Suggestions for trips to TN and AL

[clh_hilary]

So I've signed up for a space camp in Huntsville and I'm thinking of visiting both Nashville and Montgomery the few days before.

For Montgomery, I'm thinking of going to the Rosa Park Museum, and obviously the arrest site. Then also the Jefferson Davis's White House. For Nashville, I think Grand Ole Opry only has shows on the weekends? I'll be there during the week instead. I'm thinking of the Andrew Jackson's The Hermitage and the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. Obviously I'll be walking around downtown just to look at the buildings and stuff. I might also go to the Johnny Cash Museum.

Do you have other suggestions for me? Whether it's a day trip from those state capitals, or somewhere else in those cities? Is there anything Carrie-related in Nashville? Any seat she once graced or something?

 

[maddkat]

Sounds like you're hitting the highlights of Nashville.I can't think of any Carriecentric sites.

I will say though that the Opry does play on Tuesdays, and during the summer on Wednesdays with Opry Classics on Thursday.
Touring backstage at both the Ryman and the Opry House are worth the time.

 

[clh_hilary]

Sounds like you're hitting the highlights of Nashville.I can't think of any Carriecentric sites.

I will say though that the Opry does play on Tuesdays, and during the summer on Wednesdays with Opry Classics on Thursday.
Touring backstage at both the Ryman and the Opry House are worth the time.

Thanks!

It will be in April so I guess I'll just be checking out the Tuesday ones, then! Do you think I can do all of that in two full days, or do I need more time? It seems the Hall of Fame, The Ryman, and the downtown are close to each other, then there's the Opry and Hermitage are close to each other, so that seems to be two areas I need to travel to?

 

[thaifood]

Muscle Shoals Alabama is the home of the world faomus Fame Studios. Lots of historic music came out of there. All the greats recorded there.

 

[clh_hilary]

Muscle Shoals Alabama is the home of the world faomus Fame Studios. Lots of historic music came out of there. All the greats recorded there.

Are there coaches to there from Huntsville?

 

[thaifood]

Are there coaches to there from Huntsville?

That, I can't answer. But it is just 112 miles, so I would guess that there would be some sort of transport. If you have never heard of the studio & the musicians that played & recorded there, it is one of the bedrocks of rock history. Wilson Pickett was there one day when it was suggested to him buy none other than Duane Allman that he record a version of the Beatles Hey Jude. That was considered the very beginning of the Southern Rock genre. Remember the song Sweet Home Alabama & the line "Muscle Shoals Got The Swampers?" The Swampers were the house band at the studio. They have been on so many great records it is almost unknwable how many there are.


The Rolling Stones showed up at the studio to record their album Sticky Fingers. When Mick asked if they could have that same set of black studio musicians he had been hearing for years to accompany the band, he was quite shocked to be told The Swampers were all white.

Aretha Franklin made many of her biggest records there. Skynyrd recorded Freebird there. Anyway, I could go on & on about the history of this studio in a little bitty Alabama town. If you are interested here is an interview with The Swampers. It is about 45 minutes but really interesting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9l-XZceLK2U

 

[Kizmet311]

Carrie did apparently sing at Tootsie's bar once when she was a teenager! In case you want to wander in there while you're walking around downtown. Also, if you need somewhere to eat while you're down there, my faves are Merchants and The Southern. Demo's is a great little place if you're looking for something with a lot of variety and not as expensive.

The Parthenon in Nashville is pretty cool as well. Replica of the one in Greece. I was there once and got to watch A Midsummer Night's Dream at the Partenon which was really cool. It is really close to Vandy's campus.

For a short drive from Nashville, you can go to the Loveless Cafe and The Bluebird Cafe is on the south side of Nashville. I've never been to either, but they are some of the classic spots people like to visit there.

 

[clh_hilary]

Carrie did apparently sing at Tootsie's bar once when she was a teenager! In case you want to wander in there while you're walking around downtown. Also, if you need somewhere to eat while you're down there, my faves are Merchants and The Southern. Demo's is a great little place if you're looking for something with a lot of variety and not as expensive.

The Parthenon in Nashville is pretty cool as well. Replica of the one in Greece. I was there once and got to watch A Midsummer Night's Dream at the Partenon which was really cool. It is really close to Vandy's campus.

For a short drive from Nashville, you can go to the Loveless Cafe and The Bluebird Cafe is on the south side of Nashville. I've never been to either, but they are some of the classic spots people like to visit there.

There are 2 Tootsie's Orchid Lounge in Nashville? Which one was she at?

Ahh it seems there's no bus between Huntsville and the studio. Might be a bit difficult for me to go. I don't drive so I think I can only reach the really touristy places.

I'm definitely looking forward to try some BBQ and some hot chicken!

I'll probably go to the Parthenon. I have actually been to the ones in Greece already but I can see that that's the landmark of Tennesse. I imagine I can take a bus easily to go between the park, the downtown area, and the country music hall of fame area + The Hermitage? Or will I need to take a taxi?

 

[Kizmet311]

There are 2 Tootsie's Orchid Lounge in Nashville? Which one was she at?

Ahh it seems there's no bus between Huntsville and the studio. Might be a bit difficult for me to go. I don't drive so I think I can only reach the really touristy places.

I'm definitely looking forward to try some BBQ and some hot chicken!

I'll probably go to the Parthenon. I have actually been to the ones in Greece already but I can see that that's the landmark of Tennesse. I imagine I can take a bus easily to go between the park, the downtown area, and the country music hall of fame area + The Hermitage? Or will I need to take a taxi?

I honestly had no idea there are 2 Tootsie's! I've only ever been to the one on lower Broadway.

I don't know about buses, but there are taxis, Uber, Lyft and I think Nashville even has golf carts that go between downtown and the area around Vandy.

 

[clh_hilary]

I honestly had no idea there are 2 Tootsie's! I've only ever been to the one on lower Broadway.

I don't know about buses, but there are taxis, Uber, Lyft and I think Nashville even has golf carts that go between downtown and the area around Vandy.

I googled it and there were 2 results. Yeah I'll just go to the one downtown then. I'll pass by it anyway probably.

 

[clh_hilary]

I had to wait for more than an hour but oh my god Hattie B's hot chicken was AMAZING

 

[hjj]

Are you traveling now? I will have to try Hattie B next time I am in Tn.

 

[clh_hilary]

Are you traveling now? I will have to try Hattie B next time I am in Tn.

I finished my trip on Sunday.

American Airlines were absolutely awful! They made me check my luggage in outside the door cuz they ran out of cabin space, then when I got to Montgomery, I had more than 24 hours of a luggage delay. There wasn't even anyone at the airport to talk to about it. Then I got an email from them with a "live" tracking page saying it would be delivered at 2.35am so I stayed up until then. Then nothing happened. So I waited in the morning as well (the email also said unless prior arrangements with the airline were made, deliveries after 11pm would be done the next morning, without saying whether prior arrangements were made). Nothing happened in the morning so I called. After waited for an hour, the staff member told me the company couldn't reach me, and somehow they didn't even try to email or update their tracking page. Then I had to wait that afternoon for the luggage too.

Then the bag was badly damaged! One of the corners was completely gone and it was actually just purchased last month! I called AA and they said I had to talk to airline staff. Then I went to Montgomery airport and they just asked me to take out all my stuff, I was like, but I have stuff in it and I obviously don't travel with an empty backup bag just in case you broke my luggage I never planned to even check in. Then they asked me to see if I could get a replacement bag in Nashville.

Then I went to Nashville and the staff said actually all she could do was to send the bag to their headquarters. I told her I didn't even live in the US and she asked me to call again. And finally after telling them all these, they asked for my details to process my claim (of barely $21).

Flying from Dallas to Montogomery was interesting too...After taxiing for like 10 minutes, the pilot suddenly realized that the cargo door was not closed and we had to go back (shouldn't he have caught it before we started moving?), then he said we might not have enough fuel...

The trip from Dallas back home was something too. The departure time was 6.30pm and everyone boarded. Then at 7pm, the pilot said they couldn't find the replacement part for an aeroplane part, and they took the plane out of service. We waited to board a backup plane. Then somehow we lost our pilots!

Departure time was 6.30pm and we didn't even have our pilots until 9pm!!!

I fly a lot - last year alone, I flew 55 flights. I have flown on all 7 continents. I have NEVER experienced anything so terrible! I'm sure every airline experiences problems, but these sounded like lack of planning to me. Shouldn't they have checked whether the plane was fit to fly before anyone boards it? Or make sure that we would have pilots? Or enough fuel?

---

I really enjoyed Nashville. Backstage tour was definitely worth it, and I also spent a long time at the Hall of Fame and Museum too. Very surprised to see Taylor Swift everywhere, and that they had almost completely erased the Dixie Chicks. I kept having fried chicken. The Hermitage was very good too.

Montgomery was good for a short stay. Liked the sites related to Rosa Parks and Dr King and the Confederacy.

The space camp was fun, but probably not going back like some people would.