jweeks

Hello, All

My husband and I are planning a road trip from Nashville, TN to Chicago, IL in late October. We would love some advice on what to do "off the beaten path" in the following places:

Nashville, TN
Lexington, KY
Madison, IN
Chicago, IL

We are big fans of getting out of the touristy spots and getting into the local vibe. We love hotels and restaurants that give us the true experience of where we are staying. Don't get me wrong, you will definitely find us at the honky tonks on Broadway, etc., we just would like advice on the not so well known spots as well.

Thanks, All!
Jen

jent103

Just curious - why Lexington? It's pretty out of the way, so I wondered if there was something of particular interest there.

What are your interests and budget for hotels and restaurants? Downtown Nashville is a good place to stay for most people, but depends on what you want to do.

jweeks

jent103, We traveled to Lexington a couple of years ago and loved it so we wanted to go back. My husband is a bourbon drinker so he wants to hit up a couple of the distilleries.

Our main interest is food! My husband is a history buff as well, but we are not really into guided tours. We like to just take everything in at our own pace.

Our budget is certainly not unlimited, but we don't mind paying a bit more to stay at a historic hotel or eat at the best local place. The last time I was in Nashville I stayed close to Broadway and that was fun. I wouldn't mind doing that again, but I didn't want to miss out on maybe another great place/area. Maybe something quieter...

Anyway, thanks!
JW

jent103

The best hotels are either downtown or in Midtown - I don't have personal experience staying in them, since I live here, but if your budget allows, I'd look at the Hutton, the Hermitage, or Union Station for non-chain places to stay. I also had friends get married at this b&b, and I think that I recall correctly that some friends of friends stayed here - it's a small b&b in a centrally located, but definitely not touristy, area. Again, no personal experience.

http://tdhouse.com/

For history - check out Belle Meade Plantation, the Hermitage, and Carnton Plantation in Franklin. Are you planning to go to Jack Daniels while you're in the area?

The best restaurants in town are not in the downtown tourist area. My personal favorites for more upscale food (nowhere in town is very formal, but these are some of the more expensive places) are Husk, Lockeland Table, Rolf & Daughters, City House and Margot. Can't go wrong at any of those. The Catbird Seat is maybe the most expensive place in town but is supposed to be fantastic - you get a fixed menu and an optional wine pairing. For more moderate places, Marche and Sweet Sixteenth Bakery on the east side for breakfast/brunch, Fido in Hillsboro Village for any time (started out as a coffee shop, now has great coffee and great seasonal/local food), Burger Up, Baja Burrito, I may think of others.

If you end up staying at that b&b or are in the area, Smiling Elephant on 8th Avenue has excellent Thai. Also a former Top Chef contestant is opening a restaurant on 8th this weekend called Sinema - obviously I haven't checked it out yet, but it looks really interesting.

jweeks

Thank you so much, jent103! Very helpful and just what I was looking for!

I think we will definitely stop by Jack Daniels and I will check the rest out online.

Thanks, again!

carolyn

Louisville is the city that is on the direct route to Chicago; but if you like historic homes, in Lexington I've seen the John Hunt Morgan House, the Mary Todd Lincoln House, and Ashland, home of Henry Clay. All are good.

indyhiker

Madison is pleasant small town, but I don't know if I'd go out of my way for it. There's just not a whole lot to it in my opinion. The state park is pretty, but short of hiking or camping, I don't know how much appeal it will hold. Plus, from Madison, you'll have a long drive to Chicago. I might recommend a trip to Columbus for a few architectural points of interest, then onto Nashville and/or Bloomington. While you will have to divert from 65 a bit more, there's a more of a payoff. Of course, as an Indiana University grad, I'm partial to Bloomington. It's a lovely town to visit. Make reservations though. Depending on what's going on at IU, e.g., football, you might find it hard to find a room. Nashville gets busy in October, too.

You say you're not into guided tours, but there are good tours to be had in Chicago. I wouldn't reject them out of hand, especially if your husband is a history buff. Be sure to go to Oak Park if you're interested in Frank Lloyd Wright.

jent103

Just to clarify the above post - I think indyhiker is referring to Nashville, IN, not Nashville, TN. As far as I know Nashville, TN doesn't get any busier in October than in any other time.

indyhiker

Yes, thanks for clarifying. I was referring to Columbus, Nashville and Bloomington, Indiana.

jweeks

inkyhiker , do you have any suggestions on hotels in Bloomington? That was one of our possible stops, too, instead of Madison. I have just never been to Indiana and wasn't sure where to go. Madison looked nice with the river and wineries, but I am certainly open to other places. I will check out Bloomington again.

Thanks, all, for the help!
JW

indyhiker

We usually stay at the Hilton Garden Inn in Bloomington. It's right off the square in downtown Bloomington. It's your basic Hilton but the location is perfect. There are some B&Bs, but I just don't see the point with as there are lots of good breakfast spots. There are some B&Bs in Nashville, too. It's about 20-25 minutes from there to Bloomington. Pleasant little town (although it gets crowded with day trippers). Nearby Brown County State Park is lovely and has a lodge. I'd definitely choose that area over Madison. Indianapolis has a few worthy attractions and restaurants, too. If you end up coming through Indy, let me know and I'll suggest some things.

charsuzan

I recommend you look into Maker's Mark distillery and Woodford Reserve. Maker's is about 65 miles from Lexington, off the beaten path but just a really neat little place.
You might consider staying at Gratz Park Inn in Lexington and dinner at Dudley's on Short.

jweeks

Thank you, indyhiker! We decided to go to Bloomington so I am really looking forward to it!

charsuzan, thank you so much for the recommendations! We have been to the distilleries (took my husband on the bourbon tour for his 40th) but I had no idea where to stay or eat there because we stayed in Louisville that time.

Again, thanks all! All of the advice and the friendly conversation has been much appreciated!
JW

china_cat

I stayed at the Showers Inn, a b&b in downtown Bloomington and I really liked it. Comfy room, nice people, very quiet, and the location is great just a few blocks from the downtown area. It does have parking.

indyhiker

Great! I hope you like it. It's a great college town. You might check out the events calendar--for both the town and the university. There's always a lot going on, some of it for free. The music school offers a lot of free concerts and recitals. There are a number if decent restaurants, too. If you let me know your tastes, I might be able to steer you to a few places. We like the Uptown Cafe for breakfast and cocktails. Farm is also good, but I find their service slow. Our favorite spot for dinner is an Afghani restaurant called Samara, but you better like garlic to go there!

Let me know if I can help in any other way. I lived in Bloomington for eight years and still think of it as home.

charsuzan

Another "off the beaten path" place in Ky you might want to check out is Shaker Village. It is not far from Lexington on US 68. Great place to stay, good food and just a beautiful setting, especially in the fall.