Simply Home Aid

My sister Olivia visits almost every summer, and we always have a blast exploring Nashville! It was so much fun to be a tourist in my own city, and I wanted to share some of the adventures from our week together!

1. Rudy’s Jazz Room

Grab your dance partner and check out Rudy’s Jazz Room! They have swing dancing on Thursday nights, along with a tasty New Orleans inspired menu. Get the beignets. Ain’t nothin’ wrong with fried dough topped with powdered sugar!

2. Cummins Falls

I’ve only recently become obsessed with chasing waterfalls, and I can’t believe it’s taken me 10 years of living in Tennessee to find this gem.

SO many great things about this park. 1) Easy and scenic 2 hour drive from Nashville. 2) Ample parking and facilities at the top of the park. 3) You are rewarded with a GORGEOUS waterfall at the end of your hike!

Words of caution: 1) Check the website before you go. Sometimes the gorge area is closed due to flooding. 2) Go to the bathroom before you hike to the falls. 3) While there were several families with small children, I had a difficult time staying upright on certain parts of the hike. Steep, slippery terrain included the need to cross a river that came up to my thighs. 4) I wish I had brought a waterproof case to protect my phone (or a Go Pro) so that I could bring it up onto the falls with me!

3. Go on a Mural Hunt

Check out Greta Hollar’s post on all the murals in downtown Nashville! Olivia and I only made it to a handful, but I loved scrolling through my camera roll afterwards- it’s so colorful!

4. Take in a Great View at the Shelby Street Pedestrian Bridge

On 2nd Avenue (by the Schermerhorn) you can access the pedestrian bridge that crosses the Cumberland river and connects the downtown/Broadway area to Nissan Stadium.

5. Electric Bikes in Downtown Franklin

Add this to your list, ASAP! Electric bikes are like a regular bicycle and a motorcycle combined. You can pedal the old-fashioned way if you wish, or use the throttle for a burst of speed! Rent one from Pedego in Downtown Franklin and explore the charming town and surrounding parks. There’s a trail that goes along the river, as well as nearby Pinkerton Park that gives you plenty of paved roadway to satisfy your need for speed!

6. The Listening Room Cafe

There are SO many places to hear live music in Nashville. I love the Listening Room Cafe because it has live music every night, ample seating, and reasonable ticket prices (sometimes free shows, too!)  Note: There is a $10 food/drink minimum per person, per show.

7.Go to a Sounds Game at First Tennessee Park

I’m really not that into sports. I was a cheerleader in high school, and still don’t know all the rules for basketball or football. Shoot ball in hoop. Don’t get tackled. Go, Fight, Win!

But this Sounds stadium is so nice! It feels so clean, and yes, the scoreboard is shaped like a guitar. There’s a new mini golf course, ping pong tables, corn hole, and a lawn seating area for littles to run around.  The food options are on the higher end of what I’ve experienced at ballparks, including jalapeño corn fritters and hot chicken.

8. Speaking of food. Eat ALL the Foods!

I always have a list going of the restaurants I want to visit in Nashville. Really, that should be a separate post. So I’ll just limit this list to the places where we took the pictures!

Nashville (and Franklin) Natives- what are your favorite things to do this summer? I’d love to hear all about your adventures!

Happy organizing… and exploring!

Stephanie