When mom asked if I wanted any books from the Saukville Library book sale, I provided her a list of authors I liked or was interested in reading. Included on that was John Grisham. I've read James Patterson and really like Lisa Scottoline. I figure I might as well add another legal thriller author to my repertoire and knock off one of the authors of my bucket list.
Surprisingly mom came through and found a copy of The Summons at the sale. It sat in my to read pile and I grabbed it as one of the books to read on vacation.
Honestly it was okay. The plot was a bit odd. There were enough twists and turns to keep me hooked but I felt like I was missing something. There were some interesting characters especially one of the brothers who was an drug addict that thought was left out of the will so he took matters into his own hands.
I never saw the ending coming. Then again I don't usually see many endings coming. I tend to miss the whole foreshadowing thing or don't pick up on clues scattered through the book.
Would I read him again? Probably but there are a ton of books on my to read list so it might be a while before I get around to reading another one of his books.
Saturday, August 31, 2019
Wednesday, August 21, 2019
Historical Pub Crawl
The History Museum at the Castle has a historical walking tour series they do every summer. I really wanted to do the Bootleggers one but it was cancelled due to lack of participation. I was able to pick any other one and went with one of the pub crawls, specifically to find out where Joe McCarthy liked to frequent and maybe even some of the gangsters like Dillinger would stop.
The tour featured four bars on the East End of College Ave. At each location we learned a bit of the history of the bar and then had time for a drink... well if you are a quick drinker (only about 20 minutes to drink).
The bars we hit were Dr. Jykyll's, Jim's Place, The Ambassador, and Bazil's Pub.
The history at all the bars was pretty much so and so opened this bar and then sold it it to this guy. It is now owned by so and so. I want the nitty-gritty inside scoop of each place. I never did find out where Joe McCarthy frequented or if Dillinger stopped by any of the bars.
I did hook up with a couple older ladies and we spent out time talking at the first two bars while everyone was enjoying a drink or socializing. We actually sat outside on the patio at Dr. Jekyll's.
One of the ladies did buy us a round at the Ambassador. I am not one for beer but they did carry some interesting names that I would have tried if I didn't spy the Pear Cider on tap. I had Wyder's Resosado Pear Cider and it was probably one of the best hard ciders I've tried.
There were a few interesting things to note from our pub crawl.
1. There is a pink telephone in the Ambassador
2. Houdini Plaza is where Houdini's family home once stood when they lived in Appleton.
3. The ceiling at Bazil's has decorative tiles created by brides and grooms and casts of Broadway shows that come to town.
I really didn't learn anything worthwhile on the walk. I honestly regret even going on it. I felt like it was a waste of time except for the nice ladies. The guides tried.. don't get me wrong but it was just boring history. I know the curator and museum educator are new to the museum and are working through revamping the History-on-the-Go walks so hopefully next year will be better.
The tour featured four bars on the East End of College Ave. At each location we learned a bit of the history of the bar and then had time for a drink... well if you are a quick drinker (only about 20 minutes to drink).
The bars we hit were Dr. Jykyll's, Jim's Place, The Ambassador, and Bazil's Pub.
The history at all the bars was pretty much so and so opened this bar and then sold it it to this guy. It is now owned by so and so. I want the nitty-gritty inside scoop of each place. I never did find out where Joe McCarthy frequented or if Dillinger stopped by any of the bars.
I did hook up with a couple older ladies and we spent out time talking at the first two bars while everyone was enjoying a drink or socializing. We actually sat outside on the patio at Dr. Jekyll's.
One of the ladies did buy us a round at the Ambassador. I am not one for beer but they did carry some interesting names that I would have tried if I didn't spy the Pear Cider on tap. I had Wyder's Resosado Pear Cider and it was probably one of the best hard ciders I've tried.
There were a few interesting things to note from our pub crawl.
1. There is a pink telephone in the Ambassador
2. Houdini Plaza is where Houdini's family home once stood when they lived in Appleton.
3. The ceiling at Bazil's has decorative tiles created by brides and grooms and casts of Broadway shows that come to town.
I really didn't learn anything worthwhile on the walk. I honestly regret even going on it. I felt like it was a waste of time except for the nice ladies. The guides tried.. don't get me wrong but it was just boring history. I know the curator and museum educator are new to the museum and are working through revamping the History-on-the-Go walks so hopefully next year will be better.
Monday, August 19, 2019
2019 Baseball Stadium Tour -- Parkview Field
Originally we were going to go to the Louisville Bats game on the our way back from Nashville. However since we decided to spend two days in Nashville, Louisville was no longer an option. Monday night baseball games are a tough thing to find in August especially on our route home. When I saw that Fort Wayne was home, I was okay with that choice. Fort Wayne is home to the Single-A Team of the Padres, the Fort Wayne Tin Caps -- a nod to Johnny Appleseed.
The Tin Caps play at Parkview Field downtown Fort Wayne. It is very easy to get to. Their website really didn't give me any instructions on where to pay. Once we got downtown, a quick Google search advised us of where to park. There are three lots across the street from the stadium.. Red, Green, Silver. We paid $5 to park in the green lot and the attendant commented on us being from Wisconsin.
The stadium was built in 2009. It is actually voted the best minor league baseball stadium. It is very update to date and modern. The surrounding area really supports their team. There are seats next to the scoreboard and rooftop seats on the top of nearby business.
We were lucky enough to be there for $1 night.. $1 hot dogs, soda, pizza, popcorn, and cheesy chicken sticks. The cheesy chicken sticks were amazing. We got some because they sounded interesting and went for more later in the game.
Our seats were great. We could see the whole field. We were right behind one of the dugouts but we had netting. The netting extended too far down the lines for us.
The game was a typical Single-A game. They were playing the Iowa Cubs. It was nothing spectacular. There were some good plays.
While walking around, we ran into the parking attendant that noticed our Wisconsin plates. The hubby and him had a nice chat about baseball, stadiums, and the area. This is one of the reasons we like to go to these different stadiums, meet the locals, learn about the team, stadium, and area.
The highlight for me was getting my picture taken with Johnny Appleseed.. the Tin Cap's mascot. The educator in me has a soft spot for Johnny Appleseed so the Tin Caps would be favorite team of mine based on mascot alone.
They are the first single-A team that actually had an option to mail our tickets instead of will call. Most of the Midwest League teams we had to pick our tickets up at will call. I think most of the minor league teams we had to use will call.
I would definitely recommend this stadium. It was probably my favorite of the trip.
The Tin Caps play at Parkview Field downtown Fort Wayne. It is very easy to get to. Their website really didn't give me any instructions on where to pay. Once we got downtown, a quick Google search advised us of where to park. There are three lots across the street from the stadium.. Red, Green, Silver. We paid $5 to park in the green lot and the attendant commented on us being from Wisconsin.
We were lucky enough to be there for $1 night.. $1 hot dogs, soda, pizza, popcorn, and cheesy chicken sticks. The cheesy chicken sticks were amazing. We got some because they sounded interesting and went for more later in the game.
Our seats were great. We could see the whole field. We were right behind one of the dugouts but we had netting. The netting extended too far down the lines for us.
The game was a typical Single-A game. They were playing the Iowa Cubs. It was nothing spectacular. There were some good plays.
While walking around, we ran into the parking attendant that noticed our Wisconsin plates. The hubby and him had a nice chat about baseball, stadiums, and the area. This is one of the reasons we like to go to these different stadiums, meet the locals, learn about the team, stadium, and area.
The highlight for me was getting my picture taken with Johnny Appleseed.. the Tin Cap's mascot. The educator in me has a soft spot for Johnny Appleseed so the Tin Caps would be favorite team of mine based on mascot alone.
They are the first single-A team that actually had an option to mail our tickets instead of will call. Most of the Midwest League teams we had to pick our tickets up at will call. I think most of the minor league teams we had to use will call.
I would definitely recommend this stadium. It was probably my favorite of the trip.
Exploring the Longest Cave in the World
Being a National Park Junkie, I wanted to hit at least one on our vacation. In Atlanta we could have gone to MLK Historical Site but the 3/4 mile walk each way was not something the hubby wanted to do in 90+ degree heat. When planning the trip I gave the hubby several options to do on our way from Nashville to Fort Wayne. He picked Mammoth Cave.
Mammoth Cave is the longest cave system in the world measuring over 400 miles. This is mainly due to a rock layer essentially creating a seal from letting in water that would cause caves to collapse over time. Sure there is still water coming into the cave but not enough to cause significant erosion of the limestone ceiling.
Mammoth Caves offers many different tours of varying degrees of difficulty and length. Back in the late '80s, early '90s, we took a family vacation to Kentucky. My dad, brothers, and I went on the all day tour (6 hours) of Mammoth Cave while mom stayed in the visitor center/car. I don't remember much of the trip which is part of the reason I wanted to go back. Since the hubby and I didn't have time for 6 hours of cave exploring, not to mention the hubby's fear of staircases, we opted for the Frozen Niagara Tour.
The Frozen Niagara Tour is 75 minutes in length. Perfect for people who are just passing through. It features 12 mandatory stairs and 98 (46 down, 46 up) optional stairs. It is a relatively easy walking tour with a couple narrow passages.
The highlight of the Frozen Niagara Tour is at the end of the tour where you can see water looks like a frozen waterfall but is just stalactites that formed into a frozen water fall. There is an actual stream of water from the ceiling as well. You can walk down the optional stairs to see the formation from the bottom which I did. The hubby stayed at the top.
It is a great tour. A bus picks you up and drops you off so there is minimal walking. The longest walk, besides in the cave, is walking back to the visitor center from the lodge where they drop you off at after the tour and that isn't really that long at all.
Even you don't have time to tour the cave, the visitor center offers a great exhibit on the history of Mammoth Cave and the area. Plus you can get your passport stamp.
If you're ever in the area, check it out. It's not like it's going to disappear any time soon.
Mammoth Cave is the longest cave system in the world measuring over 400 miles. This is mainly due to a rock layer essentially creating a seal from letting in water that would cause caves to collapse over time. Sure there is still water coming into the cave but not enough to cause significant erosion of the limestone ceiling.
Mammoth Caves offers many different tours of varying degrees of difficulty and length. Back in the late '80s, early '90s, we took a family vacation to Kentucky. My dad, brothers, and I went on the all day tour (6 hours) of Mammoth Cave while mom stayed in the visitor center/car. I don't remember much of the trip which is part of the reason I wanted to go back. Since the hubby and I didn't have time for 6 hours of cave exploring, not to mention the hubby's fear of staircases, we opted for the Frozen Niagara Tour.
The Frozen Niagara Tour is 75 minutes in length. Perfect for people who are just passing through. It features 12 mandatory stairs and 98 (46 down, 46 up) optional stairs. It is a relatively easy walking tour with a couple narrow passages.
The highlight of the Frozen Niagara Tour is at the end of the tour where you can see water looks like a frozen waterfall but is just stalactites that formed into a frozen water fall. There is an actual stream of water from the ceiling as well. You can walk down the optional stairs to see the formation from the bottom which I did. The hubby stayed at the top.
It is a great tour. A bus picks you up and drops you off so there is minimal walking. The longest walk, besides in the cave, is walking back to the visitor center from the lodge where they drop you off at after the tour and that isn't really that long at all.
Even you don't have time to tour the cave, the visitor center offers a great exhibit on the history of Mammoth Cave and the area. Plus you can get your passport stamp.
If you're ever in the area, check it out. It's not like it's going to disappear any time soon.
Sunday, August 18, 2019
Feasting in Music City
Nashville is a foodie's paradise. There is all sorts of sorts of good eating in Nashville for all sorts of budgets. I wanted to eat near where were staying, sightseeing, or on the way downtown. Initially we were going to have pizza the first night in town at 5 Points Pizza but with the Titans in town we headed to Hendersonville for pizza instead. This is what we indulged in while visiting Music City.
Breakfast -- Five Daughter's Bakery
Because the hubby isn't a big breakfast eater and we wanted a good lunch, I figured hitting up one of the pancake places wasn't the best idea. Besides they weren't close to where we were staying. I decided donuts were a better idea. After googling, Five Daughter's Bakery was on our way downtown so it was the most logical choice.
Five Daughter's features donuts, cookies, and other yummy treats. They are known for 100 layer donuts. These donuts cost about $5 and take several days to make. They are well worth it. The hubby got the vanilla cream. I couldn't decide on the chocolate sprinkle one or the brownie one. Based on a recommendation I went with the brownie one. It was amazing. Even the hubby was impressed with them.
They have several locations in and around Nashville and Atlanta. I would definitely come back.
Lunch -- Johnny Cash's Kitchen & Saloon
Originally we were going to go Puckett's Grocery and Restaurant until I spied an ad for Johnny Cash's Kitchen and Restaurant that said was opening late spring. Well late spring came and went and the website kept telling me it was coming soon. 2 days before I was leaving to head to Alabama, I accidentally clicked on the bookmark and saw it was opened. I told the hubby I changed our lunch plans to Johnny Cash's Kitchen.
This was a good decision on my part. Johnny Cash's Kitchen and Saloon is right next to the Johnny Cash Museum was as we would had to walk several blocks in the heat to get to Puckett's.
Johnny Cash's Kitchen and Saloon is served cafeteria style. You pick up your tray and then tell them what you want to eat. However, there is none of that cafeteria taste. Everything is homemade and features traditional southern favorites.
For $14, you can get a meat and 2 sides. Meats include chicken, catfish, beef tips, hand carved roast beef, meatloaf, and turkey on Sundays. Sides include mac and cheese, fried okra, mashed potatoes, fried apples, greens, and baked potato casserole.
The hubby and I both got beef tips. We got them served over rice just like Johnny liked them. I figured only one side since rice is a side but we still got two sides plus homemade biscuits. You could cut them with a fork.. That's how tender they were.
Lunch was amazing even if I couldn't eat it all and I didn't have a way to bring home the leftovers. There was also live music while we were eating.. even at 12:30 in the afternoon.
Dessert -- Jeni's Ice Cream
Because we stuffed from lunch, we really didn't dinner. We did grab some nachos at the game but nothing substantial. On our way home from the game, the hubby wanted something to eat. I didn't want to McDonald's so a little bit of Google-mapping, I found Jeni's ice cream which was close to our Airbnb.
When the line is out the door, you know it is good. It is not a big shop but the wait is worth it. They have a wide range of flavors including dairy free, gluten-free or vegan flavors. There is truly something for everyone. You can taste any flavor you want with a real spoon.
I went with Mint Chocolate Chip and the hubby had orange blossom chiffon. There are trios available if you can't decide on just one flavor or if you are really hungry you can get a flight of 10 flavors.
I am glad we stumbled upon this place. Parking was a bit tricky but it was worth it. Even our Airbnb hosts told us we found a good place. They actually have locations in several major across the country. Not quite the local scene I thought it was but still very good.
We barely touched the tip of the culunary iceberg in Nashville. Hopefully we will be back again so we can try a few of the local favorites.. hot chicken and biscuits.
Breakfast -- Five Daughter's Bakery
Because the hubby isn't a big breakfast eater and we wanted a good lunch, I figured hitting up one of the pancake places wasn't the best idea. Besides they weren't close to where we were staying. I decided donuts were a better idea. After googling, Five Daughter's Bakery was on our way downtown so it was the most logical choice.
Five Daughter's features donuts, cookies, and other yummy treats. They are known for 100 layer donuts. These donuts cost about $5 and take several days to make. They are well worth it. The hubby got the vanilla cream. I couldn't decide on the chocolate sprinkle one or the brownie one. Based on a recommendation I went with the brownie one. It was amazing. Even the hubby was impressed with them.
They have several locations in and around Nashville and Atlanta. I would definitely come back.
Lunch -- Johnny Cash's Kitchen & Saloon
Originally we were going to go Puckett's Grocery and Restaurant until I spied an ad for Johnny Cash's Kitchen and Restaurant that said was opening late spring. Well late spring came and went and the website kept telling me it was coming soon. 2 days before I was leaving to head to Alabama, I accidentally clicked on the bookmark and saw it was opened. I told the hubby I changed our lunch plans to Johnny Cash's Kitchen.
This was a good decision on my part. Johnny Cash's Kitchen and Saloon is right next to the Johnny Cash Museum was as we would had to walk several blocks in the heat to get to Puckett's.
Johnny Cash's Kitchen and Saloon is served cafeteria style. You pick up your tray and then tell them what you want to eat. However, there is none of that cafeteria taste. Everything is homemade and features traditional southern favorites.
For $14, you can get a meat and 2 sides. Meats include chicken, catfish, beef tips, hand carved roast beef, meatloaf, and turkey on Sundays. Sides include mac and cheese, fried okra, mashed potatoes, fried apples, greens, and baked potato casserole.
The hubby and I both got beef tips. We got them served over rice just like Johnny liked them. I figured only one side since rice is a side but we still got two sides plus homemade biscuits. You could cut them with a fork.. That's how tender they were.
Lunch was amazing even if I couldn't eat it all and I didn't have a way to bring home the leftovers. There was also live music while we were eating.. even at 12:30 in the afternoon.
Dessert -- Jeni's Ice Cream
Because we stuffed from lunch, we really didn't dinner. We did grab some nachos at the game but nothing substantial. On our way home from the game, the hubby wanted something to eat. I didn't want to McDonald's so a little bit of Google-mapping, I found Jeni's ice cream which was close to our Airbnb.
When the line is out the door, you know it is good. It is not a big shop but the wait is worth it. They have a wide range of flavors including dairy free, gluten-free or vegan flavors. There is truly something for everyone. You can taste any flavor you want with a real spoon.
I went with Mint Chocolate Chip and the hubby had orange blossom chiffon. There are trios available if you can't decide on just one flavor or if you are really hungry you can get a flight of 10 flavors.
I am glad we stumbled upon this place. Parking was a bit tricky but it was worth it. Even our Airbnb hosts told us we found a good place. They actually have locations in several major across the country. Not quite the local scene I thought it was but still very good.
We barely touched the tip of the culunary iceberg in Nashville. Hopefully we will be back again so we can try a few of the local favorites.. hot chicken and biscuits.
2019 Baseball Stadium Tour --First Tennesse Park
Planning our trip to back from the World Series Nashville became a logical stop because the Sounds were home. Sometimes you hit stadiums you want to because the schedules work out.. other times you are stuck with whatever works in the schedule. Lucky for me Nashville Sounds were pretty high up on the list of teams I won't mind visiting mainly because there's a ton to do in Nashville besides baseball.
First Tennessee Park, the home of the Nashville Sounds was built in 2015 in a relatively industrial area of town. It is getting more commercial and residential but it is going to take awhile. We actually ended up parking a couple blocks from the stadium in a sketchy business parking lot. I wasn't too keen on leaving the car there but the hubby decided it was safe. And it was. Next time we will have a better idea of the area so we should be able to get closer parking.
The stadium itself is very spectator friendly and open. There is mini golf for families. There are lawn games in one of the bar areas. It also for a lot of mingling while watching the game. The hubby didn't want to play mini golf. I was slightly disappointed. It would have been fun to play golf at a ballpark.
One unique feature of First Tennessee Park is the scoreboard. It is shaped like a guitar. The give-away as a replica scoreboard picture frame. We made sure we came home with two of them.
We had great seats and were only a few rows from the field. The game was a typical AAA game. Nothing really special but it was good fun.
Milwaukee has the racing sausages. DC has the racing presidents. Nashville has racing Country Stars. Dolly, Johnny, and two of there friends race along foul territory. You gotta root for Johnny but Dolly was the winner when we were there.
Great ballpark. We would definitely go back if we are in the area. Hopefully in the future they will remedy the parking situation and make the area around it more ballpark friendly.
First Tennessee Park, the home of the Nashville Sounds was built in 2015 in a relatively industrial area of town. It is getting more commercial and residential but it is going to take awhile. We actually ended up parking a couple blocks from the stadium in a sketchy business parking lot. I wasn't too keen on leaving the car there but the hubby decided it was safe. And it was. Next time we will have a better idea of the area so we should be able to get closer parking.
The stadium itself is very spectator friendly and open. There is mini golf for families. There are lawn games in one of the bar areas. It also for a lot of mingling while watching the game. The hubby didn't want to play mini golf. I was slightly disappointed. It would have been fun to play golf at a ballpark.
One unique feature of First Tennessee Park is the scoreboard. It is shaped like a guitar. The give-away as a replica scoreboard picture frame. We made sure we came home with two of them.
We had great seats and were only a few rows from the field. The game was a typical AAA game. Nothing really special but it was good fun.
Milwaukee has the racing sausages. DC has the racing presidents. Nashville has racing Country Stars. Dolly, Johnny, and two of there friends race along foul territory. You gotta root for Johnny but Dolly was the winner when we were there.
Great ballpark. We would definitely go back if we are in the area. Hopefully in the future they will remedy the parking situation and make the area around it more ballpark friendly.
A Day in Nashville
There are many blogs and Pinterest posts about what to do in Nashville. Most of them are geared to girls' weekends or multiple days. I was with the hubby who is not one to hit the bar scene or even the music scene. He tends to want to avoid crowds and usually goes along with whatever itinerary I plan because it's geared towards what I know he will like that I want to see. Since we only had one full day in Nashville and several things we wanted to see before going to the Nashville Sounds game, there was no lounging in bed at our Airbnb.
Country Music Hall of Fame -- Bucket List Item #944
This was probably the only place in Nashville I HAD to go to. We've been to the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame a few years back and I couldn't wait to go to the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Located just off of Broadway, the Country Music Hall of Fame is a tribute to the many great country stars of yesterday and today. We bought our tickets online ahead of time to skip the line and make sure we got our Studio B Tour time we wanted. Tickets were $41/person for both the hall of fame and Studio B. There was an option also for Hatch Show Print.
We got there at 9 AM to give us about an hour or so before we had to meet for the Studio B Tour. We really didn't need the whole hour but we tend to go through museums rather quickly.
The third floor, which is where you want to start, is dedicated to various stars in the Hall of Fame and in Country Music. There was a whole display dedicated to the Outlaws of Country.. Waylon, Willie, and others. Elvis' car was on display. A lot of great artifacts from a lot of great stars.
There are activities for children throughout the Hall of Fame as well as a dedicated area for them with specific activities at specific times.
The second floor is Hall of Fame Rotunda where it has the gold stars for everyone that is in the hall of fame. It is circular room and the inductees fill the walls. It is quite impressive and rather fun to see if you can find you favorite star.
Hat Show Print
Since we had to time to kill before our Studio B tour, we headed down the hall to the Hatch Show Print where they make just about every concert poster in Nashville. It is giant printing operation, complete with printing presses. Because we were there on Sunday, it was not in operation. Even if you don't go on the tour, it is worth checking out. There are windows in the hall where you can watch them make the signs and gift shop where you can buy prints to take home. The hubby only went along because we didn't have anything better to do. I would have love to look around longer but the hubby was like "I'm done."
RCA Studio B Tour -- Bucket List Item #4210
I contemplated if we really needed to go to Studio B and I'm glad we did opt to go with the tour. You can only visit RCA Studio B on a guided tour through the Country Music Hall of Fame. It was probably the Recording Studio for Country and Rock n Roll Music in the '60s.
Elvis recorded most of his songs in Studio B. You can stand in the exact spot that Elvis stood to record his songs at all hours of the day and night. He liked to record late at night.
If your schedule allows definitely take the tour of Studio B. It was well worth it if for no other reason to be in the same place as many great recording artists once stood.
Johnny Cash Museum -- Bucket List #4214
I will be honest. The only reason we went here is because the hubby is a HUGE Johnny Cash fan. I would probably have skipped it as I'm not a huge fan of Johnny. I like him but not enough to check to want to go to his museum.
The museum was small and crowded. It is $20/adult and I really don't think it was worth the $20. Maybe because it was so crowded that it was hard to see the displays. It did thin out a bit towards the back of museum but you were still fighting your way to see everything.
Personally, unless you are a Johnny Cash fan or have time to kill (even then I might find something else to do), skip it. Maybe if you are there during the week, the crowds might not be as bad and you could enjoy the museum.
Ryman Auditorium
This is the original Grand Ole Opry. It was built as a church and then later used as the home of the Opry. Take the tour, you will learn the history of it. There is a really cool movie about the history of the Ryman before you start your tour. This is one movie I didn't mind sitting through.
You can either take a guided tour of the Ryman or a self-guided tour. I don't know the price difference since we got our tickets as part of our Grand Ole Opry tickets. We did the self-guided tour. After the movie, you really don't need to do the guided tour.
Again, you can stand on stage and even belt out a tune if you want.
I am glad they were able to save the Ryman and restore it back to it's glory. It almost became a victim of the wrecking ball.
If you don't do anything else in Nashville, check out the Ryman. It's worth it.
Broadway
Here's where my great plan fell apart. We had time to kill which I didn't expect. I was more worried about not getting everything done.
Since Broadway is between The Country Music Hall of Fame and the Ryman, we walked down Broadway on the way to the Ryman. Broadway is Nashville's version of the Vegas strip.. bars, restaurants, shops all catering to country music, boots and hats, and drinking. There is live music going on much at any location all day long.
We popped in a few stores but we didn't go into any of the bars/restaurants. I really wanted to go in Tootsies but somehow we walked right by it and the hubby wasn't all about the bar scene. This probably the only regret I had is that we didn't take in the music of Broadway... even on a Sunday afternoon, it was happening.
To be fair we did sit on a ledge outside Loser's and listened to some music. Other than that my Broadway experience was pretty lame. Don't me like me and please experience Broadway the way it is meant to be experienced... music, drinks, and good times.
State Capitol/Polk's Tomb -- Bucket List Item #4206
I have a weird goal of trying to see all the state capitols. Since the capitol isn't too far from downtown and on the way to the ballgame, we headed over to the Capitol. Being Sunday we couldn't go the State Museum but I just wanted to see the capitol. Snap a picture and be done.
However, the capitol is worth actually getting out of the car for. Climb the stairs to entrance. Read the monuments out front.
Discover that James K Polk, the 11th President of the US, is buried right outside the capitol building. I'm a sucker for dead presidents so to stumble upon his tomb was worth the walk. I paid my respect and took a few pictures. Who know there was a former US President buried in Nashville.
Nashville Sounds
We ended the day at the Sounds game. This is whole reason we came to Nashville in the first place. The Sounds were in town. Another minor league stadium crossed off the list. More about the stadium and game in another post.
Overall our day in Nashville was geared towards our likes and dislikes. Sure there was places I wanted to see and didn't get to. I didn't have a back up plan if we ran ahead of schedule. My advice is plan your trip to Nashville based on what you want to see and do and not what some blogger or travel guru says you should do because everyone has different tastes. There is no one trip for everyone. Our trip worked for us.. it probably would bore most people to death. Use the blogs and tips as a starting point and go from there. Make it as structured or as laid back as you want it to be.
Country Music Hall of Fame -- Bucket List Item #944
This was probably the only place in Nashville I HAD to go to. We've been to the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame a few years back and I couldn't wait to go to the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Located just off of Broadway, the Country Music Hall of Fame is a tribute to the many great country stars of yesterday and today. We bought our tickets online ahead of time to skip the line and make sure we got our Studio B Tour time we wanted. Tickets were $41/person for both the hall of fame and Studio B. There was an option also for Hatch Show Print.
We got there at 9 AM to give us about an hour or so before we had to meet for the Studio B Tour. We really didn't need the whole hour but we tend to go through museums rather quickly.
The third floor, which is where you want to start, is dedicated to various stars in the Hall of Fame and in Country Music. There was a whole display dedicated to the Outlaws of Country.. Waylon, Willie, and others. Elvis' car was on display. A lot of great artifacts from a lot of great stars.
There are activities for children throughout the Hall of Fame as well as a dedicated area for them with specific activities at specific times.
The second floor is Hall of Fame Rotunda where it has the gold stars for everyone that is in the hall of fame. It is circular room and the inductees fill the walls. It is quite impressive and rather fun to see if you can find you favorite star.
Hat Show Print
Since we had to time to kill before our Studio B tour, we headed down the hall to the Hatch Show Print where they make just about every concert poster in Nashville. It is giant printing operation, complete with printing presses. Because we were there on Sunday, it was not in operation. Even if you don't go on the tour, it is worth checking out. There are windows in the hall where you can watch them make the signs and gift shop where you can buy prints to take home. The hubby only went along because we didn't have anything better to do. I would have love to look around longer but the hubby was like "I'm done."
RCA Studio B Tour -- Bucket List Item #4210
I contemplated if we really needed to go to Studio B and I'm glad we did opt to go with the tour. You can only visit RCA Studio B on a guided tour through the Country Music Hall of Fame. It was probably the Recording Studio for Country and Rock n Roll Music in the '60s.
Elvis recorded most of his songs in Studio B. You can stand in the exact spot that Elvis stood to record his songs at all hours of the day and night. He liked to record late at night.
If your schedule allows definitely take the tour of Studio B. It was well worth it if for no other reason to be in the same place as many great recording artists once stood.
Johnny Cash Museum -- Bucket List #4214
I will be honest. The only reason we went here is because the hubby is a HUGE Johnny Cash fan. I would probably have skipped it as I'm not a huge fan of Johnny. I like him but not enough to check to want to go to his museum.
The museum was small and crowded. It is $20/adult and I really don't think it was worth the $20. Maybe because it was so crowded that it was hard to see the displays. It did thin out a bit towards the back of museum but you were still fighting your way to see everything.
Personally, unless you are a Johnny Cash fan or have time to kill (even then I might find something else to do), skip it. Maybe if you are there during the week, the crowds might not be as bad and you could enjoy the museum.
Ryman Auditorium
This is the original Grand Ole Opry. It was built as a church and then later used as the home of the Opry. Take the tour, you will learn the history of it. There is a really cool movie about the history of the Ryman before you start your tour. This is one movie I didn't mind sitting through.
You can either take a guided tour of the Ryman or a self-guided tour. I don't know the price difference since we got our tickets as part of our Grand Ole Opry tickets. We did the self-guided tour. After the movie, you really don't need to do the guided tour.
Again, you can stand on stage and even belt out a tune if you want.
I am glad they were able to save the Ryman and restore it back to it's glory. It almost became a victim of the wrecking ball.
If you don't do anything else in Nashville, check out the Ryman. It's worth it.
Broadway
Here's where my great plan fell apart. We had time to kill which I didn't expect. I was more worried about not getting everything done.
Since Broadway is between The Country Music Hall of Fame and the Ryman, we walked down Broadway on the way to the Ryman. Broadway is Nashville's version of the Vegas strip.. bars, restaurants, shops all catering to country music, boots and hats, and drinking. There is live music going on much at any location all day long.
We popped in a few stores but we didn't go into any of the bars/restaurants. I really wanted to go in Tootsies but somehow we walked right by it and the hubby wasn't all about the bar scene. This probably the only regret I had is that we didn't take in the music of Broadway... even on a Sunday afternoon, it was happening.
To be fair we did sit on a ledge outside Loser's and listened to some music. Other than that my Broadway experience was pretty lame. Don't me like me and please experience Broadway the way it is meant to be experienced... music, drinks, and good times.
State Capitol/Polk's Tomb -- Bucket List Item #4206
I have a weird goal of trying to see all the state capitols. Since the capitol isn't too far from downtown and on the way to the ballgame, we headed over to the Capitol. Being Sunday we couldn't go the State Museum but I just wanted to see the capitol. Snap a picture and be done.
However, the capitol is worth actually getting out of the car for. Climb the stairs to entrance. Read the monuments out front.
Discover that James K Polk, the 11th President of the US, is buried right outside the capitol building. I'm a sucker for dead presidents so to stumble upon his tomb was worth the walk. I paid my respect and took a few pictures. Who know there was a former US President buried in Nashville.
Nashville Sounds
We ended the day at the Sounds game. This is whole reason we came to Nashville in the first place. The Sounds were in town. Another minor league stadium crossed off the list. More about the stadium and game in another post.
Overall our day in Nashville was geared towards our likes and dislikes. Sure there was places I wanted to see and didn't get to. I didn't have a back up plan if we ran ahead of schedule. My advice is plan your trip to Nashville based on what you want to see and do and not what some blogger or travel guru says you should do because everyone has different tastes. There is no one trip for everyone. Our trip worked for us.. it probably would bore most people to death. Use the blogs and tips as a starting point and go from there. Make it as structured or as laid back as you want it to be.
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