Blog Posts

The Latest

Nashville, Tennessee Travel Guide

Last weekend, Ben and I spontaneously decided to go on a road trip from Wisconsin to Nashville, Tennessee. In life, it seems like the older we get, the less spontaneous we are. Why is that?! Thankfully, Ben is adventurous and always encourages me to do what I’m afraid or nervous to do… so to Nashville we went!

Nashville, Tennessee Travel Guide

We arrived in Nashville on Thursday evening at 11 PM (So tired!) and checked into Kimpton Aertson Hotel. I really loved our hotel; our room was decorated really beautifully, there is a rooftop pool, and there is a complementary cocktail hour from 5-6 every day.

On the drive to Nashville, I made a rough plan for our trip — jotting down notes of the places people recommend most. This was my third trip to Nashville, so I had already done the very touristy to-dos and was excited to explore Nashville in a new way.

  • On Friday morning, we began the day with coffee and a hike at Radnor Lake State Park. The hiking trail was alongside Radnor Lake, so we had really beautiful views of the lake and wildlife while we hiked. We got caught in a really big thunderstorm — which was so much fun! This was the perfect way for me to start the day and our mini-vacation.
  • After our hike, we had lunch at AVO, a 100% plant-based restaurant. It’s always a joy to be able to choose anything from a menu.
  • We attended our hotel’s cocktail hour and ended the day with dinner and a much-needed good night’s sleep. (Why is driving so tiring?!) P.S. It’s pretty crazy to compare our energy levels from our trip to Nashville at age 23 and our trip to Nashville at age 30.
  • On Saturday morning, we had coffee at CREMA, which was my favorite coffee shop of our trip. It had the most amazing avocado toast recipe, which I’ve been using ever since (Bread, avocado, lemon juice, red pepper flakes, and micro-greens!) and beautiful views of Nashville’s skyline.
  • For lunch, we went to Epice, a Lebanese restaurant where, mid-meal, Miley Cyrus chose to eat there, too! I recognized her face, then her voice, and definitely became star-struck.
  • On our walk back to our car, after exploring the 12 South Neighborhood, we ran into Miley again! We ended our day with dinner at Bartaco and a community swing dance lesson at Centennial Park! This was the most memorable day of our 3-day trip — and I just can’t believe all of our luck.
  • On Sunday, we had coffee, took a quick photo tour of The Gulch, and began our journey back to Wisconsin. We stopped for the evening in Champaign, Illinois — which was unexpectedly fun!

Overall, I highly recommend spontaneous trips! In a world full of over-planning and spoilers (I’m guilty of both!) it’s actually really refreshing to do something exciting and out of the ordinary. Plus, Nashville is just… amazing!

Nashville Trip Recap

Where We Stayed in Nashville:

What We Did in Nashville:

Where We Dined in Nashville:

  • Breakfast on Friday: Bongo Java – A fun, charming coffee shop near Belmont’s campus.
  • Lunch on Friday: AVO – A 100% plant-based, vegan restaurant in an up-and-coming community.

  • Dinner on Friday: FGL House – Florida Georgia Line’s restaurant off of Broadway.
  • Breakfast on Saturday: CREMA Coffee Roasters – My favorite coffee shop of our trip!
  • Lunch on Saturday: Epice – A Lebanese restaurant with a really flavorful menu.
  • Dinner on Saturday: Bartaco – Lots and lots of delicious tacos and really friendly service.
  • Breakfast on Sunday: Frothy Monkey – A charming coffee shop and brunch place!
Affiliate Disclaimer: Some links shared are Affiliate Links — which means I may earn a commission when you click or purchase at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support of my small business!

A Minnesota-based motherhood, lifestyle, and home decor blog by Kelly Zugay — Founder of Made by Motherhood, Co-Founder of With Grace and Gold and Host of Brand It, Build It Podcast.

About Kelly Zugay

Loving Lately

Things I'm

Shop My Favorites

Whether a fun day trip locally or travel abroad, I really value traveling. Discover a variety of destinations.

Our new build, just outside of Saint Paul, Minnesota, is bright and cozy. Follow along with our decor journey.

Discover posts about week-by-week pregnancy, motherhood, and products I've used and recommend.

Discover personal blog posts about everyday life — recipes we're trying, products I'm enjoying, and more.

Discover Posts by Category

Receive a monthly collection of recent posts, favorite products, exclusive discounts, and more:

Receive Monthly Inspiration

Exclusive Content, Discounts, 
and More
Join My
Newsletter Community

A curated collection of products and resources — and a directory of mother-owned small businesses — for mothers.

Creating balance, ease, and opportunity for multifaceted mothers.

Made by Motherhood

Discover the Brand It, Build It Podcast — among the top 10% of podcasts worldwide.

Weekly marketing tips for small business owners.

Brand It, Build It Podcast

Elsewhere

Find Kelly Zugay

#SHOPSMALL