It was early August when I received my first Facebook invite for the Vanderbilt Nashville road trip for the weekend of October 1st. Soon after that, the rest of the invites flew into hundreds of UF sorority girls’ Facebook notifications. Yet, this wasn’t a surprise. Ever since New Orleans Roadtrip 2015 ended, everyone’s been excited and talking about Nashville Road Trip 2016. The time has finally come. In a few short weeks, thousands of UF students will be up in the middle of the night or extremely early in the morning with packed suitcases, filled Bubba kegs and excitement for the long journey ahead. My sister, Madison, is a sophomore at Vanderbilt, so she’s given me all the inside information about tailgating, the best places to eat and the best bars in Nashville.
Preparation
Before you head out to Nashville, you’re going to want to make sure that you pack everything you’re going to want for the weekend. Sure, it’s only one weekend, but let’s face it: You are going to want to bring your entire closet with you. Pack a variety of outfits for the weekend. You’ll want two going-out outfits for Friday and Saturday night, a cute gameday outfit and something comfortable to wear on the bus back to UF. You’ll also want to have your Bubba Keg decorated and ready to go with extra champagne and orange juice in tow for when you want your unlimited mimosas ready. It’s about a ten-hour trip from UF, so you need to be ready for a long journey.
Tailgating
Vanderbilt students like to get just as crazy as UF students before football games. Fraternity houses are tiny at Nashville, as in only 6 guys usually live in each house, so be prepared to be unable to move once you arrive. It’ll be a huge difference from the giant fraternity houses and backyard spaces we’re all so used to at UF. Also, you will get hungry in the middle of the day while tailgating. A popular spot for Vanderbilt students is Chili’s right across the street. Maybe for the food, but mainly for the two-for-one margaritas, which are available all day every day. What was my favorite part of her game day info? She told me to come pumped because the gators are definitely going to win.
Food
Come hungry. Nashville has a huge variety of incredible restaurants and cuisines. Avoiding a hangover from Friday night? You’re going to want some breakfast, and Bread and Co. is the place to be. For lunch and dinner, you have a variety of restaurant options. Whether you are in the mood for Italian, Mexican, American or barbecue, you’ll be able to find your new favorite restaurant. Keep your eyes open because celebrities and country singers are always out and about in the town. Bar Taco is country singer Thomas Rhett’s favorite restaurant, and it’s right down the road from my favorite dessert place, Sprinkles. Sprinkles is where you can get cupcake sundaes. They take your choice of flavored cupcake, slice it in half, put your choice of ice cream in the center and Voila! Your delicious dessert awaits.
Going Out At Night
Nashville is a really trendy town. The first time I visited, I expected to see people running around in cowboy boots and hats, but I didn’t see a single person in either. It’s a classy town, and you’ll wonder if that’s what the bar scene is like, too. It’s not. It’s crazy, fun, bright and honestly reminds me a lot of a smaller version of Bourbon Street in New Orleans. Broadway is the street you want to go to to have some nighttime fun. You’ll find giant signs, blasting loud country music, karaoke and all the tall drinks your little heart desires. Madison’s recommendations for great Broadway spots are Rippy’s and Acme. You’ll want to get to Broadway late at night because that’s when the fun begins.
So grab your Bubba Kegs, stuff your suitcases with cute going-out clothes and get ready for road trip! I’m counting down the days…
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