Food, activity, shopping recs Nashville??

[Anonymous]

All ages trip, but we have the option to split off. What are fun things to do with kids as young as 3, but also all family , or splitting off as couple /date night? Any kind of rec welcome - fine dining, local delicacy dining (breakfast, BBQ, or just really amazing 5star restaurants), best boutiques (not chain mall, but local stuff), quirky stuff (ghost tours etc), where to hear music with a 3 year old (early evening), where to hear music no 3 year old, best drinks, music? , what to avoid... Will be there soon so will be HOT - flexible, fun family group. Staying downtown and prefer walkability when possible, but do have transport. We also have a venue for 4th fireworks, so all set for that. TIA and happy Fourth!

[Anonymous]

I thought walking on the map of TN at Bicentennial Park was really neat for kids. You can also go to the farmer's market by there an get ice cream, and kids can run up and down the steps/hill at the Capitol. We did walk from downtown, which was pretty far, but we also weren't there in summer heat. It may be more something to do if there are other things you're already doing near there.

The Parthenon is cool, especially if any of the kids like mythology/Athena.

We didn't like NashHouse restaurant.

[Anonymous]

Me again. Kids liked walking across the John Seigenthaler pedestrian bridge.

[Anonymous]

East Nashville for the win. Right?

[Anonymous]

Not much there. Go for work frequently and don’t understand why people would vacation there.

[Anonymous]

12 South is kind of fun to walk around, though the commercial area is smaller than you'd think. Some fun little local shops and interesting restaurant options -- the food didn't blow my socks off or anything but it was nice. Bartaco makes a good watermelon margarita that'll cool you off in the heat. You'll need a car to get there from downtown.

Downtown, it's going to be hard to *avoid* live music. It's everywhere, at all hours.

You can do a fried chicken food tour of Nashville and that might entertain kids, depending on if they like to eat. Prince's, Hattie B's, Loveless Cafe...

[Anonymous]

I absolutely love the Nashville zoo. We go to the National Zoo regularly but still visit the Nashville one when we’re there because it has different stuff. More shade too.

[Anonymous]

Hop on hop off bus tours are good for families with kids. Stay on the bus when kids are tired and still see something.

[Anonymous]

Downtown Nashville is definitely not a family friendly environment these days. And there is nowhere to hear live music with a 3 year old in tow.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Downtown Nashville is definitely not a family friendly environment these days. And there is nowhere to hear live music with a 3 year old in tow.

I think it would be fine to take a 3 year old to a honky tonk for lunch, as long as you don't care about it's being loud.

[Anonymous]

I recommended walking on the map above and almost recommended Church Street Park. I didn't because it's small and some people wouldn't be thrilled by outdoor connect four and chess and maybe some homeless people, but my kids love those kinds of games and rarely get them at home. It all depends on what you do in your everyday life and what you think a vacation is.

They do have live music on Friday at 4:30, though. Older adults could go into the Nashville Public Library for air conditioning and the Civil Rights room: https://library.nashville.org/research/civil-rights-room

It's also again walking distance from downtown hotels, depending on your tolerance for walking. More like a half mile than 1.5-ish miles like the map is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not much there. Go for work frequently and don’t understand why people would vacation there.

Agree and why go vacation somewhere when you don’t seem to have a clue about anything you’d like to do there?

[Anonymous]

Check out the Cheekwood Botanical Gardens. They regularly have live music that is pretty kid friendly plus it's gorgeous.

East Nashville has some terrific restaurants but otherwise is pretty dull for kids so maybe save that for date night options.

Definitely do hot chicken if your family likes spicy food. We prefer Hattie B's to Prince's. Pepperfire is also good and people like the hot fish at Bolton's (not my thing).

There are some terrific antique stores in North Nashville and Buena Vista area that my kids enjoyed wandering through. Check out Rolf & Daughters and Butchertown for food (Butchertown is more family friendly).

Biscuit Love in the Gulch is cute and fun for breakfast or brunch and is near the Instagram-famous wings mural if your kids are into that (personally I would feel weird waitng in line to take a photo a million people have taken before of yourself standing in front of a wall but whatever).

Buy boots and check out a guitar shop. Definitely hit up a honky tonk or two. Broadway can get nutty at night especially on the weekend but you can go during the day and it's relatively tame and you will hear music as long as places are open.

Have fun!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Check out the Cheekwood Botanical Gardens. They regularly have live music that is pretty kid friendly plus it's gorgeous.

East Nashville has some terrific restaurants but otherwise is pretty dull for kids so maybe save that for date night options.

Definitely do hot chicken if your family likes spicy food. We prefer Hattie B's to Prince's. Pepperfire is also good and people like the hot fish at Bolton's (not my thing).

There are some terrific antique stores in North Nashville and Buena Vista area that my kids enjoyed wandering through. Check out Rolf & Daughters and Butchertown for food (Butchertown is more family friendly).

Biscuit Love in the Gulch is cute and fun for breakfast or brunch and is near the Instagram-famous wings mural if your kids are into that (personally I would feel weird waitng in line to take a photo a million people have taken before of yourself standing in front of a wall but whatever).

Buy boots and check out a guitar shop. Definitely hit up a honky tonk or two. Broadway can get nutty at night especially on the weekend but you can go during the day and it's relatively tame and you will hear music as long as places are open.

Have fun!

It makes me very sad that Nashville has become this cliche.

[Anonymous]

I also go for work regularly and really like the food hall. I guess I wouldn’t go that far out of my way for it but if you’re checking out Broadway, it’s a couple of blocks up from there. I like it because there are a million food options (yes, I realize it’s a glorified food court but it’s good for mixed ages who might want different things). There’s a great Indian place there that I really like. And each side of the hall (connected by an outdoor walkway) has its own live music, so you can pick which side where you like the music better. And because it’s wide open with seating everywhere, you can get a table down front by the band(s), or further back where you can hear it but it isn’t as loud. For that reason, it’s a great place for mixed ages to listen to live music and make it as immersive and loud as you like, or not. Personally, I always sit a bit away because it is incredibly loud by the speakers.

Anyway, I guess that’s a lot of words about a food hall but I’ve always liked the vibe there. And there’s a lot of shopping on the first floor (the food hall is up the escalator on the second floor).