Nashville: home of country music, big dreams, and gloriously sweltering, activity-packed summers. It can be intimidating to visit this iconic city without a plan or a big budget, but thankfully, this sweet southern town offers a variety of engaging activities for those who are less than financially blessed.
1. Ugly Mugs Coffee & Tea
This locally owned shop is located in East Nashville, serves specialty coffee, tea, and baked goods, and of course, serves your delicious drink in a unique mug if you opt to relax in-shop. The atmosphere is urban and chill and the baristas are relaxed and friendly. My personal recommendation is the “Earl Palmer,” a twist on an old classic containing Earl Grey tea and lemonade—perfect for conquering the Nashville heat.
2. The IDEA Hatchery
Just a few minutes down the road from Ugly Mugs sits the cutest village of tiny shops you will ever encounter. This unique concept allows small business owners to take the first step to owning their own store. Creatives can rent out a small shop space for one year while they gain traction in the small business world. East Side Story, a bookstore solely featuring Nashville authors and artists, and Haulin’ Oats, a shop completely dedicated to gourmet oatmeal creations, were two of my favorites.
3. Mas Tacos Por Favor
Get ready for the best tacos of your life. This cash only (don’t worry, there’s an ATM), authentic establishment has $3 tacos that can’t be beat. Various famous musicians and the road trip foodie himself, Guy Fieri, have all visited Mas Tacos. The long lines and small eating space are long forgotten after encountering the friendly staff and made-from-scratch food. The pulled pork tacos took me to another plane of existence, while my friends said the fried avocado tacos and elote were fantastic. They’re not lying when they say it’s “the best thing in Nashville since country music.”
4. Nashville Public Library
If any strand of your being likes books or architecture, this place will excite and overwhelm you. Home to thousands of unique books and resources, incredible information on Nashville’s history, and the International Puppet Festival, this is a treasure you can’t miss, even if you only walk around the beautiful building. My friends and I spent nearly 45 minutes just in the Fine Arts section, exploring everything from surrealism, to modern basket weaving, to van Gogh’s letters. A whole day could easily be spent here, and it features what may be some of the cheapest parking in the city.
5. The Parthenon
In the middle of Centennial Park sits the world’s only full-size replica of the Parthenon, a magnificent piece of ancient Athenian architecture dating back to 438 B.C. The replica was built in 1895 for the Tennessee Centennial Exposition as a temporary structure, and unlike the other structures built for the exposition, it was made permanent instead of being torn down. For a $6 admission fee, you can enter the building and tour the art museum featuring 19th and 20th century American art, temporary exhibits, and a full-scale replica of the 42-foot statue of Athena. Even if you don’t tour the interior, there is plenty to see from the outside as well as beautiful park grounds to relax in and explore. Centennial Park also hosts “Big Band Dances” every summer, which features free live music, dancing, and local food trucks.
