A Canadian's travel guide to Nashville, Tennessee

One of my favorite attractions is the unique Lane Motor Museum. Situated in what was once a state-of-the-art bakery, the museum features an eccentric, hand-picked collection of European car models — all of which work and have their own unique back-story for being there.

The founder of the museum, Jeff Lane, was an automobile enthusiast from an early age and has started restoring his first car as a teen. Soon he became a collector. When his collection was getting overly large, him and his wife decided that they should be shared with others in one central place.

Now, it has grown into the largest collection of European cars in the US and once-a-year, you can even bid for charity to take one for a ride.

A non-profit organization, the goal of Lane Motor Museum is to share in the mission of collection and preserving automotive history for future generations.  

JACK BLACK DISTILLERY

The Jack Black distillery is located in the town of Lynchburg, which is still, ironically, subject to prohibition. A dry county. A tour of the distillery takes about an hour and is time well spent, even if just to walk the scenic grounds where the distillery is based. The guides are highly engaging, funny, and have some great stories to share. There are two tours, one is free, and the other is $10 and includes some sampling. You'll see Jack Daniels aging in fired oak barrels, smell it, and gain a new appreciation for the process and the history.

ARRINGTON WINEYARDS

Do you prefer wine? You can head over to Arrington Vineyards to sample wine at this this 75-acre award winning vineyard.  The quantity of wine provided for sampling, however, is rather modest. Instead, it's probably best to enjoy the beautiful grounds and uncork a bottle.

JOHNNY CASH MUSEUM

A tribute to The Man In Black, this is a very intimate, recently-opened museum. The tiny museum features Johnny Cash artifacts, photographs, and memorabilia. There's also a gift shop that true Cash lovers will appreciate as it has some one-of-a-kind autographed items. The museum is ran with the blessing and support from his family. 

EAST NASHVILLE SHOPPING

East Nashville is an up-and-coming, eclectic neighbourhood. There is a multitude of small, quirky shops and lovely little art galleries. A real stand-out is the Art & Invention Gallery which combines jewellery and art. There, you'll find some unique gems by local designers, as well as those across the country at reasonable prices. Wearable art, if you will.

CUISINE

Although you are more likely associate Nashville with a particularly laid-back, Southern style dining, the city is really emerging as more of a foodie destination with its fair share of "hip" spots and impressive fine-dinning.