48 Hours In Memphis Travel Guide

I've lived in Nashville for 9 years now and every time I drive back to Texas, I drive through Memphis. But I've never spent any time there! And it's been over 10 years since Casey last visited. That is, until this week. We didn't have any expectations and had a fun couple of days running around exploring the city. Let's talk about the things worth checking out!

WHERE TO STAY
First off, where should you stay? ARRIVE Memphis, hands down. We loved our time at this beautiful hotel! There was definitely a vibe going on. We arrived on a rainy day, but felt so cozy in the room. Every little detail was thought about when this hotel was created.

I mean, can't you see what I'm talking about?

If you decide you'd like to experience this cute place while in Memphis, you can get $50 off a 2 night stay by booking through our link here!

And besides the room, the lobby/bar area is impeccably decorated. In this space they have a coffee/cafe called Hustle and Dough and a bar called Bar Hustle. I had some delicious bread and pastries and of course, Casey had her coffee both days we were there. So definitely don't skip out on these places!

WHAT TO DO
The National Civil Rights Museum. This is joined with the old Lorraine Motel where Martin Luther King Jr was shot and I highly recommend visiting here. Yes, the subject is heavy but the information is displayed in a way that truly honors the Civil Rights movement. You don't leave feeling sad for Martin. You leave feeling inspired. He was one man who walked in the will of God and left a legacy we can all aspire to. Some of the information is hard to take in because horrible things happened, but they did happen. It is crucial to be knowledgable of our nation's past and see its effects so that we can learn from our mistakes. MLK Jr's story and the Civil Rights movement are important. We learned so much from our visit here and I highly recommend stopping by if you are in Memphis.

This is the exact place where MLK Jr. was shot. Right behind the wreath.

Broad Avenue Arts District. We went to this area to eat some breakfast on our way out so we made sure to check out the area. There are also some fun murals on buildings.

We stopped in at Arrow Creative and Falling Into Place, both cute places for gifts and little Memphis memorabilia.

WHERE TO EAT
I know this must be what you've really been waiting for. On this trip we talked about how really when you travel to other cities, you really want to eat a bunch of good food. We did not make it to a BBQ restaurant as it was hard to find a place that accommodated celiacs. However, we found plenty more great things!

First off, dios mio, Longshot. It's a bar that has way above average food and lots of shuffleboard. We even tried our hand at the game, but it didn't last long. We weren't that great, but it was fun to try it out. They make their own sausages (we got one without bread) and have tons of sharable options. We got queso and onion dip and nothing disappointed. Oh and we both got a specialty cocktail- just go here. It's a whole experience worth having.

Bedrock is a fully gluten-free restaurant, but it's waffle selection makes it great for any person who loves breakfast. They have 20+ varieties of waffles! Casey was in heaven. I went the savory route and got a sausage and gravy waffle, while Casey followed her sweet tooth to a creme brulee waffle. She brought home a sausage, egg, and cheese biscuit that was as big as your head. Fully worth it even if you aren't a celiac.

The Liquor Store. This place had a great basic breakfast, but let's be honest, we came for the decor!

This was a fun little trip and we can now say that we recommend Memphis as a place to visit. Especially if you live nearby! We love taking little trips that are in driving distance from Nashville and this is the perfect place for that. If you decided to check it out, don't forget that you can get $50 off 2 nights at ARRIVE Memphis if you book through our link. Happy travels!

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10 Cozy Cabins For A Weekend Getaway From Nashville

We spent the past few days in a cute little cabin. The purpose was to chill. That's it. We needed a change of scenery and a space to not worry about literally anything. It was glorious. When we left, I couldn't help but think that not only should people go stay in the cabin we stayed in, but also that we all need more trips/time like this.

We found our perfect little cabin on Airbnb. If you don't know already, we are huge fans. We've stayed in Airbnbs all over the world! You can always find something cute, in your price range, and probably exactly where you want to go.

If you haven't tried or signed up for Airbnb, use our code by clicking here to get $55 OFF your first stay.

For this trip, we weren't looking at one particular area. We just knew we wanted to go outside of Nashville, possibly be able to hike nearby, and we wanted that cozy cabin feeling. Isn't that you want in the dead of winter? Coziness? Well we found TONS of great spots. And we figured since we did the research, we might as well share them with you! So when you need a cozy place to embrace those winter blues, these 10 spots will surely do the trick.

1. Honeymoon Cabin
2. Listen To Nature At Secluded Cabin
3. Sulfur Ridge- Tennessee's First Luxury Treehouse
4. Dreamy Tiny House Cottage
5. The Nest
6. Serenity House
7. Cozy Retreat + Wood Fire Pizza Oven
8. The Barn At Flat Ridge Farm
9. Treehouse Mountain Retreat
10. Creekside Cabin At Shady Grove Farm

If you book a stay at Creekside Cabin like we did, you will have plenty of nature-y things to do! We went on a hike at Frozen Head State Park. It was literally FROZEN. When we headed out on our hike it was in the low 20s. We were a bit cold, but it was still beautiful. We hiked to the falls via the Panther Branch Trailhead and then Emory Gap Trail. The falls were still flowing but there were massive icicles and ice creations everywhere along the water. It was awesome to see the falls in this state.

We also went to the Lily Bluff Overlook which was beautiful even though it's the dead of winter. We were the ONLY people there. The color of the water is almost unreal!

Another benefit of Airbnb is that you can find houses that allow your dogs to come with you! That is always a plus for us when we are traveling in driving distance. Just put on the "pets allowed filter" when searching.

And for the rest of our trip, we just hung out and read, watched a couple movies, cuddled with the dogs, and ate food that we cooked. It was calm and just what we needed. If you are looking for a trip like this, I hope this post helps! We have included listings at all prices in many different areas. Don't forget to sign up through our link to get $55 off your first stay with Airbnb! Happy travels!

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Pour Your Own Custom Candle at The Paddywax Candle Bar

GUYS. If you haven't heard of the Paddywax Candle Bar, you need to know about it, and you need to go there. We were lucky enough to go to a party celebrating their opening in 2018 and we were in awe of what a great idea Paddywax had come up with. You get to go pour your own custom candles with Paddywax's popular scents and beautiful candles vessels and have an amazing experience while doing it.

If you are interested in more things to do in Nashville, check out these posts:

- Top Ten Coffee Shops In Nashville

- 48 Hours In Nashville

- A Guide To Fall Creek Falls

We are so grateful that The Candle Bar invited us and our friends to come enjoy a candle pouring session. And we are even more excited to share a little more with you about what to expect when you arrive at The Candle Bar!

When you arrive, you will see that there are cute little trays set up with a bunch of science equipment. Don't be intimidated! This is stuff you will soon learn what to do with. Everyone chooses their seat and you get started.

Grab an apron to protect your outfit!

The first course of business is to choose your vessel and scent. They give you 15 minutes to choose these things, and you'd think that would be plenty, but there was plenty of indecisiveness at the end of that 15 minutes. If you are familiar with Paddywax candles, you know how beautiful their candle vessels are.

The fun thing about pouring candles is that you can choose a vessel that you love, but put a scent in it that Paddywax doesn't usually have in that specific vessel. It's literally your own custom Paddywax candle.

Listen to the instructions and assemble your candle!

You will be instructed on how to attach your wicks, exactly how many ounces of scent and wax to mix together....

And then you pour your candle!

You have to leave your candle overnight and then come back and pick it up so the wax has time to cool off and set. My favorite thing about this whole process is that you get to exercise some of your creativity while hanging out with your friends, AND you get a beautiful candle out of it!

Paddywax has these candles bars all over America now, so make sure to see if there is one near you! It's TOTALLY worth it.

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How To Float The Harpeth River In Nashville (FREE)

Every summer we have a list of things that we love to do for the maximum Nashville summer experience. One of those things is floating down the Harpeth River. Something we have realized this year is that people do now know about this really fun (and free) option! Both times we've been this year we haven't seen anyone else in floats, only people in canoes or kayaks. And every time we hear that they didn't know floating was an option. Well guys, we are here today to tell you how to do the float, where to go, what to bring, and how to figure out if it's a good time to go.

First off, you are going to need a tube. (Side note, before I moved to Nashville, I had always called this activity "tubing".) And you don't want a rinky dink tube that's going to pop if it touches rock. You are going to want a pretty hefty tube. We have gone through a couple different tubes over the years, but the ones we have now are on their third year, and they were $5 at Walmart.

Now, grabbing a tube at Walmart is a great option, if they have the right thing. And I'll add that the tubes were on sale for $5, that wasn't the original price. But if they don't have what you need/want, there are plenty of great options on Amazon. As you can see in the photo above, people use all kinds of floats, but the main rule of thumb is that it needs to be a thicker tube- it may even say it's for the river. Other options that you can choose from are 1- tubes that have a bottom (or don't), 2- tubes that can connect to other tubes (a.k.a. they have little latches attached to your float by strings that click into other people's latches if they have them) and 3- a head rest or no head rest.

These are all personal preference, but our tubes are open at the bottom and have latches to connect to other tubes and no head rests. Don't get caught up on what kind of tube you get. Just get one that isn't going to pop and you will be happy on the water!

And then you'll want to get a waterproof bag to keep things like cell phones, snacks, and keys in. We always keep our phones in waterproof cases and then keep those around our necks or in the waterproof bag. I would not recommend just putting them freely in a waterproof bag unless your phone is waterproof and you don't plan on opening the bag during the float. You definitely don't want to drop your phone in the river! Or just leave your phone in the car! Just play it safe.

And one more thing! Water shoes are recommended. The bottom of the river is rocky, and it just makes it easier if you have something on your feet. We use tevas, but any water shoe will do.

Now let's talk about how you are going to get there and what you do when you do. First of all, you have to figure out how long you want to float. There are 3 main different floats I'm going to tell you about. The one we always do starts in this parking lot in the photo above. This is the Highway 70 Canoe Access entrance. You will need to have two cars because you won't start and end at the same entrance. This is why you go with multiple friends! JK, you go with friends because it's fun, but it also helps with the transportation part of the trip.

So for this trip you will take both cars to this parking lot (Highway 70 Canoe Access) and unload all the stuff you will be taking with you on your float trip. This usually includes your float, a water bottle, and a waterproof bag. We always fill our tubes with air in the parking lot and deflate them when they go back in the car. They take up a lot of space if you do it before you arrive. So an air pump that plugs into your car is a great thing to have!

Once everyone is ready to go float, the two drivers will need to take both cars to the Gossett Tract parking lot. Leave one of the cars in the parking lot and then both drivers take the other car back to the original parking lot.

Then head down to get into the water. You'll walk down this ramp to the right of the bridge and there will be stairs down into the water.

Hop in your float and let the water float you down the river! You will be floating away from the bridge.

Now how do you know if it's a good time to go floating? You'll have to check the water levels on this website. Scroll down to the "gage height". Anything between 1.5 and 3 is a good time to go. If it's under 1.5 the river will basically not be flowing and you'll be in for a very long trip. You may even have to walk part of it because it's too low. We went a few weeks ago at 1.5 and it was great! The whole trip was about 1.5 hours long, and we didn't have to walk. I did get stuck on some rocks in one section, but I was able to push off that area very easily. We went on a float trip this weekend and it was at 2 and the we were moving way faster, but somehow the trip ended up being about 1 hour 40 minutes long.

How do you know when to get out of the water? You just look for the sign that says "Kid Trip Exit". There's a little rapid right before this section and it shoots you right to the edge, so it's not hard to get out at all. The rocks gradually go into the water and create a sort of staircase, so it's pretty easy to get out! You walk up the stairs to the left and you're in the parking lot where you left the second car!

We usually leave all of our towels in this car so we can all start drying off while the two drivers take this car and go grab the car from the other parking lot. Then your float experience is over.

There are a couple more options for floating longer.... You could start your float at the same place where you just ended and then get out at The Narrows of the Harpeth. We've never done this float, but I believe it's about the same distance as the first float. You could add them together or just do one or the other. There are many options!

And you can also start at the Narrows parking lot to do a significantly longer float. If you only have one car, this is a great option, although you have to really commit to floating as it could take anywhere from 4-8 hours to complete the loop. The benefit is that when you get out, there's a little hike through the woods that takes you right back to the same parking lot you started in. So two cars are not needed.

If you decide to add the first two floats together or do the Narrows loop float, you will want to bring provisions. A floating cooler is a great option to keep the drinks cold on a hot day! Which I'm assuming it will be, because that's why we are all floating anyway right? Because it's so hot out!

One last thing to note is that the park does actually close and you can't be in the water past 7 PM. So make sure you check the water and plan your float accordingly. They usually don't let people start floating the big Narrows loop past 1 PM.

I hope this post answered some questions for you and that you now know how to do a float on the Harpeth River! It's seriously one of the things we most look forward to in the summer, so we hope you all come to enjoy it as well!

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Nashville Travel Guide: The 10 Best Coffee Spots

I'm a heavy coffee drinker, and Savannah hates it. I mean I've made her try every kind of coffee drink there is. It's hopeless. This one thing has nearly ruined our friendship. I'm kiddinggggg. But seriously, I really wish she loved it as much as I do. Having something you love so much and not being able to share that with your super tight homey is rough, man.

You may also like:
- The Easiest Way To French Press Coffee: A Beginner's Guide
- Lavender Vanilla Latte Recipe
- DIY Wood and Copper Coffee Cart

So since I'm such a coffee lover, I have visited 70% of Nashville coffee shops. After much research and trial, I have come up with the ultimate list of Nashville's best coffee shops. What I'm looking for in a coffee shop is: excellent coffee, great decor, good location, and overall positive atmosphere. The ultimate question- is this a good place to have a meeting? Not all of these places have all of those qualities, but I have left all of them wanting to come back.

1. Dose- There are 2 locations but my favorite is the one closet to our house in Inglewood. Also, it is larger than their West Nashville location. Dose has good coffee, a good selection of food offerings (a few gluten free things too), the decor is nice, the service is good, and the location is perfect for me. I'ts only 1/2 mile from our house! If you are wanting to stay, they have table service, so keep that in mind- it probably won't be the place you want to sit all day and work. It's great for meeting people!

2. Barista Parlor- This is the coffee shop that started the coffee scene in Nashville. They've been featured in several articles for being one of the best coffee shops in America. They have 5 locations and I have visited 3 of them. Their coffee really is excellent, and the decor is nice. It's very Instagrammable.  This is a coffee shop that you have to try.

3. Fido- Before there was a Barista Parlor, there was a Fido. Fido is the sister coffee shop to Bongo Jave in East Nashville (which was the original Nashville coffee shop). You can't beat the Fido location because it's in Hillsboro Village which has several cute shops (like our friend's store- Apple + Oak- you must visit there) and restaurants.

4. Frothy Monkey- I can't even keep up with all of their locations but my favorite one is their newest location in West Nashville. It is HUGE with plenty of seating, and I love the decor. They have a good menu and good coffee, and I'd probably go here all the time if it was closer to my house. This coffee shop has everything I'm looking for except proximity to me.

5. Retrograde- This is one of Nashville's newest coffee shops and it's my new favorite one. This is located in an up + coming part of town that's very close to East Nashville. Retrograde has everything I'm looking for in a coffee shop- the decor is outstanding, great service, great coffee, and the space has a good amount of seating. This will be my new place to have meetings.

6. Crema- This is located almost downtown and it's not too far from East Nashville. They have a Cuban latte that is so so good. Also if you are looking to sit outside and sip your coffee, look no further. They have nice outdoor seating which is nice because it's pretty small inside, and it gets filled up pretty quickly. They do have parking which is rare for a place so close to downtown. So to sum it up they have a great latte, good decor, good location, oh and this is a good place to meet someone- but I would pick mid-afternoon when it's not as busy.

7. Steadfast Coffee - This is a small coffee shop in Germantown that roasts their own coffee beans. I always appreciate this because then you know the coffee is supa' fresh. They have a few food offerings and a lot of times they have gluten free options. They also have a nice outdoor seating area.

8. Humprey's Street- This is even newer than Retrograde, and I love it! Humprey's is located in Wedgewood Houston which is really growing and turning into a really cool part of town. The space used to be a church and it has a really good design and feel to it. I had their French toast latte and it was divine. They had comfy chairs + a couch to sit in which is a major plus. The space is a pretty good size with lots of seating, and would be a great place to set up shop and work all day and to meet people. Oh and they have a patio/deck area!

These last 2 are more cafes than coffee shops but you can definitely go to them to just drink coffee + I really like these places :)

9. Cafe Roze- They have a rose latte that is really delicious and it's something different that you can't get anywhere else in Nashville (that I know of). The decor is top notch and it's a great place to meet a friend to have a lovely cup of coffee and have a small bite. Their coconut yogurt bowl is scrumptious!

10. Sky Blue Cafe-  This place has been around since 2010 and has become an East Nashville staple. There's something about this place that is comfortable and it's not trying too hard. They have good coffee and classic American breakfast.

And those are the top 10 places to get some coffee in Nashville! We hope you liked this post and if you'd like to see more posts about Nashville, don't forget to subscribe to our e-mail list!

xo, Casey

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