Passport/Visa Requirements: Beginning January 2007, all U.S. citizens must have a passport when traveling by air to or from Bermuda, Canada, the Caribbean, Central and South America and Mexico. Citizens of Canada, Mexico and the British Overseas Territory of Bermuda also must have a passport or other designated secure document to enter the U.S.
Beginning 1 June 2009, passports are required for land crossings at the Canadian and Mexican borders with the U.S. and for cruise passengers returning to the U.S. from Mexico, the Caribbean, Canada or Bermuda. Reconfirm travel-document requirements with your carrier prior to departure.
Population: 549,110.
Languages: English.
Predominant Religions: Christian (Protestant, Roman Catholic).
Time Zone: 6 hours behind Greenwich Mean Time (-6 GMT). Daylight Saving Time is observed from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November.
Voltage Requirements: 110 volts.
Telephone Codes: 615, area code;
| Currency Exchange | Top  |
ATMs are available in the usual places—banks, grocery stores, some tourist attractions—and as always, it's wise to exercise caution when getting cash. Currency-exchange booths can be found in the airport, too (ask when you get off the plane).
A sales tax of 9.25% is applied to all purchases. It also gets tacked onto amusement, recreation and entertainment services.
The standard rate at restaurants and bars is 15%-20% of the bill. Tip skycaps at the airport and porters or bellhops US$1 per bag. A 10% tip is standard for taxi drivers.
Nashville tends to stay humid all year long but especially so in summer. The temperatures can routinely get into the 90s F/30s C, and the humidity can make it feel much hotter. For visitors from cooler climes, July and August can be quite uncomfortable.
Winters aren't too cold, although they can be rainy. Temperatures average 30-50 F/0-10 C then, but the moist air makes for a chill. It snows very little in Nashville—maybe two or three times a year. If you visit in winter, take at least one warmer-weather outfit: Although it may be below freezing one day, it could rebound to 70 F/21 C the next.
Spring temperatures usually stay in the 40-70 F/5-20 C range. However, it can be very rainy, sometimes spurring severe storms. Fall is by far the best time of year to visit. Temperatures are mild (50-75 F/10-25 C), and the humidity is at its lowest. Fall foliage puts on a gorgeous display, with late October and November typically the peak times for leaf color.
| Weather Forecast | Top  |
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| Pressure: | 1017.26362544 Millibars | | Dew Point: | 62 °F/ 17 °C | | Humidity: | 97% | | Visibility: | 6 Miles / 10 Kilometers | | Wind: | 4 MPH / 7 KPH S | | Comfort Index: | 87 °F/ 31 °F | | Last Updated: | 8/21/2008 4:00:00 PM |
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| FRI | Weather Condition | High | Low |
| SCATTERED CLOUDS | 91 °F
33 °C | 69 °F
21 °C | | SAT | Weather Condition | High | Low |
| SCATTERED CLOUDS | 89 °F
32 °C | 71 °F
22 °C | | SUN | Weather Condition | High | Low |
| SUN MIXED WITH CLOUDS | 87 °F
31 °C | 69 °F
21 °C | | MON | Weather Condition | High | Low |
| OVERCAST | 86 °F
30 °C | 69 °F
21 °C | | TUE | Weather Condition | High | Low |
| OVERCAST | 87 °F
31 °C | 64 °F
18 °C |
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| What to Wear | Top |
Leisure travelers to Nashville have it easy. It's a casual town, and T-shirts and shorts for both men and women are perfectly acceptable as sightseeing wear. Except for those in the music industry, which has its own creative dress code, business travelers should take along conservative attire: suit and tie for men, skirt or pantsuit with stockings for women—even in summer. At dinnertime, jackets and ties for men are a rare sight in most restaurants.
| Communication | Top |
| Internet Access | Top |
Most hotels have Wi-Fi or in-room Internet connections for laptops, and many also have business centers with computers available for guests' use. Cybercafes and Internet terminals are disappearing, though. The best bet for public Web access is one of the public library branches, where banks of terminals are available. All coffee shops and many bars have Wi-Fi access.
| Mail & Package Services | Top |
The city's main post office abuts its former location, now the Frist Center for the Visual Arts. The most convenient branch for downtown visitors is in The Arcade, a covered walkway between Fourth and Fifth avenues, two and a half blocks north of Broadway. Monday-Friday 7:30 am-6 pm, Saturday 9 am-2 pm. 901 Broadway (between Union Station and the federal courthouse), Nashville. Toll-free 800-275-8777.
| Newspapers & Magazines | Top |
The Tennessean is the major daily paper in Nashville. A special section called "OnNashville" is published each Thursday. It provides music, movie and art listings as well as restaurant reviews. Also available are The City Paper, a free weekly that provides news, sports and listings, and The Nashville Scene, a free weekly alternative paper focusing on arts, state and local politics, news and entertainment. The Tennessean also publishes a free weekly entertainment guide called All The Rage. You can find all of them at sidewalk newsstands, shops, restaurants and hotels throughout the city.
Nashville is similar to most other U.S. cities in terms of telephone availability and mobile-phone coverage. Anyone belonging to a major national cell network should have no problem making a connection. Pay phones are disappearing, but are still available in most tourist zones and at the airport.
| Transportation | Top |
Like many southern cities, Nashville has limited public transportation. Everyone has a car and loves to drive it, but recent growth is making its small-town infrastructure inadequate for all those vehicles. Fortunately, most of the city's major sites are close to one another, and travelers can explore many of them easily by foot, bus or taxi.
All air travelers arrive at the Nashville International Airport (BNA), just off Interstate 40 (about 15 minutes from both downtown and the Music Valley/Opryland area). Airport information is available at 615-275-1675 or http://www.flynashville.com.
Connecting Transportation
Best way:
Many hotels, particularly those near the airport, offer courtesy shuttles. Gray Line Tours also offers a shuttle from the airport to downtown and West End hotels, departing from the airport every 15 minutes (6:30 am-11 pm) and from hotels every 30 minutes (5 am-11 pm). The Airport Express desk is one level below baggage claim at the airport. US$12 one-way, US$18 round-trip. Phone 615-275-1180.
Other options:
Taxis are available at the airport, and a trip to downtown, West End or to Opryland costs US$20-$30, plus tip.
Major rental car agencies are located on the ground floor of the airport.
Provides service to other towns in Tennessee and to points outside the state. 200 Eighth Ave. S., downtown, Nashville. Phone 615-255-3556. Toll-free 800-231-2222. http://www.greyhound.com.
Several interstate highways converge in Nashville. Two loops, Interstate 265 and I-440, circle the heart of the city, and the Briley Parkway and Old Hickory Boulevard circle parts of it farther out.
Parking downtown can be a real headache. Metered parking is available, but it's extremely difficult to find a spot. There are many parking lots and garages; expect to pay US$10 per day for a secure lot in a central downtown location.
If you're heading downtown, we recommend that you park in a central location (or leave your car at the hotel) and tour the area on foot. Use the trolleys or buses to see the points of interest that are too far to walk to within the city. Drive your car to sightseeing destinations outside of the downtown area. On the plus side, Nashville's traffic is seldom gridlocked unless there is an accident or major interstate construction.
| Public Transportation | Top |
The Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) runs an extensive network of bus routes in and around Nashville. Schedules are available at the Visitor Information Center (in the glassed-in area of the Gaylord Entertainment Center downtown on Broadway) and from any MTA driver. Daily 5:40 am-11:15 pm. Special Night Owl buses run until 12:15 am. US$1.25 (US$1.75 for express buses). Exact change is required. Visitors might want to purchase the seven-day pass, with unlimited rides, for US$17, or a one-day pass for US$3.75. Phone 615-862-5950. http://www.nashvillemta.org.
Because most sights are in a relatively compact area, taking a taxi can be an economical alternative. Unless you're at the airport, you won't see lines of taxis waiting for passengers, so it's best to call to make a reservation.
Daily 24 hours. Phone 615-256-0101.
| For More Information | Top |
| Convention & Visitors Bureau | Top |
Complete tourist information and trip-planning services are available. The bureau has coupons posted on its Web site, plus it sells a Total Access Pass that costs US$35 for any four major attractions plus the Parthenon. One Nashville Place, 150 Fourth Ave. N., downtown, Nashville. Phone 615-259-4730. Toll-free 800-657-6910. http://www.musiccityusa.com.
