nashville

BlueVinney

Enjoy your trip, not the most typical first destination for a UK visitor. Much good advice in this thread and many others on the site.

Assume that you are freelance and not part of a package. Join Delta frequent flyer as it should give access to improved information. Make sure that you have good seats, it's a long flight. You should be able to have your travel agent associate your Delta number with your flight booking to allow you to organise pre-assigned seats.

Lots of good advice on web for planning strategy for long flights and avoiding dvt, etc. Try https://www.airlinequality.com for info on airlines, airports and seats.

For driving, read up on the road rules. They are more different to here than merely driving on the 'wrong' side of the road. For instance, you can normally turn right at traffic lights when they are on red so long as there is no conflicting traffic and no notice prohibiting you!

Eating out is normally much lower cost than over here, although sales tax is added to posted prices of all purchases, including food, usually less than 10%. There are many restaurant chains. Some 'family' dining chains are Bob Evans, Applebees, Chillis, Cracker Barrel although they may not all be in Tennassee. There are also many 'all you can eat' options such as Ponderosa, Sizzler and Shoney which are around $7 each adult for evening meal. Not as bad as they sound as they normally provide a wide selection of starters, main courses and desserts where you can visit as much or little as you want and select from maybe 80+ dishes including much fruit and salad. For restaurants where you are served at table expect to tip at 15%, self service restaurants less. Most accept credit cards except fast food such as McDonalds, Wendy's, etc., which require cash. (Use MSE advice for paying abroad or exchange)

We were at Nashville a few years ago whilst touring through Kentucky and Tennassee. Nashville downtown is pretty typical US mid-sized city, best bit is along the river front. Country music area is about 1 mile away from downtown. Wildhorse Saloon in downtown has free line dancing lessons in afternoon and there are often tv broadcasts from there for country music channels. Also try Opryland theme park just out of town. Look on https://www.tripadvisor.com if you want background on hotels or a need to book accomodation.

The there's a lot to see in the whole state and the Smoky Mountains are attractive. You'll find there is so much to do and see that you'll want to go back to the US, even if you have to do lots of driving as distances are so great.

Hey this started as a short note! Guess I must be enthusiastic about the place. Can't wait to go back again for my next holiday. Enjoy yours.

philsu

Hi
We went to Nashville a few years ago, our 1st trip abroad. We hired a car after we had been in Nashville a couple of days, so that we got used to the roads while using public transport. Had no problems driving, although we didn't really drive much in the city itself. Try a Trolley bus tour. Went on a paddle steamer on the river which we enjoyed & drove to the Smokey Mountains which we thought were fantastic. The Wild Horse Saloon was great fun, trying to join in the Line dancing etc, we also enjoyed a trip to the Grand Ole Opry was expensive though. There is a Cracker Barrel in Nashville food there is really nice, huge portions. Try to go to the Opryland Hotel, just to have a drink & a wander round it is out of this world really OTT, it is all under glass, with fountains, canals a boat to tour the hotel etc that is where the theme park is if it is still there I heard that they were planning to rebuild the site. I'm sure you'll have a great time we would love to go back.

Fortyfoot

I have just been speaking to my friend Edwina. She was in Nashville for about a year. Her base was at The Sherlock Holmes on Elliston Place, 001 615 327 1047. When Edwina was at the Albert Hall quite a number of them flew over to see her. She is sure that you will be made welcome.
Fortyfoot

richardj_4

Spent 4 months in and around Nashville last year, love the place. The people are great and no sign of the trouble that was mentioned above. Could be due to the fact that Gracelands is in Memphis rather than Nashville.

Enjoy yourself.