A Nashville for Every Mood

I moved to Nashville about a year and a half ago because I loved the place so much, and after all this time I’ve only grown more fond of it. We don’t eat meat or go to bars so I’m here to show you that Nashville isn’t just hot chicken and honkey tonks (although they are definitely here).

To get out of town + see some history…

Go to Franklin! There are horse farms all around, cool shops to explore, and a lot of Civil War history. The Franklin Farmers Market happens every Saturday (ironically my favorite vendor there is Ellie’s Old Fashioned Donuts) and it’s right next to The Factory at Franklin. As the name suggests, the building used to be a factory, but now it has stores and restaurants. I don’t know the name, but there’s a giant antique shop there that’s cool to look around. After the factory you can head to “downtown” Franklin and walk around the shops. There are tours you can take of Civil War history sites, or you can stop at places like Winstead Hill Park.

The view from Winstead Hill Park

“for the love of donuts” — shot on an iPhone. But really, I seem to have a lot of pictures of me going to various farmer’s markets around Nashville and ONLY BUYING DONUTS and then GETTING PICTURES OF ME TAKEN WITH THE DONUTS. The Nashville and Franklin Farmer’s Markets have great produce but when you get there #treatyoself to some hot, fresh donuts. P.S. I didn’t pose for the photo with the mini donuts, that‘s just an honest reaction.

Early Wars Tooth Extractor, anyone? As someone from the “north” I’m always fascinated to be at places where the civil war was fought and come upon “civil war relics” at the local antique shop.

I apparently liked the combination of chair + rug patterns enough to take a picture. Also, I think the picture on the right was taken from a spot we weren’t supposed to be in (at The Factory) but somehow ended up.

To do it for the ‘gram and walk around on a nice day…

Your best bets are 12 South and Hillsboro Village. Both are essentially a collection of stores + restaurants clustered together, but they’re perfect to explore when it’s nice out. 12 South has a few murals, including the famous “I Believe in Nashville” one, as well as local stores like White’s Mercantile. I also really like Pangaea in Hillsboro Village, but I mostly like the areas just to stroll around and people watch.

I bought two rings from Pangaea in 2012 and they haven’t left my fingers since.

P.S. we were out really early this day, these spots in 12 South normally have lots more people around them.

To enjoy nature…

Visit basically any park in Nashville, because the parks here are our favorite part of the area. We visit Percy Warner/Edwin Warner the most and actually chose our apartment because of how close it was to the park. There’s a nice nature center and trails of different lengths, or you can drive to Luke Lea Heights Lookout for a view of the skyline in the distance. A walk around Radnor Lake or Percy Priest is also sure to be a good time. The Harpeth River State Park and Montgomery Bell State Park are good spots too. Also, if you visit in August you should go to Live on the Green, which is a free concert series downtown that happens each Thursday.

Parking at Radnor Lake State Park can get packed, but it’s worth it

Go up high and wave at kayakers at Harpeth River State Park

The views at Percy Priest have me like ‘“DAM”. (ha ha because there’s a dam and this is a man made lake but still nice tho, thanks humans)

If you get up early you can watch the sunrise at Iroquois Steeplechase, where they have an annual run. You can also hug trees

We watched the total solar eclipse at Edwin Warner Park, which was even cooler than expected.

Rare footage of the face I make when Spencer asks if he can eat my last piece of pizza.

Bears, Beets, Battlestar Galactica. (The Warner parks have a nice lil garden)

Exploring the Gardens of Babylon plant shop at the Nashville Farmer’s Market is also basically nature/heaven. Also, there are corn sculptures out front and I never pass up the chance to pose with corn. #ohio

To see the cool and eclectic side of town…

Head to East Nashville for some pizza at Five Points, where there is actually an intersection of five roads. Just around the corner is The IDEA Hatchery, which is a collection of a few teeny tiny local shops. We also like Graze, which is a vegan restaurant that has a yum yum brunch. Shelby Bottoms is an East Nashville park to check out, and they have a nice nature center that also has a little room that features local art.

When we went to Shelby Bottoms we saw an art exhibit by Adam Hale and fell in love with the paintings and WANT ONE.

The Rosepepper Cantina has signs so witty, they’re Insta-famous @therosepepper

To get your caffeine buzz on…

Visit The Family Wash/Garage Coffee in East Nashville for coffee + live music because #Nashville. Other popular coffee shops include Barista Parlor (there are a few locations), Frothy Monkey, or Bongo Java. If a different buzz is more your flair there’s also Lower Broadway (with the famous Tootsie’s, cool rooftop spots at The Stage or Acme Feed and Seed, and themey Paradise Park).

Throoowback to when we played tourists in 2015 before moving here. If you go to Broadway, check out the pedestrian bridge!

To stay out of the rain…

You can spend the day in the main branch of the Nashville Public Library. If you’re nerdy like me then you’ll be in heaven because it’s a huge beautiful library with lots of interesting things to see. There’s also a really powerful Civil Rights Room on the second floor (I think…). You can also go smell fresh bread in the cafe on the main floor or find a spot to work (if you work from your laptop). The Gaylord Opryland is a hotel next to the Grand Ole Opry but it’s more like a tiny town than a hotel. It’s like a giant greenhouse with plants galore and a BOAT on an indoor river you can ride on (in a hotel?). If you visit I would suggest parking at Opry Mills Mall right next door and walking over because that’s the free way. The Frist Center for the Visual Arts isn’t a huuge art museum, but it’s still cool.

I’ve actually only ever been to Gaylord Opryland during Christmas..

If the weather is nice, the library also has an outdoor area with a nice lil fountain.

This isn’t even a comprehensive list, but it will get you started! (Seriously, this barely scratches the surface , so you should come see it for yourself). Our favorite days here have been when we just walked around town and were able to actually stop and admire anything.

If you’ve been here (or live here, hi neighbor!) lemme know what else we need to see before we leave!

Just can’t get enough of Nashville neighborhoods? If you’re moving to or within Nashville, check out my Nashville Neighborhood Guide here.

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