Nashville isn't just about the honky-tonks and hot chicken, you know. Beneath the buzz of Broadway, a different kind of rhythm flows – the gentle current of the Cumberland River. I recently traded my boots for a paddle and my cowboy hat for a life vest to experience Music City from a whole new perspective: in a kayak!
Nashville's Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum is everything a music lover could want. Practically every artist who has ties to country music or Nashville is featured in this spot. The galleries are constantly rotating so I can't even promise you'll be able to see what we're showing you on these pages. One of my first observations was straightforward: There's a lot of guitars here. That seems to be THE country music instrument. But there's also a few cars to check out. Really. Partner that with some retro fashions and you're basically in a time warp.
As a lifelong fan of her iconic voice and tragic story, I knew I couldn't leave Nashville -- Music City --without paying homage to the legendary Patsy Cline. And let me tell you, this museum did not disappoint.
Nashville is formally known as Music City but there's something about the zoo that makes me think it's also Animal City. Amazing experience!
Howdy, folks, let me tell you about my recent trip to Nashville, Tenn.
It was a bit of a drive from Lafayette to McGee's Swamp Tours but it is sure worth it! The Atchafalaya Swamp is definitely your chance to get up close with alligators... but not too close. Well, you get pretty close.
It's a spring of science at Lafayette Science Museum. When I heard there is a virtual reality exhibit, I knew I would have fun. I'd never strapped on a VR headset before but once I did, I couldn't take it off.
Dubbed the world's largest children's museum, The Children's Museum of Indianapolis is still growing. Seriously. There are new developments happening this summer. Though not open during our visit, the seven-and-a-half-acre Sports Legends Experience is a great excuse for me to come back. But there was plenty to see and do including a chance to get my dance on and visit the American Pop exhibit. There are items from Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga and other famous celebs.
"You have to check out the Indiana Medical History Museum," I was told. "What's that?" was my question. I wasn't told much more before arriving in Indianapolis so I went in with an open mind... and I actually saw some of those -- literally. They have brains in jars all over the place.
The irony struck me immediately. A guy named Lane having a motor museum in Nashville. And that's the case for Jeff Lane who started this local exhibition, called Lane Motor Museum.
As an animal lover I couldn't wait to check out Houston Zoo. As a matter of fact, during conversation with other locals who asked me what I was doing while in town, each of them agreed that the zoo is a great place to check out.
On the surface, indoor skydiving might seem scary. I'll admit, it is a little intimidating. But when I arrived at iFly Houston and saw little kids -- and even a birthday grandma -- heading into the wind tunnel, it made me think that I would have no problem taking flight and taking a successful dive.
I have to admit, I was rather intrigued when I heard Houston was home to the National Museum of Funeral History. And naturally I wondered if the place would be some morbid hole in the wall. Turns out it's a pretty fancy place. There are artifacts from decades gone by including a gallery of presidential funerals, showbiz tributes, 9/11 items and so many vehicles the place could pass as a car dealership.
Being a raving guitar player, how could I not visit Musical Instrument Museum? There are thousands of pieces from hundreds of countries. Seriously. The place is huge and very spread out. Whether you want to check out a gallery full of guitars or want to visit a different country (so to speak), you can do just that. When we started the tour we were given headsets that activated music of the displays we walked by. You can watch a video of a cultural dance and hear the accompanying music as you stroll through the exhibit.
It was about 45 minutes of driving for us to get from downtown Phoenix to Civana Spa and Resort in Carefree, Ariz. With the desert sun beating down on us I was excited to escape into the coolness of the spa. We were greeted with refreshing smoothies as we got a tour of the property.
Phoenix's The Churchill is a community gathering place made up of local entrepreneurs, foodies and old shipping containers. And when those team up, magic happens!
"Tanner, I need you awake at 4:30 a.m. and out of the hotel shortly after." Yup, that's what everyone wants to hear on DAY 1 of their trip to Phoenix. Unfortunately, that's the reality of this assignment. (I guess there are bigger problems an employee could have.) "You're going on a hot air balloon ride to watch the sun rise over the desert." Deal!
Our arrival at Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix was close to sunset. I was told that was the ideal time to visit because there's a light show at night where the desert and plants are lit up and magically dance to music. That is, the lights dance, not the actual plants. Not being familiar with a desert I ignorantly thought a cactus is a cactus. Not so! I got a chance to learn about the plants from all over.
They probably have more Christmas lights on display than I have ever seen before. At least 100,000 of them at the Houstonian Hotel. In addition to all of the Christmas decorations, they also feature amazing holiday treats and even local entertainment. On this particular night, area students were getting up and singing songs while the crowd sung along, tapped their feet and clapped to the music.
I've been to the theatre many times but never the ballet. I had no idea what to expect with the Houston Ballet. I read some reviews about the annual production of The Nutcracker and found out this is a "new" version of the old show. What exactly did that mean? I had no idea. But I did find out that it is a $5 million production. For the price tag alone I was excited to see what was in store.
It is hard to say in one breath (try it, I dare you) but we're at the Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens Winter Flower Show and Light Garden: Holiday Magic. The place has been transformed into an indoor winter wonderland with lights and flowers everywhere. Do you know how many thousands of poinsettias there are here? Really, do you know? I had to ask. Check out the interview on the next page.
Who knew you could go to an outdoor amusement park in Pittsburgh in December? Kennywood (don't think it's like Dollywood -- name is a coincidence, I'm told) really does deliver in the winter. True story: There was a duet of Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers playing when we got here.
At first I thought things wouldn't be very festive in Pittsburgh since there was no snow in December. But the outdoor Christmas market took me right into the holiday spirit. Was this my chance to finally see Santa? Keep reading!
I have to admit, the fog was pretty annoying as we approached the Duquesne Incline. The worry was that we won't see the sights high above Pittsburgh. As we started the journey upwards the fog actually made for some really cool pictures. We had the best of both worlds: a spooky fog setting and then a bright and clear sunny view of the city. There is a lot of historical information here. Lots of old signage to read. It's quite fascinating.
