Music and Biscuits and Shops, Oh My!
Music and biscuits and shops, oh my! This is exactly what I think when talking about exploring in the South. If you love traveling and knowing what kinds of things there are to do in new places, this is the blog for YOU! While I know travel may be limited at the moment, that doesn’t mean you can’t start planning your next trip right now! Here in the South, there are so many wonderful things to do and I’m here to share some of my favorites with you!
Music
Obviously, here in Nashville, music is kind of a big deal. And thank goodness because without it, my family would not be here right now.
The first place in this list is none other than the Grand Ole Opry. I’m sure most of you have heard of this one, but if you haven’t ever been to a show, you are missing out! Every country star has graced the stage at the Opry from Dolly to Hank to Carrie to Garth. You can literally feel the presence of all of these greats as soon as you walk in.
Next, is the world-famous Bluebird Cafe. This is somewhere you go when you want to see an intimate performance by the songwriters behind the hit songs on the radio. Just recently in 2019, the Bluebird even got its own documentary (which I have not seen yet, but I am working on it!) that showcases all of the incredible talent that has ever been in that room. Taylor Swift, Garth Brooks, Dierks Bentley, and Vince Gill, are just a few of the incredible writers that have played there. I cannot wait for Covid to be gone so I can get there to see a show. Want to come with?
Then, we have the Station Inn, which is probably one of my favorite places in Nashville to see music. As one of the few venues that still caters to bluegrass and country music, I am surprised that it has been able to stand the test of time. It is literally being swallowed by all of the high-rises, but its large musical presence makes up for that! You never know who is going to be in the crowd at this place, either. One night, Brian May from Queen was literally sitting 2 feet away from me! History has been made here, so don’t miss the opportunity to see it for yourself!
Biscuits
Biscuits are a staple food in the South, and if you’re a restaurant with good ones, everybody is going to know it! Here are two of my favorites and one that I want to try:
Biscuit Head in Asheville, North Carolina, will literally turn your head into a biscuit! They specialize in “cathead biscuits,” which are literally the size of a cat’s head. In other words, they are huge! I also love that they offer their own homemade jams to go with them, like berry chocolate, chipotle berry butter, and bananas foster. Try it out sometime!
My next favorite is the local, Loveless Cafe. These biscuits are famous nation-wide and everyone who comes to Nashville must try them. Not only are the biscuits amazing, but the food is also great, the atmosphere makes you feel at home, and you will leave with your heart and bellies full! Even as a local, I still love this place and I hope you will, too, once you try it!
Lastly, I discovered The Biscuit Shop in my search for great restaurants in the South. This place is located in Northport, Alabama, and I would love to try it one day! I think this would be a great place to visit because all of the biscuits are homemade (as they should be) and they have about 90 different kinds! From sweet to savory, there’s sure to be a biscuit for everyone in the family. I have never been to Alabama so maybe this would be a good place to visit when I get there!
Shops
For women and men, but especially women, shopping is something we all love to do! There are so many wonderful shopping neighborhoods around here and everywhere down South. Just thinking about them makes me want to go! Here they are:
12th South is such a popular place in Nashville now that if it is sunny outside, you can guarantee that traffic will be backed up all the way down the strip. What used to be an unpopular section of town is now one of the greatest retail strips in Nashville. Here you can find coffee shops, boutiques, restaurants, and even a park! My favorite thing to do during a busy week is to go sit on White Bison’s patio to get my work done while sipping a large vanilla latte. You can see everything from this patio, even Reese Witherspoon’s store, Draper James! One day I will be able to afford the clothes in there, but today is not that day. Come join me for coffee sometime and we’ll enjoy everything 12th has to offer!
Next, is the iconic King Street in Charleston, South Carolina. First of all, Charleston is magical and it is my second favorite city after Nashville. King Street has every store and restaurant you could ever want. I have walked this street and I can tell you there is no shortage of Southern Charm here. The boutiques have every style of clothing you can want, the restaurants are divine (you must try shrimp and grits here!), and the antique/art treasure hunts are never-ending. Please do yourself a favor and go to Charleston as soon as possible!
Last but not least, I want to tell you about Ponce City Market in Atlanta, Georgia. From the outside, it just looks like a factory, but once you’re inside, it’s like its own city. There’s food, shops, barbershops, and even nice work spaces! I can just imagine living down there and going to write blogs at Ponce while drinking a nice coffee. Okay, who am I kidding? I will never leave Nashville! Nevertheless, Ponce is a great place for everyone to explore!
These are just a few of my favorite places in the South. I know there are so many more that I have not mentioned, but just know I am thinking about them. Do you have your favorite places to visit here or that you want to visit? Share them here in the Stories tab! Also, check out my blog about famous Southerners because they no doubt love some of these places, too!
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Links to Mentioned Places:
Grand Ole Opry- https://www.opry.com/
Bluebird Cafe- https://www.bluebirdcafe.com/
Station Inn- https://www.stationinn.com/
Biscuit Head- http://www.biscuitheads.com/
Loveless Cafe- https://www.lovelesscafe.com/
The Biscuit Shop- https://thebiscuitlady.com/
12th South- https://www.visitmusiccity.com/explore-nashville/neighborhoods/12south
King Street- https://www.charlestonsfinest.com/sc/exclusking.htm
Ponce City Market- https://poncecitymarket.com/
I wrote a fabulous review of the world famous biscuits at Toast in Charleston, SC. Dropped it in the stories link above. They are the BEST! But Buscuit Heaf is legit too. You’re welcome. 😉😘
Sharing your review here because the people need to know!
“Another southern favorite for biscuits hails from the true capitol of the south, Charleston, where you can delight in the buttery goodness of biscuits at Toast! It’s located about 1 block from the famous Market and always has a line hanging out the door. Though it may seem counterintuitive for a place named Toast to have the best biscuits, if you just give it a try, you’ll never get a piece of toast with your breakfast again. These tasty morsels are large, square, and flakey with the butter baked perfectly into each layer. Grab yourself a shrimp and grits omelet and make sure you order a biscuit at Toast next time you are in Chucktown!!!”
Thank you for sharing, Kayla! <3