Hi everyone,

We will be driving through Nashville and staying the night on our way to our condo in Jacksonville, FL from Chicago. We have always wanted to go to Nashville, so we are stopping on the way while driving over Christmas break. Both of the kids are in college (20,19). We are looking for some suggestions of fun restaurants, hotels, or good things to do for a quick trip. The kids like the country music scene and my daughter and I love to shop in boutiques, stores that we don't have in Chicago. No budget really. Thanks for the help!

Stay downtown...there are many places to listen to music and just tour about. I've only been a cpl of times but really like the city.

I went to college in Nashville and then lived in Chicago for 8 years. I LOVE Nashville but Chitown has much better shopping, and trust me I've hit every boutique in the city and the north shore. There are some cute shops near Vanderbilt on West End and Hillsboro. If you want Chicago ideas I can totally help you. The 12South area also has shops but it's very new and I haven't been there in years. Definitely go see the Parthenon, it is very cool right across the street from Vandy.

One of my favorite music stops further out on the west side is the Blue Bird Cafe. You can purchase tickets for the night you will be there in advance on the web and the show schedule is up a month or so in advance. Tickets are modestly priced and I have enjoyed every show I have attended.

Out on the West End, there is a Hampton, Courtyard, Holiday Inn and Marriott.

Hi, mschau....If it were me, I would stay at the Loews Vanerbilt hotel on West End. I absolutely second the idea of the Bluebird Cafe; it's small and intimate. I also suggest the Station Inn; it's been around forever, bluegrass and country, they also are on the web so you can see the schedule and perhaps buy tickets, and are in an area called "The Gulch," which has recently been redeveloped and has some great restaurants, including Watermark, in an old printing company building.

The Country Music Hall of Fame is fabulous and should not be missed. For a different side of Nashville, the Belle Meade Mansion or Andrew Jackson's home The Hermitage are open for tours. Good luck and enjoy Nasvhille...it's my husband's hometown and one of our favorite places!

The Opreyland Hotel is a must see. Thier atrium decorated for XMAS is a wonderful sight. I go every year just to see the lights and decorations. Many good restaurants within the hotel as well. I would rate it the top Nashville attraction during the holidays.

Great. Thank you all so much for all of the information and suggestions. Any other suggestions for restaurants or hotels?

Nashville restaurants:

Mad Platter
Zola
Margot Cafe
Germantown Cafe

For shopping, you might want to venture south about 20 miles to historic Franklin. http://www.visitwilliamson.com/
Main Street has lots of unique shops and good restaurants.

www.hereinfranklin.wordpress.com

I agree that you have much better shopping in Chicago than we have here, but Hillsboro Village (along 21st Avenue, south of Vanderbilt) has several boutiques you might like (try Posh and Pangea). 12 South also has a few, but is not quite so established, and I'm not as familiar with those stores. Two Elle is in the Gulch (12 South); I haven't been, but have heard good things.

As far as restaurants, in the 12 South area, Sambuca gets good reviews, and Mafiaoza's is a good fun casual place (Italian food, pizza). Bread & Company (soups, sandwiches, etc - on West End and in Green Hills) and Baja Burrito (just east of I-65 off Thompson Lane) are both good for more casual places. Downtown, there's Demos's on Commerce, Jack's BBQ, and Morton's for a really nice meal. In the West End/Vandy area, there's Bricktop, Sunset Grill, Cabana (pretty trendy place), a new Italian restaurant on Belcourt I haven't tried (I think it's Tangredi's), and McDougal's on Belcourt for chicken strips.

Thank you so much! All great suggestions that I can't wait to try!!

The Loews Vanderbilt is excellent and right across the street from the university. For quick bites there is a Chili's up the street and a little further up is a PF Chang's. The other restaurants are good. Go to Margot Cafe-it's owned by a good friend of mine from Vandy and very delicious. Also try Tayst-this is owned by my friend's brother and it's the first "green" restaurant in Nashville. Just got play on CNN.com for its accomplishments. Downtown on 2nd Avenue is very fun - for country music try Tootsies (I can't remember where it is). Also, the kids might like San Antonio Taco Company (SATCO). This is a Vandy institution. We all gain 15 lbs from eating it. Awesome tacos, chips and cheese, beers in buckets. Across the street from the Vanderbilt library and Owen School of Mgmt. at Vanderbilt University. Cheap and fun. Nashville is awesome-can you stay for more than one day???

Tootsie's is down on Broadway, downtown between 4th and 5th. Robert's is next door or very close. I think you have to be 21 to get in, though, so the kids may not be able to go (legitimately).

SATCO's food has never impressed me (probably because I was past college age when I first tried it), but the atmosphere and patio are definitely fun.

Thanks everyone. I will check out the Loews, and I know my daughter wanted to look at Vanderbilt since she has heard how gorgeous the campus is, even though she goes to the University of Iowa, which is also a gorgeous campus. Since we are driving we will be able to leave whenever we like, and will not have a flight to catch, so I think that if we want to stay another night, we can probably make it work. I'm sure the kids would enjoy the taco place. We will check it out. Thanks again.

We have decided that we are going to stop in Nashville on the way home from Jacksonville, which means that we will be in Nashville for New Years Eve. Is there anything going on, or something that would be fun for our whole family, including our 19 and 20 year olds? I know they're not of the legal drinking age yet, but if we could find a neat restaurant or something else to do, that would be great! Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!

Lynyrd Skynyrd, Trace Adkins and .38 Special are doing a show at the Sommet Center (downtown arena) that night, if that's your thing:

http://www.sommetcenter.com/event.php?event_id=136

Otherwise, hopefully you'll get some good ideas from others - most people I know just do their own thing on New Year's, but I'm sure there are things going on!

topping

I can totally understand the non-appeal to SATCO (the taco place) if you arrived in Nashville as an adult. I was there for my college years and it is the best hangout! I personally love the food and I'm sure your kids will too (I hope). Definitely check out the Vanderbilt campus. I'm a college counselor who is always visiting schools, but it is always fun to see different campuses even if one is already in college (plus UIowa is very different from Vanderbilt). Glad you can stay for more than a day. Have fun!

The replica of the Parthenon is neat.
http://www.nashville.gov/parthenon/

I like the Old Spaghetti Factory. (restaurant) It is near the bar that has horses hanging from the ceiling.