MAIN Travel Top Travel Picks Nashville, TN

It's the traditional home of American country music, Nashville - a.k.a. "Music City"

Although the Grand Ole Opry and the Country Music Hall of Fame are top destinations for country music fans, the city offers other attractions for any musical taste — with live performances of rap, rock and folk in its lively bars and neighborhood clubs.

For a trip back in time to the town's plantation-era Southern roots, also don't miss a trip to The Hermitage, Andrew Jackson's Nashville home.

For more of the city's artistic and cultural highlights, a visit to The Parthenon provides a full-scale replica of the Athenian original.

For a modern architectural wonder, a visit to the Opryland Resort should also be on any Nashville tourist's must-see list. The tour includes a faux town square (complete with a faux river and waterfall) -- all covered by a giant, climate-controlled glass atrium. And, in a word: awesome.

Finally, don't leave town without paying homage to the gods and goddesses of country music (Dolly Parton, Alan Jackson or Taylor Swift, among many others) with a tour of the mansions and condos they call home when performing in Nashville.

DID YOU KNOW? Nashville Travel Fun Facts

Gaga for Goo-Goo.

• Don't leave Nashville without sampling a Goo Goo Cluster candy bar, a Nashville favorite since 1901 combining peanuts, caramel, marshmallow and milk chocolate.

• Fans can pay homage to legendary country music star Chet Atkins at a bronze sculpture of the recording star which stands at Fifth Avenue North and Union Street.

• The famous bar scene in Printers Alley began during 1930's prohibition when local printers sold boot-legged whisky from their basements. When alcohol once again became legal, the bars remained.

• The Maxwell House Hotel in Nasville (destroyed by fire in 1961), was the original home of America's favorite brew, Maxwell House Coffee. The famous tagline was created by President Teddy Roosevelt who proclaimed the hotel's coffee "good to the last drop" during a stay at the hotel in the early 20th century.

Nashville on the Web:

Around the Web, check out more information on "The Athens of the South" including photos, maps, and expert travel guides with suggestions on top hotels, restaurants, bars, and shopping, as well as other top cultural sites and historic Nashville landmarks ....

Nashville Visitor Tourist Information - The official site of the city's convention and visitors bureau with a complete travel planner including hotel directory & online reservations, restaurant listings, directions to top attractions & historic landmarks, music & event calendars, maps & directions.

Nashville Travel Guide and Travel Information - Lonely Planet - Expert guide to the city, its music scene and other top attractions with insider details on shopping, eating and getting around with photo galleries, visitor forums.

Nashville travel guide - Wikitravel - Comprehensive advice & information on top attractions and getting around, with suggested hotels, bars & restaurants by price range, plus practical safety tips, photos. =