Hey Swifties!!!
I know some of you are still country music fans, even though Taylor has gone pop. I figured I'd show and tell some things about Tennessee and Nashville since this is the home of country music, and I live here. Feel free to message me about any questions, and I love reading comments on my blogs. :)
A little  TN history:
- Tennessee became the 16th state of the Union on June 1, 1796
- TN is “The Volunteer State”
- State Capital is Nashville
- Its largest city is Memphis
- Population  is 6,495,978 (as of 2013)
- Some major industries in TN: mining (coal), electrical power, enriched uranium production, music, automobile manufacturing, farming (tobacco, cattle, soybeans, cotton), walking horses, tourism
- Tennessee is divided into 3 sections: West, Middle, and East
-TN is on US central time
- State bird is the Mockingbird
- State flower is the Iris
Nashville
Nashville is located in the northern part of Middle Tennessee. Â It is the Capital, and a wonderful place to visit, or even live!!!
Things to do and see in Nashville:
1.) The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum This is something I enjoy going to see all the time because they always have new exhibits. Â Tickets are about $20.00 for general admission, and the museum is open daily from 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m, and you can come and go as you please as long as you have your ticket.
Address: 222 5th Ave. South Nashville, TN 37203 Phone 615-416-2001
Current exhibits include:(as of January 2016) Keith Urban Dylan, Cash, and the Nashville Cats Sam Phillips American Sound and Beauty: Guitars from the Bachman-Gretsch Collection Eric Church
Exhibits are composed of anything from stage clothes that a musician/singer wore, to their instruments, to handwritten song lyrics. Â It's quite an amazing thing to see, and cameras are allowed inside the museum so you can keep the memories of your visit forever!
Pictures of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum's Taylor Swift Speak Now exhibit:
2.) Ryman Auditorium
The Mother Church of Music!  Most famous as the home of the Grand Ole Opry from 1943 — 1974. This place is very special to me because it's where I went to my first concert, and met Taylor Swift in 2006.  This beautiful historic building has been featured on abc's hit TV show "Nashville", and has also had pretty much every country performer ever on its stage.  You can either catch a concert here, or go on a tour of the Ryman. Tours of the Ryman Open from 9am-4pm daily The self guided tour is $15 for adults. They also offer a backstage tour,  a guided tour, an photograph of you and your group on the stage, and even the opportunity to create your own music recording.
Address: 116 5th Ave North Nashville, TN 37219
Pictures of the Ryman:
3.) Opryland
Visiting the Opryland resort and grounds is so much fun. Â It's a little ways away from downtown, but it's well worth the drive out there. You can visit: -The Opryland Hotel and beautiful Botanical gardens which are inside the hotel and free to visit - the huge Opry Mills Mall with every store you can think of (including H&M, Bass Pro Shops, Forever 21, Ann Taylor, Vera Bradley, and many more!) -The Grand Ole Opry House. Â You can get tickets to a show, or take a backstage tour here as well.
Address for Grand Ole Opry House 2804 Opryland Drive Nashville, TN 37214
Pictures of  The Gaylord Opryland Resort:
4.) Blue Bird Cafe
You're a Swiftie so I'm sure you know that this is where Scott Borchetta discovered Taylor Swift while she was singing in a show case. Â It's also a central location on the set of abc's TV series "Nashville", along with the place many many other musicians have been discovered. Â The Blue Bird is an intimate music venue, and you never know who might show up and sing a song or two. Â It's definitely on my bucket list to visit this place, but you have to go online and reserve a spot, and seats tend to go quickly since there's only room in the cafe for about 100 people.
Address to the Blue Bird: 4104 Hillsboro Road Nashville, TN 37215
5.) Â Broadway Street
There is always so much going on down on Broadway.  There are restaurants  like Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville, lots of shops that have boots and cute clothes in them, and of course the Bridgstone Arena is on Broadway ( The stadium seating venue where the Nashville Predators Hockey team plays, lots of concerts and events take place, and of course where our beloved Tay preforms when she comes to Nashville with her tours)
There are many many many more things to do in Nashville, so many that this blog could go on and on for days, but I just figured I would highlight a few things to do in Nashville.
For taking tours, I highly recommend taking a Gray Line bus tour. Â Even though I live near Nashville, I had the best time being guided through the city on the Gray Line tour. They have several different tours, and all at a fairly good price.
Some restaurants to try: Pucketts * B.B. King's Blues Club & Restaurant Hard Rock Cafe Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville* The Listening Room Cafe Merchants The National Underground 3rd and Lindsley Nashville* Wildhorse Saloon* Cheesecake Factory* Blue Bird Cafe~ Rainforest Cafe* McCreary's Irish Pub & Eatery~ Cafe Coco~ Pancake Pantry ~ BrickTop's~ (* Places I love to go ~ places Taylor claims to love)
I hope this makes you wanna come to Nashville!!!!! <3 Thanks for reading
Stay Swift my friends,
<3 Kate
Sources: Tennessee Department of State Enchanted Learning Ryman Grand Ole Opry Blue Bird Cafe Gray Line Bus Tours
