Nashville: Cowboy Boots & Country Music

Since it got a little later on Friday night due to the St. Patrick's Day celebration and we had destroyed some beer bottles, we set the alarm clock a little later on Saturday. After all, we didn't want to be completely exhausted on our only day in Nashville.

We started at 10:00 am and headed directly to a central parking lot just around the corner from the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum (CMHFM). For $15, you can leave your car here all day. That was cheaper than paying $22 each way again, as our hotel was a little further away.

After a 3-minute walk, we arrived at the side entrance to the Hall of Fame, got our tickets and audio guides (totaling about $54 for both of us), and started exploring the exhibition spread over 2 floors. We learned a lot about the formation and different influences of country music. Many of the musicians were unknown to us, but we also knew some country musicians besides Dolly Parton and Johnny Cash. Many original stage costumes and musical instruments could be viewed. Elvis Presley's 'Solid Gold Cadillac' was also on display in the museum halls.

We didn't read everything there was to read, and sometimes the audio guide was confusing. It seemed that changes to the exhibition were not reflected in the audio guide. But overall, the visit to CMHFM was worth it, and we are glad to have been there. Of course, we also made a visit to the shop... I (Steffi) needed some T-shirts... Already the 4th one on this vacation.

Next on the list was the Johnny Cash Museum, which was not far from the Hall of Fame. We personally liked this museum even more because we knew Johnny Cash, of course. The admission cost was about $19. The museum is dedicated to the life and music career of the 'Man in Black'. Johnny Cash lived from 1932 to 2003 and was considered one of the most influential US country singers and songwriters. He and his wife June Carter are buried in Hendersoville. After visiting the museum, we also got another T-shirt here... Luckily, Stefan bought one this time.

Next, we walked along Broadway, where loud music could be heard from almost every bar - seemingly starting from noon. Our path led us to the Tennessee State Capitol. Other than taking some photos in front of it, there wasn't much to do here. So we made our way back, passing by some shops. The credit card had to suffer... What else.

Back at the car, Stefan set the navigation to 'Martin's BBQ' and he got what he wanted there... more on that in his separate report.

Finally, on the way back, we took a detour to stand in front of the bar known from the TV series 'Nashville', especially for Steffi. Quickly take some photos and off to the hotel.

Nashville is a party city where cowboy boots and country music, as well as barbecue, play an important role. Definitely worth a visit.