How to do Nashville like a Local

How to do Nashville like a Local

After living in Nashville for over 2 years, I've seen the good and the bad, the touristy and non-touristy. Nashville has so many cool things to offer, and it's one of my favorite places I've ever lived. Here's how to do Nashville like someone who calls this city home (or at least, like me hehe)!
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Where to Stay:

I know, I know. Locals stay in their homes. But we're choosing to ignore that for now ;) These are some great hotels, right in the heart of downtown!

Noelle
@linietoria
This gorgeous hotel is also home to one of my favorite rooftop bars in the city!
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Fairlane Hotel Nashville, by Oliver
@linietoria
Fairlane is sort of notorious in Nashville for having some insanely cool themed pop-up bars! Make sure to check if there's anything special going on while you're in town!
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Bobby Hotel
@linietoria
The Bobby has a great coffee shop right in the lobby! Their rooftop pool and bar is also a great spot to hang out and beat the Southern humidity!
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Where to Eat:

Breakfast

proper bagel
@linietoria
I absolutely ADORE these bagels!...but so does everyone in Nashville. Be sure to order ahead or be prepared to wait. It's totally worth it, though.
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Snooze, an A.M. Eatery
@linietoria
A great hangover spot after a night on Broadway
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Lunch

Redheaded Stranger
@linietoria
The one with the crispy cheese on the outside is my love language.
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Slim & Husky's Pizza Beeria
@linietoria
Delicious pizza. Locally owned. Black owned. AND they do amazing work in the Nashville community. Need I say more?
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Dinner

Church and Union Nashville
@linietoria
I worked here for over a year and have had nearly every dish on the menu. They never miss!
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Henrietta Red
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What to Do:

Centennial Park
@linietoria
While the Parthenon itself is a bit of a tourist spot, I still love to bring a blanket, a book, and a snack here on a nice day and lay in the grass. Great people watching and good vibes.
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The Basement
@linietoria
While a first-time visitor might check out shows at The Ryman or The Grand Ole Opry, if you really want to get a feel for the music scene in Nash I'd recommend looking into what's going on at some smaller venues!
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Radnor Lake State Park
@linietoria
In the mood for a light nature walk? Radnor Lake is a go-to for most people I know :)
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Midtown
@linietoria
You're in Nashville, you'll likely want to party a little, right? I've heard Midtown described as "Broadway for locals," which is more or less true. Here you can find a good strip of bars and night life, but without quite the level of insanity that comes with an evening on Broadway.
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Santa's Pub
@linietoria
Nashville has a ton of great dives, one of which is Santa's Pub. It's exactly what it sounds like. A Santa-themed pub. :P
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Belcourt Theatre
@linietoria
Last but not least, Belcourt Theatre is my favorite place in Nashville. This historic theater has been bringing amazing films and art to the Nashville community since 1925. I worked here for a year and it is by far the best job I've ever had. Make sure to check out if they're doing any cool screenings or events while you're in town!
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I hope this gives you some ideas of fun, local things to do around Nashville! This town has so much to offer outside of Broadway and Bachelorette-core...all you have to do is look. :)

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Hey there! I'm Caroline: a Brazilian-American writer and wanderer, based in New York City. Over the course of my 26 years on planet earth, I have lived in 4 major American cities (Washington DC, New York City, Los Angeles, and Nashville), taken multiple cross-country road trips, and traveled to 18 different countries! All this has made me passionate about helping people realize that travel can absolutely be accessible to anyone - it just takes a little planning ;) What you can expect: - budget travel tips - solo female travel awareness - traveling for history buffs - foodie / coffee musts - so much more! Feel free to browse around my shop. I hope it can be of value to you, and I'm so glad you're here!
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