I need things to do with my mother and sister (16 year old)

[DonCorleone]

Originally Posted by Coney

I am from NY and have been a vistor to Nashville. If your visitors want something different, I would focus on the southern cultural stuff. I'd skip the Frist and the Parthenon because as you mentioned, they are not anywhere near the scope of a Manhattan, Brooklyn, or Queens art museum. If you don't have a car, take them downtown to Broadway, but you probably already planned that. Your sister, of course, is too young for the bars, but you could walk through the Charlie Daniels museum, if she knows who he is,lol. Take them to the Capital building and the Tennessee Museum for some history. Next time, if they come back when the weather is warmer, you could take them on a DUCK tour or another of those Nashville fun bus tours. If you have the car, definitely visit The Hermitage and the Belle Meade Plantation has a wonderful tour. If you visit the Belle Meade Plantation, might as well drive down Belle Meade Blvd. and look at the fancy homes. If the weather is ok and you feel experienced enough as a driver, drive the twisty winding Natchez Trace Parkway and look at the "country" scenery in the Leipers Fork area. From there, you could also visit Franklin. Visit the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Grand Ol' Opry, as well as the Opryland Hotel.

Visit the Nashville icon restaurants to experience cusine that is totally unavailable in NYC, Arnold's Country Kitchen, Loveless Cafe. Also Pancake Pantry. I believe that all of these places have vegetarian items on their menus and these are all cheap places. Your sister might enjoy eating at Fidos and looking around Hillsboro Village. Also consider your sister looking around some of the college campuses while she is visiting you to get an early start of comparison shopping of colleges. It's nice to visit the schools in the winter while they actually have full sessions and there are several colleges that you could visit.

I generally agree with this as well. I would include the Parthenon, not for the art exhibit in the basement but for the architecture. It is the only full-size replica of the original in the world.

I also went to the Country Music HOF and Museum's "free day" last weekend and I have to say I was disappointed. I read that the admission is regularly $30. That's way too much unless you're a real country music fan. $15 or $20 is what it's probably worth. I enjoyed it very much, it was interesting, but not for $30.

I'd also put the Hermitage up there near the top of unique Nashville experiences...we're very lucky to have a Presidential home in our back yard...one of the most important Presidents at that! I'd take the $30 you'd spend for the Country Music HOF and use it towards the Hermitage (which is about $20 the last time I checked).

Finally, rather than hopping down Belle Meade Blvd, I'd probably get online and look for celebrity homes in Nashville. I know there was a map someone compiled on Google at one point. But that might be kinda cool...we have such a diverse group of celebs here...just don't bug them for autographs.

[hey teach]

The Hermitage
Bellmeade Mansion
Drive down to Franklin to the Carter House and Carnton Plantation
Drive further south and visit Jack Daniel's Distillery in Lynchburg
Even further south to Huntsville,AL visit the Alabama Space and Rocket Center
Both Jack Daniel's and Space and Rocket are worth the drive.

[nauset]

Originally Posted by Shino306

On a vegetarian note...do they like vegetarian food and would they consider eating it with you? Have you tried The Wild Cow? I haven't been there yet and I eat vegetarian 90% of the time, but it's gotten good reviews. However, coming from someone, who did live in the Northeast for 5 years, I don't know how it'll compare to a Candle 79, Pure Food & Wine, Cafe Blossom, etc if that's going to be your measuring stick per se.

Good Luck and enjoy their visit!

i have tried the wild cow, and i LOVE it. it's not high scale vegetarian food like candle 79, but i think it is just as good as curlys, where i could actually afford to eat :lol

Originally Posted by Steve_TN

Totally disagree about Parthenon. I'm originally from Northern New Jersey and there is NOTHING remotely like the Parthenon in NYC. It is so unique. I visited Nashville before moving here and was amazed by it. I would leave out Belle Meade Blvd. You can hop over the Hudson River to NJ and visit Upper Mountain Ave in Upper Montclair, NJ anytime and see nicer houses and street than Belle Meade Blvd.

agreed. we drove by yesterday. the parthenon may be the most random and unique thing about nashville, so cool.

Originally Posted by hey teach

The Hermitage
Bellmeade Mansion
Drive down to Franklin to the Carter House and Carnton Plantation
Drive further south and visit Jack Daniel's Distillery in Lynchburg
Even further south to Huntsville,AL visit the Alabama Space and Rocket Center
Both Jack Daniel's and Space and Rocket are worth the drive.

i forgot about huntsville, thank you!

[Diane Giam]

The Pathernon is actually an exact replicia of the one in Greece. I find it amazing. I was intriged with it even when I was in college here in the 70s.
When we moved here I had to show it to my daughter.
The only one that is like it is located in Greece.