Welcome to the Music City, home to country music, art galleries, museums, science centers, shopping malls and Southern food. With a blend of education, entertainment and history, Nashville is a blast for student travel groups!
Student Attractions in Nashville
Start the student trip at Cheekwood, the botanical garden and art museum located on the Historic Cheek Estate. Home to 55 acres of beautiful land and architecture, Cheekwood offers European and American art, a diverse range of gardens, and the Pineapple Room restaurant and gift shop. Youth groups should also visit Centennial Park, where the Parthenon with its 42-foot statue of Athena, is a large focal point. At the Parthenon, students can view paintings, learn Greek history and take a group tour around the building, a replica of the ancient landmark in Athens, Greece.
Nashville Zoo
For a musical adventure, take the students to Grand Ole Opry Museum, where they can view the exhibits of past and present country music stars, including Patsy Cline, Little Jimmy Dickens, Garth Brooks and Reba McEntire. The Country Music Hall of Fame consists of interactive exhibits, films featuring today’s popular country artists, music from Elvis and more. Student travel groups will also enjoy the Adventure Science Center, home to interactive exhibits including the Space Chase Exhibit Wing, Body Battles and Body Quest Brainstorm Theater. Then treat students to the Nashville Zoo at Grassmere, where tigers, lions, bears and elephants roam. In nearby Franklin, youth travel groups should tour Historic Carnton Plantation, where they will see the slave headquarters, smokehouse and the cemetery where 1,500 Civil War soldiers are buried.
At Nashville Shores water park student tour groups have access to a 323-slip marina, a beach, lake, cruise, waterslides, volleyball and more. Youth travel groups should take a trip to Cowboy Town, which offers hiking, horseback riding, canoeing, fishing, picnics, bonfires and camping. At Lane Motor Museum youth travel groups discover 150 different types of cars and motorcycles, including micro cars, amphibious vehicles, competition cars and Czechoslovakian vehicles. The Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame is the perfect place to rev students up, with virtual games including basketball, strength training and kayaking.
Nashville Student Sightseeing Tours
Consider the Discover Nashville Gray Line Tour. The 3.5-hour bus tour takes in sites such as the State Capitol, Parthenon, Ryman Auditorium and Country Music Hall of Fame. Student tour groups will also enjoy the 90-minute Nashville Ghost Tour, where they explore the most haunted parts of the city. Music City Duck Tours gives students an hour-long tour of the city in an amphibious vehicle, highlighted by some of Nashville’s best country music and a plunge into the Cumberland River.
Student Performance Venues in Nashville
Ryman Auditorium
The Music City offers plenty of private and public performance venues for rental. At the Tennessee Performing Arts Center, student groups have four different options including the Andrew Jackson Hall, James K. Polk Theater, Andrew Jackson Theater and War Memorial Auditorium. Any one of these venues is perfect for band performances, theater productions, choir performances, etc. Student band groups or student choir groups can perform at the Ryman Auditorium. The auditorium can seat more than 2,000 people and offers the perfect stage for live performances, with room for up to 100-120 people on the stage at one time.
Student-Friendly Dining Options in Nashville
The Music City has some of the best Southern cuisine out there—from catfish, fried chicken and crab cakes to delicious burgers and buttermilk pancakes.
A great dining option for student travel groups is the Caney Fork Fish Camp Restaurant. This restaurant is group-friendly, with private seating areas available for up to 60 guests and custom buffet menus. It offers some great catfish, sirloin and homemade banana pudding!
Youth groups will want to travel to Demos, a Nashville restaurant that prides itself on inexpensive, great tasting meals Demos appeals to various taste buds, offering options such as spaghetti shrimp, quesadillas, mashed potatoes and burgers.
Student Accommodations in Nashville
Student groups will find plenty of accommodations in Music City, including motels and hotels, bed and breakfast inns and campgrounds. The Best Western at Brentwood is a great option for student groups with hardwood floors, breakfast, 32-inch televisions in every room and an affordable price. At the Fairfield Inn & Suites youth travel groups are treated to free continental breakfast, spacious comfortable rooms, a view of Percy Priest Lake and a short walk to the Grand Ole Opry. The affordable Country Inn Suites offers an outdoor pool, cookies and candy available 24 hours, warm continental breakfast and nice spacious rooms.
The Music City makes for a great school trip with warm weather, Southern food, plenty of music and an assortment of educational attractions. Rich in history, Southern hospitality and diversity, this city will provide plenty to do for student travelers.
