Don’t Miss the Hall
Broadway is where the crowds are, and to be sure, there are some very fun and very crowded “cry in your beer” honky-tonks to be enjoyed there. But seasoned Nashville-goers can also give you tips about other places away from the biggest crowds where great new music and outstanding food can be enjoyed while you are in town.
The Country Music Hall of Fame, on Fifth Avenue South, is a bigger attraction than ever since its expansion. Just about any country music star you can name has a presence in that immense museum. The more current exhibits are updated regularly, so visit the website to see what’s playing while you are in town.
“All your delegates need to go see the new exhibit space at the Hall of Fame,” said Bennett. “You can go to the studio, record a song and then create your own album art. One of the coolest things there is the letterpress shop on Broadway.”
Hatch Show Print has been producing iconic posters for entertainers for decades, including vintage pieces for singers like Hank Williams and Bill Monroe, and is still doing them today for contemporary acts like Mumford and Sons and Pearl Jam. The instantly recognizable art is printed on letterpresses, and the form originated a century or so ago for traveling circuses and vaudeville acts.
www.countrymusichalloffame.org
Man in Black
The Johnny Cash Museum is on Third Avenue South between Broadway and Demonbreun Street and has already garnered accolades from media like National Geographic Traveler and Forbes magazines for its collection. Cash was one of the earliest musicians to transcend the boundaries of country music and draw fans from other genres, including rock.
While we’re on the subject of rock music, it’s worth noting that Nashville’s influence on music has broadened so much today that rock bands and musicians including the Black Keys, Kings of Leon, Ben Folds and Jack White all call the city home.
Opryland Opportunities
Not all of Nashville’s gems for visitors are downtown. Many groups are already long-time fans of the myriad entertainment options offered in and around the Gaylord Opryland Resort outside the city center. The 2,700-room resort property remains a huge favorite with leisure groups and conventions. Many who stay there include a round of golf at its highly regarded Gaylord Springs golf course.
The resort’s General Jackson steamboat makes regular runs from the hotel property to downtown by way of the Cumberland River and offers sightseeing and entertainment cruises for groups. Opry Mills, now owned and operated by the international retail shopping giant Simon Group, is adjacent to the Opryland Resort and features more than 200 brand name stores. And, of course, the resort is a destination in itself.
At press time, Bennett could not confirm her host city’s entertainment plans for delegates to the Select Traveler Conference, but Nashville has a great track record in that regard.
“We have a huge association group coming into town next week, and we’re fixated on that right now,” she said, “but after they leave, we’ve got our eyes trained on the Select Traveler Conference in February. We can’t wait to host you all in Music City.”
