After moving to Nashville, one of the first things you’ll notice is that you’ll be hard-pressed to find a Nashvillian who isn't vocal about their love for the city. Almost everyone loves the Nashville community from day one, but it takes a full year in town to discover everything there is to love about life in Music City.

While it would take a novel to list all of our favorite things about Music City, in this post, we'll give you the top five things you’ll come to love during your first year in Nashville.

Metropolitan Sophistication Meets Southern Sensibility

Nashville boasts a small-town charm with all of the amenities you’d expect from a big city. The Frist Art Museum, the Nashville Symphony, and theater events all over town are just a few examples of how culture thrives in our city.

And don't forget our beloved sports! We've got The Titans for football fans and The Preds for hockey enthusiasts. We're also excited about the newest addition to sports culture in Nashville, the Music City Grand Prix. The streets downtown become a world-class track, and the race creates an exciting atmosphere to look forward to every August.​

Your first year in Nashville will help you fully understand the balance between small-town life and big-city living. You'll find posh apartments in Nashville mingling with historic southern homes, especially in areas like the Germantown neighborhood and over the Cumberland River in the East Nashville community.

There's No Shortage of Activities for Any Interest

Speaking of the Cumberland River, in the spring and summer months, the banks of the river are the place to be for free jazz in the park once a month, food and drink festivals, and more.​

The Nashville Farmers' Market is open daily, but it's especially hopping on the weekends with live cooking demonstrations and vendors from all over the Southeast selling everything from tapestries to tomatoes.​

Right outside downtown proper, you can stroll through Centennial Park. It's home to a full-scale replica of the Parthenon erected in 1897 for the Tennessee Centennial Exposition and hosts huge family-friendly events such as the Earth Day Festival and the American Artisan Festival.

Love to dance? Learn from the pros at Centennial's Big Band Dances every Saturday night from June through August! It's the perfect Saturday night activity to spend with the family or on a date. The band is impressive, the dancing is a blast, and the food trucks will feed you when you're all tuckered out.

The list of things to do and local events in Nashville is long, and it’ll take well over a year to complete everything.

The Restaurant Scene Is Outstanding

Of course, we're famous for southern staples like Nashville hot chicken (head to Hattie B's for the best) and biscuits from The Loveless Cafe.

But if fine dining's what you're after, make a reservation at the chef's table in The Catbird Seat. Before your meal, enjoy unique craft cocktails downstairs at The Patterson House, one of Nashville's most famous speakeasies.

You'll also find fine dining in every other corner of the city from award-winning restaurants like Rolf And Daughters, Margot, and Etch.​

In addition to Southern classics, Nashville restaurants serve foods from all across the globe. Hungry locals can explore dozens of options for Mexican food, Vietnamese food, Korean, Ethiopian, Greek, and more. Love Indian food and live music? One of Nashville's most unique venues, 615 Chutney, features both.​

Local Music From Household Names & Upcoming Stars

We do love our country music. We wouldn't brag about all the famous recording artists that call Nashville home or our renowned recording studios and music venues like The Ryman, The Bluebird Cafe, and The Grand Ole Opry if we didn't. (Oh, and you may have heard the CMAs and The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum are here.)

But we appreciate all kinds of music! In your first year you can uncover local live jazz and big band music and plenty of venues hosting rock, punk, hip-hop acts, and more. We're also incredibly proud to host the National Museum of African American Music and The Musician's Hall of Fame.​

Nashville Knows How to Throw a Party!

Nashville is the "it" place for bachelor and bachelorette parties and memorable nights out with friends.​

But that doesn't mean there's nowhere to go wind down. Nashville has plenty of quiet restaurants that feature patios perfect for dining and casual drinks.​

Enjoy Your First of Many Years in Nashville

Nashville is growing exponentially every day, and new friends moving here from all over the country make our city more unique, exciting, and lovable.​

If you're on the fence about moving to Music City, we'll welcome you with open arms and a friendly smile, but you'd better get here quick! Nashville is experiencing a boom in growth, so the cost of living here has increased, and condos and single-family homes are selling like hot biscuits. Spend your first year settling in and falling in love with Nashville.