*Pulls out bucket list and looks for Nashville* CHECK!
I've literally wanted to visit Nashville ever since I was a little girl. I'm a huge fan of country music, so the thought of visiting the birthplace was a dream come true! Let me tell you, the trip was just how I pictured it - amazing! My least favorite part of my mini-vacation was definitely the drive, which was 8 hours from Michigan to there. Plus, I didn't realize there was a time change in Kentucky, so it seemed to go on forever! I definitely entertained myself with my throwback country playlist and Sophia Amoruso's #GIRLBOSS podcasts on Spotify.
DAY 1
Technically I drove down to see my boyfriend (he's an army soldier), so I stayed in Clarksville at his apartment. Nashville was only an hour away, so we spent two days there exploring downtown. The first day in Nashville was filled with rain and wind. We checked the weather previously, but it was just like looking at Michigan's weather - extremely unpredictable. The first place we landed was Alley Taps Gin Mill within Printers Alley. If you've never been to Printers Alley, it's basically an alleyway filled with bars and colorful designs. While at Alley Taps, we grabbed a couple drinks and I purchased a sweatshirt to keep me warm. Unfortunately the staff couldn't find my size, so they took us into their "secret" warehouse and we got to see the behind-the-scenes action of the bar. After a while, they still couldn't find my size, so one of the workers gave me hers! That was literally super sweet of her and not expected at all! I just wish I would've gotten her name so I could've thanked her once I returned home.
After that, we had dinner at The Stillery. The food and music were absolutely fantastic! The wait time was roughly an hour, so we went upstairs to grab a drink and listen to the live music. A younger gentleman was playing country music and he was great! I just wish I could remember his name because he apparently has an album on Spotify. Maybe one of y'all will recognize him from his picture? If so, please comment his name! Once dinner was finished, it was pretty late in the day, so we check out a couple local bars/clubs and grasped a feel for the ambiance. It was definitely entertaining to see groups of older women and bachelorettes living it up!
DAY 2
What an absolutely gorgeous day! The sun was shining and it was very warm! Since it was a Tuesday, the traffic wasn't NEARLY as bad as Saturday. The wait time was much less and it was a lot easier to move around town. We started the day by grabbing lunch at the FGL House (my boyfriend didn't know FGL was a group... LOL) and had a delicious protein salad! It was such a cute little place and definitely a place everyone needs to visit!
We then grabbed dessert at the world's best milkshake place - The Legendairy Milkshake Bar. They make absolutely delicious milkshakes full of goodies! They're literally so fancy that it took us forever to get it! This place did have a long line, but I can totally understand why. The milkshake itself was pretty pricey, so we just split a strawberry cheesecake one. I've seen similar places in Michigan, but finally had the opportunity to visit one! It was super filling and definitely had us both in a sugar coma after we were finished.
We definitely needed to walk off the milkshake (so many calories!), so we looked around a few small boutiques and tourist shops. I purchased a few small things for one of my Elvis loving relatives since we were literally surrounded by the King of Rock and Roll. After an hour or so, we took off to Music City Indoor Karting. To be honest, I can't remember the last time I've gone go-karting. It was so much fun and we were able to race each other quite a few times. I'm definitely the turtle of the two (it's my cautious bone!), so he literally crushed me in every race. Even though I lost, it was still super fun.
I definitely have a few more places I'd like to visit in Nashville - Country Music Hall of Fame and the Grand Ol' Opry - but I'll save those for another trip. It was such an amazing mini-vacation and I'm so glad my boyfriend lives only an hour from there! I can't wait to visit again in the near future.