Downtown Nashville: Be Creative!

Nashville runs on creative energy. Country songwriters and symphonic musicians… classical sculptors and digital artists… recording stars and opera divas… hip hoppers and ballerinas… all thrive here.  This receptivity to creativity and creative people may be why Nashville has been voted one of the friendliest cities in America. There’s just something in the air here.

Of course, there’s something over the air, too. Much of the popular music broadcast around the world originates here. You can tap into this tradition just a few blocks away at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. Of course, Nashville’s worldwide dominance in country music is not just history, it is very much alive. Experience it for yourself at the city’s many clubs and showcases, as well as at annual music festivals, such as Tin Pan South and the CMA Music Festival.

Across the street from the Hall of Fame is Schermerhorn Symphony Center, Nashville’s new world-class concert hall. Surrounded by stately fountains and sculptures, the $120 million neoclassical building is a masterpiece of old world craftsmanship – from its limestone and granite exterior to its interior of Italian and Spanish marbles and Brazilian and African hardwoods. The Laura Turner Concert Hall inside is an acoustical wonder, designed so that the softest sound is clearly audible at the back of the house. One is literally immersed in the music.  The Schermerhorn is home to the Nashville Symphony, whose successful touring and recordings are attracting international attention – including the attention of renowned conductor Leonard Slatkin, who recently joined the orchestra as Music Advisor.

Just a few blocks away is another acoustical masterpiece, The Ryman Auditorium, the “Mother Church of Country Music” where the Grand Ole Opry originated in 1925. Today, it hosts many of the icons of popular music. Everybody who is anybody has played the Ryman – or wants to.

If your musical tastes turn to Broadway, the Tennessee Performing Arts Center (TPAC) – directly across from the hotel – is just the ticket. TPAC is also home to the Nashville Opera, Nashville Ballet and Tennessee Repertory Theater.

The performing arts are just one way Nashville expresses its creativity. Painting, sculpture and other plastic arts take center stage at the Frist Center for the Visual Arts, reachable on foot or via a five-minute cab ride. The Frist hosts stunning art exhibits of contemporary and traditional styles that are curated from the collections of the world’s top museums. Want to take some of Nashville’s creativity home? Then visit The Arts Company gallery, a short walk from the hotel.

If your favorite performing art involves athletic competition, you’re in luck in downtown Nashville. Whether cheering on the NFL's Tennessee Titans or rooting for NHL's Predators, sports are always in season.

Shopping in Nashville: Local Boutiques to International Designers
 
At the recently expanded The Mall at Green Hills, the city’s most prestigious shopping district, you’ll find more than 100 stores and eateries – including Tiffany & Co., Louis Vuitton, Gus Mayer, Harold's, Pottery Barn, Brooks Brothers, Coach, Restoration Hardware, Talbots Woman, White House/Black Market, Banana Republic, Chico's, Ann Taylor, Davis-Kidd Booksellers, BCBG MAXAZRIA, Cole Haan, L'Occitane, Coldwater Creek, Godiva Chocolatier, Anne Klein New York and Macy's.
 
The eclectic shops of the 5-Points Shopping District, located at the junction of 11th Street, Woodland Street, and Clearview Avenue, evoke the bohemian vibe of historic East Nashville. Spend a fun afternoon exploring the unique selection of merchandise, and end your day at one of East Nashville’s many fine restaurants or coffeehouses.

Located near Vanderbilt University in a quiet residential neighborhood of stately homes, Hillsboro Village is Nashville’s first shopping district outside of downtown. Very pedestrian friendly and always bustling, it is perhaps the most “genuinely Nashville” place to shop in town. In addition to many of the city’s finest restaurants, you’ll find a locally-owned coffee shop, art gallery, jewelry store, used book store and art movie house – as well as interesting clothing and furniture stores.

Enjoying Nashville: We can help you decide

Our hotel concierge will be happy to assist you with arrangements to visit Nashville attractions and with recommendations and reservations at local eateries. You may contact the concierge at: