Howdy, y'all! To celebrate turning 25, I decided to go out with a bang and celebrate in true country girl style... a trip to NASHVILLE. I'm a big fan of birthday celebrations, and this was the most special way to ring in my milestone year. I was fortunate enough to have some of my closest friends and family join in on the fun, and our weekend getaway was top notch.
After numerous requests, I had to pass along the itinerary of our trip to the south, so this post will feature all of the exciting adventures we participated in, along with my overall reviews and recommendations of each activity. To start things off, see below for the itinerary I put together for our weekend at Brooke's Bash in Nash...
THE ITINERARY:
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Naturally, I also included a themed lookbook on our attire to match the weekend. Of course, we wanted to be fashionably represented, so we kept it pretty simple for a large group of males and females.
WHERE TO STAY:
The best part about Nashville is that you can truly get a sense of the culture and the experience of the city from any of the nearby villages/neighborhoods that surround the metro area. I had gone to Nashville once before in 2017, so this visit in 2021 was not unfamiliar to me. I knew that most of our trip was going to be around the hot spots of the town... 12th South, The Gulch, Broadway, etc., so it was intentional of me to choose a neighborhood near the downtown area for our AirBnB. Any of these neighboring areas would be great for a visit like mine.
Our AirBnB was in a perfect location snuggled just south of The Gulch neighborhood. You could tell that the areas that surrounded downtown have quickly been developing into the tourist destination with multiple AirBnB's that offer rooftops and skyline views. What we loved most about our location was that we were walking distance to The Gulch, or a Bird ride away to downtown... which we definitely did.
I recommend selecting your AirBnB after deciding on which areas you are looking to visit in the city, as this can determine the amount of (or lack thereof) Ubers/Lyfts you may need to take from your location. Pro tip: You can also negotiate your rates on AirBnB. Don't be afraid to message the host and ask if they would be willing to meet you at the budget you had in mind for your trip. You'd be surprised how many stays I've been able to reduce the cost down to. Only the pros know to do this ;)
WEDNESDAY - ARRIVALS:
Our flights all arrived at different times near the afternoon. If you intend to stay anywhere near the downtown area, account for at least 30 minutes of driving time to commute from BNA. For us, an Uber/Lyft XL for our varied groups that arrived around the same time was a perfect way to get to our AirBnB.
Since it was a casual arrival night, we didn't truly have an itinerary, but after arriving to our beautiful AirBnB, we all decided to grab a late bite on Broadway at Hattie B's Hot Chicken. This was a perfect spot for us to have a fast-casual dinner, and it was yummy too! No better way to introduce the tourist group to the South like a hot chicken restaurant... a dish that Nashville is known for.
To get downtown, we all rode Bird scooters! It was such a fun and memorable activity that only took about 15 minutes.
My friends are the sweetest ever and surprised me with the most adorable cowboy hats for the girls to wear throughout the weekend. A party favor for all of the ladies to take home... such a thoughtful and special gift.
THURSDAY - CAKE. DINNER. NIGHT OUT:
The next day, we started the morning with some breakfast at the house, delivered by a grocery delivery service, like Instacart. It's a nice idea to have a stocked fridge with bottled water, snacks, and breakfast items to start each day off strong. Our first stop on our itinerary was 12th South. This neighborhood is super charming with cute shops and restaurants fit for all ages. I highly recommend exploring 12th South on your visit to Nashville!
Highlights include: Stoney Clover, Amelia's Flower Truck, Draper James, Frothy Monkey & Bar Taco
Lunch at Bar Taco is a great place for a large group because you seat yourself and order from your mobile device. Your tab stays open as long as you want, and the servers bring your meal and drinks within a few minutes of your online order at your seat at the table. It's a casual dining experience with an innovative experience that worked perfect for our group. A bonus that the food was delicious too!
After our pleasant afternoon, we made our way back to the AirBnB to get ready for our night out. We dressed to the occasion and pregamed with drinks and a birthday cake, fit for a birthday cowgirl! The birthday cake was custom made by a local bakery - Baked on 8th.
We took the rodeo downtown and had dinner at the main floor of one of Nashville's hottest spots in town: The Twelve Thirty Club, also known for being Justin Timberlake's latest honky tonk. This was where we held "the birthday dinner" where we dressed up for the occasion and celebrated in true celebratory style. This was my favorite place of the weekend because there was live music all throughout dinner, and the meals were delicious. They even played my request to cover Taylor Swift! This restaurant has a private dining area on the second floor which is another alternative to host dinner parties. Definitely a high recommendation on my list!
Naturally, we didn't stop there. The party kept going on Broadway, walking just down the road to find whatever bar was vibin' best. Honestly, there is no wrong choice on Broadway when it comes to a good time. You can find some fun in every venue because there is live music on every corner.
Highlights include: Dierks Bentley's Whiskey Row, Luke's 32 Bridge, Jason Aldean's Kitchen & Rooftop Bar, Kid Rock's Big Ass Honky Tonk Rock N' Roll Steakhouse
FRIDAY - DRINKS. TRACTORS. HONKY TONKS:
On Friday, we dressed in all jean attire... a 'jarty' if you will... and started our morning in The Gulch with breakfast at Milk + Honey. This restaurant, just like many others in the area, was unable to take any reservations, so we considered an alternative as an option in case it was full: Anzie Blue. The food at Milk + Honey was decent, but it was challenging to get a table, and I would've preferred a restaurant that could accommodate our full party in advance. After our breakfast, we walked around The Gulch and shopped for some goodies. Our party split up to explore the stores to our likings.
Highlights include: Uncommon James, Kittenish, & my favorite Urban Outfitters store, & Killebrew Coffee
We then went back to the AirBnB to freshen up and prepare for one of the most exciting activities of the weekend... our tractor ride with Big Green Tractor Tours! This was a perfect activity that hosted our entire group and toured us around the city from daylight to sunset. It was BYOB with coolers and cups provided to ice our drinks. A definite must do if you have a large party! Especially as you'll get to see most of the city. Beats riding a party bike around town for sure... One thing to keep in mind is the weather. We traveled to Nashville in the thick of Fall, mid-November, so we definitely needed to bring blankets to snuggle up with. It was freezing after the sun set!
Our tractor ride dropped us in the heart of Broadway... our favorite place in town, clearly! We had a casual dinner at Acme Feed & Seed that was paired with live music, of course. I had been here once before and continue to highly recommend this spot for an easy dinner. There are 4 floors with different cuisine options to choose from and lots of energy from wall to wall. It's a nice place to share dinner with family and friends.
We finished this night off once again on Broadway, revisiting our favorite spots from the night before, which included Luke's 32 Bridge and Jason Aldean's Kitchen & Rooftop Bar, along with a new spot for a skyline view: Ole Red.
SATURDAY - BRUNCHIN'. BOOZIN':
Our Saturday morning started with a brunch at Hampton Social. This place is super charming and located near the river on Broadway. I do recommend this place for a group that's looking to get lots of photos and a boozy brunch, as this place is gorgeous inside. The only downside to our brunch was that we had lounge style seating, rather than a traditional table - something to keep in mind when booking a large party! To our surprise, this place was far booked up a month in advance, so it was definitely a hot spot. I also recommend the monkey bread... YUM.
After brunch, we walked up Broadway and explored the shops. There is a Boot Barn and some cute souvenir shops worth checking out. One regret I had was not getting a true cowboy hat, something still on my list to get!
One of the activities I really wanted to try out when in Nashville was to visit Dolly Parton's famous rooftop bar: White Limozeen. It was a mystery to figure out how to get a table at this place, as everywhere I looked online told me I needed to book this place a month in advance due to the high demand. Located at the Graduate Hotel near Vanderbilt on Music Row, this rooftop overlooks downtown and the city with the most adorable pink decor in true Dolly fashion. Turns out, you can enjoy the outdoor rooftop area without a reservation as it is all open seating. That was definitely in our favor when we arrived around 3pm, as it was vacant enough to snag a table for our group. We had drinks and a few appetizers while watching the sunset.
This was definitely one of my favorite places to attend due to its unique design and photo opps. Had to take advantage of it obviously due to the pink. The inside bar was also flawless and deserves its moment. After the fun, we took it over to Losers Bar & Grill, another fun lowkey spot to grab a beer and play darts.
We ended the night with dinner at a classic... Martin's BBQ. This is another staple stop for Nashville to indulge in a delicious traditional barbecue. Fast casual and easy to get to, it's another recommendation on my list. There's also bar games upstairs so be sure to check out the second story.
The final day of our trip, so sad! We started our morning by having breakfast at The Dutch. This place was a perfect and intimate spot for us to enjoy a delicious brunch. Since it was just 6 of us left, my family and Lo, we were able to grab a table pretty last minute.
It was raining during this day, so we wanted to stay indoors during our last few hours. We made our way back to Broadway and spent a few hours touring the Johnny Cash Museum. This was so special and incredible for music loving fans like myself. It is worth checking out if you're looking to kill a few hours.
ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDATIONS:
Food:
- Merchants, Broadway
- Sixty Vines, Broadway
- Stateside Kitchen, Broadway
- Casa Rosa, Broadway
- Biscuit Love, The Gulch
- Adele's, The Gulch
- Pemrose, The Gulch
- UP a rooftop lounge, The Gulch
- LA Jackson, The Gulch
- Superica, The Gulch
- 51st Deli, The Gulch
- 404 Kitchen, The Gulch
- Parlour Donuts, Music Row
- Proper Bagel, 12 South
Activities:
- Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, Broadway
- Grand Ole Opry, East Nashville
- Fifth & Broadway, Broadway
- Pinewood Social, Broadway
- Tennessee Titans Game, Broadway
- Bluebird Cafe - hard to reserve, tickets on sale 1 week in advance
- Freebird Steve Madden Store, West Nashville
- Losers & Winners, Music Row
This weekend was truly unforgettable, and I'm not sure if I can top a celebration like this one. I highly recommend this trip itinerary as an exciting way to celebrate a milestone birthday, a bachelorette party, or even just an exciting weekend for fun! Get those cowboy boots on and giddy up for the best weekend ever!
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