Attractions

Nashville, Music City USA, the Country Music Capital of the World. There's no doubt why people visit Nashville. But you may be surprised to find that there's more to see and do here than just chase country stars. Sure, you can attend the Grand Ole Opry, linger over displays at the Country Music Hall of Fame, take a tour past the homes of the country legends, and hear the stars of the future at any number of clubs. However, the state capital of Tennessee also has plenty of museums and other attractions that have nothing to do with country music. Among the city's most enriching cultural attractions are the Van Vechten Art Gallery at Fisk University, the impressive Frist Center for the Visual Arts, and Cheekwood Botanical Gardens -- not to mention Nashville's full-size reproduction of the Parthenon. So even if you've never heard of Marty Stuart or Martina McBride, you'll find something to keep you busy while you're in town. However, if you own every album ever released by George Jones or The Judds, you'll be in hog heaven on a visit to Nashville.

On the Music Trail--If you want to drive by some homes of the country stars, pick up a copy of the "Homes of the Stars" map, sold at the Ernest Tubb Record Shop, 417 Broadway (tel. 615/255-7503), and other country music souvenir shops around town. At the Visitors Center in the Gaylord Entertainment Center, you can also get a booklet with more information on the homes of the stars. With celebrity books all the rage these days, it's not surprising that Davis-Kidd Booksellers, 4007 Hillsboro Rd. (tel. 615/385-2645), brings in country music stars for book signings several times a year. Call them for a schedule.

To reach Music Valley from downtown, take bus no. 6 (Donelson/Opryland). A cab ride from downtown to the Opryland Hotel costs about 20 bucks. A trolley serves Music Valley attractions, but a car is really the best way to get around.

All downtown attractions are accessible from the Downtown trolley.

Everybody Loves a Bargain--The Nashville Visitors Center has made it fun and easy to get the most out of a trip to Music City. The Pick 3 and Take 2 programs work like this: Buy a Pick 3 ticket for $25 plus tax and choose one adult or child admission to any three of 13 participating attractions, including the Frist Center for the Visual Arts and Belle Meade Plantation. Turn in one ticket stub at each of the three attractions you visit for another free adult or child admission. For $45 plus tax, the Take 2 ticket is good for one adult or child admission at any of the 9 higher-end participating venues, including the Grand Ole Opry and Gray Line's "Homes of the Stars" Sightseeing Tour. Turn in your ticket stubs for another free adult or child admission. Buy both the Pick 3 and Take 2 for $70 -- a $108 value! For more information, call tel. 800/657-6910 or 615/259-4700.

African-American Heritage--Fisk University was founded in 1866 as a liberal arts institution committed to educating newly freed slaves. Prominent 20th-century cultural figures such as educator W. E. B. Du Bois, artist Aaron Douglas, and poet Nikki Giovanni attended the school. Fisk is perhaps best known for its Jubilee Singers, an African-American singing group that preserved spirituals, or slave songs, from extinction. The choir's 1873 tour of the U.S. and Europe helped finance the construction of Fisk University. Jubilee Hall, one of the oldest structures on the campus, is a Victorian Gothic gem listed on the register of National Historic Landmarks. Now used as a dormitory, the building houses a floor-to-ceiling portrait of the original Jubilee Singers, commissioned by Queen Victoria of England as a gift to Fisk. To see the Hall make arrangements ahead of time (tel. 615/329-8500).

For Kids--Even if your child is not a little Tim McGraw or Faith Hill in training, Nashville is full of things for kids to see and do. In addition to the attractions listed, see the listings for Cheekwood Botanical Garden & Museum of Art, Adventure Science Center, the Frist Center for the Visual Arts, Nashville Zoo at Grassmere, and the Tennessee State Museum.