Nashville has long been called Music City, and for good reason, it's one of the top places in the country for new and seasoned musicians to find inspiration, and for fans to hear great tunes. But Nashville, a metro area with almost 2 million residents, holds its own in other areas, too, including food, film and fashion.
The Nashville area boasts a number of universities, notably, Vanderbilt University, Tennessee State University and Middle Tennessee State University, earning it the nickname "Athens of the South." Around Major employers include Vanderbilt University, Nissan, Saint Thomas Health and HCA Holdings, Inc. The cost of living in Nashville is reasonable, around 90.2 percent of the national average, and the state of Tennessee does not tax personal income.
A car is useful in Nashville, although the city is quite friendly to pedestrians and cyclists, thanks to organizations such as GreenBikes and Walk Bike Nashville. Public transportation is also available; the Music City Star commuter rail and the Metropolitan Transit Authority bus system help locals get around Nashville as well as greater Davidson County. Well-known neighborhoods include hip and artsy East Nashville, college-friendly Hillsboro Village, naturally beautiful Bellevue, and The Gulch, which is home to The Station Inn, Nashville's historic music venue.
Music is, of course, a main attraction in the area, with live performances nightly at many venues along Broadway, and regular performances at the Grand Ole Opry and historic Ryman Auditorium. Art is also quite popular with residents. Galleries and museums, including the popular Frist Center for the Visual Arts, are plentiful. Nashville's culinary scene is gaining traction. Many restaurants serve the city's signature "hot chicken," which is a spicy fried chicken. If you're a sports buff, don't miss seeing Nashville's professional hockey team, the Predators. Football fans will want to score tickets to a Tennessee Titans game. Popular festivals and events throughout the year include the Tomato Festival, the Nashville Film Festival, Nashville Fashion Week and Taste of Music City.