Nashville's Top Landmarks

See this symbol of ancient Greece -- in <a href="http://www.travelchannel.com/destinations/nashville"> Nashville’s </a>Centennial Park. This full-scale replica of the Parthenon was built to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Tennessee’s statehood. Nashville’s reputation as the “Athens of the South” (the city is home to many colleges and universities) sparked the idea for the replica.

Take a stroll along the Music City Walk of Fame in downtown Nashville. Since the Walk was established in 2006, it’s grown to include nearly 50 names -- including 2009 inductee Josh Turner.

Nashville is home to the largest collection of European cars and motorcycles in the US. The Lane Motor Museum features more than 330 automobiles -- such as this 1923 model built by Czechoslovakian manufacturer Tatra as one of the first “people’s cars” envisioned by designer Hans Ledwinka.

Relive America’s riverboat days aboard the <i>General Jackson,</i> one of the largest showboats in America. Take in views of the Cumberland River from any of the 4 massive decks, and enjoy live country music from a 2-story Victorian theater. The riverboat is named for US president Andrew Jackson.

See this African elephant at the Nashville Zoo, just 6 miles southeast of downtown Nashville. The 200-acre grounds are home to other endangered animal species as well, including the hyacinth macaw parrot, the Puerto Rican crested toad and the Bengal tiger.

Explore a uniquely American musical sound at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. The $37,000,000-facility illustrates country music’s evolution over 2 centuries. Hear the museum’s historic sound collection, which includes 98% of all country music tracks ever made before World War II.

This Italian villa-style summer home was built in 1849 by one of the wealthiest women of the antebellum South. Adelicia Acklen lived here almost until the end of her life, in 1887. Today, Belmont Mansion is the largest house museum in Tennessee.

Discover Nashville’s live music scene in the District. The downtown area, around Broadway and 2nd Avenue, is home to many bars, restaurants, dance halls and concert venues. Live music performances go until 3 a.m. on weekends.

Pay a visit to country music’s most famous stage -- otherwise known as the Grand Ole Opry. The weekly performances have been going strong since 1925. Big-time names such as the Dixie Chicks, Carrie Underwood and Rascal Flatts have performed here.

Tour one of the best-preserved homes of a US president. After retiring from public life, Andrew Jackson lived on this sprawling 1,000-acre plantation home known as the Hermitage. See Jackson’s personal artifacts inside, such as pistols, watches and swords.

Visit one of the largest state museums in America. Spanning over 60,000 square feet, the Tennessee State Museum explores the state's history, from pre-colonial days to modern times. The museum houses an impressive Civil War collection, one of the largest in the nation.

There’s always something new to see at the Frist Center for Visual Arts. The art-exhibition center sees new art flow into its Art Deco building every 6 to 8 weeks. Exhibitions focus on visual art from local, state and regional artists, as well as major US and international artists.

Ryman Auditorium was the original home of the Grand Ole Opry, from 1943 to 1974. It then fell into disrepair -- until singer Emmylou Harris held several concerts in the 2,362-seat venue. Since its renovation in 1994, Ryman has hosted many world-class performers -- from Aretha Franklin to Annie Lennox.

Welcome to Printer’s Alley, the famous area in downtown Nashville that’s home to numerous bars, nightclubs and restaurants. In the early 1900s, Printer’s Alley was a prominent hub for newspapers, print shops and book publishers.