Nashville. Nashvegas. Music City USA. Whatever you call it - this city is guaranteed to provide you with a good time (it does help if you're a country music fan). When my sister and I were deciding where to head for our second annual sister trip we wanted something within driving distance of Michigan (it's only about 7 hours from my house) and a city we could easily conquer over a long weekend. So we landed on Nashville!
After deciding where you're going the next step is usually figuring out where you're going to stay once you get there. There are a lot of great hotels located in the heart of downtown Nashville but they can get quite pricey - especially during the summer months. And to be honest you don't really have to stay downtown to enjoy all that it has to offer. We Ubered to Broadway two nights of our trip and each ride was no more than $10 - and totally worth not having to deal with parking. With that in mind we ended up booking the cutest Airbnb in the perfect location with easy access to 12 South and the Gulch as well as downtown. (Get $40 off your Airbnb stay here) Nashville is one of those cities that can easily be explored within a couple days which makes it great for a long weekend trip. It's also centrally located within the U.S. which makes it an ideal location to meet up with friends who may be scattered throughout the country. We ended up jumping in the car after work on Thursday evening and hit the road. My brother lives in Indianapolis so we were able to stop halfway and drive the rest of the way on Friday morning but you could easily make the drive in one day. I'm so excited to share exactly how we spent the next three days of our trip.
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I travel with my husband a lot. In fact, he's my favorite travel buddy. We've hiked to hidden waterfalls in Hawaii, swam with stingrays in Grand Cayman, and rode horseback through the ocean in Turks and Caicos. We're already planning and dreaming about where we'll head to for our next big vacation. But I also love exploring without him - and I think he would say the same thing. And the best part? It makes our marriage stronger.
I'm a firm believer that absence makes the heart grow fonder and that's why ever since we graduated college we've made it a priority to go on a trip (or two) with our friends each year. In May I'm heading to Charleston with my college roomies for a weekend full of sipping wine, soaking up the sun in our bikinis, and laughing until we cry. And as I write this my hubby is in Atlanta on a beer drinking, golf marathon trip with his buddies. But guess what? I can't wait for him to come home. So today I'm sharing five reasons why I travel without my husband and why I think all couples should too! Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you click through and make a purchase.
It's hard to believe that any half-mile stretch could be considered a "destination" but the 12 South neighborhood in Nashville will certainly prove you wrong! While a majority of this area is residential the main strip, which is completely walkable from one end to the other, is packed full of delicious restaurants, gorgeous murals, and some of the trendiest boutiques. This area has only become popular in the last five or so years but is honestly one of my favorite areas in all of Nashville. It's easy to see everything in one afternoon so I highly recommend including some time on your itinerary to grab lunch here and walk around for a few hours. We were lucky enough to book the cutest Airbnb only a few miles away so we stopped to explore here two different times on our trip.(Get $40 off your Airbnb stay here)
Parking in this area is a little harder to come by here than in the Gulch, but there is a public lot and if you go on an off time (which you definitely should) it's easy to find free street parking. Below are some of the must sees of the 12 South area. Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you click through and make a purchase.
Not only do I love telling you about the places I love to travel, I also love introducing you to products that help make those travels easier and more enjoyable. That's why I was so excited to partner with Chagrin Valley Soap on my recent trip to Nashville to try out their shampoo bars. They are a Midwest family-owned company, located in Cleveland, Ohio that got their start in the kitchen while trying to find a more natural solution for how many chemicals were present in their family's skin care products. Today, they offer a wide range of products including handmade soap, shampoo bars, lotion bars, and more. All of their bars are made with natural and organic ingredients and contain no artificial fragrance, color, preservatives, or detergents. They are also scented with natural essential oils and are very fragrant - I could smell them before I even opened the box that came in the mail!
So let's face it, there's no easy way to travel with shampoo and conditioner - or any liquid for that matter. Even with the convenient travel bottles you're still faced with the hassle of removing them from your luggage to go through TSA security. And I can't be the only one whose had the dreaded bottle open or explode all over everything?! Seriously my purple shampoo for color-treated hair once leaked all over my duffle bag on our anniversary trip to northern Michigan - talk about a mess! Shampoo bars eliminate both of those problems and instead, everything you need is right there in one solid bar. The bars are also a more environmentally friendly option as there is no plastic bottle to throw away when you're done. How long the bars last will depend on how often you wash your hair, but on average, since they are so concentrated, shampoo bar can do the job of 4 to 5 bottles of your typical commercial shampoo.
My sister and I recently road tripped from Michigan down to Nashville for our second annual sister trip! We were there for a long weekend and aside from spending time on Broadway, which is a must for every Nashville trip, we also wanted to explore some of the surrounding neighborhoods. The Gulch is one of Nashville's fastest growing areas located between downtown and Music Row and is home to chic hotels, trendy boutiques, and drool-worthy restaurants.
This area has only recently become popular within the last several years but now it seems like there are new shops or restaurants popping up on every corner. And be warned, when I say popular, I mean really popular! If you go on a weekend you're likely to see lines for almost every restaurant and mural and it can be a bit overwhelming. If possible try to go on a week day, or even a Sunday, for a much more enjoyable experience. However, even with the large amount of people flocking to this area the parking is ample with multiple garages within walking distance of the sites below. The garages also offer your first hour of parking for free if you're just stopping in to a couple shops or reasonable rates per hour if you plan to be there for longer. You could easily spend an entire afternoon here - and we actually ended up going back three different times over the course of our trip. Here are some of the highlights: |
AuthorI love creating detailed travel guides to ensure you get the most out of your time. On this blog I'll be sharing some of my past trips in hopes that it helps you plan your next adventure. Pack your suitcase you never know where I'll be heading next! Archives
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