To many, Nashville is known as the Music City, the unofficial honky-tonk capital of the world but it is so much more than that. It often surprises to initial visitors to find a chic American city, scintillating skyscrapers, and a healthy financial community, embracing new commerce, publishing houses and other offshoots of the music industry.

Located in the center of Middle Tennessee, Nashville is the flourishing city of the upper South, where gracious Southern hospitality mixes with a genuine friendliness. The population is rapidly expanding as it attracts citizens escaping the brutal northern winters, or leaving New York and Los Angeles for a more easy-going lifestyle. Being a transplant from the wintry conditions of Chicago, I was definitely drawn in by the climate and surrounding proximities to other urban locales was also a major plus. The city is strategically positioned at the convergence of three major interstates and at the center of various surrounding travel destinations.

Nashville also prides itself on its education. Boasting over 20 plus schools in the area, it is home to a triad of historical black colleges/universities: Tennessee State University, Meharry Medical College and last but definitely not least, my alma mater, Fisk University. It is at these places that one begins to see the wealth of culture accumulated here. Scholars such as W.E.B. DuBois & Nikki Giovanni learning sage words on these grounds help to paint a picture of what broad histories were painted here.

Nashville’s roots go back a long way. It was first home to bison and deer, which attracted the hunters who settled here. In the late 18th century, French fur trappers and traders arrived at this area along the Cumberland River, the most famous one being Daniel Boone. Immigrants from the Appalachians began to settle soon after and established the beginnings of a sizeable community until, in 1843, Nashville became Tennessee’s state capital. That is not to say that Nashville is stuck in the past.

There are a myriad of things to do here. Thus far, most of the best hotels and nightlife have been concentrated in an area of only about eight blocks square, but this is swiftly changing. The modern day empire of Music Row, the business heart of the music industry, is in midtown Nashville which houses a bevy of recording studios, record labels, entertainment offices and music associated businesses.

Nashville’s Downtown is also currently undergoing significant change. This ties in closely with the US $100 million development in the Division Street/12th Avenue South area of The Gulch, turning an old area of Nashville into trendy, urban loft-style homes, residential units and retail space in a new 12-story glass-encased tower. New businesses and restaurants have already relocated to this formerly under-developed part of town, with a vision the continuing addition of upscale dining, bakeries, bistros, cafes and markets. East Nashville is the growing enclave for the creative community of artists, writers, singers and songwriters. Trendy shops, eclectic clothing stores, wine bars and art galleries are springing up in this old revitalized neighborhood.

There may be much more to this thriving and growing town than music, but the city pays homage to its heritage and the ever-changing beat that is an integral part of Nashville’s vibrant future. I am more than proud to call it my home away from home.

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Features: Sightseeing, Day Trips, Outdoor, Casual