This year’s 2018 CMA Music Festival in Nashville, Tennessee, is the 47th annual gathering of country music stars and fans alike. The lineup of events for the Festival begin on the 7th and culminate on the evening of June 10th, when the Country Music Awards are broadcast on live TV. During the 4-day Festival, there are fan parties, autograph signing sessions, and a host of meet and greet sessions sure to delight country music fans of all ages!
So if you’re planning to be in Nashville for all the festivities, you’ll have enough time to get into a little bit of the Nashville mood by checking out these three must-see, must-do activities, to truly get into the spirit of this great city.
Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium
Ryman Auditorium is considered by some country music fans to be hallowed ground. It is the very birthplace of bluegrass and country music, with performing stars dating way back to 1885. Johnny Cash got his start at the Ryman, as did Elvis Presley, Hank Williams, and Patsy Cline. But the Ryman is perhaps best known as the showplace for the televised “Grand Ole Opry” which ran from the 40’s through the 70’s. You don’t want to miss this piece of Americana that helped brand Nashville as the “Music City.”
Bob’s Steak & Chophouse
This Omni Hotel’s purveyor of juicy slabs of fine aged steaks is the place to go if you’re looking for the nation’s finest corn-fed Midwestern prime beef. Now don’t get us wrong; this is a FANCY restaurant. But the vibe from the servers and management will make you feel right at home. The wait staff know more about a cut of meat than you could possibly imagine, and they strive to present an atmosphere that is warm, friendly, and inviting. Besides all the nice things WE can say about it, Bon Appetit’s review of Bob’s Steak & Chophouse remarks that it’s “the kind of fare you’ll want to go back for again and again.” And to top it off, they’ve been voted one of the Top 50 Restaurant in the Country by Travel + Leisure. I think you’re beginning to see why you can’t go wrong with this much-loved Nashville restaurant.
Mint Julep Whiskey Experiences
No trip to Nashville is complete without a historical and whiskey-tasting tour of some of the local distilleries. And no one provides a more upscale, comprehensive, and educational whiskey tour experience than Mint Julep Experiences – Nashville. You even get to choose from two distinctly unique experiences. First, they have the “Legends” tour, which takes you through the Jack Daniels AND the George Dickel distilleries with tastings at each. Second, you might opt for the “Rising Stars” tour, which includes visits to three up-and-coming craft distillery tours with tastings at all.
Regardless of the tour you select, you are pampered and well taken care of throughout the day. Experienced guides ride with you on your luxury bus ride, pointing out Tennessee’s rich history all along the way. Don’t forget to bring a bottle of your favorite stuff as they supply the cooler with ice and waters. They take care of the reservations into the distilleries, admissions, timing, and itinerary so you can just sit back and relax. You will enjoy a delicious southern-inspired lunch mid-day, and this high-end tour ensures that you have plenty of opportunities to taste a variety of different types of bourbons and whiskeys throughout your experience-rich day. Go ahead and book your tour today here. Or if you have questions about creating a custom tour for you and your friends and family, drop them a note here.
Hopefully you’re able to work in some of these three must-see, must-do items while you’re in town, so that you can say you’ve gotten the authentic feel and color of lovely Nashville. Country music and movie stars don’t have to be the only thrill of your trip to the CMAs!