While many people know Nashville as Music City, USA, relatively few know the city’s other nicknames. Long before the music industry established its stronghold on Tennessee’s capital city, residents and visitors referred to the city by other popular monikers. These labels represent many distinct aspects of Nashville’s personality, proving that Nashville is the ideal vacation destination. From art to history to music, this city offers a wealth of attractions to entertain and intrigue visitors.

Athens of the South

Like its counterpart in Southern Greece, Nashville contains a plethora of arts, cultural and educational institutions. By the 1800s, the city was well known as the Athens of the South, a title that was solidified in 1897 when a full-scale replica of the Parthenon was built for Tennessee’s 100th birthday. To take the replication one step further, a full-scale replica of the 42-foot statue Athena also was included, just as it was in the original Parthenon. Today, the Parthenon serves as the city’s art museum and houses the Cowan Collection–which features 63 works of art including oil paintings by 19th- and 20th-century American artists, traveling exhibits and larger-than-life statuary. www.nashville.gov

Cheekwood Botanical Garden & Museum of Art is yet another example of world-renowned art housed in grand architecture. Originally constructed as the private residence of Leslie Cheek Sr. and his wife, Mable Wood Cheek–hence the name, Cheekwood–the mansion is a Neo-Georgian design containing many doors, fireplaces and other design elements purchased throughout Europe. These elements provide an elegant backdrop for the paintings, sculpture and decorative arts that make up the museum’s permanent collection. The 55-acre property also includes the Botanical Gardens, which feature the original Cheek gardens along with pools, fountains, statuary and extensive boxwood plantings. www.cheekwood.org

Hooked on History

While many of Nashville’s historical sites house the arts, there are many more that stand on their own. A key example is The Hermitage, home of President Andrew Jackson when he was not in the White House. On a tour of the restored 1837 mansion, visitors can walk the same halls as a U.S. president plus catch glimpses of Jackson’s personal belongings such as his sword, eyeglasses and Bible. Guided tours explain how the original two-story farmhouse evolved into the restored home guests explore today. www.thehermitage.com

Another antebellum home, Belle Meade Plantation invites guests to peruse the halls of its 1853 mansion, 1890 carriage house and stable, 1790 log cabin, and 1832 slave cabin. Belle Meade became famous the world over for its success as a thoroughbred nursery and stud farm. In fact, it was the home of Iroquois, the first American-bred horse to win the English Derby. Visitors can learn more by partaking in one of the tours given daily by costumed guides. While it’s not an outstanding site, it is worth a visit if you have the time. www.bellemeadeplantation.com

For travelers who want to take part in making history, book a room at the historic Hermitage Hotel. Built in 1910, The Hermitage Hotel holds a sentimental as well as historic place in Nashville’s heart. The city’s first million-dollar hotel at its original opening, The Hermitage Hotel quickly became the place to stay for the rich, famous and powerful. Guests included six U.S. presidents from Theodore Roosevelt to John F. Kennedy as well as many celebrities.

While the halls hosted many renowned patrons, the halls themselves also became historical figures. From the Circassian walnut-paneled walls of the Great Ballroom to the glaring black and green art deco men’s room below the lobby (For the ladies, you absolutely have to ask to go in. Don’t worry; the staff is used to such requests.), the hotel made history in its own right. Probably the most well-known feature of the hotel is the lobby’s stained glass ceiling, a work of art that captivates visitors from the moment they enter the building. www.thehermitagehotel.com

Music City, USA

Of course, the most well known nickname remains Music City, USA. Originally coined in 1950 by radio announcer David Cobb during Red Foley’s NBC radio show, the moniker refers not only to the country music industry, but also the industries for contemporary Christian and gospel music. Many artists from other genres also come to Nashville to work and record.

Every weekend, fans show up in droves to watch the live radio broadcast of the Grand Ole Opry at the 4,400-seat Grand Ole Opry House. Cast members include the legends of country music, today’s superstars and tomorrow’s hit makers. This show is guaranteed to be like none other! www.opry.com

Although famous for housing the Grand Ole Opry for 31 years, the Ryman Auditorium also played host to many historic speakers and popular performers throughout its history. After undergoing renovations in 1993, the Ryman Auditorium re-opened in 1994 and now welcomes visitors to contemporary concerts and tours of the site. www.ryman.com

For a complete look at country music’s history, visitors must stop by the Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum. Encompassing an entire city block, the museum features films, artifacts and music spanning more than eight decades that detail country music’s evolvement. From spotlights on those who made the music to those who helped spread it, no aspect of country music is left untouched. If you’re a country music fan, you definitely have to stop in here. www.countrymusichalloffame.com

Choosing Nashville for your next vacation is the easy part. With the myriad of attractions Nashville offers to captivate and charm visitors, the hard part will be deciding how to fill your time throughout your stay.