One of the greatest things about sophomore year at Tulane is when your friends start to get cars. All of a sudden the Tulane Bubble starts to expand to include a whole variety of new adventures. It’s certainly a long list but one of my favorite things that having a car or having a friend who has one allows you to do is take road trips.
Whether you’re in the mood for a lazy beach weekend or a busy two days spent exploring a new city, road trips are easy to tailor to what you and your friends are interested in. No need to book expensive plane tickets or plan out an elaborate itinerary; part of the magic of just hopping in the car and going somewhere is that you’re not sure exactly what you’ll find. There’s certainly no right way to do a road trip, but here are my top destinations from a recent trip to beautiful Nashville.
DESTINATION: Nashville, TN
DRIVING DISTANCE FROM TULANE: Approximately 8 hours
BEST CULINARY PIT STOP: Take a break from the tradition fast food road trip stops and try Saws BBQ in Birmingham, AL. Check out their website for a list of locations and don’t leave without trying the mac and cheese.
MOST INSTAGRAM WORTHY VIEW: Make sure to throw a pair of comfortable shoes in to your hastily packed bag and check out Harpeth River State Park. The views are absolutely beautiful on a sunny morning and you can be guilt free and eat whatever you want for the rest of the day!
BEST BREAKFAST: If you know me at all you know that every meal could be breakfast food and I would have absolutely no complaints. The Pfunky Griddle in Nashville is pretty much a breakfast lover’s dream. You and all your friends can sit around a table with the griddle in the middle, order toppings and make an UNLIMITED amount of pancakes. My favorite toppings were the Reese’s Pieces and nutella, but try your own combinations –the possibilities are endless.
FAVORITE BURGER: Pretty much all I can say about the Pharmacy is look at their menu. After you see all the delicious options (I can honestly say that the Farm Burger is one of the delicious things I’ve ever eaten) there’s no way you’ll turn down a trip to Nashville.
CUTEST TOURIST-Y SNAPSHOT: If your family is anything like mine, they’ll want to see cute pictures of you and your friends posing in front of tourist-y destinations. Check out the I Believe in Nashville mural for a family photo album-worthy shot.
MUST DO ACTIVITY: Last but certainly not least, Nashville isn’t called music city for nothing. On a whim, my friends and I went to see Augustana (8th grade me is so proud that I still kinda-sorta remember the words to Boston and Sweet and Low) but any concert in Nashville is going to be fun. Do a little research before you go and find someone you want to see—the passion for music in this city is contagious and you’re guaranteed to have a good time.