No trip to Nashville is complete without at least a brief walk down Honky-Tonk central. Yes, Nashville’s main drag is a tourist trap, but shouldn’t be fully avoided. Snatch up a pair of cowboy boots and a Jack Daniels t-shirt for kicks, and enjoy some truly entertaining people-watching. Many of Nashville’s legendary music venues reside here, like the venerable Tootsie’s and The Stage (featured in Country Strong).

With an outdoor art museum, a sprawling mansion-turned-museum and beautiful gardens, Cheekwood could be an all-day activity. Once home to the Cheek family, who launched Maxwell House Coffee, the estate is now a privately funded botanical garden and museum. The latter houses American and British art, and the outdoor gardens have spectacular hilltop views and a sculpture trail hidden among the foliage.

Dedicated to the long history of country music, the Country Music Hall of Fame opened in 1961 in Nashville, a location selected for its crucial role in the industry’s development. The original museum was located on Music Row, but the current one is just off Broadway in downtown Nashville.

This 4,400-seat venue is home to the radio broadcast touted as the “show that made country music famous” that aired for the first time in 1925. Take a tour of the 18 themed dressing rooms named after greats like Roy Acuff and Minnie Pearl, or schedule your visit to coincide with a show, as the Opry offers backstage tours on performance nights.

Seemingly nothing more than a residential area just southwest of downtown Nashville, Music Row is home to many inconspicuous historical sights as it is the center of Nashville’s music industry: RCA Studio B is perhaps its most famous landmark, which contributed to the rise of the “Nashville Sound,” a genre of country music that established the city as a major recording center. Legendary artists like Willie Nelson, Elvis Presley, Ernest Tubb and Dolly Parton all frequented the studio. Visit the studio or just drive through the area, with streets dedicated to country music greats Chet Atkins and Roy Acuff.

Vanderbilt University’s campus is a national arboretum, and Nashville is host to a number of gorgeous parks, perfect for enjoying the warm, sunny weather typical of the city. Centennial Park is just minutes from downtown Nashville, and features a full-size replica of the Greek Parthenon (check the schedule for frequent outdoor concerts and food truck gatherings.) Percy Warner Park, located 9 miles from downtown, is a stunning park ideal for picnics, an early-morning jog or an afternoon hike.

This restaurant/bar/hangout space boasts a coffee shop, cocktail lounge and dining room helmed by Chef Julia Sullivan (culinary meccas Per Se and Blue Hill at Stone Barns highlight her resume). To top it all off, the 13,500-square-foot space is home to a karaoke bar, bowling alley and outdoor patio with a pool and bocce court. Every last detail was considered (by the owners of The Catbird Seat and Patterson House, no less), and the groundbreaking space is a true star. While the food and drinks are great, they don't stand up to Sullivan's past ventures, and the real reason to go is to check out the vast, stylish interior while enjoying the activities on offer.

Millennials know this spot from the eponymous Nashville TV show, but the famed live-music venue was around long before the ABC hit. Opened in 1982, The Bluebird Café has a long, storied history: Garth Brooks was discovered there in 1987 followed by Taylor Swift in 2005.

Nashville’s main art museum, the Frist is housed in an Art Deco building that was formerly the city’s post office. Converted in 2001, the building does not have a permanent collection, but it hosts frequent rotating shows.

Visit President Andrew Jackson’s house, now a museum, where he lived until 1837. The seventh U.S. president’s plantation is a massive 350 acres and a National Historic Landmark.

Once the home of the Grand Ole Opry, the Ryman is the historical auditorium located in the heart of downtown Nashville. First opened in 1892, the National Historic Landmark was the location for The Johnny Cash Show, and has hosted a number of notable musicians. Concerts still run at the storied venue that The Who legend Roger Daltrey dubbed the “best bloody place for a musician to play in the whole world.”