Margaret Littman - Moon Nashville: Cant-Miss Experiences, Food & Music, Local Favorites

MARGARET LITTMAN

When it comes to creative energy, nowhere compares to Music City. People come here with big dreams, big talent, and big ideas. Even before Johnny Cash picked up a guitar or Elvis first stepped foot in RCA Studio B, this was a city that attracted mavericks and iconoclasts. And whether you have a banjo in the overhead bin or you cant tell a harmony from a melody, it doesnt matter. Because Nashville isnt just about the music. People here are willing to try new things and do things differently. Youll get to experience that energy even on a short visit.

Creativity of all kinds flows in the veins of folks who call this place home. Nashville is filled with hyphenates like chef-singer-songwriter and artist-fashion-designer-hula-hoop-maker. It fosters an entrepreneurial energy that results in funky music clubs for dancing, quirky boutiques for shopping, and one-of-a-kind roadside eateries for... well, eating.

And the anything can happen attitude isnt limited just to residents. You dont have to be here more than a day or two to encounter truly talented musicians singing on the sidewalk on Lower Broadway or taste the creative genius emerging from the kitchens of the citys restaurantsboth upscale and down home. Whether youre in town for the weekend or for good, take advantage of that optimism, offered with a dash of Southern hospitality. Move to the quirky, and always interesting, Nashville beat.

Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

Nashville Farmers Market

hot chicken, a signature Nashville dish

Roberts Western World

Vanderbilt University

Fifth + Broadway

, you can hear some of the countrys best musicians live and in person.

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: From locally themed gifts at Tenn Gallon Hat and Planet Cowboys colored kicks to signature hats from Daisy May Hat Co, you can leave Nashville with a souvenir that was made by the folks who live here.

and Craft Brews: Nashville likes to toast to good times. Raise a glass at one of the citys distilleries.

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Get Spicy with : Nothing says Nashville like this daring delicacy. Try it at Hattie Bs Hot Chicken, Princes Hot Chicken Shack, or Boltons Spicy Chicken & Fish.

, home to the Jubilee Singers since 1981.

gets you out on the water, so theres no excuse for not enjoying Nashvilles many recreational activities.

Cast a Vote for Womens Suffrage: Tennessee was the final state needed to ratify the 19th amendment. Learn about the struggle and the victory at .

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THE TWO-DAY BEST OF NASHVILLE

Nashville has a 24/7 city-that-never-sleeps vibe, though there are still pockets that are traditionally Southern, with some businesses closed on Sunday. Given how many people work in the music industry, you may find some neighborhoods to be sleepy in the mornings, but raring to go on weekday nights. The following itinerary assumes a Saturday-Sunday stay in Music City, but it can be adjusted for different days of the week (and seasons of the year).

DAY 1

Arrive in Nashville. Check in early to a swanky hotel, such as the historic Hermitage Hotel or the modern, art-filled Joseph. Leave your bags so you can make the most of the day unencumbered.

21c Museum Hotel Nashville

Set out on foot to the Civil Rights Room at the Nashville Public Library, where youll learn about the citys role in the national movement.

From there take in the Tennessee State Capitol and then head down the hill for lunch at one of the many restaurants in the Nashville Farmers Market. Next, take a walk through Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park,