SPRING BREAK IDEAS FOR MUSIC CITY

There’s something special about Spring Break. November and December holidays, magical as they are, can be stressful with gift buying, decorating and coordinating seeing lots of family. Summer vacation is great, of course, but its length often necessitates gymnastics of summer camps and scheduling. But Spring Break? It’s just fun. An aptly named respite between winter and summer.

Heading to Nashville for Spring Break makes for a something-for-everyone kind of holiday. Here are things to do in Nashville this spring, no matter how you like to spend your vacation or with whom you are traveling.

No, Nashville is not the beach, but there are rivers and lakes for waterfront dining, and, depending on the weather, opportunities for activities on the water. One of the most unusual ways to spend an afternoon is Cruisin’ Tiki. You and five of your besties will float on Old Hickory Lake in a tiki hut. You don’t have to do anything; a captain will guide you while you eat and drink and swim. River Queen Voyages has a captain to take you on a pedal tavern on the Cumberland River. Like Cruisin’ Tiki, this ride is BYOB.

There are other ways to play and be active, particularly if the weather is not conducive to being on the water. Practice your swing in a climate-controlled bay with food and drink available for delivery at Top Golf in Germantown. Pins Mechanical in The Gulch is stocked with duckpin bowling, ping pong, bocce, giant Jenga and other games. Puttshack Nashville has indoor, light-up mini golf and DJs curating the sounds. Learn the sport of curling at Tee Line Nashville. Swing through the trees on zip-lines and at The Adventure Park at Nashville.

Live music is a cornerstone of any Spring Break celebration, and, obviously, it is also Nashville’s calling card. To list all the places to hear live music in Nashville would take longer than vacation itself. After all, Keith Urban recently played in the BNA airport. You can go a little bit more in-depth than just catching a live concert: See an acoustic songwriters’ show. In these performances you get to hear the songwriters go into detail about how they craft their lyrics. Good places to get that in-depth experience include The Listening Room Cafe, Backstage Nashville and the Bluebird Café.

Kids can get in on the Nashville Spring Break fun, too. They can join in on many of the activities listed above. They are even welcomed at many of the honky tonks on Lower Broadway during daytime hours. If you want some activities that are specifically designed for kids, check out Madame Tussaud’s wax museum. The Nashville outpost is the only music-themed Madame Tussaud’s in the world. The Nashville Zoo and Adventure Science Center are good places to explore and expend energy, with plenty of room to run and things to learn. Sudekum Planetarium is connected to the science center.

If you prefer an all-under-one-roof-type of outing, head to Plaza Mariachi. The vibrant building is chockful of live music, dance lessons, kids’ performances, shopping, room to run around, and when you are hungry, places to stop and refuel before the next adventure.