After the effortless check-in you will find yourself in one of the 123 spectacular guest rooms. Each guest room is incredibly spacious (475 square feet to be exact) and elegantly decorated. The bathroom was one of my favorites aspects of the room thanks to the magnificent separate shower, soaking tub, enclosed water closet, and double vanities. My other favorite without a doubt were the wonderfully comfortable beds. Each night includes a turn-down service, delicious cookies and bottled water, free of charge.

During your stay at the Hermitage I highly recommend taking some time to work out in their sun-lit fitness room featuring treadmills, cross-trainer and stationary bikes each with their own personal televisions, as well as individual strength equipment. Before or after working out you can also take advantage of free fresh fruit and water, and a cool towel.

The Hermitage is perfectly situated so that all of the fine attractions are within walking distance, in fact it sits across from the state capitol building. The hotel staff is very friendly and always willing to help whether it is carrying your bags or helping to give directions. Overall, If you are visiting downtown Nashville there is no decision to make, the Hermitage Hotel is a must!

Room rates vary, however they typically start at $299/night. Check out the official site at TheHermitageHotel.com.

The resort has more than 2,800 guest rooms, including 165 suites and 741 atrium-view rooms with private balconies. We were lucky enough to have an atrium-view room during our visit to the Opryland Resort and I must admit it was amazing waking up and being able to open the French doors to the balcony overlooking the gorgeous gardens. If you stay at the Opryland make sure you get an atrium-view room!

Since the Opryland is like a town within a building you may find it slightly difficult to find your room and your way around, but it doesn’t take too long before you get used to it all. If you do find yourself lost the staff is more than happy to help guide you to where you are going.

The Gaylord Opryland Resort is an enchanting retreat that will have you feeling relaxed and refreshed. It is exceptionally convenient to have so much under one roof and is perfect if you are looking for a laid back time away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

Room rates vary, however they typically start at $199/night. Check out the official site at GaylordHotels.com

If you are in Nashville for other reasons than country music and aren’t so interested I wouldn’t recommend visiting the Hall of Fame Museum. I am only a fan of newer country music, not so much the legends, and I only enjoyed it to an extent. There are many neat exhibits, but for the most part they either weren’t very interesting for me or interactive in any way. After visiting the Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland I think the Country Music Hall of Fame could use some more interactivity, then again maybe it was simply my lack of interest.

Ticket prices are fairly reasonable with the lowest for an adult is $19.95 and a child being $12.95. Check out the official site at CountryMusicHallofFame.com.

Tickets for the tour are $12.50 for adults and $6.25 for children. Check out the official site at Ryman.com

Arriving at the Belle Meade you will immediately be taken aback at the magnificent beauty of the Mansion. As you drive through the gates and over the bridge you can’t help but feel as though you are taking a trip back in history. In the late 1800’s and early 1900’s the Belle Meade Plantation was a first-class world renowned thoroughbred horse farm, in fact Seabiscuit, Barbarro, and Smarty Jones trace their bloodlines back to Belle Meade, and the estate encompassed some 5,400 acres. Shortly thereafter financial conditions turned sour and the owners, the Harding family, were forced to auction the property. It wasn’t until 1953 that the Association for the Preservation of Tennessee Antiquities was deeded the property and began offering tours of the estate.

The Belle Meade Plantation tour offers guided tours through the Belle Meade Mansion and self-guided tours through the eight outbuildings, including the slave quarters and horse stables. The tours are very educational and the guides are terrific at keeping things lively and interesting throughout, so even if history isn’t your favorite subject you will not be bored.

Admission fees are $11 for adults and $5 for children (6-12 years old). Check out the official site at BelleMeadePlantation.com

During our visit to the Grand Ole Opry the show was headlined by Vince Gill, among many others. Like the original Grand Ole Opry, which was held at the Ryman Auditorium, the seating is cushioned pews making the entire concert feel very communal. Though the seating can be a little uncomfortable at times it also adds to the experience and makes it that much more unique.

If you want to make your experience even more unforgettable I highly recommend purchasing tickets for the backstage tour (call 1-800-SEE-OPRY). We were given a tour backstage at the end of the concert so, unfortunately, we missed the majority of Vince Gill’s performance, however it was worth it. The tour guides you through most of the backstage area where you can catch a glimpse of just about every performer and take a peek in many of their dressing rooms. One of the other performers that night was singer, Jo Dee Messina, who was quite rude backstage totally ignoring us. We didn’t let the diva ruin our night though. After that came the end of the tour where we got to stand on stage behind Vince Gill and watch him finish his set. As soon as he exited the stage his children ran up to him and gave him a big hug. He was then gracious enough to take pictures with us and other fans.

I must note that typically backstage tours are not available while the Opry House is in use, but they do offer them sometimes so if you are interested make sure you ask about it. It is a wonderful opportunity to learn about the Grand Ole Opry and, who knows, you may just meet some of the performers as well.

For an event calendar, ticket prices, and more information please visit Opry.com

If you are a NASCAR fan or simply enjoy the adrenaline of driving at high speeds you will no doubt love your experience at Checker Flag Lightning. Stop by Opry Mills Mall and take the drivers seat at Checker Flag Lightning!

For more information about Checker Flag Lightning at the Opry Mills Mall check out www.smsonline.com/centers/oms_racingcenter1.html

Before even entering the Rainforest Café you can tell this restaurant is not an ideal place for a quiet, calm dinner, it is actually the exact opposite. Upon entering you will feel a soft, cool mist and be surrounded by animals that live in a real rainforest, such as a life-sized gorilla pounding his chest, elephants trumpeting, exotic birds singing and flying around (fake ones, of course), sounds of waterfalls, and more. You can’t help but feel as though you are truly dining in the middle of a rainforest.

The food and drinks are equally as spectacular as the atmosphere. Whether you are looking for the typical tame offerings or something a little more exotic, the Rainforest Café will have something for you.

More information about the Rainforest Café at RainforestCafe.com

Like all other Hard Rock Café’s this one is also filled with rock-n-roll memorabilia giving you much to look at and talk about while being seated and waiting for your food to arrive. The staff is exceptionally friendly and easy going and their service is top notch. The food is absolutely delicious, so much so that you probably won’t want to stop. I know I didn’t.

The Hard Rock Café Nashville sits more or less in the heart of Nashville in the “Historic” district at 100 Broadway. Broadway is perhaps the most lively street in Nashville at night with the sidewalks filled with people of all types, captivating entertainers, and live music and karaoke from Nashville’s many famous bars and lounges. If you are looking for Nashville’s nightlife, this is the place to be!

Overall, put it at the top of the list of places to eat at when in downtown Nashville. The food, atmosphere and perfect location make the Hard Rock a must! Take my word for it, you won’t regret it.

More information about Hard Rock Café Nashville at HardRock.com

- Chad Kennedy, Publisher/Editor-in-Chief