Welcome to the Greater Nashville Area of Tennessee. Long known as Music City, we are quickly being recognized as one of the hottest metropolitan cities in the nation. With our affordable homes, excellent education, mild climate and phenomenal entertainment scene, it is not surprise that Nashville was ranked number one by Kiplinger’s Personal Finance Magazine and the “Smartest Place to Lie.” Also, we recently have been named one of Expansion Management Magazine’s “2007 America’s 50 Hottest Cities” for business relocation and expansion. In addition, because of our exceptional quality of life, we are considered the “2007 Best Large City for Relocating Families” by Worldwide ERC & Primary Relocation.
Those not familiar with our city still think of us as the country music capitol of America. We’ve gone way beyond that. Although our music industry rang up a whopping $6 billion lately, our healthcare, tourism, education, finance and manufacturing industries are not far behind. Vanderbilt University and Vanderbilt Medical Center contribute heavily to both the health care and education sectors of our economy. On the national level, Nashville serves as a vital transportation, business and tourism center for North America, since 50 percent of the U.S. population lives within 650 miles. Because of Nashville’s premium location, many household name companies (such as Nissan, Dell and Saturn) have relocated their headquarters to one of the 10 cities making up Nashville’s Economic Market.
If you’re into any kind of music , Nashville is home to more than 180 live-music venues that let you groove to country, pop, jazz, rock and other types of tunes. The Grand Ole Opry and Ryman Auditorium are two of the most highly recognized performance venues in our area. If you like the performance arts, we’ve got that, too. The Nashville Ballet, Nashville Opera and Tennessee Repertory Theatre all perform at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center. If you like visual arts, we have multiple museums, such as the Frist Center for Visual Arts.
If you are looking for a positive, family-friendly environment for living life to the fullest, you have stumbled upon the perfect place to do so. Everyone in the Greater Nashville Area is glad to have you here.
Education
The Greater Nashville Area is also home to several fine colleges and institutions of higher learning. Currently, there are roughly 25 institutions of higher learning, seven community colleges and 13 vocational-technical schools in the Greater Nashville Area. One of the most highly regarded educational facilities in the area is Vanderbilt University. Located just five minutes from downtown Nashville, Vanderbilt University is regarded as one of America’s “Top 20 Universities.”
Arts, Entertainment and Attractions
The Parthenon is perhaps one of the most visually stunning and surprising landmarks in Nashville. Situated in Centennial Park, one of Nashville’s prominent urban parks, the Parthenon is a full-scale replica of Greece’s famous landmark. The stunning building features the 42-foot statue Athena that is also housed in the original Parthenon, as well as plaster replicas of the Parthenon friezes adorning the original Parthenon’s pediments. The frieze replicas were directly cast from the originals themselves.
The Frist Center for the Visual Arts is one of the hottest cultural spots for the arts in Nashville. Opened since 2001, the center has over 24,000 square feet of gallery space featuring a spectacular exhibition of regional, state and international fine art. Unlike many museums that you may want to visit only once, the Frist Center constantly has new art flowing through its doors. Typically, the Center rotates exhibits every six to eight weeks, so there is always something new and exciting to see. The Frist Center is kid-friendly, so it is a fantastic destination for families to enjoy together. One of the most popular exhibits for visitors of all ages is the Martin ArtQuest Gallery. With over 30 interactive stations, parents and kids can create sculpture, paint original watercolor artwork or make a print! Before you leave the museum, be sure to check out their gift shop for a colorful array of fabulous prints, books, pottery and more!
Cheekwood Art and Gardens is proud to offer an astounding collection of permanent art – the colors and beauty of which are rivaled only by the estate’s 55 acre botanical gardens. Docents are pleases to walk you through the estate and share their knowledge with you if you set up a tour. The art collection features American art, British and American decorate arts, contemporary and outdoor sculpture. The collection presents artwork by regional and highly acclaimed international artist, such as Andy Warhol and Larry Rivers. Before leaving, make sure that you walk along Woodland Sculpture Trail. The Trail features 15 commissioned contemporary sculptures that are designed to be outdoor art, which museums do not display.
Vanderbilt Dyer Observatory is out of this world! Located on one of the highest peaks near Nashville, the observatory thrills hundreds of students and members of the public each year as they view the planetary system through the Seyfert telescope. On some evenings, residents can even attend concerts at the observatory. Nothing can be more splendid or romantic than listening to beautiful music in the hilltop plaza as the sun sets. Once the performance is over, the observatory opens up the telescope and allows visitors to soak in the breathtaking night sky.
The Adventure Science Center is another place that is just waiting to show you the wonders of the universe. Here, visitors can pretend to be astronauts as they explore Test Bed, and astronaut training and Technology center. Visitors can also walk through the solar system and discover an assortment of facts such as how much they would weigh on other planets, the relationships between planets and their moons, ect. There is also a host of interactive, hands-on exhibits as well. Two of which are Body Quest, which presents a day in the life of the human body, and Adventure Tower, which allows you to scale a huge wall of skin!
The Nashville Zoo is the place in Nashville to go for a wild and roaring good time. The zoo is home to over 300 animals from around the globe. As you explore their habitats, the animals’ antics will leave you in stitches. Be sure that you check out the animal shows, which are both entertaining and edifying. You can also talk to the animal keepers to learn interesting tidbits about both their jobs and the animals that they care for.
The Grand Ole Opry is so famous, not much needs to be said about it. It’s frequently called the “home of America Music” and “country’s most famous stage.” The Opry’s six-foot circle of dark, oak wood stage has been stood upon by country legends and today’s chart-toppers. Even though the Opry has changed buildings many times, the famous stage still remains to intimately connect famous artists such as Patsy Cline and Uncle Dave Macon to artists living today. Today, the Opry is a part of a huge entertainment complex that consists of four unique entertainment venues: the Opry Plaza, the Acuff Theatre, the Opry Museum and the Grand Ole Opry House. With such excitement going on here, it’s no surprise that the Grand Ole Opry is Nashville’s number one attraction.
The Country Music Hall of Fame is self-explanatory. Located on the west bank of the Cumberland River, the museum opened its $37 million dollar home in 2001. The museum features a one-of-a-kind collection of historic country video clips, recorded music, photographs and numerous artifacts that trace country music’s journey through two centuries. Sing me Back Home is the museum’s first permanent exhibit, which takes up two floors. Also at the museum, you can catch live performances and public programs, shop at the museum store and enjoy delicious on-site dining.
Ryman Auditorium is one of the best places to go for a diverse array of musical performance. Located in the heart of Downtown Nashville next to the Nashville Arena, guests can listen to artists perform everything from hard rock to jazz to gospel. Just like the Grand Ole Opry, the Ryman Auditorium is a historical landmark. The Ryman first opened in 1892 and produced the Grand Ole Opry show in 1943. After the Opry moved to its own home, the Ryman shut down for 20 years until it became the entertainment center that it is today. Everyone from Sheryl Crow to James Brown have performed on its stage.
The Schermerhon Symphony Center is another stellar musical venue that presents a variety of musical genres, including choral, jazz, pop, blues and classical. The hall features wonderful acoustics which can be adjusted by repositioning banners and panels around the hall to suit various types of performances. The Schermerhon Symphony Center is the home of the Nashville Symphony. The center was actually named in honor of the late maestro, Kenneth Schermerhon, who led the Nashville Symphony for 22 years.
Tennessee Performing Arts Center (TPAC) is a unique facility that hosts a variety of cultural events. TPAC is also the home of Nashville Ballet, Nashville Opera and the Tennessee Repertory Theatre, although these organizations are independent of the center. TPAC also accommodates a host of other music, dance and television productions, such as their series of Broadway shows.
Sports
The Tennessee Titans is the official NFL team for Nashville. The Titans were originally known as the Houston Oilers (based out of Houston), but they moved to Tennessee in 1997. The Titans compete in the South Division of the AFC for the NFL.
The Nashville Predators call the Sommet Center in downtown Nashville home. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the NHL. If you go to one of their games, be sure to wear navy blue, sliver, light blue, and gold – their official colors!
Vanderbilt University Commodores are a good team in the NCAA Division I and a member of the SEC if you are into collegiate sports. The Commodores offer six men sports including basketball, baseball, and football and nine ladies sports.
Recreation
One of the most popular providers for outdoor activities in Greater Nashville is the city’s own Metro Parks and Recreation Department. Currently, the department has 113 properties spanning approximately 10,570 acres. Through the Department’s properties, residents can enjoy a variety of trails, nature programs, senior programs, art classes, sports leagues – the options are plentiful. If you enjoy hitting the green, the Department also provides 7 municipally-owned golf courses. Golf is an excellent, stress-free way to keep in shape that people of all ages and abilities may enjoy.
One of the largest parks administered by the Department is the Edwin and Percy Warner Parks, which are collectively known as “The Warner Parks.” Located just nine miles from downtown Nashville, the Parks span 2,684 acres of woods and fields.
If it is water sports that strike your fancy then check out Montgomery Bell State Park. It encompasses the 17-acre Lake Acorn and the 50-acre Lake Woodhaven, which are the perfect place to go canoeing, boating or fishing. Another nearby recreational paradise is Fall Creek Falls State Park, which is sprawled across the eastern portion of the Cumberland Plateau. Fall Creek Falls was recently voted as the “Best State Park” in the Southeastern United States by Southern Living readers. The Fishing in Fall Creek Falls Lake is fabulous.
Population
Tennessee’s population has been growing rapidly. In the years between 2000 and 2007 Tennessee’s population went from 5,689,283 to 6,156,719. That is a change of 8.2%! In Davidson county the population went from 569,891 to 619, 626, a growth of 8.7%. In Williamson county population went from 126,638 to 166,128, a change of 31.2%!.
Medical
Voted as one of America’s “Best of The Best” in 2008 by U.S. News, Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) is one of the most highly respected medical facilities in the nation. With some 9,000 people on staff, VUMC is the largest employer in the area and second largest employer in the state, excluding the government. As a partner to VUMC, Saint Thomas Hospital is another major health care provider taking care of Nashville.