Fruity, rum-filled drinks, a retro Polynesian vibe… and robots. This East Nashville tiki bar has more than a few fun surprises. A few years ago, a man had a dream. “The dream I had last night was so weird,” he told a friend the next day over coffee. “The only thing I really remember now […]

Looking for the best Nashville hikes out there? You’ve come to the right place! I’ve made it my mission over the years to hike all of the Nashville area’s trails and I’m happy to report there are some fantastic ones to choose from. On the trails I’ve listed below, you’ll find amazing scenic views, old […]

I think of Gatlinburg as a rite of passage for every American traveler. Snuggled up against the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the bustling town offers a colorful juxtaposition to the ancient mountains beyond. Enter Gatlinburg and you’ll find yourself immersed in a dizzying swirl of pancake houses, souvenir shops, tourist attractions, and hordes of […]

Drive a few hours north from Nashville and you’ll encounter a delightful surprise nestled in the hills of southern Indiana: two turn-of-the-century grand hotels, painstakingly restored to their former glory. ‘We need to go somewhere for our anniversary,’ a friend texted me recently. ‘We need something fun.’ ‘Have I told you about French Lick?’ I […]

“I can’t believe we’re finally doing this,” I told my husband as we sat in an Inglewood parking lot. In my hands was a plain brown paper bag. We both gazed at it in silence for a few seconds before I took a deep breath and opened it. Two objects rested inside, both wrapped in […]

After what had to be the longest school year of all time, summer is finally here! Now that everything’s opening up again, it just might be the best summer ever — There’s nothing like spending a year at home to appreciate normal, everyday life and all the activities that come with it, right? I’ve spent […]

I’ve learned over time that what often makes a shop or a tour or even a restaurant really, really special is the owner or guide or chef you interact with while you’re there. When I’m researching a city or town, I sort through hundreds of user reviews, seeking out the bookstore with the charismatic and […]

I’m a sucker for a great French brasserie and over the years, we’ve been lucky to dine at some of the best. 39 Rue de Jean in Charleston, Echaude in Quebec City, and the now sadly closed Brasserie Les Halles in Manhattan all left me with delicious memories of crispy pommes frites, mussels steamed in […]

“Let’s try Birmingham,” I suggested one winter afternoon a couple of years ago. My husband and I had been brainstorming ideas for a weekend road trip in January and coming up empty. Birmingham, though, seemed plausible — It was just under three hours from Nashville and its warmer climate made a surprise snowfall seem very […]

I’m trying to be very Zen about Nashville’s growth explosion and its resulting traffic and soaring prices and overcrowded everything, and really the only way I can do that right now is by focusing on the food. Until the last few years, the food scene was pretty boring here — Our restaurants catered largely to […]