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People, people! Do not fight amongst yourselves! Let us unite for a better Tennessee.......or something uplifting like that .......
Whew! I just got back from my trip. 2 days in Nashville, 2 in Georgia.....then this morning I drove the rental from Atlanta to Nashville at 5 a.m., hopped a bird to Detroit, then back in my truck for 4 hours up here to my place.
I had to laugh......all the talk about Nashville traffic. At 8:30 your time this morning (a MONDAY morning) I came straight into downtown on I-24 from the Murfreesboro region and was only in about 5 minutes of brief stop & go to get off on Demonbruen (sp?) so I could get a few more pics of the city before catching my flight. After that, I filled the tank at about 8:45 at the Exxon on Broadway and was standing in the BNA terminal - rental turned in and through security - by 9:15!!! TRAFFIC??? A HA HA HA HAAAA!!! Try pulling off that kind of time managment in Atlanta, Houston or Detroit! WOW! I think I LOVE the Music City!That was AWESOME!!!!
Anyway....not to be a smartazz.....but I just thought that was SO great to be able to zip through the city that way at peak rush hour. I realize it may not be like that every day, so I'll recoil a bit here.
Seems like it took me at least 20 minutes, if not a little more, to get from the airport out to Gallatin at around 10 a.m. last Thursday - on 386 I believe it was? Is that the Veterans Pkwy? Anyway, there was no traffic when I did it. I obviously did not venture into the more developed areas of Hendersonville and Gallatin.
About the mall I was talking about......Rivergate. Is it the one between Rivergate Pkway and Conference Dr. ? Because if it is, and you guys think that's a big mall, I must have missed something. It's one level, right? Big Merry Go Round in the middle of the food court? I'm sorry, and I'm really not trying to get smart or start arguments, but that is NOT a big mall. Matter of fact, if that's the biggest mall in Nashville I will be shocked. Like I said, after I had lunch I walked the whole thing (minus department stores) in about 5 minutes, without stopping to browse of course. Not that there's anything wrong with it......it's very nice. I'm just used to malls that are much larger than that with 2 or 3 levels to them because I've lived in some larger cities. I'm coming off as snobbish and I really don't mean to, so I'll move on.
My 2nd venture into BNA was much easier than the first, obviously because I remembered the layout from my arrival, but again, I was thrilled with the expedition time. My biggest complaint about Atlanta has always been that ZOO of an airport they have, and experiencing Nashville's was like getting a good massage in comparison. And even the security people there were friendly!
I had such a great time, and can't wait to get back. You folks really have a town to be proud of. I almost feel bad for wanting to move there and crowd you, because that's what happened when we moved to Houston and then Atlanta all those years ago. FORGIVE ME, MY FRIENDS - TAKE PITY! I CAME HOME TO 34 DEGREES AND 3 INCHES OF SNOW TODAY.....AAAUUUUUUUUUGGGGGHHHHHHH!!!!!
Hi all you middle Tennesseans (and perspective ones). I live in northern Michigan, but have been considering moving to Nashville for about a year now. I'm currently winding up a scout visit to the area and wanted to share some of my initial takes on the town, if only to gauge the responses from locals and give others who might be thinking of making Nashville home a first hand perspective in case they haven't been there yet.
Important to point out that should I make this move it will by no means be my first time living in the south. I just turned 40, but I spent 20 of those years living in Georgia (Atlanta metro) and another 7 in Texas (Houston). I know native Texans don't consider Texas to be the "south" per se, but you get the jist.
Before I moved back here in 2007, I had not lived in Michigan since I was 12 years old. I came back because I landed a good job (healthcare field) in a beautiful part of the state on Lake Michigan where my family has vacationed for decades. Unlike so many other people in Michigan, my reasons for considering this move have nothing to do with employment. They have everything to do with the soul crushing winters and being closer to my immediate family in Georgia.
Ok, enough of that. Here's a review of my trip.....
Flew in to BNA last Thursday from Detroit. I have to say right off the bat that the Nashville airport is nothing special. I think it was converted from an Air Force base or something - is that right? Anyway, I found the signage and especially the parking lots to be somewhat confusing and disheveled. Judging by all the construction going on, I can only assume that the airport is trying to keep up with the rapid rate of the city's growth, and that there are many improvments on the way. In BNA's defense, it isn't a total dump either.......it's a mid sized airport in a mid sized city that's growing quickly.
I had a few hours to burn before checking into my hotel downtown, so I took a ride out to the Hendersonville/Gallatin area for beginners. I have to say that I found this region to be more remote than it looked on the map. Lots of rolling greenery and trees, with scattered homes, subdivisions and shopping areas. I saw what looked like a decent sized mall, so I stopped there to check it out. It turned out to be Rivergate mall, and it was really small - so small that I walked through the whole thing in about 5 minutes! I would think there has to be a bigger mall than that in the vicinity......anyone? Didn't do much more out that way, so can't tell a whole lot more. I went all the way to the Gallatin City limits and then came back down Hendersonville Rd. toward Nashville I think? A nice area that's obviously building up.
Next, I took a ride on Briley Pkwy. (155) across the north side to the west side of town. I was very suprised again at how rural this area looked so close to the city itself. There really didn't seem to be much along that particular stretch at all, other than some nice scenery, which was fine with me. There may have been more developed areas beyond what I could see, but if you didn't know downtown was just around the corner, you may have thought you were way out in the boonies!
That night I stayed at the Sheraton downtown. I had actually stayed there once before when I lived in Georgia a few years back. The Sheraton is a little older, but it has a cool lobby that looks all the way up to the rooftop 27 floors above, and the rooms have great views of the city. My room on the 25th floor looked to the north, and I had a great view of the state capitol and the northern hills beyond Briley Pkwy.
Around 6:00 I walked down to Sommet Center to catch the Predators/San Jose game. Nashville certainly has a fantastic arena to be proud of.........Sommet Center is very nice, both inside and out. The stands are very vertical in comparison to other arenas I've been in, and this really makes it a LOUD advantage for the home team, which I loved. The vendors and ushers were incredibly friendly.....the lady usher at my section was even holding peoples food trays while they got seated - she was awesome! Being from Michigan, I was also more than impressed with the fans knowledge of and passion for the game of hockey. After the Preds came back to beat San Jose 3-2 in front of an emotional, raucous crowd, I came away very suprised that this franchise was on the verge of skipping town last year. Great experience all the way around, especially the half priced beers that night!
The next day I walked down to Broadway to check out that area. Very cool and fun spot. Bars, eateries, music joints, souvinier shops, and more. I passed by Ryman Auditorium on 5th St. and got some pics with me in front of it. Nashville's downtown seems to be much more walkable and pedestrian friendly than the other towns I've lived in. They also have a riverfront, with the Titans football stadium (LP Field) situated impressively on the banks. The Tennessee Performing Arts Center and Country Music Hall of Fame are also right downtown. All of this stuff is easily within walking distance of the downtown hotels. The Nashville Skyline has really grown also........the newest addition looks to be the Pinnacle building, which is still under construction. The Batman buidling (AT&T) is one of the great architectual spectacles in the U.S. Overall, I really loved downtown Nashville. It's definitely a place one can go and enjoy, wether it be for nightlife or a day out with the family.
Next it was on to the Franklin/Brentwood area, where I stayed my 2nd night. I decided to veer of the beaten path a bit to get out there, just to see a bit more of the region. I drove down to Murfreesboro on I-24, then cut over to Franklin on Hwy. 96. Again, I was quite suprised how rural the area was right up until I came to the Franklin city limits. My reaction was no doubt in part due to my many years of living in the sprawl nightmare of suburban Atlanta. I went to historic Franklin, which was very nice, and then over to my hotel in Cool Springs, which is obviously the corporate/retail hotspot in the Nashville metro. It seemed like everything in Cool Springs was brand spanking new.......from the office buildings and hotels, to the homes and even the supermarkets. I went into a Publix and it was like being in mini galleria.....a real palace! I had a reservation at the Hyatt Place on Bakers Bridge that night, but the supposedly non smoking room stunk badly, they offered no internet connection kits for my computer, and they didn't even have phone books int he rooms so I could order out! I quickly jettisoned that place in favor of the Embassy Suites down the road, where the clerk graciously agreed to a discounted rate so he could fill a room for the night. Was much happier with Embassy, and was glad I wound up there instead. As for Franklin......well, you won't be lacking for anything around there, for sure. They have everything! Obviously the pricey section of town, though, and appeared to be much more developed than the Hendersonville area where I was the day before.
For me, one of the biggest advantages to living in Nashville would be its proximity to my family in the northern Atlanta suburbs, and I decided to take advantage of this right away, so I am actually typing this from my parents living room in Georgia, as I detoured down here for a couple days before I fly back to Michigan out of BNA tomorrow morning. This is a good place to note that the road layout in metro Nashville would probably be considered "challenging" for anyone that is not a map aficienado or experienced driver. It's a very "spider-like" layout, and many of the roads have been cut through hillsides or go through winding countryside, which makes them very curvy, much like the Atlanta area.
Which brings me to the middle Tennessee countryside itself.........it is really gorgeous! Rolling hills and emerald green grass everywhere you look - I mean, very, very pretty. Lots of beautiful spreads/farms/horsefarms still very close to the city it seemed. I didn't notice a great abundance of water bodies about town, although I think there's a big lake on the city's east side, and they also have the Cumberland River, which is a big ol' waterway itself. The bigger hills and actual mountains appear to be to the east and southeast of the region. Very scenic mountain area begins about halfway to Chattanooga on I-24, which I drove through on the way down here yesterday, and of course the Smokies are just to the east of there.
.....and then there's the weather. I love Michigan with all my heart.......it is such a beautiful place, and the springs, summers and falls cannot be beat - but in only 2 years the winters have demoralized me. 6 months of endless snow, emotionally crushing grey skies, and mind numbing cold........and after living in the south for so long I don't know if I can do it again next year. Nashville still offers 4 distinct seasons, minus about 95 percent of the snow and extreme cold. Do you know how depressing it is to fight so hard to get some warm days, only to be preparing for winter again about 6 weeks past July 4th??? It's awful!
Well, I know it was only a 2 day visit, but I have to say I am very impressed with Nashville and am seriously considering making it my new home this fall. One of my cousins and her family are already moving to Lebanon, on the east side of town, this June, and so now I would actually have some family in the immediate area should I do it, in additon to the clan in Georgia. I love the "not too big, not too small" aspect of the town, with both the ammenities of the city, plus the beauty and tranquility of the country so close by. A lot of people have said Nashville is Atlanta on a smaller scale, and while it is definitely smaller (another big plus), I didn't think it was anything like Atlanta. Atlanta is a megopolis.......a mammoth city center with a monstrous, sprawling suburban circle. Nashville does not even approach that..........and hopefully it'll never become that, even with folks like me flocking there to take advantage of all it offers. The people seem genuinely friendly (I forgot to mention the clerk at Publix who stopped what he was doing just to walk me to the other side of the store in search of plastic forks!), and I absolutely love the musical aspect of the area as well, as I am an amateur picker myself. It just seems like a place I would absolutely fit in with.
Hope this little recap of my trip was helpful to others considering the Music City, and would love to hear opinions from the current locals also! We'll see what happens over the summer, but i may be seeing you all again very, very soon!
Northman
THANK YOU so much for sharing this. We are possibly looking at a transfer to Nashville - hubby should find out end of this week, first of next - and this was very helpful!
Rivergate is the most likely the 3rd biggest Mall after Opry Mills and Cool Springs.
And Rivergate was one of the first enclosed malls built in the country, back when most were just one level. It was built in 1971, expanded in 1989 and has over 1.1 million square feet, 4 anchor stores and 150 smaller stores.
The largest mall in Michigan is Twelve Oaks Mall, built in 1977. It has 1.5 million square feet, 5 anchor stores and 200 smaller stores.
I don't know where Rivergate Mall ranks in size (& frankly don't care) but between Opry Mills, Cool Springs, Lebanon Outlets, The Mall at Green Hills & Hickory Hollow, you'll never be without.
With the exception of Green Hills (or being dragged along) I don't do malls & I'm never without. There is more than plenty shopping in & around Nashville.
Sounds like a you got a pretty accurate impression of the Nashville area, I'd say. One thing I've always liked about Nashville is that in some places you can be in the city or just outside the city and it may look like you're on some quiet country road in the middle of nowhere. And the drive from Murfreesboro to Franklin is indeed beautiful. Also, walking around downtown Nashville is easy and enjoyable, just as you stated. I really like the Capitol Hill area and Bicentennial Mall.
Sounds like a you got a pretty accurate impression of the Nashville area, I'd say. One thing I've always liked about Nashville is that in some places you can be in the city or just outside the city and it may look like you're on some quiet country road in the middle of nowhere. And the drive from Murfreesboro to Franklin is indeed beautiful. Also, walking around downtown Nashville is easy and enjoyable, just as you stated. I really like the Capitol Hill area and Bicentennial Mall.
Yes, I agree with all of this. I had initially considered a couple other regional areas that were within shouting distance of my family in GA.......Asheville, NC, Tampa/St. Pete.......but after my trip to Nashville I am convinced it is the perfect spot for me. 3 and a half hours from my family's doorstep by car.....I mean, to me that's practically next door, but still far enough to live my own life in my own city. The metros size, the people, the climate, and the landscape are just what I'm looking for.
My plan all along was to spend one more summer up here (my 3rd) and then make a decision as to my future. A big factor in my plans is the fact that I'm still single at 40, and there are not many single women my age in such a remote region as this one. It's not an easy place to be a single person - at all. I do have a great job here, but like everywhere else, there have been major cutbacks at my hospital and we just last week found out that a corporate takeover is in the works. I have long sought to work in an outpatient setting rather than a hospital, and the outpatient facilities up here are few and far between. I know the economy is down, but I am not worried about finding the job I want at all should I decide to come to Nashville. I am an experienced x-ray tech in multiple modalities and a GREAT interview, if I do say so myself! I WILL get the job I want - economy be damned.
So, that's where I stand. If I make the decision to move I have targeted this October to do so, which means I'll likely begin interviewing sometime in August. No, I would never move somewhere without employment secured first.....I never understood how or why people did that. With companies cutting back the way they are, I fully expect to have to finance any move on my own, and so that timetable also allows me to prepare for that aspect.
Now that I know it'll be Nashville if it happens, I've also started thinking about which area of town to set up in. This will obviously depend largely on finding the job I want, but I always live close to work, and so wherever I work will most likely be where I live as well. I loved the Franklin/Brentwood area, although I know my dollar wouldn't go as far there, but I could easily see myself working there and living in some of that countryside right ouside the area. Hendersonville/Gallatin I did not get to explore nearly as much, but are also intriguing. I will have relatives in the Lebanon vicinity as of this summer......I hear the Mt. Juliet area is nice also. I probably wouldn't want to live on the extreme north or west sides of town (Kingston Springs looks pretty far west), as I would want to stay fairly close to I-24 for my trips to Georgia.
Well, as you can see, the wheels are turning now! I definitely think a 2nd scout trip is in order, don't you all? I need to see Hendersonville/Gallatin, Mt. Juliet/Lebanon, and the west end/Vandy area a little closer up. Franklin/Brentwood is definitely the front runner as of now, though. The mix of new construction, the awesome historic downtown in Franklin, and the beautiful landscape just outside the area will be hard to beat.
It sure is fun talking with you all about this stuff! This forum is quite addictive!
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That was AWESOME!!!!
