Restaurant With Skyline View and Which Historic Home (Jackson, Franklin: fit in, hotel)

[NewMexes]

We're spending a couple of days mid-week in Nashville in August. Are there some good restaurants with pretty skyline views at night? We wouldn't want to spend more than about $30/entree.

Also, we are deciding between seeing The Hermitage or the Carnton Plantation. Which is best?

Thanks!

[CountryGirl2b=]

Wow . . good question! The only places I know with a view are pretty casual but I'll list them anyway . .

NASHVILLE

Acme Seed and Feed: Nice view of the river from the 2nd floor windows.

Rock Bottom Brewery: Serves a limited menu and drinks from their roof top terrace. Great view of Lower Broadway.

Bongo Java coffee shop in the Omni Hotel: Stunning view of the Music City Center, particularly after dusk. Likewise the other restaurants in the hotel. Bob's Steak & Chop I think has an outdoor bar. There is a Taco place along that same row, and Barlines often opens their glass doors to the terrace.

Hardrock Cafe has a rooftop deck but I'd pick Rock Bottom over Hard Rock.

The Bridge Bar/Cafe has a nice view from the bar. It's part of a pedestrian walkway from the Library Parking (cheapest in town) to the Renaissance Hotel. Limited Menu but kinda fun.

The Bridge | Nashville Hotel Restaurants at the Renaissance Nashville Hotel

FRANKLIN

The Red Pony and Gray's would have nice views of the quaint town of Franklin if you went up to the 2nd floor.


I tried to go to the Hermitage but got there too late. Bigger fancier house, of course. Carnton is a very small house, comparatively, but lots of Civil War history there. If you go to Carnton, don't miss the Cemetery, the big one. Nice little gift shop.

There's also the Belle Meade Plantation:
Belle Meade Plantation

[N.Cal]

Acme Seed and Feed: Nice view of the river from the 2nd floor windows.

Even better - go to the rooftop bar at Acme. River and East Nashville on one side and a view of the Bridgestone Tower through the behind the bar window out the other direction.

Rooftop bar in the new Fairfield Inn on Division in the Gulch. You can order food there too.

Sit outside on the patio at Peg Leg Porker at dusk - fabulous view of downtown.

[BirdieBelle]

Carnton is nice and has come a long was as an attraction, but IMHO it cannot compete with the Hermitage.

They tell different stories. Carnton was a family home that was overtaken as a field hospital and does have incredible tales of pain and loss, but The Hermitage was the home of a US president and one of the more controversial figures in our history. His bedroom looks like he literally just left it.

They are not close to each other, unfortunately. I like Franklin a lot better, in terms of appearance and restaurants/things to do, than I like the Hermitage part of Nashville where Jackson's home is located, if that influences your decision at all.

[MTFan]

Germantown Cafe has a good view of the skyline.

http://germantowncafe.com/

[GWoodle]

Also, we are deciding between seeing The Hermitage or the Carnton Plantation. Which is best?

Thanks![/quote]

Do the Hermitage if you like presidential history. $20/Adult

Do the Carnton Plantation and Carter house for civil war, Battle of Franklin. Read "The Widow of the South" $15/Adult

Do Belle Meade Plantation if you like race horse history. Go to nearby Cheekwood. $18/Adult

Check all 3 websites if they have special events when you visit.

[BirdieBelle]

Originally Posted by Wmsn4Life

Carnton is nice and has come a long was as an attraction, ...

Ugh ... typo.

I meant to write, "...has come a long WAY ..."



Carry on!

[NewMexes]

Thanks so much for replying folks! I am so glad to have some "insider information"!

[NewMexes]

Thanks again for the help with this question. We had a great trip to Nashville. We chose to go to Carnton. The tour guides were excellent and really painted a picture that made you understand the Civil War story of the Battle of Franklin. We went to the Carter House too, but didn't have time to fit in the Lotz house. The blood-stained floors at Carnton, the bullet-ridden brick walls at the Carter House, and realizing the distance between the two showed what a massive, bloody battle this was.

We went to Acme Feed and Seed. Another perfect suggestion. We walked the bridge there and had a wonderful evening.

[bspray]

That medical instrument display at the Carnton Plantation still makes my queasy. I guess in 100 years people will think our doctors used barbaric tools too.