<p>I’m going to visit my daughter who is in grad school at Vanderbilt in a few weeks to help her celebrate her birthday. I’ve never been down there and will have a little bit of free time when she’s in class. I’ll be able to use her car. What should I do, or where should I go? </p>
<p>If I go shopping it will be with her and we’re both bargain hunters. I may also spend a morning at the college, she’s at Peabody, is there any place that I can walk to that is something that I should absolutely see?</p>
<p>I’d walk to the Parthenon and around Centennial Park. The museum inside the Parthenon is lovely and well worth spending an hour or two in - just make sure it’s open on the day you go, because we went several times before being able to enter. The park is beautiful even if you can’t go into the building.</p>
<p>My two favorite Nashville sites when my d was at Vandy were the Hermitage (Andrew Jackson’s home) and Bi-Centennial Capitol Mall State Park downtown - neither is in walking distance of campus, but each is worth a morning or afternoon. </p>
<p>Many terrific malls in the Nashville area - I think Opry Mills is where you’re most likely to find mall-type bargains, and you can walk over to the recently reopened Opryland Hotel, which is great fun to walk around in and features an indoor river ride.</p>
<p>Favorite restaurants in walking distance of campus - Pancake Pantry (a local legend - your d will know about it); Bound’ry (expensive and worth every penny); Cabana (great drinks, great fried chicken); Bread and Company (good place for a salad or sandwich after visiting the Parthenon - busy at lunchtime!). So many more. Hope you have a great visit!</p>
<p>frazzled, thanks for your suggestions. Daughter has mentioned the Pancake place. I’m not a big fan of pancakes but she loves them and it sounds like a fun place, so I think we will go there. She also mentioned the hotel and I guess I have to visit Opryland so that’s on the list too. Looks like there will be plenty to do!</p>
<p>Ladies,
Opry Mills “died” as the result of the flood. The insurance company only paid a portion of what it would cost to reopen and many stores have relocated elsewhere, at least for now. I think they hope to reopen in the future, but I have seen info that it will be at least a year. They did reopen the Bass Pro Shop and, I think, the movie theatres.<br>
Unfortunately, The Birth of Impressionism is scheduled to end at the Frist Center for Visual Arts this coming weekend. It was an awesome exhibit.<br>
I love the new Burger Up in the 12 South area. All the sandwiches are made from local, organic/natural meats and buns are freshly made there. I also had a good lunch with kids last fall at Whisky Kitchen which is near the Frist Center.
Have a great trip!</p>
<p>So sorry to read about Opry Mills! When I read about the hotel re-opening, I mistakenly assumed that business would go on as usual at the mall as well. It was a neat place, and of course Nashville is full of neat places, but this is sad news.</p>
<p>I’ve seen a couple of outstanding traveling exhibits at the Frist - Birth of Impressionism would have been a great one. Hope the next exhibit in there is something kathiep would also enjoy. :)</p>
<p>The most frustrating part of Opry Mills demise is that they had just gotten a J.Crew outlet and we were planning to check it out when we went for the James Taylor/Carol King concert in late May. They are projecting a reopening date of Feb. '12, but we’ll see. I think part of the issue is that they are in a flood plane, so even if they repair/restore/reopen, insurance is a challenge. We didn’t got there often, but definitely had a few bargain favorites there!</p>
<p>Kathiep,
If you were going in better weather, I might suggest Cheekwood, but I don’t know how enjoyable it would be at this time of year. I went for the first time last fall during the Chihuly exhibit there, but I think it would be lovely even without a special exhibit during “bloom time.” I think you will enjoy wandering around the Peabody portion of campus. D was an art history major and they have moved the Vanderbilt “collection” to a new gallery on that part of campus. I haven’t seen it, but the info in the alumni magazine looked promising. You can also wander through The Commons which is, per D, the nicest eating on campus in a beautiful facility. She particularly loved giving tours in the summers as she got a pass to eat there at the end of the tour.</p>
<p>I thought of visiting later in the year, but her birthday is in February and with her younger brother’s senior (HS) schedule for the Spring, this seemed to be the easiest time to get away. I’m hoping it will be a bit warmer then PA at least. I’m sure we’ll go back next Spring for her graduation and hopefully we’ll see the restored Opry Mills! I wonder if that’s the place my daughter refers to when she talks about the flooded mall. Thanks for the new suggestions!</p>
<p>The Loveless Cafe is legendary and not to be missed for breakfast. You have to drive. Lots of “star spotting” there, too. Take home jam and biscuit mix to your friends.</p>
<p>I think walking around the Opryland Hotel is fun, but it’s a drive, too.</p>
<p>My favorite thing is the Bicentennial Mall in front of the Capitol with the huge map of Tennessee that you can walk around on. Grab a cheap, quick lunch in the farmer’s market which is right there.</p>
<p>Drive south 20 minutes to the town of Franklin and walk up and down Main Street. Quaint shops and cafes- sort of like a Colorado ski town.</p>
<p>There is a Wyndham hotel in the old Union Station. The Lobby is just beautiful. Lots of stained glass. We stayed there for a conference my husband went to, and it was lovely. It would be a great place to just have a drink and enjoy the ambiance. </p>
<p>I did not have a car so I didn’t get to explore on my own. One of the other wives and I took a bus tour. That was fun. The hotel is adjacent to the Frist Museum. We spent a morning there. We had a great time.</p>
<p>In addition to the suggestions already given: H and I really enjoyed visiting antique shops around the Nashville area last summer. If you like music, Grimey’s New and Preloved Music is fun, and Simon Ripley’s is a terrific stop if you like instruments. Simon is a really cool guy. The Upper Room is wonderful if you are interested (Christian-oriented). Downtown is fun to check out … very touristy. My D recently visited the Country Music Hall of Fame & said it’s neat … one of the guys in Street Corner Symphony (from tv’s The Sing Off) works in the gift shop there. You could catch a movie at Belcourt Theatre (indie stuff). Hillsboro Village and Green Hills are good for browsing the shops. I highly recommend Firefly in the Green Hills area for dinner, by the way.</p>
<p>There are lots of things to do in Nashville. Be sure to visit The Bluebird Cafe (not far from Vandy) for great music. Try Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge, too. Both have a LOT of music history. If you like hockey, check out our Nashville Predators. The Opryland Hotel has just reopened after the flood damage from May. I haven’t been out there since the renovation, but it’s always been a pretty place to just stroll around, visit the shops and have dinner. Sadly, Opry Mills is still closed for flood restoration. The “Birth of Impressionism” is the current exhibition at The Frist Center for the Visual Arts. Nashville is the sister city to Athens, Greece and has a life-size replica of the Parthenon … visit and tour the facility located at Centennial Park (within walking distance to Vandy). Eat breakfast at the Pancake Pantry (also within walking distance to Vandy); sure, you’ll have to wait in line, but it’s a very popular place. If you like beer, take a tour of the Yazoo brewery and enjoy the yumminess of their beer. Cheekwood Botanical Gardens is lovely, but this time of year is probably not the best to visit. If you go, lunch at the Pineapple Room is good. You can visit the Loveless Cafe out Highway 100 for some country cooking, but I’m afraid it’s not as tasty as it once was (new ownership in past few years). </p>
<p>Please come to Franklin and visit our square. I love my little town! It’s really pretty out here and we have lots of nice, little shops. If you like fish and chips, eat at McCreary’s Irish Pub on the square. I highly encourage Sweet CeCe’s Frozen Yogurt, too. Franklin is full of history, especially Civil War history. Visit the Carnton Plantation and The Carter House.</p>
<p>Those are just a few things to do while you’re here. Enjoy your visit!!!</p>
<p>If you are in Nashville on a Wed evening go to the live radio broadcast at the Loveless Barn. It is quite a hoot. [Music</a> City Roots | A weekly live musical variety show from Nashville, Tennessee](<a href=“http://www.musiccityroots.com/]Music”>http://www.musiccityroots.com/)</p>
<p>I always go to the honky tonks on lower Broadway-Rippys, Tootsies, Legends, B’grass Inn, et al. The Listening Room nearby has good entertainment too. A unique place for food and entertainment is The Family Wash.</p>