How to Be a Tourist with Your Dog Series: "Music City" Nashville, Tennessee

When looking for interesting road trips from Chicago, I've always been a bit interested in Nashville, but we've never quite made the trip. So I was so excited when Nashville-native Lindsay submitted this "Tourist with your Dog" post giving us the local insider's view about all the things to do with a dog in Nashville: "Music City". From outdoor movies screenings and concerts by a replica of the Parthenon, to city trails and greenways, to a tip on getting a dog-friendly snow cone the city is quite pooch-friendly.

Our tour guides include Lindsay's two forever dogs Colt, ( East CAN rescue) and Daisy ( Camp Chaos 37206 rescue)  and two foster dogs: Emma and Ellie (Labor of Love Animal Welfare Project). Daisy is a bit camera shy, but Emma, Ellie and Colt were all very willing to model and show off their hometown. Here is one photo of the elusive Daisy:

Nashville, like most cities, has several parks specifically for dogs but is also home to Centennial Park which houses a replica of the Parthenon. Nashville is called the "Athens of the South" because of the large number of universities we have here and so for the Centennial Exposition, they built a replica of the Greek monument. Here is Emma in front of the Parthenon.

Fun fact: Nashville's Parthenon took longer to build than the original. 

Centennial Park is home to loads of concerts, movie screenings, and festivals, all of which are dog-friendly. They host an Earth Day festival, lots of cultural and arts/crafts fairs and on Wednesday nights during the summer you can bring your pooch to an outdoor movie screening.  There's even a sno-cone vendor who will make you an ice-only sno-cone so Fido doesn't get overheated! 

East Nashville and Nashville in general is full of walking/biking/skating trails and greenways that are also dog friendly. Colt is a pit/lab mix which means he is all full of energy. Running and walking do not tire him out, so C has to take him rollerblading. Colt loves rollerblading, and here he is showing off his skills. There are even places to do this near the Titans stadium which is right across the river from downtown. Usually C will take Colt roller blading around the stadium and I will take one of the other dogs for a walk around the stadium.

While C and Colt were roller blading around the stadium, I walked with Emma. We stopped to take this picture of Emma looking across the river to downtown. To the left of the picture is a pedestrian bridge which crosses the river into Lower Broadway which is full of honky tonks, bars, and restaurants. Also, nearby is the Bridgestone Arena, home to the Nashville Predators. 

In April, Nashville hosts the Country Music Marathon which starts at Centennial Park. There is also a half-marathon which C and I ran in 2010. In addition to its fair share of hills, the race course features bands every couple of miles to showcase Nashville's music scene and provide motivation for the runners. The course isn't dog friendly, however, dogs are allowed to cheer runners on. Here is Ellie cheering on the marathon runners near mile 18--don't they look good for mile 18?

One of the best things about having a dog in Nashville, is that the city recently passed an ordinance allowing you to bring your pet to restaurants with outside seating.   Here is Colt enjoying a Saturday afternoon at the East Nashville bar, 3 Crow. Most restaurants in East Nashville are very dog friendly and will bring out a pail of ice water for your pooch! 

If you are in the mood for something and your pooch isn't allowed, there are several choices for doggie daycare or boarding. Our favorite is the Belmont. The Belmont has a webcam feature for your computer or phone and I really appreciate being able to check in on the pooches when I am away from town or just check in on them during my work day and see them frolicking (or napping) in the pool or with their doggie friends.

We love hearing everyone's insider tips, seeing your pooches, and learning dog-friendly travel options. If you would like to share advice for traveling with pooches in your hometown, please click here for the complete information. And if you missed it the first time, make sure to check out Molly's adventures in Anchorage, Alaska.