Nashville, Tennessee. The home of country music, among other things, but country music is perhaps the state capital’s biggest pin in the map. That’s why it’s really no wonder that some pretty stellar musical talents have taken root in America’s “Music City” (that really is Nashville’s nickname). Who, exactly? Well, there’s Tim McGraw and Faith Hill for a start. And how about Kelly Clarkson. Or Miley Cyrus. Still want more? OK. Does the name Dolly Parton ring a bell? And then there’s that other woman, who was rumoured to have insured her legs for upwards of $40 million. What was her name, again? Oh, yeah. That’s it. Taylor Alison Swift. Incidentally, did you know that Ms Swift was bred for fame? Her mother states that the name Taylor was chosen to be gender neutral in aid of deliberate ambiguity should male or female musical artists be preferred at the time of her daughter’s career coming to fruition. How’s that for planning ahead (or for being a pushy mother, you decide). But there’s much more to see in Nashville than child-artists-who-made-it-big. Just one word of caution – historically, visiting at peak times can mean increased traffic and streets filled with drivers who don’t know the roads, speak with a Nashville car accident lawyer if you are affected.
Four-acre water park (with a catch)
Water parks are funner than fun. All that slip-sliding around and splashing about with your friends and family. Adults and children love them. Nashville is home to SoundWaves, a four-acre water park owned by Gaylord Opryland’s Hotel and Suites, which is a resort and entertainment destination. This is where the catch comes in. You must be a patron to qualify for entry to the waterpark. This means that you’re going to need to book a room – which means you’re going to need to plan ahead and split the cost of a couple of the cheaper available rooms between friends. Simple. You can even stay overnight if you like, once you’ve booked the rooms (well, they’d be a shame to waste!).
Visit a full sized replica … of the Parthenon
In Nashville’s Centennial Park, you’ll find all the usual trappings of a well-maintained good old American style park. There are grassy fields, trees, people enjoying their picnics, squirrels enjoying what they can steal from the picnics, and even well-lit pathways for a romantic evening stroll. Oh, and a full-sized replica of the Parthenon in Athens (another of Nashville’s nicknames is the “Athens of the South”). The building is used as an art museum, with theatre productions taking place every summer.
