Day 1

Arrive in Nashville. Check into a downtown hotel, such as the Hermitage or Union Station. Eat dinner at the Mad Platter or Jimmy Kelly’s, and stroll Lower Broadway and the District on your first night in town.

Day 2

Visit the Country Music Hall of Fame in the morning and the Ryman Auditorium in the afternoon. Have lunch at Jack’s Bar-b-que on Broadway and grab an afternoon drink at Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge. See the Grand Ole Opry in the evening.

Day 3

Head towards West Nashville. Drive through Music Row on your way to Centennial Park and The Parthenon. Eat lunch at Martha’s at the Plantation at Belle Meade, and then spend the afternoon checking out the museum and gardens at Cheekwood. Eat dinner at F. Scott’s in Green Hills.

Day 4

Go uptown to the Tennessee State Capitol and the Civil Rights Room at the Nashville Public Library. Then head west along Jefferson to eat soul food at Swett’s and visit Fisk University in the afternoon. Catch the show at the the Bluebird Cafe over dinner.

Day 5

Drive east to Old Hickory and spend the day at The Hermitage. Explore the home and the grounds of this estate belonging to Andrew Jackson. Grab take-out from Prince’s Hot Chicken Shack on your way home and enjoy a quiet night in.

Day 6

Take a day trip to Clarksville. Tour the RiverWalk park along the Cumberland and find the statue of Wilma Rudolph. Eat lunch at Silke’s Old World Breads and explore Dunbar Cave in the afternoon. Return to Nashville for the night.

Day 7

Depart Nashville. Drive south to Franklin and visit the Carnton Plantation, epicenter of the Battle of Franklin. Eat lunch at Monell’s, and then spend the afternoon shopping downtown and at the Factory. Eat dinner at Saffire and overnight in Franklin.

Day 8

Drive to Normandy and visit the George Dickel Distillery. Eat dinner at the Bell Buckle Cafe and overnight at the Walking Horse Hotel in Wartrace. This can be your home base for three nights.

Day 9

Drive to Shelbyville for the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration and eat lunch at Pope’s. If it’s not celebration season, then head to Lynchburg to tour the Tennessee Walking Horse Museum and the Jack Daniel’s Distillery.

Day 10

Drive to Manchester and hike at the Old Stone Fort State Archaeological Park. Tour the museum and then head to Tullahoma for dinner.

Day 11

Drive back to Nashville, stopping in Murfreesboro to visit Stones River National Battlefield on the way.

© Susanna Henighan Potter from Moon Tennessee, 5th Edition