants and bars, most featuring roof top access for the perfect view of the city. We made our stop at "Margaritaville" to enjoy the live music and a few drinks before departing for home.
We came across the "Nashville Urban Winery" just a short drive across the bridge from downtown. This was a nice wine lounge featuring tapas and a Frozen Rose' and Sangria Drink that is WELL worth the money. Another urban spot to stop at is the "WKND" Lounge, it featured a great DJ playing the latest in Hip Hop and R&B, and food and drink specials.
Nashville features infinite options in fun, including the Nashville Zoo, and a concert every single night. We had an amazing experience, and I'll definitely be adding it to my list of places to visit again.
