Things to do / Travel Guide
Visitors to Central Kentucky and Tennessee should temper their expectations of a cheaper-than-normal vacation, as top attractions cost top dollar. Luxurious accommodations and fine dining, though still relatively expensive, are somewhat cheaper in Louisville, Kentucky, and Nashville, Tennessee (the region's two major cities), than they are in other major U.S. cities.
Lodging costs in the Central Kentucky and Tennessee region run the gamut. Hotels and bed and breakfast establishments (B&Bs) in Nashville and Louisville are generally more expensive than those on the cities' outskirts. High-end hotels generally start at about $150 per night. The famous (and opulent) Opryland Hotel is an exception to this - rooms usually start at about $215 a night. To save a buck you can stay in a motel (prices often start at about $45) or a youth hostel (bunk beds cost about $25 per person and a private room starts around $55). If you're into camping, you're also in for some savings, as per night costs are just $5-$20.
Sales tax in both states is among the highest in the U.S. Nonetheless, gas prices in the region, even in the larger cities of Louisville and Nashville, are decidedly cheaper than in large West Coast and East Coast cities. Smaller towns and communities like Lexington, Kentucky and Chattanooga, Tennessee, generally have even cheaper gas prices.
The cost of public transportation in all of the cities is standard, generally under $2 for rides within the city limits and outskirts. Exceptions to this rule are the private riverboat cruises in all applicable cities, which start at about $15. Admission to plantation homes, art galleries, botanical gardens, and Nashville's country music-related attractions generally cost about $10-$15. The price of top-notch, headliner entertainment, shows, concerts, and performances in both Louisville and Nashville often start at around $50 a ticket, though early-bird tickets can be obtained.
For those of you traveling on the proverbial shoestring budget, or who are just plain frugally-minded, free and less expensive attractions are also available. In Louisville, a visit to the J.B. Speed Art Museum is free (a donation is requested) and you can give yourself a self-guided walking tour of Old Louisville expending only energy. Kentucky bourbon and Tennessee whiskey distilleries offer free tours of their complexes. Kentucky fishing is free (and license-free) the first weekend in June. In Nashville, Centennial Arts Center is also free of admission. To limit expenses while in the Music City, try eating at the local meat-and-three restaurants (one choice of meat, three side dishes). You can visit Fort Nashborough without spending a dime, and you can generally hop the bars and saloons without paying a penny for cover charges. There is a free, lunchtime trolley that will take you around downtown, and in Chattanooga a free electric shuttle will take you to attractions downtown. In rural areas where food choices are often restricted to barbecued and fried foods, meals are cheap, but in bigger urban centers, especially Nashville, you can expect to pay big city prices and enjoy a big city selection.
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