The Nashville Zoo. If you haven't been to Nashville Zoo, you're missing a lot. There is always something new at the Zoo, and fun and exciting activities each month.
JIM REEVES MUSEUM
The man, his music, and a whole slew of stuff highlight this 1794 plantation house-turned-museum. The museum displays an array of Jim Reeves' personal belongings-- furniture, gold records, countless awards, glitzy costumes, guitars, photos with friends, and even his touring bus and '60 Cadillac El Dorado. If walking through this tribute to Jim Reeves gets you humming "He'll Have to Go," or "Mexican Joe," you're in luck. The gift shopwill sell you his records, tapes and CDs from its large selection. Parking comes free and those not stopping to pore over every exhibit can tour the place in abouit 20 minutes.--Betsy Ladner
RYMAN AUDITORIUM: How to describe the Mother Church of Country Music in 150 words or less? Almost impossible, but we're going to try. Renovated in the early '90s, the 2,200 seat hall is the premier place to listen to music in Nashville. Period. Every performer who walks onto the famed stage, the original home of the Grand Ole Opry, seems to have an almost spiritual reverence for the place. As well they should. The only bad seats in the house are the ones directly behind one of the support beams on the first floor, but even then, the fantastic acoustics might make up for it. The Ryman opens every day for tours, with events like the Hank Williams' biography production "Lost Highway" and the gospel music-driven "Sam's Place" series dotting the calendar. Such diverse acts as Bruce Springsteen, Sheryl Crow, Beck, James Brown, and Chick Corea have graced the stage in the last few years.--Lucas W. Hendrickson
