Nashville Adventure

I love traveling but I don't have tons of money to spend on extravagant trips no Italy for me right now but there is always Epcot, right? But for real as much as I would like to travel all over the globe it just isn't a reality for me at this time in my life. However, that doesn't mean you can't take trips, no flying required!

Nashville is a southern hotspot known for it's country music stars, southern comfort food and the famous Broadway street which earned it the nickname "Nashvegas". There is so much to do there and with it being only 3 hours away from Bham, a great weekend trip!

Taking December trips are always fun not only are you normally on a break (especially great for those in college, grad school or whatever) plus you have the joy of seeing all the winter décor up and ready for Christmas! This trip started last Friday when we arrived at the beautiful Hilton in Downtown Nashville around 6pm and what did I tell you? Love the décor!

After a quick change, we were off to the Bridgestone Arena, this is the arena that also hosts the Nashville Predators hockey team. Yes, the team that Carrie Underwood's hubby plays for. But tonight we weren't there for a game, instead we were going to see the incredibly talented and funny Amy Schumer! A little sight-seeing and photo taking were in order first, I mean all for the blog, right?

If you have been following the blog you know one of my favorite movies of the summer was Trainwreck, obviously others thought so too since the film and Amy Schumer have been nominated for Golden Globes and SAG awards recently. I thought I got really good tickets but as you can see...well what else would you expect when you pay $30 per ticket? Still we could see everything and Amy's standup was very funny. Some of the material was part of her HBO special that aired recently but it was still fun to hear it live plus she had plenty of new stuff too.

After laughing hard for two hours, it was time to take in some of the nightlife! Broadway is where you see all the bars and "honky-tonks". SO MANY LIGHTS, it really does look like a mini Vegas. We were hungry so after a little research we decided on Merchant's Restaurant located downtown.

The food was very good, it was crowded so there was a bit of a wait so I definitely recommend a reservation but if you go later in the night then it is much shorter than peak hours. Since it was late I didn't want anything too heavy so I decided on the tomato bisque and a delicious salmon salad with strawberries, feta and walnuts (sorry no picture!). My absolute favorite had to be the Blondie for dessert! Give this place a visit for sure!

After dinner we walked around Broadway for a bit then headed back since it was after midnight and we were exhausted. The next morning was a day full of sightseeing and we started it out at the "World-Famous Printer's Alley", so here is me in the alley. It was really cool!

I told you guys there is Christmas cheer everywhere! This alley reminded me of New Orleans a bit and I love NOLA so this area was fun to explore. Pack your comfy shoes since it is easiest just to walk around town! 

Again I love my friends who are so supportive of my blog and are always ready to take pictures for me, especially when they are touristy and cheesy. So big shout out to those who help me! I mean look at this posing but if you like to travel you need the tourist shots!

After brunch at Puckett's we got in the car and made our way to Howell's Alley area. It looked like something out of a movie! Tons of little shops, restaurants, coffee houses, and more. I mean there was a coffee joint called the Frothy Monkey, yes, the Frothy Monkey!

There is a wood carving of a monkey with a coffee cup. A MONKEY WITH A COFFEE CUP! I love this for some reason, this area had so much personality!

This local Christmas tree farm looks like it came straight from a movie set. These are the little details and spots that make a town so charming. We loved exploring!

Reese Witherspoon is one of my all-time favorite actresses so a stop by her own store, Draper James was a must. While some of the items are definitely not in my budget, they were having a sale that day so I did scoop up a few things. This store is pure southern charm!

You can't go to Howell's Alley and not get this picture! This sign is a must-stop photo opp.

I'm a sports fanatic so we had to see the Tennessee Titan's Stadium! Sadly no sign of Marcus Mariota around anywhere but I really want to go back for a game at some point. Love seeing all the NFL stadiums when I get the chance to do so! 

If you are from the South, you know what a Goo Goo is. If you don't then you will just have to "goo"gle it! Ok, I'll stop. But if you are in town visit the store and see how they are made!

The trip was so much fun and I was sad to see the weekend go! Since it is so close, I know another visit there is in order soon. You can definitely do a weekend trip on a budget to Nashville and I highly recommend the city. Southern appeal in a big city might be the best way to describe it. If you get the chance, take a visit to the Music City!

Nashville you made a believer out of me!

Happy Travels

xoxo,