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We've compiled the best of the best in Day Trips from Nashville - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
What goes better with buttermilk biscuits than a historical Queen Anne Victorian home? This one, affectionately known as the Corn House (after the Corn family who lived there from 1920 to 1980), is home to some of the best Southern brunch around, from the traditional (biscuits and sausage gravy with a side of cheese grits) to the unconventional (a biscuit burger with pimento cheese and tomato jam). There are additional locations in The Gulch and Hillsboro Village.
Southwest of Nashville on Highway 100, The Loveless Cafe serves up its famous scratch-made biscuits and country ham every day of the week. Long waits for a table are typical, so be prepared to do some shopping and play a round of cornhole while you wait. When the café opened in 1951, it was just chicken served at picnic tables on Lon and Annie Loveless’s front porch. But over the years, the restaurant has expanded to include every iteration of Southern breakfast and supper. In 2004 the remainder of the on-site motel was converted into quaint country shops—chief among them the Hams & Jams Country Market, where you can get free coffee all day, Southern-inspired home goods and gifts, and barbecue to go.
If SunDrop and fried chicken set your heart aflutter, this Southern grocery store/restaurant combo is not to be missed. The cherrywood smoker out back churns out piles of pork, chicken, and brisket every day, and you can buy their signature barbecue rub and sauce at the register. On your way out, after you’ve polished off a slice of fruit cobbler with homemade ice cream, shop the produce section for local eggs, milk, and greens. There’s live music every night of the week except Sunday.
This sophisticated eatery serves innovative Southern cuisine in an upscale environment for a dining experience that’s elegant without compromising on fun. The menu changes six times a year to keep up with the freshest ingredients, and their award-winning wine menu shouldn’t be overlooked. There’s bar seating on both the first and second floors, but for a table, a reservation is your best bet.
