Page 11 - CONF 2018 Vol 36 No 4

The Parthenon and Centennial Park

Who’d have thought you’d find a bit of ancient Greece in downtown Nashville? The
crown jewel of Centennial Park, the Parthenon is a replica of the Athenian temple
dating back to 438 B.C. The replica was constructed for the 1897 Tennessee
Centennial Exposition. The monument serves as Nashville’s art museum, with
63 paintings in its permanent collection and rotating shows and exhibits. The
Parthenon also houses a full-scale replica of the original temple’s statue of Athena,
commissioned in 1982 from artist Alan LeQuire. The statue was completed in 1990.

Centennial Park, located just three miles from the convention, is also home to plenty of green space, ornamental gardens,
duck ponds, sand volleyball courts, dog park, a walking trail, and a playground for the kids. Take a walk with your
smartphone and enjoy the Metro Parks and Nature Conservancy “If Trees Could Sing” project, a set of 18 Internet videos
with Nashville music artists talking and singing about trees in the park.

Grand Ole Opry

It’s a 20-minute drive from the convention to the Grand Ole Opry, but you’ll be glad
you made the trip. More sacred ground for country music lives under this roof, where
a 1925 radio broadcast grew into today’s “home of American music.” Backstage tours
are available of the Opry and the Acuff House, and live music abounds. During the
convention, the Grand Ole Opry will host Rascal Flatts, Dustin Lynch, Del McCoury Band,
and more. Info: www.opry.com

Adventure Science Center © TODD VAN HOOSEAR

Youngsters and the young-at-heart will have a great time exploring the Adventure Science
Center, a short drive from the convention. Permanent exhibits include hands-on activities
involving every science topic from dinosaurs to beekeeping, from space to biology. Best of
all, the Adventure Tower lets kids climb, crawl and play their way up 75 feet of hands-on
activities ending in a glass dome with a spectacular view of downtown Nashville. The on-
site planetarium offers a variety of shows daily, and traveling exhibits are often on tap. The
Adventure Science Center is open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Info: www.adventuresci.org

Belle Meade Plantation

Take a step back in time to the 1800s at Belle Meade © DANIEL HARTWIG
Plantation, located a 20-minute drive from the
convention. Guides in period dress will lead you on a tour of the Greek Revival mansion
and regale you with tales of the Harding-Jackson family who lived there. And don’t miss
the other side of the plantation’s story with the Journey to Jubilee tour, to experience
the stories of African-Americans who labored on the estate as enslaved and free people.
The plantation includes a winery with tastings, a winery store, gift shop and the Coop ‘N
Scoop ice cream and fudge shop with lawn games nearby. The plantation is open daily 9
a.m. to 5 p.m. Info: www.bellemeadeplantation.com

Food and Drink

Within walking distance of the convention, you can find a variety of excellent food and
beverages for any pricepoint. Here are a few that we recommend:

Puckett’s Grocery & Restaurant is the place for you if you love nostalgia. Combination
general store, eatery and live music venue, Puckett’s has classic comfort food like
barbeque, fried chicken and cobbler. Puckett’s offers all your Southern favorites for
breakfast, lunch and dinner.

The Stillery is a great place to enjoy some Southern food with a side of the South’s iconic
beverage: moonshine. Signature ‘shine cocktails in a mason jar will make your Nashville
experience tasty and fun, and the Stillery’s food features fun twists on classic Southern
and pub food, plus burgers and pizza pies.

Merchants is a dining experience situated in three floors of a renovated Nashville hotel.
Each floor offers a different menu, from the first-floor bistro to the more refined dishes of
the second floor.

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