Everyone knows that Nashville is the capital of Tennessee, the birthplace of America's most talented musicians, and home to some seriously delicious southern grub. What you might not know, is that Music City is also home to some seriously weird must-see stops.
4305 Fairlawn Pass, Fort Wayne, Indiana, United States
Versailles, Kentucky, United States
Don't let the name fool you; High Class Hillbilly is a curated boutique stuffed to the brim with drool-worthy vintage goodies hand-picked by the owners. Looking for the perfect pair of vintage boots? They'll have them. The perfect hat? They'll have that too.
Tip: If you can't find what you're looking for, let the owners know and they'll be on the lookout for your special request.
Fans of the Hazzard Boys will love the Dukes of Hazzard Museum, but be aware it's pretty small and can be explored in under half an hour. They have quite a few set vehicles on display, plus loads of props from the series. They also have a pretty fun gift shop, with loads of rare Dukes of Hazzard collectibles you won't find anywhere else.
Tip: Expect the prices to be pretty steep... like, 2 bucks for a postcard steep.
Amazingly, there's not one, but two hilariously weird Zoltar-inspired fortune tellers in Nashville. Only these two were created in the likeness of music legend Elvis Presley. For a couple of quarters, "The King Tells Y'All" fortune teller will give you some pearls of wisdom, and heck, he'll even play you a song… with his creepy rubber hands.
Tip: Unfortunately, Dixieland Delight's famous Willie Nelson fortune telling machine has left the building.
Legends Gift Shop is home to the only other fortune-telling Elvis machine... need I say more? The rest of the store is kind of like the anti-tourist shop, and it's jam-packed with authentic Nashville-style goodies to stuff your suitcase with.
Tip: The store has a very strict no photo policy, and will actually throw you out if you're caught, so you might want to skip the snaps.
The Tennessee State Prison opened its doors in 1890, and until 1992, it ran as a fully functioning jail. Each inmate was expected to work 16 hour days while doing his time at the jail house. The prison had a very tough reputation, and saw countless escapes, riots, fires, and several deaths. Now, you can explore it yourself.
Since its closure in '92, the prison has appeared in movies like "The Green Mile," "Ernest Goes to Jail," and even on an episode of Celebrity Paranormal Project.
The Parthenon is literally the world's only full-size replica of the ancient temple in Greece. Inside is the western world's largest indoor sculpture of the goddess of wisdom and learning herself, Athena. It's hard to describe just how enormous the Parthenon is until you see it for yourself.
Tip: Admission to the Parthenon is $8, and $4 for kids 17 and under. It gets you inside the building, which houses Nashville's art museum.
If you're a fan of the 60s, specifically the hippie movement, than you're going to love everything about Two Old Hippies. One part clothing boutique, one part musical instrument shop, and one part interior design store, Two Old Hippies is kind of like the real-life Urban Outfitters. They've got an amazing collection of stuff to make you look and feel like a bohemian goddess. You'll find everything from guitars to the perfect Buddha statue to put next to your meditation pillows. Peace, man.
Tip: Two Old Hippies is dog friendly so you don't have to leave Fido in the car when you visit!
The Suicide Rock Tombstone at Old City Cemetery is a very strange tombstone. It's a gigantic slab of stone that legend says was ripped from the side of a rocky bluff after a young woman jumped to her death off the side of it. The grave is over 150 years old, and has the name Ann Rawlins Sanders (1815 - 1836) etched on the front of it. After a lovers' quarrel, she jumped to her death off the bolder. When her boyfriend discovered her body, he broke off the piece of rock, and dragged it into the city, and eventually it became her headstone.
Tip: Parking can be found within the cemetery walls.
If you're visiting Nashville this summer, take a day or two and get weird with our offbeat guide to the City of Rocks!
