| | Overview (Source: Frommers) |
Nashville may be the capital of Tennessee, but it's better known as Music City, the country music mecca. Yet it is so much more. Combining small-town warmth with an unexpected urban sophistication, Nashville is an increasingly popular tourist destination that boasts world-class museums and major-league sports teams; an eclectic dining and after-hours scene; and an eye-catching skyline ringed by a beautiful countryside of rolling hills, rivers and lakes, and wide-open green spaces. Ultimately, though, Nashville is the heart and soul of country music, that uniquely American blend of humble gospel, blues, and mountain music that has evolved into a $2-billion-a-year industry. At its epicenter, Nashville is still the city where unknown musicians can become overnight sensations, where the major record deals are cut and music-publishing fortunes are made, and where the Grand Ole Opry still takes center stage. Symbolic of Nashville's vitality is downtown, an exciting place that is finally breathing new life. Once-tired and abandoned warehouses now bustle in the entertainment area known as The District. This historic neighborhood teems with tourist-oriented nightclubs and restaurants, including B.B. King Blues Club & Grill, the ubiquitous Hard Rock Cafe that's become a staple of most large cities, and the one-and-only Wildhorse Saloon (the most famous boot-scootin' dance hall in the land). Luckily, The District isn't yet all glitz and tour-bus nightclubs. Along lower Broad
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| History (Source: WCities) | Top | According to archaeologists, the first residents of what is now known as Nashville were the Mississippi Indians. This agricultural society left behind significant evidence of their existence, including some exquisitely painted pottery. However, after 400 yrs they disappeared, leaving historians and archaeologists divided on the reasons for this. Some believe the culture evolved into a nomadic society and simply moved to another region. Others believe they fell victim to a plague of some type, or were massacred by another Indian tribe, such as the Cherokee or Chickasaw, who would later make this area their home. The first European visitors to the area were French fur traders, who arrived around 1720. These traders prospered along the banks of the Cumberland River. The first English settlers ventured here in 1779. Led by resourceful pioneer James Robertson, they built a primitive fort and named it Nashborough after General Francis Nash, a hero in the United States Revolutionary War. (A reproduction of that first settlement can be seen at Fort Nashborough .) The new town was part of the state of North Carolina and soon became a hotbed of activity. Some 60 families, led by John Donelson, moved southwest from the colonies and began farming the fertile soil of the Cumberland Plateau. In 1784, the town changed its name to Nashville, and in 1796 Nashville and the surrounding area broke away from North Carolina and declared statehood. Tennessee became the 16th state of the unio
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| How To Get There (Source: Frommers) | Top | Nashville (airport code: BNA) is served by the following major airlines: American Airlines (tel. 800/433-7300); Continental (tel. 800/525-0280); Delta (tel. 800/221-1212); Northwest-KLM (tel. 800/225-2525); Southwest (tel. 800/435-9792); United Airlines (tel. 800/241-6522); and US Airways (tel. 800/428-4322). Southwest is the city's largest carrier, with some 87 daily flights out of the city. Most Southwest flights will depart and arrive from the airport's Concourse C. Southwest Airlines also offers air/hotel packages. For details, visit Southwest Airlines Vacations online at www.swavacations.com , or call tel. 800/423-5683. Memphis is served by the following airlines: American Airlines (tel. 800/433-7300); Delta (tel. 800/221-1212); KLM (tel. 800/374-7747); Northwest (tel. 800/225-2525); Southwest (tel. 800/435-9792); United Airlines (tel. 800/241-6522); and US Airways (tel. 800/428-4322). Northwest has a hub in Memphis and is the city's largest carrier. It's also your best bet for package deals. For details, visit Northwest Airlines online at www.nwavacations.com , or call tel. 800/225-2525. Immigration & Customs Clearance -- Foreign visitors arriving by air, no matter what the port of entry, should cultivate patience and resignation before setting foot on U.S. soil. U.S. airports have considerably beefed up security clearances in the years since the terrorist attacks of 9/11, and clearing Customs and Immigration
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| What To Do (Source: WCities) | Top | As you might have guessed, there is a lot of music in the Music City. Everywhere you turn, an aspiring singer is performing his or her latest work or a classic country favorite. The performances are not limited to honky-tonks and music halls, though. Take a stroll down Second Avenue and you will see up-and-coming stars singing their lungs out from the front stoops of clothing stores, from the display windows of specialty shops and from the small stages constructed in the backs of restaurants. Music put Nashville on the map, and music is where we will start. Music Country Music is King in Nashville. If you hear a country song on the radio, it's virtually certain it was performed, recorded and mixed right here. You can hear your favorite songs and see your favorite artists perform virtually anywhere in Nashville, but there are a few tried and tested venues that stand out. The Ryman Auditorium was the first home of the Grand Ole Opry show. Today, the radio show has moved, but there is still something special about the Ryman. Originally a church, this building's most famous visitors were not pilgrims on a religious journey, but rather country singers like Roy Acuff, Hank Williams, Merle Haggard and Dolly Parton. Although the big name stars now perform in the new Grand Ole Opry House , you can still hear great live music at the Ryman nightly. Country, blues, pop and jazz musicians take the stage to honor the past and look to the future. The Grand Ole Op
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