A Cottage, an Opry, and a Fairy Tale 10 Years Long and on to Forever - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
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A Cottage, an Opry, and a Fairy Tale 10 Years Long and on to Forever
I'm possibly going to be in the Nashville TN area end of February and am looking for some recommendations from people who live in the area or from people who have travelled there before. I've heard a lot of people saying they'll stop going to the Opry Mills with the Disney Store closing down. Is it really a pointless tourist trap? Second question - Is the Aquarium restaurant at the Opry Mills any good? Last question, does anyone have a good suggestion on a good live music venue that is pretty much smoke free & asthma friendly? I'm not looking for a generic large concert venue, but want something smaller with decent local artists playing non-pop country music.
I hadn't heard that the disney store was closing there, however it was an outlet and not the best. I like Opry Mills and we drive 3 hours to go there, we are from a pretty rural area so we enjoy the mall, but if you are from an urban area I can see it being a bit touristy. Havent ate at the Aquarium but it looks fun!
Thanks! We'd be driving in from St. Louis MO. Well, this looks like this it turning into a pre-trip report.
****As many of us have experienced, the trip plans have changed. My DH and I decided we want something quieter and moved our location to a rental cottage in Gatlinburg Tennessee. If - and I do mean if - we want to be crazy, I'd consider an added night in Nashville but (deep breath) we're going to wing it. Any suggestions on where to go for a nice dinner and a country music performance other than the Grand Ole Opry would be welcome.***
Since this has now started to turn into a full-fledged road trip of non-epic proportions I've decided this thread will be both my pre-and post-trip trip report. Bear with me, I've never written a trip report before and I've a feeling my writing at times may be about graceful as an albatross taking flight.
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Featured Travellers: Me-31, DH - 32
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Lodging: a small cottage in Gatlinburg TN (and maybe a night in Nashville TN if we're feeling insane)
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Dates: 2/19/2010 - 2/22/2010
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Our Honeymoon -- Take Two (Ten years later)
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A long time ago in a land far, far away we had a rather rushed honeymoon with an unplanned-for stowaway. We made the best of it, in fact I don't know anyone who could have made anywhere near as much magic out of a there-and-back-in a hurry to work weekend in Branson as my DH did for me. Across the years, we talked about making another attempt at a honeymoon. But this time it would be without morning sickness or heat exhaustion. Even though we have travelled and have made magical memories in the 10 years since our wedding, my DH and I have yet to find that quiet moment to ourselves outside any large city or crowds of people. So vacation bidding time rolls around and we're booked in a rental cottage in the Ozarks about half an hour - forty five minutes outside Branson. Enter Murphy and his law. I move to another division of our company and find out the only vacation I can get is not quite three weeks from today!!! Even if there was anything available in Branson or the general area, it's off-off-off season. Ten minutes of forcing myself to breathe later, I start checking bookings from Alaska to Hawaii to Florida and in between. Eventually I settle on Nashville or Gatlinburg Tennessee because although it's off season out there, it's not freeze your touche off cold. This leaves me with less than 3 weeks to go and all I've done is book a small cottage near Gatlinburg TN. I can hardly believe I'm this close to travelling and have absolutely no other plans beyond driving to the cottage then relaxing for three or four days. **************
Last edited by Giselle; 01-23-2010 at 06:18 AM..
Reason: updating new plan details
I can't tell you anything about Opry Mills, but my favourite honky tonk in Nashville is in The District downtown. I've been there twice and am hoping to go there again some day! It's WORLD FAMOUS TOOTSIES ORCHID LOUNGE and there are actually 2 venues - one upstairs and one downstairs. You have to get there early if you want a table because it's popular and fills up FAST! (I'm not kidding!!) The bands have been awesome and the last one we saw, I think should be in the big leagues although they aren't yet. Apparently a lot of famous bands started there and occasionally somebody famous comes in. The last time we were there, a song writer with lots of songs under his belt (I forget who he wrote for... Hank Jr maybe?) came in and had a few drinks while listening to the band. My DH & I don't remember any smoke or excessive dust (like they don't have peanut shells on the floor or anythng). Just an awesome good time. If you are claustrophobic or have a problem with crowds, it's not the place for you.
Update #1, or Hey!, Who let Murphy and his law in?
After the car had a fit today, the trip has gotten changed a bit. We are now dropping the Gatlinburg portion of the trip. If things keep adding on & changing this way I may just change the title of this trip report to "Road Trip of Epic Proportions to Nashville"
New plan (crossing fingers things stay this way) - 1 or 2 nights in a Bed & Breakfast somewhere outside Nashville (going to be doing some research and booking by tomorrow, I hope) Any suggestions are welcome.
You are cordially invited to join me in a complete, absolute, utter dorked out happy dance around my desk. Feeling a bit bummed about losing the Gatlinburg leg of the trip I was cruising around, trying everything I could to find a rental cottage or cabin within 40 miles of Nashville. After a good 2 hours of hair pulling I found exactly what I wanted!!! I stumbled across an ad for a retreat center that mentioned it had an extra guest cottage. Cajones firmly in hand I called the property owner. Holding my breath, I asked if he would consider renting the cottage. I'm willing to bet he thinks I'm nuts, but I'm too happy to care. Woo-hoo!!! This really is turning into the trip I dreamt it would be.
Keep us posted - sounds like it might be an adventurous trip!
I'm in Nashville and I'll second Donna's suggestion about Tootsie's Orchid Lounge.. Heck, sometimes you can just walk down Broadway of an evening and hear some really great music for free with musicians on the streets. Check and see who's playing at the Ryman while you're in town. It's a great venue, acoustically not a bad seat in the house.
If you're coming to Nashville, you've got to stop for breakfast at either Pancake Pantry in Hillsboro or drive out to the Loveless Cafe. Not to be missed, and there's usually a celebrity sighting or two. So many restaurants for dinner - but a lot depends on how fat your wallet is!
Opry Mills Mall is fun - but only if you like malls and are into shopping. If you've already got a big mall back home, it probably won't impress you much. I've not eaten at The Aquarium (you can stroll around and view the sea life, even if you don't eat there.) I like Rainforest Cafe better - probably because it reminds me of being at Disney!
Gaylord Opryland Resort is always a good option for visiting; you can park at Opry Mills for free and walk over.
Feel free to PEM me and I'll answer any questions I can!
Keep us posted - sounds like it might be an adventurous trip!
I'm in Nashville and I'll second Donna's suggestion about Tootsie's Orchid Lounge.. Heck, sometimes you can just walk down Broadway of an evening and hear some really great music for free with musicians on the streets. Check and see who's playing at the Ryman while you're in town. It's a great venue, acoustically not a bad seat in the house.
If you're coming to Nashville, you've got to stop for breakfast at either Pancake Pantry in Hillsboro or drive out to the Loveless Cafe. Not to be missed, and there's usually a celebrity sighting or two. So many restaurants for dinner - but a lot depends on how fat your wallet is!
Opry Mills Mall is fun - but only if you like malls and are into shopping. If you've already got a big mall back home, it probably won't impress you much. I've not eaten at The Aquarium (you can stroll around and view the sea life, even if you don't eat there.) I like Rainforest Cafe better - probably because it reminds me of being at Disney!
Gaylord Opryland Resort is always a good option for visiting; you can park at Opry Mills for free and walk over.
Feel free to PEM me and I'll answer any questions I can!
Will do. Right now it looks like we are either leaving late the 20th then breaking to sleep along the way wherever we end up before waking up and finishing the drive into Nashville. Otherwise, we'll wake up at oh dark stupid on the 21st and drive in straight through. Either way, we'd like to be in Nashville no later than 9:00 or 10:00 am to maximize our time. I'll keep Pancake Pantry and Loveless Cafe in mind as breakfast stops.
Our tentative plans include staying the 22nd at the Gaylord Opryland resort (they have a special right now called Nashville Nights for one room for one night at about $130.00 including a flatboat ride, a free hot breakfast buffet, and a coupon book for discounts at almost everything in the resort) It was just too good a deal to pass up, and we'll have our quiet time at the cottage the first night.
We're going to try and find a time to take in a venue along the way. Is the Grand Ole Opry really worth it? Tickets are at a good price since it's off season. Elsewise, I'm sorting through options like the Ryman auditorium.
This last minute planning is exciting while driving me nuts. I'm working on sitting on (and hog-tieing down if necessary) my tendency to plan so much busyness that my DH and I never really get a moment just to sit, relax, and spend time together.
For right now however our tentative itinerary looks like: 1st day- hiking in the area around the cottage, finding an area for a picnic if it isn't below 40 degrees, and cooking dinner in the cabin. 2nd day - afternoon wandering or exploring the Opryland resort, dinner, I'll at a romantic restaurant, going to a venue. 3rd day - finish up whatever else we want to do and head home.
You would be going to the Opry on the 20th, right? So far, the lineup looks good to me - Craig Morgan (love him! not all pop-py like a lot of them are), Marty Stuart, Del McCoury Band, etc. Too bad you won't be there the previous Saturday; Diamond Rio, the bestest band ever!!! is playing. Thye're playing this Friday, too. Someday I'll make it there.
You would be going to the Opry on the 20th, right? So far, the lineup looks good to me - Craig Morgan (love him! not all pop-py like a lot of them are), Marty Stuart, Del McCoury Band, etc. Too bad you won't be there the previous Saturday; Diamond Rio, the bestest band ever!!! is playing. Thye're playing this Friday, too. Someday I'll make it there.
I'm getting ready to whack Murphy over the head with his own law. Does scrambling to find a swimming suit with 3" of snow out & another 6" on the way sound fun to anybody? Of all times, I've progressed on my quest to get less than Pooh-sized. Looks like I'll be heading out to a sporting goods store this weekend. At least I have most of our itinerary nailed down & I'm hoping that I'm out of things Murphy and his law can cause to run amuck.
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and have absolutely no other plans beyond driving to the cottage then relaxing for three or four days. 
by tomorrow, I hope) Any suggestions are welcome.
You are cordially invited to join me in a complete, absolute, utter dorked out happy dance around my desk. Feeling a bit bummed about losing the Gatlinburg leg of the trip I was cruising around, trying everything I could to find a rental cottage or cabin within 40 miles of Nashville. After a good 2 hours of hair pulling I found exactly what I wanted!!! I stumbled across an ad for a retreat center that mentioned it had an extra guest cottage. Cajones firmly in hand I called the property owner. 
Holding my breath, I asked if he would consider renting the cottage. I'm willing to bet he thinks I'm nuts, but I'm too happy to care. Woo-hoo!!! This really is turning into the trip I dreamt it would be.
PassPorter Guide Author
So many restaurants for dinner - but a lot depends on how fat your wallet is!
Nashville! Hope you all do, too!
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