One of my favorite things in the world is packing up and heading out of town with my girlfriends! In case you missed it, I got to do just that a few weeks ago to the infamous ‘music city’. I haven’t been to Nashville in years so this trip was my first time to really experience the city. We had this trip planned for a while and well before COVID cases skyrocketed again, so I was definitely hesitant when the weekend arrived! But we made it work under the circumstances, I altered some of my normal travel behaviors, and I ended up feeling safe during our stay! Below are details on my trip and some tips to keep your friends and family safe on your trip to Music City during the pandemic.
Where to stay:
One of my favorite things about our entire trip was where we stayed! Bode is such a unique experience and definitely the way to go if you’re not a hotel person! Think AirBnb meets hotel meets downtown apartment living. We had safe & contactless check-in, there’s no “lobby” for people to congregate in, and the property is surrounded by outdoor common areas for you to enjoy socially distanced! Our suite was GIANT and perfect for our larger party; four bedrooms, 2 bunk-beds, four bathrooms, and a large common area with the kitchen, dining, and living room. I stayed in the bunk-bed room which is perfect for families and kids! Just like in your own home the kitchen is fully stocked with appliances (including a coffee maker), and cookware so you can stay in and cook during your entire stay if you want to avoid restaurants.
Nashville is a hot-spot for Bachelorette parties and this is a GREAT option for you and your girls! The property is within walking distance from downtown and has tons of space to accommodate everyone. It’s also a really good option if you’re having family in for the holidays and want to avoid having visitors at your own home during COVID! You could all bring over food, cook right there in the kitchen and have plenty of space.
Bode gave us an exclusive discount just for y’all- DM them on instagram, tell them who sent you & they’ll give you 15% OFF your stay!
Where to eat:
Five-Daughters Bakery: Where are my donut lovers at?! I heard amazing things about Five Daughters before their baked goods graced me with their presence and y’all…Y U M M!! They’re all handmade from scratch each morning, non-GMO, and sourced with local organic ingredients! Oh, and did I mention they’re 100 LAYERS of stacked crispy donut goodness?!
Hampton Social- $$: If you’ve ever looked up Pinterest pictures of a trip to Nashville then you’ve probably seen this place! The atmosphere is super fun and girly, perfect for a girl’s trip. BUT if it’s your first time visiting Hampton Social, I highly recommend going post-COVID. I wanted to walk around more and get all the “insta-worthy” pictures but, understandably we had to stay at our tables until we left. The food and drinks were great but way overpriced. This is definitely a place you go more for the atmosphere- I recommend saving some $$ here and just going for a fun happy hour experience!
Restoration Hardware- $$: Is there a more blogger place to go than RH Cafe? If you want to hit up this brunch spot during your trip, I recommend getting a reservation first because it’s always booked. I had a blast eating here mainly because of the experience it brings! I usually splurge on one restaurant during a trip so I knew what I was in for when it came to prices. They don’t have a big menu to choose from and you will spend $30+ (on the cheaper end) for a meal and mimosa, so may be a better “drinks and pictures with the girls” spot. If you do end up eating here, the grilled-cheese was YUM!
Nada-$: The most affordable place we ate all weekend and WHO DOESN’T LOVE TACOS & GUAC?! Still has a great atmosphere just like all the Nashville eateries but we went more for the food! Everything is affordable and in more of a “shareable” form so you can save money and split with the table!
Where to shop:
We didn’t get to do a whole lot of shopping this trip and I still have a few must-see places to cross off my bucket list, but here are some of my favorites + a few stops we made during the weekend!
Molly Green: This was my first time shopping with Molly Green and definitely won’t be the last! They set up an entire afternoon for us to shop safely away from the crowds at their warehouse and we had a blast! Tons of unique pieces that you don’t see everywhere else. I left with a pair of AMAZING bellbottom jeans (pictured above), and a gorgeous dress for the holidays.
Uncommon James: A lot of people visit UJ because it’s owned by Laguna Beach’s OG, Kristin Cavallari, but I actually love the jewelry itself! It’s become more of a “tourist destination” but still a fun place to stop if you have time!
Draper James: this is Reece Witherspoon’s flag-ship store full of southern charm and adorable clothes! I personally love DJ because of my girl Reece but, the location is also too fun to pass up. It’s located right on 12th Ave South so lots of places to explore around it!
The Gulch: this place has everything you could need for a day full of shopping! Dozens of stores, restaurants and places to socially distance outside. The Gulch is also home to Jessie James Decker’s Kittenish store!
What to do:
Music City Crawlers Pedal Tavern: In the world outside of COVID this is a BLAST, especially for a girls trip!! However, you do have the option to make it COVID-friendly and feel safe. Hop on with your family, bachelorette party, besties, or anyone you love to have A LOT of laughs with and pedal around Downtown Nashville and along Broadway (yes, you do HAVE to pedal to move this thing). I was very nervous to do this with COVID but just like most public places, they require a mask whenever you’re not drinking and their staff wears a mask the whole time to ensure you feel safe! I also opted-out on getting off at the 2 bar stops they offer, and your entire group can opt-out as well. I highly recommend going that route under the current circumstances and you can still have fun!
The staff was amazing, Paige the bartender will serve you the entire time AND you save money on alcohol with their ‘BYOB’ rule (yeah, for real)! You bring the booze, they provide the ride and music!
*$35 a person, veterans and brides ride free.
COVID Friendly Activities:
Take a mural tour– this was on our list but with our jam-packed weekend, we, unfortunately didn’t have time! However, the girls who have done it said it’s a blast, and one of the best ways to experience Nash. This is also a great opportunity to see a lot of the city’s most popular spots safely from your car! Places to stop: East Nashville and 12th Ave. South.
Take a walk around downtown or over the Pedestrian Bridge- mask up and get some fresh air with a fun and COVID-friendly scenic walk!
Game night in with pizza- Bode is the perfect place to have a night in and spend quality time together! We ordered in Papa Johns the first night of our trip, drank wine, and had lots of laughs and it was one of the best parts of the whole weekend!
Once traveling is safe again you can bet i’ll be going back to Nashville to do it right!! If you decide to travel during the pandemic- do your research, ask questions about the company’s protocols beforehand, but most importantly HAVE SOME (SAFE) FUN!! There are so many ways to have COVID-friendly fun in Nashville for the holidays or as a post-Christmas relaxation trip.