Visitors to the beautiful city of Nashville will find an array of GLBT friendly businesses catering to the community during the Pride celebration and year round.
For overnight accommodations, you’ll probably want to check out the Nashville Marriott at Vanderbilt University. Located at 2555 West End Avenue, it sits directly across the street from Centennial Park and the Pride event. Conveniently located, with great nearby restaurants and local clubs, you can book your reservation by calling (615) 321-1300. You might also consider the Loews Vanderbilt Hotel, 2100 West End Ave (615) 320-1700, just down the street from Centennial Park. It is also conveniently located near some fine eateries and bars.
If you’re looking to grab a bite to eat, go where the locals go - Red Restaurant. Located in Nashville’s “Gay District,” Red offers a succulent variety of dining choices from Red Amore Lasagna to Curried Lamb. Soups, salads and sandwiches are also favorite items from their menu. Prices range from $8-$20 per plate with a full bar for drinks. Red Restaurant can be found at 1517-A Church Street.
If a casual drink is next on your agenda, well you’re in luck! TRIBE, a video music bar, is directly connected to Red Restaurant. So after dinner, you can pull up a stool at the bar and enjoy the latest dance hits while relaxing in their casual, yet hip, atmosphere.
If you want to end your evening dancing to the latest mixes and sweating with the hottest bodies, you’ve got to check out PLAY, 1519 Church Street. Also available in the gay district for drinking and dancing is Lucky's Garage, 207 14th Avenue North, and Blu Bar & Nightclub, 1713 Church Street. All three locations are great places to dance, socialize and usher in the early morning hours.
These are but a few of Nashville's many welcoming and supportive GLBT bars and clubs, visit O&AN's community resource section on line here for a full listing and contact information.
If shopping is on your “To-Do” list, well you’ve come to the right place. Nashville is chock full of trendy and hip shopping locals. Stop in Joe at 1513 Church St., Smack Clothing at 2201 Elliston Place, Posh Boutique in “The Village” at 1813 21st Ave South, or Bloke in the very up-and-coming “12th Ave District” at 2900 12th Ave South. And no visit to Music City would be complete without a stop at Nashville's spacious GLBT book store Outloud! Books and Gifts, 1703 Church street. Check out their website www.outloudonline.com before you stop to shop.
Don’t forget to check out many of Nashville’s not-so-gay attractions while you are here as well. If you are a country music fan, don’t miss the mother church of country The Ryman Auditorium, located at 116 Fifth Avenue North, or the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum at 222 Fifth Avenue South. Both will get you in touch with your “country” roots. Oh, and be sure to take a stroll through the Opryland Hotel’s vast indoor gardens and conservatory, it can be very romantic after dark!
There is a great deal more for you to see and do while visiting Nashville, these are just a few. Part of the fun of Pride, or any trip to Nashville, is getting out and exploring the beautiful city and finding your own Nashville “hot spots.”
Good Luck and good times!
