Nasvhille, TN / Vanderbilt - Oct. Weekend Trip

~Convenient location. Somewhat shady area. Chain restaurants all along Murf Rd (also known as Murf Pike). Good price. Continental breakfast included. Nighttime service employees were nice but dumb. What can I say? It was a cheap, two-star room for a short trip.

~Once you get a hang of the highway system, you should be fine. Our hotel was near the airport, and it only took us 15 minutes to get to Vanderbilt (midtown Nashville) from there; we found short commutes (30 min. or less) wherever we went. Parking meters are free over the weekend - go early to grab a spot. If you drive around long enough, you can find parking garages (up to $10 max daily rate) and lots ($?). Beware the turn signal - it's common for drivers not to use them.

~Usually, I don't eat at chains when I go on trips, but it was late (dark), we were hungry, and we didn't know the area that well. Service was good, food was fine. Had the Sonoma Chicken Salad.

~Doors open at 6 am daily. ARRIVE EARLY. There will be lines, and there will continue to be lines in the afternoon. Parking is available behind the restaurant. Choice of pancakes is awesome - some come with 3, some with 5 cakes. Hash browns are also awesome. Pay your check at the front door.

~The second and third floors house the museum. There are sound stations dotted throughout as well as videos and video commentary from past and present country music stars. Music store on the first floor does NOT sell batteries or disposable cameras - the closest store that sells batteries is located in the Hilton Hotel half a block away. Minimum 2 hours

~This mansion was rather large on the inside which surprised me because historic homes I've seen thus far have been rather tiny (e.g., I narrowly fit through a door frame/hallway/etc). The grounds are beautiful and well-kept, and the employees are available to answer any and all questions. The museum itself seems rather limited, and the 15-minute movie near the entrance primarily uses drawings to get the story across (you can skip it if you're pressed for time - the information will be available throughout the self-guided tour).