Nashville Facts

People who visit the Music City for the first time are always surprised by the lack of public transportation. Like many large cities in the Mid-South, Nashville has spread out, taking over land from plantations and farms and now covering a large area that limits the ability to walk from one district to another. Granted, there are a few public bus routes and many taxi companies, but Nashville is a lot like Los Angeles (at least in one respect): people here like to drive. There are more parking lots downtown than office buildings, and yet parking remains at a premium. If you arrive by plane, your first step should be to rent a car. Don't depend on public transportation-it's just not a dependable...

...or Memphis in a few years, you're in for a pleasant surprise. Tennessee's two largest cities continue to evolve into reenergized metropolitan communities that manage to pay loving homage to their storied musical pasts while offering an increasing array of new cultural attractions, professional sports, and dining and lodging options to please travelers with varied tastes and interests.

Nashville is basking in a resurgence of popularity unmatched since the mid-1940s, when singer/songwriters such as Hank Williams first came to town and helped launch American country music. But Nashville is so much more than this. First-class cultural institutions, a thriving restaurant and club scene, and a vibrant...