Offbeat Things You Can Only Find In Nashville

Even first-time visitors to Nashville are likely well acquainted with its most essential attractions: the world’s only full-scale replica of the Parthenon, complete with a 42-foot-tall Athena statue; the restaurant responsible for inventing ‘hot chicken,’ a dish now gaining popularity across the country; the music venue known today as the ‘Mother Church of Country Music’ (to name just a few). And while these attractions are certainly well worth seeing, Nashville also offers a plethora of one-of-a-kind things to see and do that are a bit more off the beaten path. Did you know – Culture Trip now does bookable, small-group trips? Pick from authentic, immersive Epic Trips, compact and action-packed Mini Trips and sparkling, expansive Sailing Trips.

A Christmas-Themed Dive Bar

At Santa’s Pub, a double-wide trailer that houses a dive bar with a devoted fan base amongst Nashville locals, the Christmas season is not limited to the margin between Thanksgiving and December 25th. From the bar’s decor – which is filled to the brim with Christmas decorations, including an always-lit tree – to the images of Santa Claus on his sleigh painted on the front of the bar and the man with the jolly white beard behind the bar (that would be Santa’s co-owner, Denzel Stillings), the holiday season knows no bounds at Santa’s.

Santa’s Pub, 2225 Bransford Ave, Nashville, TN, USA, +1 (615) 593 1872

On an average day, you may not put much thought into the relative luxuriousness of the bathrooms that you use. At Nashville’s Hermitage Hotel, however, the men’s bathroom is so sumptuous that in 2008, it was awarded the distinction of America’s Best Restroom. Sure, the Hermitage Hotel is worth a visit in its own right – it is named after Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage estate and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places – but visitors continue to flock to the men’s room of this legendary building. Your preferred gender identity aside, take a sneak peak at the white-and-green glass tiles, shoeshine station, and terrazzo floor that set this restroom apart.

(Men’s Restroom at) The Hermitage Hotel, 231 6th Ave N, Nashville, TN, USA, +1 (615) 244 3121

Willie Nelson Fortune Teller

At Dixieland Delights, located in the heart of downtown on Broadway, you’ll find more Music City souvenirs than you could ever possibly need. Get your fill of candies packed in guitar-shaped tins and pose for a photo with the Elvis statue out front. Before you leave though, be sure to have your fortune handed down to you by Willie Nelson. Okay, so the fortune might be printed on a card, and the psychic may be a machine, not the country music megastar himself, but where else can you get your future delineated to you by a major celebrity for just one dollar?

Dixieland Delights, 325 Broadway, Nashville, TN, USA, +1 (615) 313 9926

Christmas Lights Hung for Elvis

Nashville is home to more than a few recording studios, including RCA Studio B, where music legends such as Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, and Chet Atkins have recorded songs. But the list does not stop there: Elvis Presley recorded the majority of his albums at RCA, including his 1957 Elvis’ Christmas Album. The story goes that the King of Rock & Roll could not quite muster enough holiday spirit while recording the album in the middle of the summer, so Christmas string lights were hung up in the studio – and were never taken down. See for yourself on one of the studio’s daily tours.

RCA Studio B, 1611 Roy Acuff Pl, Nashville, TN, USA, +1 (615) 416 2001

A Macabre Boutique

Taxidermied squirrels. Jewelry made of animal skeletons. Fetal pigs in a jar. Decades-old medical syringes. This may sound like a list of props for a horror film. They are, in fact, examples of trinkets you can purchase at Hail, Dark Aesthetics, one of Nashville’s most unforgettable boutiques (if you can justly call a store that sells animal skulls a ’boutique’). While the prices for these novelties may be a bit steeper than your average pair of shopping mall earrings, the selection here, not to mention the dark, almost haunted atmosphere, will fulfill any latent craving for creepiness that you may be harboring.

Hail, Dark Aesthetics, 2410 Gallatin Ave, Nashville, TN, USA, +1 (615) 727 4199

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.