Nashville, Tennessee, Family Vacation

The first thing that comes to mind when you think of Nashville is probably old-time country music -- not exactly the hot trend among those 17 and under. But Nashville's rich history, both musical and otherwise, means an abundance of fun attractions, from a music-themed wax museum to a turn-of-the-century riverboat to Southern plantations complete with costumed guides and recreations of daily life. The lush, warm Southern climate is also ideal for outdoor activities such as a water park, adventure science park, and award-winning zoo. The only problem you'll have in Nashville will be finding enough time to fit in everything everyone wants to do.

Summer bustles with tourists, but you'll also encounter hot temperatures and often extreme humidity. Spring and fall offer less crowds, and more pleasant temperatures, though some activities -- like the water park -- may not be available. Winter can be very cold with chilling winds, but the "ICE! Nashville's Wonderful Winter Wonderland" attraction, (a castle carved from two million pounds of ice) is worth braving frigid temperatures.

Average high and low temperatures in the summer are between 70 and 88 degrees, bringing not only heat but often relentless humidity, (as is common in the southeast). Winter is moderately cold, although snow is a rare occurrence. Fall and the particularly rainy spring offer pleasant temperatures in the 70s. Short and T-shirts are standard, though you'll want to tote a rain jacket and umbrella just in case. Get more weather info.

The Nashville International Airport (BNA) serves most major airlines, and is a hub for Southwest Airlines. Take a taxi from the airport into downtown, or rent a car there. Oddly, Nashville is one of the largest cities not served by Amtrak, but Greyhound buses are available.

Nashville is one of those Southern cities that has experienced growth far outpacing the ability of public transit to keep up. Unless you're here just for a day or two and staying entirely downtown, you'll want to rent a car to visit the plantations, water park, and other outlying attractions. Luckily, except for downtown, parking is relatively plentiful and reasonably priced. One solution would be to use a taxi or hotel shuttle to get downtown, and drive everywhere else.

Nashville offers no shortage of festivals throughout the year, many of which, naturally, are music-related.

• Awesome April in Music City (April)
• Nashville Film Festival (April)
• CMA Music Festival (June)
• Music City J.A.M. (Sept.)
• Tennessee State Fair (Sept.)
• International Bluegrass Music Association (Oct.)
• CMA Music Awards (Oct.)
• Holiday Harmony (Nov.-Dec.)

Get helpful information from the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County website as well as the Nashville Convention and Visitor's website.

• Nashville was founded on Christmas Eve 1779.
• Presidents Andrew Jackson and James K. Polk lived in the Nashville area.
• Maxwell House coffee got its start at Nashville's Maxwell House Hotel, which served its last cup on December 25, 1961.
• Since the 1960s, Nashville has been the second biggest music production center -- after New York City -- in the country.