We had an incredibly well-rounded day in Nashville. We had a little bit of history, little bit of big city, little bit of nature, little bit of redneck TV, and little bit of country music 🎶

We started today at The Hermitage – the home of Andrew Jackson. I wasn’t expecting to spend 3 hours there but it was really a neat place. So much history to see. The Ladies Hermitage Association modeled The Hermitage after Mount Vernon, but The Hermitage was so much more realistic and interactive than Mount Vernon.

The tour guides told us today that they had been notified by the US Treasury that this was Andrew Jackson’s last year on the $20 bill. (Harriet Tubman is supposed to be on the $20 bill starting in 2020.) However, I kind of like these two on the twenty-dollar bill. ♥️

We toured the grounds, gardens and Mansion. Mike was jealous of Andrew Jackson’s salt box and smokehouse. The guide said Andrew Jackson said you could eat everything on a pig except the squeal 🤪🐖🤪🐖🤪🐖

We were sure to be quiet and reverent and stayed on the path at all times…Yea, right! It wasn’t that kind of place! Other than the mansion, they encouraged us to explore and touch everything. And we did!

The gardens were gorgeous, and included the graves of Andrew Jackson, his wife Rachel, and a former slave named Alfred – who became free and remained at the house working as an overseer. He donated items to the Ladies Hermitage Association in exchange for him being buried near Andrew and Rachel Jackson… and he was.

What was supposed to be about an hour visit turned into a 3.5 hour excursion… but if the boys choose to stay at a historical site longer than I planned, I’m not arguing! Nothing like a little disguised learning 😉

We left The Hermitage, and decided to balance out the culture we just learned with a visit to Cooter’s Place and the Dukes of Hazard Museum 🤣🤣🤣

We didn’t go through the museum the outside was enough to utterly confuse Michael and Leo. We tried to explain to the boys why we both loved the Duke Boys, Uncle Jess, Daisy and Deputy Enos so much… but pretty sure they still don’t get it. Whatever, it was awesome if you grew up in the early 80’s

Then we caught an Uber and headed into downtown Nashville to start checking off the must-see’s of Music City.

Pedestrian Bridge near Tennessee Titan’s stadium… check!

Lunch at local spot (Luigi’s Pizza)… check!

Music Row… where we heard amazing singers belting their heart out at 2 o’clock on a Tuesday trying to catch their big break… check!Ryman Theater… check!

Vanderbilt University, The Parthenon and Centennial Park… check!

Even worked in a little ninja warrior training …

I think we wore Michael out💤 but Leo is still going strong!

We all took a bit of a rest, then changed and headed out to mark a bucket list off for me – The Grand Ole Opry! But before the Opry, we killed some time of Dave & Buster arcade – life-sized Rock’em Sock’em Robots anyone 🤗

And of course basketball 🏀 It was so fun – seriously, arcades are just fun 🤗

And now, on to the Grand Ole Opry!! It was just amazing!!!

Tonight was a live broadcast of the weekly Grand Ole Opry Radio Show with a showcase of different artists, and the induction of Kelsea Ballerini into the Grand Ole Opry, which was pretty cool, even though we had no clue who she was. (I kept thinking about that scene from Coal Miner’s Daughter “We did it, Dew. Imma get to sang on the Grand Ole Opry.” 🎶😂🎶)But we really went in thinking “we’ll go and if we get bored, we can leave.” Wow, Were we wrong!

It was such great show. Eddie Montgomery of Montgomery Gentry performed:

Then one of announcers came out and said some guy wants to come sing and maybe sell some shirts? Enter, Keith Urban!

Then when they were inducting Kelsea Ballerini into the Grand Ole Opry, they said someone special from Oklahoma wanted to the honors… Carrie Underwood!

There were a couple of other groups were performed and they were all great! But as the blue grass band was finishing, they invited their long lost relative to come sing the last song with them… Vince Gill!

What a great night! We all had the best time! Michael said he really wasn’t excited about this part of trip but it turned out pretty cool ♥️🎶♥️🎶♥️

We made it back to the hotel in time to have a little down time before bed (backgammon, drawing and old maid). We are headed out of Tennessee tomorrow with a stop in Franklin, Tennessee before we head to Alabama.

Tennessee – you’ve been amazing! 😁