Downtown Nashville has much to offer in the way of history, music, entertainment, dining, and specialty shopping. The Cumberland River horizontally bisects Nashville's central city. Numbered avenues, running north-south, are west of and parallel to the river; numbered streets are east of the river and parallel to it.
To get a more complete feeling for the city, you'll want to explore the area beyond downtown, too. Among the offerings are historic plantations, a variety of museums covering everything from toys to science, and some great places for kids, including the Nashville Zoo -- not to mention the Grand Ole Opry.