INSIDERS’ GUIDE® to Nashville

Question: How do you get to the Grand Ole Opry? Answer: Practice, practice, practice!

Okay, it's an old joke, slightly paraphrased. But we use it to make the point that, with just a little practice and some practical knowledge, you'll soon find your way without problem to the Opryland area, the downtown/Music Row area, or anywhere else you want to go in metropolitan Nashville.

If you do happen to lose your bearings, don't lose your cool. Stop and ask directions—remember, you're in the land of Southern hospitality! It's reassuring to note that, in Nashville, it seems almost everyone is originally from somewhere else, which means that, like you, they've been lost before and will surely get lost again. Once you understand a few of the ground rules, such as the names and directions of the interstates and primary crosstown routes, you'll discover that getting around in Nashville is a bit like life itself: You're bound to make a few wrong turns along the way, but you'll be wiser for the experience. (Hey, do you think there might be a song in that?)

Of course, if you prefer, you can leave the driving to somebody else. Nashville has a number of transportation alternatives. We'll tell you about them later in this chapter.

ARRIVING BY AIR

NASHVILLE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (BNA),1-40 and Donelson Pike, 8 miles southeast of downtown, 1 Terminal Dr., Nashville, TN 37214; (615) 275-1675; flynashville.com. Nashville International Airport has 14 airlines serving more than 50 North American cities and several overseas with 380 daily arrivals and departures. The airport, which prides itself on efficiency and customer service, is generally known for on-time performance. In addition to visual arts, Nashville International Airport hosts some of the best local talent that Music City has to offer. On four stages located in the terminal, the airport features live musical entertainment ranging from jazz to country—this is Music City, after all. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the terminal.

Nashville International is about 8 miles southeast of downtown Nashville at I-40 and Donelson Pike. It's also near the intersection of two other major interstates: I-65 and I-24.

Once you've driven onto the airport grounds, simply follow the signs to short-term, long-term, or satellite parking; arrivals; or departures. If you're waiting to pick up someone from an arriving flight, look for the blue and white signs leading you to the free “Waiting Area,” a parking pull-off where you can watch the arrival boards. There are a number of parking spaces in front of baggage claim on 10-minute timers. You must stay with your vehicle when parking in these spaces. When your 10 minutes are up, you will immediately be asked to leave.

Your first 20 minutes of parking are free at all Nashville International lots, including the covered short-term garage. After that, you'll pay up to a maximum of $24 a day in the valet area, up to $14 a day in the long-term area, or up to $9 a day in the satellite “economy” lot about a mile from the terminal. If you park in the long-term or satellite lots, you can catch a complimentary shuttle to and from the terminal.

Various taxi services are available at the ground level; just get out by the curb and wait. Please note, however, that the ground transportation area is one level below the baggage claim area, so you'll have to take the escalator or elevator after picking up your luggage.

Taxi meters start at $7 and are $2.10 a mile afterward. There is a flat rate of $25 to the downtown area and Opryland Hotel area, plus an additional passenger charge of $1 when accompanying original passenger proceeding to same destination. Most hotels in the Briley Parkway/airport area offer free shuttle service to their guests. Jarmon Transportation is the official shuttle service for the airport. Shuttles depart every 15 minutes. The Downtown-West End Express is $25 for a round trip or $14 for one way.

GETTING AROUND

A night in jail, or even a ticket from a police officer, might be fodder for a great country song, but you'd still probably rather avoid these situations if possible. Therefore, it pays to know the following laws pertaining to getting around in the fine state of Tennessee.

Driving under the influence. Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs in Tennessee is a serious no-no. The minimum penalty for a first conviction is 24 hours in jail, a $350 fine, court-ordered DUI school, and the loss of your license for a year. In addition, there can also be considerable court costs, increased insurance premiums, and other expenses. So just don't do it.

Buckling up. State law requires the driver and all front-seat passengers to wear a seat belt. Under Tennessee's child restraint law, children under 1 year old or those weighing 20 pounds or less must be placed in a rear-facing child passenger restraint system; children 1 through 3 and weighing more than 20 pounds must be placed in a forward-facing child passenger restraint system. Children 4 through 8 and those less than 5 feet tall must use a belt-positioning booster system. Additionally, children through age 12 should be placed in a rear seat if available. Older children and those taller than 5 feet must be sure to buckle up.

Turning right on red. Tennessee law permits right turns at a red light after coming to a complete stop, unless otherwise posted.

As you make your way around town, look for the Wayfinding signs. Placed in strategic locations, the markers will help you to locate attractions and places of interest.

In 1978, Tennessee became the first state in the nation to require the use of safety seats for children who are passengers in motor vehicles. Within a decade, all 50 states passed laws mandating some form of child restraint in automobiles.

Nashville's location at the confluence of three major interstates means that getting into or out of town by ground is generally convenient. That's not to say that you won't run into congestion during peak hours—you will, although state and federal highway officials are always working on ways to make area traffic flow more smoothly. (We're giving the Tennessee Department of Transportation, commonly known as TDOT, the benefit of the doubt here; in the interest of full disclosure, however, you'll often hear TDOT described in less-than-flattering terms when road construction projects—like the ongoing work on Interstates 24, 40, and 65—result in major gridlock.)

I-65, which runs north-south, connects Nashville with Bowling Green, Kentucky, and, ultimately, the Chicago area to the north. Going south, it leads to Huntsville before winding up in Mobile, Alabama. Nashville-area exits, from north to south, include Old Hickory Boulevard/Madison (exit 92), Briley Parkway/Dickerson Pike (exit 89), Trinity Lane (exit 87), James Robertson Parkway/State Capitol (exit 85), Shelby Street (exit 84), Wedgewood Avenue (exit 81), Armory Avenue (exit 79), Harding Place (exit 78), and Old Hickory Boulevard/Brentwood (exit 74).

I-40, a major east–west connector, links Nashville with Knoxville and, eventually, Wilmington, North Carolina, to the east; and with Memphis and—if you're in the mood for a long drive—Barstow, California, to the west. Nashville-area exits, from east to west, include Old Hickory Boulevard (exit 221), Stewarts Ferry Pike (exit 219), Nashville International Airport/Donelson (exit 216), Briley Parkway (exit 215), Spence Lane (exit 213), Fessler's Lane/Hermitage (exit 212), Second Avenue/Fourth Avenue (exit 210), Demonbreun Street (Music Row)/Broadway/Charlotte Avenue/Church Street (exit 209), 28th Avenue (exit 207), 46th Avenue/West Nashville (exit 205), Briley Parkway/White Bridge Road/Robertson Avenue (exit 204), Charlotte Pike (exit 201), Old Hickory Boulevard (exit 199), and Bellevue/Newsoms Station (exit 196).

I-24 is a diagonal route running northwest–southeast. It will take you from Chattanooga in the southeast to Clarksville or, going farther northwest, to near St. Louis. Nashville-area exits include, from northwest to southeast, Briley Parkway (exit 43), Murfreesboro Road (exit 52), Briley Parkway/Airport (exit 54), Harding Place (exit 56), Antioch/Haywood Lane (exit 57), Bell Road (exit 59), and Hickory Hollow Parkway (exit 60).

Nashville's famous skyline can help you get oriented if you momentarily lose your way. Or you can always stop and ask someone for directions—remember, you're in the land of Southern hospitality.

I-440 is a major bypass connecting I-40 in west Nashville to I-65 in south Nashville and I-24 in the southeastern part of the city. Its exits are at West End Avenue (exit 1), Hillsboro Pike/21st Avenue (exit 3), and Nolensville Road (exit 6).

Opened in 2012, the Highway 840 loop about 30 miles outside Nashville runs from an I-40 interchange near Lebanon to an I-40 interchange near Dickson, along the way connecting I-40, I-24, and I-65. Extending from TN 46 to TN 246, the $753 million Tennessee National Guard Parkway took 26 years to complete.

Briley Parkway, also known as Highway 155, encircles Nashville and bisects all three of its major interstates. Beginning in the east at its juncture with Charlotte Avenue, it runs northeast to meet I-65; heads southeast, briefly following the Cumberland River through the Opryland area and meeting I-40 near Nashville International Airport; then continues south before turning back east, crossing I-24 and becoming one with Thompson Lane. Thompson Lane becomes Woodmont Boulevard, which becomes White Bridge Road northeast of West End Avenue and runs to Charlotte Pike, completing the Highway 155 loop.

Harding Place begins in the southwestern part of the city as Harding Pike (US 70 S.), then branches east from US 70 S. and becomes Harding Place. After crossing Granny White Pike (12th Avenue) in south Nashville, it inexplicably becomes Battery Lane for a brief stretch before resuming the name of Harding Place when it crosses Franklin Road, which is known as both Eighth Avenue and US 31. Harding continues east, then veers northward and becomes Donelson Pike.

Don't make the mistake of using one of those gigantic broadcast towers you see to get your bearings—Nashville is ringed by several, each identical and prominently placed atop a conspicuous hillside. Plenty of newcomers have gotten lost at night by using a broadcast tower as an orientation point.

Old Hickory Boulevard is even more perplexing. Beginning in the southwest, at Highway 100 on the west side of Percy Warner Park (see our Recreation chapter), it runs east until it crosses Nolensville Road (also known as Fourth Avenue or US 31 Alternate) and changes its name to Bell Road. But wait … it's far from through. Back near where we started, Old Hickory also heads north from Highway 100 at Edwin Warner Park (see Recreation) before turning into River Road. It also seemingly materializes just east of Charlotte Avenue's juncture with I-40, then heads north. Up north, way north, Old Hickory masquerades as Highway 45. It passes, from west to east, across Dickerson Pike (known variously as US 31 W., US 41, and Highway 11), I-65, and Gallatin Pike (aka US 31 E. and Highway 6), through the Madison and Old Hickory areas of metropolitan Nashville. It then heads southeast, crossing Lebanon Pike (US 70, Highway 24) in the Hermitage area, and, still acting as Highway 45, crosses I-40 near J. Percy Priest Lake on its way out of town. (Finally!)

A word to the wise: Just because you've been on Old Hickory once before and are now on it again doesn't necessarily mean that you're anywhere near where you were the first time. In other words, you probably shouldn't use this boulevard as an orientation point.

The Cumberland River, which played such an important role in the founding of Nashville, remains an important orientation point for residents and visitors. If you're trying to figure out how the streets are laid out, start at the river, which runs north–south through the center of town. West of the river, or on the downtown side, numbered avenues run parallel to the river. East of the Cumberland, however, it is streets and not avenues that are numbered, though they still run parallel to the river.

Five bridges cross the Cumberland in the downtown area. From north to south, they are Jefferson Street, Victory Memorial, Woodland Street, Shelby Avenue (for pedestrians and bicyclists only), and the Gateway Boulevard Bridge. Additionally, a railroad bridge crosses the river between the Jefferson and Victory Memorial Bridges.

Primary downtown streets running perpendicular to the numbered avenues include James Robertson Parkway, which circles the State Capitol; Union Street; Church Street; and Commerce Street. Broadway serves as the north–south dividing line.

You'll notice that in the downtown area many of the numbered avenues are one-way, so pay attention to make sure you're not turning the wrong way.

The numbered avenues generally change names as they head out of town. For example, First Avenue becomes Hermitage Avenue and then Lebanon Road; Second Avenue actually merges with Fourth Avenue before changing into Nolensville Road; Eighth Avenue becomes Franklin Road. This phenomenon is not limited to numbered avenues downtown, either. It's a simple fact of Nashville that many roads change names, some several times. After a while, you'll get used to it. You'll also notice that many a road is referred to as both a “pike” and a “road” or an “avenue,” depending on which sign or map you're looking at. For example, Charlotte Avenue is also Charlotte Pike, Hillsboro Pike is also Hillsboro Road, and Murfreesboro and Nolensville Roads are also known as pikes. There are many other examples of this. In some cases the “pike” designation is more common; in other cases “road” or “avenue” is favored. The “pike” references are holdovers from older days when roads were often known as turnpikes. Don't worry too much about which word you use.

If your group would like its own bus for travel inside or outside Nashville, you can find dozens of companies listed in the yellow pages under “Buses—Charter & Rental.” Many of these offer guided tours of the Nashville area. For more information see our Music City chapter.

GREYHOUND BUS TERMINAL, 7095 Fifth Ave. S., Nashville, TN 37203, (615) 255-3556, greyhound.com. From its Nashville terminal, Greyhound offers service to more than 2,000 destinations in the continental United States, including Memphis, site of the closest AMTRAK station.

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION

REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY OF MIDDLE TENNESSEE, 430 Myatt Dr., Nashville, TN 37115, (615) 862-8833, musiccitystar.org. The RTA serves Cheatham, Davidson, Dickson, Maury, Montgomery, Robertson, Rutherford, Sumner, Williamson, and Wilson Counties. The RTA organizes carpools and vanpools throughout those counties and operates regional bus routes between downtown Nashville, Hendersonville, and Mt. Juliet. Commuters can park for free at one of the many park-and-ride lots located throughout the area, then connect with their carpool, vanpool, or bus. Fares are $5. Students, senior citizens, and people with disabilities pay reduced rates. Special 20-trip ticket packages are available. For other rates, contact the RTA or visit the website.

The Nashville Convention & Visitors Bureau partners with several area hotels to offer visitors discounts on hotel rates. You can also get discounted attraction tickets through the CVB. For details check out the CVB's website, visitmusiccity.com, or call (800) 657-6910.

Taxi fares in Nashville are regulated by law. The meter starts at $7 when you get in the cab, and you'll pay $2.10 a mile to your destination. A $1 charge per additional passenger is added to the total. A fare from the Opryland area or the airport to a downtown location will run about $25.

It's best to reserve your cab at least 30 minutes in advance. You'll often find taxis waiting at the curb near popular downtown restaurants, however, so you might not have to call. By law, taxis are not supposed to “cruise” for customers, but visitors from big cities generally don't know this, and the law is not regularly enforced.

Many companies take credit cards, but others do not; sometimes that decision is left to the discretion of the individual driver, so it's a wise idea to specify that you plan to use a credit card when you call or before climbing into a cab.

Nashville is a town of stars and special occasions, which means it's a limousine kind of town. The yellow pages list dozens of limousine services, most of which are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. All accept major credit cards. As with any other service, you get what you pay for, and prices cover a wide range. Expect to pay more during peak times such as prom and graduation season, the December holiday season, and during big events—don't even try getting a last-minute limo for the Country Music Association Awards, for example. For such times, reservations have to be made as much as 4 months in advance.

Prices range from about $85 an hour for a 6-person model to $130 or more an hour for a 10-person stretch with all the amenities. Also plan to add a driver gratuity of 15 to 20 percent; some companies will automatically add this to your bill. Most companies have a 3-hour minimum on weekends and a 2-hour minimum during the week. Weeknights during nonpeak seasons are generally a little cheaper; if you can, plan your special night during the week to increase your chances of getting what you want.

The Music City Trolley Hop On/Off Tour, operated by Gray Line Tours, is a one-hour narrated tour of downtown Nashville, Centennial Park, and Music Row. The fare is $24 and is valid for 24 hours. See our Attractions chapter for details.

Getting Here, Getting Around

ARRIVING BY AIR

GETTING AROUND

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION