Roadtrip: Day 10: Nashville, TN to Bloomington, IL

We woke up this morning and ate a huge breakfast at our hotel, ready for the last day of our vacation.

We figured we couldn't come to Nashville just for a concert and not see anything while we were there so we headed to The Gulch to check out a few things. First, we went to Biscuit Love to see what the fuss was all about. Now, just a warning to anyone that is visiting, from the time that we got in line to the time when we got our food was literally about 1 hour 15 minutes, and we got it to go. The line was huge and wrapped around the sidewalk outside. I know this was a Sunday, but just keep that in mind if you plan to get some delicious bonuts!

While my husband waited in line for us, my 7yo and I decided to walk around the corner to see the beautiful #WhatLiftsYou wings that are painted on the side of a wall just ½ a block from Biscuit Love. They are so beautiful! And I love that there is a huge version and a tiny version. And, there was a nice little line that had formed before we got there. Everyone was so polite and took turns taking pictures. It was very organized for a random line that no one was in charge of. I love seeing that!

After we got our bonuts, my husband bought me a flower from the most adorable little flour truck across the street! I had never seen anything so cute in my whole life. I could just picture a couple taking their engagement photos in front of this truck. Ah! I just love it.

After our adorable little morning in The Gulch, we had to be on our way home.

Roadside Attractions:
1. Superman Statue
517 Market St., Metropolis, IL
I love this statue. First of all, it's huge. Second of all, it's all fenced off with walking access so it's easy to take a picture with. And finally, because there are a couple other photo-ops within a hundred feet of it. My husband had always wanted to stop here, but I wasn't about to drive all the way there just for a photo. But since we were driving right past it, why not? It was awesome.

2. Road Sign Art
200 Potomac Blvd, Mount Vernon, IL
This is a very interesting art piece that sits outside of a visitors center. It wasn't open when we drove past, but we were still able to get a couple cute pictures with this sign.

Bonus: We noticed on our drive that there was another big cross (not nearly as big as the other one, but still cool) that you could see from the highway in Effingham, IL.

We finally got home and went straight to bed. We were completely exhausted, but we had an amazing trip! And we visited a lot of places that we'd never been before.

Roadtrip: Day 9: Panama City Beach, FL to Nashville, TN

We took our time getting out of bed this morning since we knew we had a big, long day ahead of us. We took a couple pictures by the beach before we left the gulf for our trip back up North. Then we got in the car.

We stopped at a couple roadside attractions along the way:
1. Big Peach Statue
2300 7th Ave S, Clanton, AL
This is actually in a little park at the end of the parking lot between a gas station and a market. It's a pretty cute little statue. And the park is a small little area to stretch your legs.

2. 125-foot-tall Cross
316 Mountain Crest Parkway, Gardendale, AL
So, we didn't actually stop for this one because we just wanted to get to our destination. But you can see it very clearly from the highway so stopping isn't entirely necessary in my opinion. It is absolutely huge and very cool to see though.

Bonus: You can see a very cool rocket at the side of the road on your way near Elkmont, AL.

3. Giant Chicken with Chef Hat
1371 Bryson Rd, Elkton, TN
Now, this one was a pretty good stop. It's right outside of a gas station. There's food, gas, restrooms, and a cute photo-op. How can you go wrong?

After our huge, long 7-hour trip from Florida to Tennessee, we were exhausted so we just checked into our hotel. But we didn't have any time to hang around. We were off to our next adventure. We decided to take our son to his first concert: Dashboard Confessional and All-American Rejects. Now, he wasn't overly interested in this, but he did enjoy himself. Ascend Amphitheater is actually pretty nice! There were a couple food trucks (which was awesome since we didn't have time for dinner beforehand). We sat on the grass in the back of the amphitheater. However, we got there early so we were able to get a spot right behind the break between the grass seating and the reserved seating. That was pretty cool. We were able to see pretty well. And of course, we really enjoyed when they played their old, nostalgic music. We did end up staying for the entire concert, so by the time we got back to our hotel, it was pretty late, especially for a 7yo.

The Hotel: Drury Inn and Suites
555 Donelson Pike, Nashville, TN
So this hotel wasn't really close to anything (except the airport), but we looked and looked and everything in the heart of Nashville was ridiculously expensive. So we figured we would pay half the price and stay a little outside of the center. We were only there for 1 night anyway. The parking was really stupid. There were a ton of people there apparently and we ended up parking as far away from a door as you could get. Oh well. Breakfast was pretty good. I would call it slightly better that your average hotel breakfast. Everything seemed clean and modern so I really can't complain.

Overall, we had a pretty good day.

Roadtrip: Day 2: Sikeston, MO to Memphis, TN to Dallas, TX

On the first half of the 2nd Day of our road trip, we travelled from Sikeston, MO to Memphis, TN.

First Activity: Gibson Guitar Factory Tour
145 Lt. George W Lee Ave, Memphis, TN
We parked behind the building. It cost $10 to park, but we left our car there the whole time we were in Memphis so it worked out well. We bought our tickets online which guaranteed us a spot first thing in the morning for the 10am tour. It was a Saturday, so the workers weren't there. If you prefer to see the factory when they're actually making the guitars, you'll need to go during the week. We were more than happy to see it during this off-time since we had our 7yo son with us. The factory can be pretty loud when operating, but since it wasn't, the factory was very quiet. The tour was very cool and informative. We loved learning about how Gibson guitars are different from other guitars. Plus, we just loved how they pass around pieces so you can see how it's made throughout the process. Definitely take this tour if you're in Memphis. I only found 1 downside to this whole tour: You can't take pictures inside the factory. And that's not even a huge downside! Lots of factories have that rule.

(To get this picture, you need to go to the West side of the building. It's a great photo op!)

Lunch: Pig on Beale
167 Beale St, Memphis, TN
When you walk in, it looks like kind of a dive bar, but don't be fooled. We ordered the BBQ sampler and it was simply the most delicious BBQ I've ever had! It's a small little place on Beale Street that serves amazing BBQ. I mean, if this is what Memphis BBQ tastes like, I feel like I've been missing out my entire life! I've been eating all the wrong types of BBQ. But now I know better.

Second Activity: Old Dominik Distillery
305 S Front St, Memphis, TN
We ordered these tickets online in advance as well. This tour was actually way cooler than I expected. We started with a taste of Memphis water which is apparently the key to any great Memphis alcohol. Then we were shown around the distillery and told how vodka and whiskey and Memphis toddy are made. It was very cool. Plus, there was a tasting at the end. And that toddy was the best! It is truly a drink that I could have frequently.

Overall, we had a great time in Memphis. And I learned that I really enjoy Memphis BBQ and Memphis Toddy.

Then, we drove to Dallas. We stopped at a couple roadside attractions along the way.
1. The Half-n-Half Post Office
500 Wood St, Texarkana, AR
There's a cute little photo op where you can stand in Texas and Arkansas at the same time.

2. 15 Foot Cows
1200 W Houston St, Sulphur Springs, TX
These cows are huge! And so much fun to take pictures with. Who doesn't love a big cow? Especially in Texas.

Hotel: Best Western Cityplace Inn
4150 N Central Expy, Dallas, TX
It wasn't really convenient to anything, but it wasn't out of the way. The entrance felt dangerous every time we entered because it was only 1.5 cars wide, with a sharp right off a busy highway onto a sharp incline with a speed bump at the top. And there was no elevator. I mean, we were only on the second floor, but it would have been way easier to carry all our stuff to our room. Also, there was no working ice maker. To some, no big deal. But the most annoying part about that was that my husband called the front desk and asked where it was and they said there was one by the lobby (which was out of order) and behind the pool area (which no longer existed), but they failed to mention both of those facts. So clearly the hotel staff was not very knowledgable. The room itself was okay, but nothing special.

Overall, we had a great day.