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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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.
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: 1/2/2019 138 Comments Northern Michigan Ski Trip
I've lived in Michigan all my life and I still think "up north" is one of the most magical places on earth. It's seriously like a whole other world just a few hours drive from where we live. If you haven't had the chance to experience it yet I highly recommend adding it to your travel bucket list. Of all the times I've traveled north, it always seems to be during the summer and fall months. Check out my Traverse City guide from our anniversary trip last summer. And while both of these seasons are gorgeous in their own special ways, I was excited to be able to head north during the winter. My college friends and I decided to plan a ski trip to ring in the New Year. There are SO many great ski resorts to choose from but after doing some research, and taking lodging into consideration to fit all 10 of us, we decided on Trout Creek and Nubs Nob!
11/18/2018 24 Comments Planning the Perfect Weekend to Texas
If you have a sister, you know what a special type of bond it creates. That's why when mine suggested we go on a trip together last spring - I couldn't say no. This was the first time we would be traveling just the two of us and it didn't take us long to decide on our destination: the most magical place on earth (no, not Disney World) Magnolia Market! It was an extended weekend trip - Saturday to Tuesday - so I set out to create an itinerary that would allow us to make the most of our time together. Waco, Texas is located in the middle of Dallas and Austin about and hour and a half from each city. After researching flights (I love Google Flights or Hopper app) I found a good deal on a flight from Chicago to Dallas. Although, I've heard great things about Austin as well so the next time we go back that will likely be our home base. You could certainly spend your entire trip in Waco but we decided to explore Dallas for the first half and drive to Waco just for the day. We booked an AirBnB in Lakewood near White Rock Lake which was only a short drive to downtown Dallas.
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. 11/11/2018 6 Comments Making the most of 3 days in oahu
For me, planning our honeymoon was almost as much fun as planning the wedding itself. Shortly after getting engaged we decided Hawaii was our dream destination and began planning a 10 day trip to the islands of Oahu and Maui. There are pros and cons to each island so it's important to do your research to see what best fits your needs and wants. We decided on Oahu for the first leg of our trip because it was more cost efficient to fly into and hotel prices were a bit cheaper. We stayed in Waikiki which is one of the nation's largest cities so it can be quite overwhelming in terms of crowds and traffic. If you're in search of the lush jungles and waterfalls I wouldn't suggest staying on this part of the island. But it does offer access to a variety of restaurants and entertainment within walking distance.
Below is how we spent the first leg of our journey on the island of Oahu. **Disclaimer: my husband and I are not the best beach people - we crave adventure instead. He tends to joke when I create an itinerary asking if he'll have time to sleep on the trip. Most our my trips are packed full but feel free to pick and choose what suits you. |
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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