Gal-Gone-Camping

Hello Friends!

I just got back from Music City USA a few weeks ago and although I’ve been there several times, this trip was extra special because I got to go with one of my dearest friends, Mary.  We were in high school band together and one year we went to Nashville for a concert competition.  We got to play on the original stage of the Ryman Auditorium where the Grand Ole Opry was held until it moved to the new building. A traditional country music lover my entire life, that was a very special moment for me over 35 years ago.

Trivia Question That Won Me A Trip To Nashville

In 1986, I won a trip to Nashville by answering this trivia question:  “In what movie did Glen Campbell make his acting debut?” the WSIP Radio announcer asked.  The first caller with the correct answer would win.  The announcer had no more finished asking the question til he got my phone call. “True Grit” I yelled!

The movie came out in 1969 and I was just a little kid, but already had a huge crush on the tall, blonde headed, handsome young man from Delight Arkansas, with a cute smile and even cuter accent. “Hi, I’m Glen Campbell!” was how he started his weekly TV show ‘The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour.’  I used to put his 45 vinyl ‘Dreams of an Everyday Housewife’ on my little record player and dance around my room pretending I was dancing with him.  His character died in that movie and I cried; asking my older cousin who had seen it with me at the old Sky View Drive-In at Paintsville, KY, if Glen Campbell really died. Wow, those memories…

GGC– More Than Just Camping!

Back to the present…this was a complimentary trip; compliments of my friend Mary (and her company); we flew first class all the way (yes, campers can be classy too!)  Those of you who follow my blog know it’s not just about camping, but also about travel in general; saving money, do’s and don’ts, tips/tricks, etc. So, I thought I’d share with you my suggestions for Nashville, one of my favorite cities.

If you’re a music lover, you need to go. Although Nashville and the music industry has greatly changed over the years, it’s still a mecca for singers, musicians, songwriters, and fans. Everyone who knows me knows where I stand when it comes to music.  I’m creative and believe that you must express yourself in whatever form you choose, BUT please don’t call it country when it ain’t, and that’s all I’m gonna say about that.  The good news is you might find an unknown aspiring artist at some hole-in-the-wall that may be the real deal.  This brings me to tip #1 in my 12 Tips for Visiting Nashville…

My 12 Nashville Tips

1. Attend Small Shows Too! Don’t just attend standard shows and concerts. Be sure to check out the entertainment at local clubs, bars, restaurants, hotels, etc.  These little joints are where you can find raw, untouched talent–not the commercial stuff. This is a good way to save money too! Lots of FREE admission places provide local entertainment; others may require a small cover charge.

2. See The Sights With Old Town Trolley Tours.  Their hop on, hop off system lets you take full advantage of sightseeing.  I have taken their tours in several cities and have always been well pleased.  The prices are affordable, the trolley vehicles are tall and open air for maximum picture taking, and all tours have a live expert narrator that throws out interesting, little known facts about the area.  The Nashville tour offers 15 stops at the most popular attractions.  You get on and off at your choosing; the trolley runs about every 20 minutes.

 

I’m not sure if its for a limited time or not, but the tour ticket also included FREE admission to the George Jones Museum AND to the Madame Tussauds Wax Museum! Nearly a $40 added value to the price of one trolley ticket which is around $39!  What a great deal!  You can purchase Old Town Trolley tickets online at http://www.trolleytours.com or by phone at 615-258-5923.  You can also buy tickets at area ticket booths in the city or the concierge desk if you’re staying in a hotel.

3. Visit the Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum! Every country music fan should visit this place! Not only is it a shrine to country music and its legends, but it’s a testament to creativity, individuality, and perseverance.

Truly awesome! You can order tickets online at http://www.countrymusichalloffame.org There are different types of tickets; general admission is the one I chose for $25.95–but I got a $2 discount because I was staying at the Omni Hotel which is connected to the Museum, and that brings me to my next tip….

4. Utilize Discounts & Coupons! You all know I preach this everywhere I travel and urge you to do the same.  In the above example–I saved $2 off the price of admission for the CMHF Museum. Yes, it was only $2, but when a bottle of water costs $3, this makes a difference! (No, I never pay that much for water–that’s another tip so keep reading!)

The point is a dollar here and there adds up.  Look for discount/coupon booklets at restaurants, rest areas, and travel centers. Check with your hotel or campground to see what discounts they may offer (most all of them do).  Look for freebies included with other attractions–such as the trolley tour tip above–you get FREE admission to TWO museums with the price of your tour ticket! That means you are getting about an $80 value for $39 and some change!

About the water…get a big cup of ice for free or just a few cents and fill up at a water fountain or sink. Bring your own bottled water when you can, but you can’t always do that; as lots of places (including the Ryman ) now checks bags and you can’t carry a backpack or bag over a certain size.

5. Eat/Drink Here not There! (This one’s long cause there’s a story to tell) So, tip #4 leads directly into this one which is also about saving money.  More than music has changed in Nashville.  The city has grown tremendously in the last several years. Not only has the cost of living gone up, but so has the cost of visiting.  Little tricks and things to look for in any location can be helpful such as where to eat and drink.

For instance, it’s convenient to dine in your hotel’s restaurant, but it’s usually way over priced. They know a lot people want that convenience and figure they will pay extra for it rather than having to pay for a taxi, Uber, or the aggravation of driving and finding a parking spot to go somewhere else to eat. Of course it depends on the hotel, what part of town, and which meal it is. Downtown hotels are fancier and will always be the most expensive, while those in outlying areas are less. Dinner is the most expensive meal, yet you can sometimes get a good deal on a hotel breakfast (I’m not talking about the continental breakfasts that are free at some hotels-which is a great advantage too!)

So, Here’s The Story…

My friend and I noticed the Margaritaville Hotel across the street and just assumed it also included the Margaritaville Restaurant (which we all know and love!)  Once inside, we realized it did not.  It did of course have a restaurant, so we decided to give it a try.  The service was horrid.  We had to wait forever even though we were the only ones there (never a good sign). As we were looking around, hoping our food would soon come, my friend actually saw a staff member eat a fry off one of our plates after it was put on the counter to be brought out!  We told our waitress about it and she seemed shocked, but here came another lady, perhaps the manager, don’t know, but we told her about it and there was no “sorry about that” or “I’ll make sure you get a discount.”  Instead she said “Could it be he was checking the food temperature?”  I gave her the “are you a complete idiot?” look and loudly said “I DOUBT IT!” I mean even if he was…wouldn’t he have sense enough to do it in the kitchen??!!

We got the house burger and fries which were delicious, although my friend said it was too salty.  Too salty?? We’re at the Margaritaville Hotel Mary!  We’re eating at the JWB Grill–which stands for Jimmy William Buffet!  Would he say it’s too salty? I think not!  The complimentary potato latkes served with delicious sweet cream butter were good, but you know how a complimentary basket of bread contains several pieces?  No…not here! Even though the latkes is their equivalent to bread, they were not ashamed to serve two teeny tiny pieces (which were definitely frozen, not homemade) to two “mature” ladies.  Well, we were “mature” AND unashamed to ask for more, so we did!  Did they really think they were going to boldly and unapologetically steal a fry off our plate without any recourse of action from these two middle aged, hungry, traveling troubadours?

So I calmed down and far as the meal, I thought $16 wasn’t bad; given it was downtown Nashville on a Saturday night in a hotel restaurant.  The margarita however, was $15!–and it was not even a jumbo size! There must have been a hotel conspiracy, because we also visited one of the bars in our hotel and a house margarita was $15 there too!  See what I mean about hotel food and drinks?

However, our hotel (The Omni), did serve a weekend brunch buffet that was INCREDIBLE! You might think it was costly at around $25, but it was an excellent buffet with a huge variety; open til 2 pm.  Everything was cooked perfectly, and the service was superb. Two things I always look for in a breakfast–a pot of coffee brought to the table and heated syrup–and they offered both!

I don’t mind to pay a higher price if the value is proportionate, but I hate getting ripped off; paying high prices for low quality and I know you do too!  So get your margaritas from the nearby Margaritaville Restaurant which are 10 or 11 bucks instead of the Margaritaville Hotel which are $15. I would still recommend the JWB Grill in the hotel (if the fry guy isn’t there). The food was good and I think Mary found Jimmy’s “lost shaker of salt!”

What can I say? Travel is a learning experience; it’s all about the fun, adventure, people, stories and memories you will carry with you forever.  Things happen that may not be funny at the time, but are hilarious later…and sure provides me with a lot of great writing material! OK, on to the next tip…

6. Explore Outer Areas  All the downtown attractions are great but if you have time, venture out a little to see some other cool sites including: The Hermitage, Belle Meade Plantation, Travellers Rest, Ft. Defiance Civil War Park, Cannonsburgh Village, Dunbar Cave and Long Hunter State Parks just to name a few.  Most all these places are less than an hour from Nashville.  A couple of really interesting stops closer to downtown are on the Old Town Trolley Tour–The Parthenon, Belmont Mansion, and of course Music Row!

7. Camp Nearby Campgrounds but remember, just like any campgrounds near big attractions, they’re going to be pricey–however, they will always beat the price of a hotel in the same location! I didn’t camp on this trip because I flew, but I did get some good recommendations:

Two Rivers Campground http://www.tworiverscampground.com 615-883-8559, less than 12 miles from downtown. Rates in the $50-$65 range; less with Good Sam discount.

Nashville KOA Resort https://koa.com/campgrounds/nashville/ 615-889-0282, less than 12 miles from downtown; nothing less than $75 per night.  This is a resort KOA; there is a difference. (will talk about that on another post!) Be aware–some time frames here will require a minimum 4 night stay.

Anderson Road Campground https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/232515 615-361-1980, 12 miles from downtown. This is more my style; definitely where I’ll be staying if I’m going to be camping near Nashville! This is Corp of Engineer land; a US recreation area–which means its cheaper (sometimes free) This campground is located right on a lake with wooded areas and a beach access. Rates from $20-$40 per night!

8. Stay Free With Harvest Hosts! Currently, there are two Harvest Host (classic plan) locations near Nashville: Summer Crest Winery in Portland; less than 35 miles away and Dueling Grounds Distillery; 43 miles from town.  If you’ve been following my blog you know how much I love this organization.  With a yearly membership you can park your rig overnight for FREE at amazing locations such as wineries, breweries, museums, farms and more.  Golf courses are included in the Plus Golf Membership plan. (There may be golf courses even closer) This is a great option if you’re just passing through or in this case you could spend all day in Nashville then stay all night at the winery, go back to Nashville the next day and stay overnight at the distillery the next night! I am an affiliate with Harvest Hosts and can offer you a 15% discount through this link! http://harvesthosts.refr.cc/galgonecamping

9. See The Grand Ole Opry AT The Ryman If Possible because you’ll get to see a great show at its original home; the Ryman Auditorium (built in the 1800’s as a church) another must see in Nashville!  Ticket price for the Ryman tour alone is $21.95.  For $63 (taxes & fees included), I got to see a bunch (that’s southern for a lot y’all) of big name stars: Charlie Pride, Marty Stuart, Ricky Skaggs, John Conley, Sonny Osborne, Daily & Vincent, Jeannie Seely, Bill Anderson, and more on that grand old stage AT the beautiful historic building where so many legends performed until 1974. The show was then moved to the new building on Opryland Drive, ten miles out of town.  What a value, what an experience! The Opry shows are only performed at the Ryman during the winter season so check website for dates. http://www.ryman.com

10.  Take a Cruise on the General Jackson Showboat! A must do in Nashville and another awesome value! For $66 you get to cruise down the Cumberland river and back on an elegant 4 deck riverboat, eat a delicious dinner, and enjoy an outstanding show with top notch entertainment. Cruises last between 2 1/2 – 4 hours. http://generaljackson.com/

11. Gobble a Goo Goo Cluster at the Goo Goo Candy Factory! This is a southern tradition since 1912, and yet another must do in Nashville (there are so many!) Visit the factory where you can watch these delightful confections being made and actually be part of a chocolate experience. Nostalgia fills the air and the shelves; as there’s a great little gift shop where you can grab (buy) all the Goo Goos you want (can afford).

12. Visit Iconic Stars’ Museums There are country music stars and then there are the legends. I recommend if you are a traditional country music fan like me, visit those iconic stars’ museums. They are reasonably priced and sometimes bundled with another attraction–as in the Old Town Trolley example above, where the tour ticket includes free admission to the George Jones Museum.

I never will forget going through the Johnny Cash Museum.  All that memorabilia and music; I swear I felt his presence there.  Maybe it’s just cause I loved him so much, but he was a man of great faith and it seemed to resonate throughout that building.

So there you have it folks–my Nashville tips.  A long post I guess, but I love writing about things I love and I LOVE country music! My dad was a tremendous musician; taught me to play the guitar when I was nine. His side of the family was musical, I’m somewhat musical and an amateur songwriter, so music has always been a huge part of my life.

He Will Always Be One Of My Favorite Singers

Glen Campbell will always be one of my favorite singers. I saw him a few years ago and felt just like I did when I was a little girl.  What a voice, what a musician!  Not many people know he was actually a studio guitar player before he ever became a singing star. It is him playing the amazing guitar piece in ‘The Legend of Bonnie and Clyde,’ by my musical hero, Merle Haggard.

Some of my favorite trips are to places mentioned in songs.  A big one still on my to do list: I want to go stand on the beach at Galveston, TX and sing ‘Galveston,’ one of Glen’s biggest hits. I cried again when he died for real in 2017.

Until next time, remember...DON’T WAIT TO LIVE!

See ya down the road,

Catrina