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A man sits at a restaurant table holding a mug and smiling, with two glasses of water, a bottle, napkins, and another mug in front of him.

Overnight Escape to Nashville

Abigail Toy

Back in January 2020, we decided to take a quick overnight trip to Nashville. It was one of those spontaneous getaways where we packed in as much fun (and food!) as possible. If there’s one thing we love, it’s turning a trip into a full-on personalized food tour. We make it an experience, and honestly, it’s the best way to travel in our opinion.

A man sits at a restaurant table holding a mug and smiling, with two glasses of water, a bottle, napkins, and another mug in front of him.

Early Dinner at North Italia

We kicked off the trip with an early dinner at North Italia near the Mall at Green Hills. Have you tried their White Truffle Garlic Bread? Oh my goodness gracious! It’s absolutely heavenly! We could eat that every day and never get tired of it. We also split their House Specialty Bolognese, which was pretty good, but let’s be real, the garlic bread stole the show.

A bowl of tagliatelle pasta with meat sauce, topped with grated cheese, is served on a table with another dish in the background.
A woman in a restaurant holds a piece of cheesy bread from a skillet topped with shredded cheese and a scoop of spread, with a chef visible in the background.
A man sits at a restaurant table smiling, with a skillet of baked pasta topped with cheese in front of him.
A woman sits at a restaurant table, smiling, with a dish topped with cheese and herbs in the foreground.
Cast iron skillet with toasted bread pieces topped with grated cheese and a dollop of creamy spread, served on a white plate with a napkin and utensils in the background.

Dessert and Snacks at The Cheesecake Factory

After dinner, we weren’t quite ready to call it a night (or stop eating), so we headed to The Cheesecake Factory for some snacks and dessert. Yes, we know, two food stops in one evening, but hey, it’s vacation! We ordered the Egg roll Sampler, which included Avocado Egg Rolls, Tex Mex Egg Rolls, Cheeseburger Spring Rolls, and Chicken Taquitos. They were all delicious! For dessert, we split a Pineapple Upside Down Cheesecake. My, oh my, it was absolutely wonderful. Cheesecake Factory never disappoints when it comes to indulgent treats.

A man sits at a restaurant table, smiling, with a large iced drink garnished with an orange slice and two black straws in the foreground.
A woman smiles at a restaurant table, holding a fork above a slice of cake topped with whipped cream and a cherry; a drink with a lemon slice is beside her.
A slice of layered cake with whipped cream and a cherry on top, served on a plate with an extra dollop of whipped cream and a fork.
A man smiling and holding a fork above a slice of layered cake with whipped cream and a cherry at a restaurant table.
A square plate with assorted appetizers, including spring rolls and stuffed items, served with three different dipping sauces in small cups, on a bed of crispy noodles.
A woman sits at a restaurant table, smiling, with a peach-colored drink garnished with an orange slice and two straws in front of her.

Checking In: The Hutton Hotel

After stuffing ourselves silly, we checked in at the Hutton Hotel. Wow!!! Just wow. Thanks to Hotel Tonight, we scored an incredible suite for what felt like a Best Western price. This was by far the nicest hotel room in Nashville we’ve stayed in to date.

Let us paint you a picture:

A massive living area with a sofa, desk, accent chair, end table, ottoman, bar setup, and a large oblong mirror that made us feel fancy just looking at it.

A separate bedroom with two end tables, a comfy bed (so comfy!), a flat-screen TV, and the coolest light fixtures ever. Seriously, we’re obsessed with their light fixtures!

The bathroom? Two sinks (yes!), a Kohler electronic shower that felt like something out of a spa retreat, and amazing luxe products that smelled divine.

One thing I love to do when I find a favorite hotel is purchase the products they use so I can enjoy them at home. It’s like bringing back a signature scent and happy memory from the trip. It makes me smile every time I use them!

A white Remo drumhead decorated with a geometric black and gold line pattern is mounted on a dark wall.
Wide, empty hotel hallway with patterned carpet, overhead lighting, chandeliers, and framed art on the walls.
A well-lit hotel corridor with patterned carpet, beige walls, wall sconces, and three large crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling.
Modern shower stall with glass door, wall-mounted control panel, overhead rainfall showerhead, and a white towel hanging on the door handle.
A hand adjusts a touchscreen Kohler electronic shower control with a digital display showing a current temperature of 75°F and a setting of 120°F. Instructions are posted above.
Hotel bathroom with two glass sinks, large mirror, hanging lights, towels on racks, and a view of the toilet area in the background.
A person presses the green button on a Kohler electronic shower control panel mounted on a tiled wall.
A modern hotel room with a neatly made bed, two nightstands, a blue hanging lamp, and a large window with dark curtains.
Hotel room with a gray sofa, bags, wall art of a radio, desk with items, mirror, and open bathroom door. Warm lighting and neutral-colored walls.
A woman stands smiling in a hotel room holding a drink and a jacket. The room has a sofa, bags on the floor, and an open door leading to another room.
A hotel hallway with patterned carpet, dark wall panels, and three large crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling.
Framed photograph of a vintage radio with dials and an antenna, displayed on a wall above a gray couch.
A city street at night with red traffic lights and a large digital billboard displaying "Artists to Watch 2020 Playlist" featuring Ingrid Andress. Buildings and illuminated signs are visible.
Modern bathroom with a glass sink, wall mirror, towels, walk-in shower, toilet, toilet paper rolls, towel rack, and framed artwork on a tiled wall.
A Remo drumhead with a geometric gold pattern and visible wear marks near the center is mounted on a dark wall.

Breakfast at Mane & Rye

The next morning started with breakfast at Mane & Rye (the Hutton’s former restaurant). It was cozy, delicious, and just what we needed to fuel up for the day ahead.

A glass jar of yogurt topped with granola and sliced kiwi, placed on a small orange plate with a spoon.
Two biscuits topped with creamy sausage gravy and chopped chives on a blue plate, with a glass of ice, cutlery, and a bottle of Coca-Cola in the background.
A woman sits at a table in a cafe with two cups of coffee, a glass of water, and a folded napkin visible in the foreground.
A glass jar filled with yogurt, topped with sliced kiwi and granola, placed on an orange saucer with a spoon beside it.
A breakfast plate with scrambled eggs, bacon, roasted potatoes, English muffin, and two small bowls of butter and jam on a marble table.
A man sits at a table holding a red smartphone. In the foreground, there is a glass bottle of Coca-Cola and a glass with ice cubes.
A glass bottle of Coca-Cola and a glass filled with ice sit on a marble table; a person is seated in the blurred background.

Nashville Shopping Adventures

After breakfast, we explored Hill Center Green Hills and browsed West Elm for some inspiration (because who doesn’t love dreaming about sprucing up their home?). Then it was back to the Mall at Green Hills for another round of shopping, this time checking out Warby Parker because new glasses are always fun.

A pair of semi-rimless eyeglasses with thin black frames displayed on a wooden shelf, labeled "WALLIS $145.
A pair of clear, square-framed eyeglasses labeled "AMELIA $95 MEDIUM" displayed on a wooden shelf.
A person holds the book "Mind Your Business: A Workbook to Grow Your Creative Passion into a Full-Time Gig" by Ilana Griffo in a store.
A modern gray sectional sofa with assorted pillows and a beige throw, next to a round black coffee table with decor items, in a furniture showroom.
A Nordstrom eBar sign advertises a Maple Brown Sugar Latte, featuring a photo of a latte in a white cup with brown sugar and maple syrup jars in the background.
A woman stands on a staircase overlooking a modern living room with a pink sofa, abstract art, and hanging globe lights.
A rectangular abstract painting with layered horizontal brushstrokes in various colors hangs above a bed with gray and blush pillows.
Amazon Books storefront in a mall, with books displayed inside, a "Love to give" sign by the door, and a digital screen promoting today's deals.
Woman with light brown hair and glasses smiles at the camera, wearing a pink velvet top, with colorful abstract wall art in the background.
A man with short brown hair and glasses wearing a gray quarter-zip pullover stands in front of a blue and orange abstract background, smiling at the camera.
A man wearing glasses and a gray shirt smiles at the camera, standing in front of a colorful abstract background.
A woman with light brown hair and blue eyes smiles at the camera while sitting inside a car, wearing a pink cowl-neck top and geometric earrings.
A man with short brown hair and a goatee smiles at the camera, wearing a gray collared shirt in a brightly lit indoor setting.
A woman with light brown hair sits on a light blue chair in a mall, wearing a green blouse, jeans, tan boots, and holding a colorful patterned bag. Large potted plants are behind her.
A man with light brown hair and a beard sits cross-legged on a modern blue chair in a mall, smiling, with green plants and escalators in the background.
Four glossy red gnome statues are lined up in a row, with the closest one in sharp focus and the others blurred in the background.

Sweet Ending with Five Daughters Donuts

Before heading home, we stopped by Five Daughters Bakery to grab some donuts for the week ahead. If you’ve never had their donuts before, oh my goodness, you’re missing out! They’re so good that they make leaving Nashville just a little less sad.

A pink background with a white, scalloped shape in the center displaying the text "FIVE DAUGHTERS BAKERY" in red capital letters.
Three iced donuts in a pastel-colored box from Five Daughters Bakery, with “Nothing is sweeter than family” and a Bible verse printed on the lid and front.
Close-up of five pastries dusted with powdered sugar and topped with swirls of whipped cream, arranged in a box.
Six cronut pastries topped with swirls of cream and dusted with powdered sugar, arranged closely together in a box.
A box containing six cronut-style pastries with powdered sugar and cream swirl topping, from Five Daughters Bakery, displayed on a blue patterned surface.
Six pastries topped with swirls of whipped cream are arranged in a box with the words "The greatest of these is love - 1 Corinthians 13:13" on the front.
A pink Five Daughters Bakery box sits on a blue and white wavy-patterned surface.

Reflections on Our Trip

This trip was short but sweet. Literally! Between all the amazing food stops, luxurious hotel stay, and fun shopping adventures, it felt like the perfect little escape from reality. These quick overnight trips are such a great way to recharge and create lasting memories without needing tons of time off or planning.

If you’re thinking about taking your own mini getaway soon, do it! And don’t forget to turn your trip into your own version of a food tour. Trust us, it makes everything so much more fun!

Until next time, Nashville!

A woman in a pink top and a man in a gray pullover are smiling and posing together indoors.

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