Photos by Hey Wanderer
You know your girl loves a good staycation. I was so excited when my friends Casey and Savannah from Hey Wanderer had the idea of a Galentine’s Staycation with our friend Sarah! Whether you’re single or an old married lady like me, it’s so important to spend time with girlfriends. We recently had a snow storm in Nashville and our staycation was planned right at the end of it. The snow made for a even cozier experience and made our stay at the Aertson that much more fun.
I’m constantly asked about fun things to do in Nashville. I promise I have full Nashville guides in the works, but the truth is there are SO many different areas that it can be overwhelming even for someone who was born and raised there. The best part about our staycation is that everything was in the same area of Midtown. It’s not somewhere I typically spend a lot of time, so it was fun for me to experience so many different places. I’m excited to share a few favorite spots with you!
THE HOTEL
The Aertson is a unique boutique hotel with a great central location. You can avoid the craziness of downtown, but you’re only a few streets away from several awesome neighborhoods including The Gulch, 12 South (my neck of the woods) and West End. The hotel has a bit of an urban/industrial vibe while still offering a cozy and relaxing stay. I also love the local Nashville touches such as the legendary Hatch Show Print artwork throughout the hotel. It has an awesome location within the Midtown area with beautiful views of the city from the rooms.
THE ITINERARY
After checking in and getting settled in our room with plenty of snacks and rosé, we headed to dinner at Henley. I had recently been to Henley for an awesome brunch, and I knew we had to make dinner reservations during our stay. Henley is conveniently located near the lobby on the first floor of the hotel.
I won’t lie… at first glance the Henley dinner menu can be slightly intimidating, but oh my goodness it is delicious. It was seriously one of the best meals I’ve had in Nashville in a while. Every single thing we tried was delicious (and we ate a lottttt), but the stand-out dishes to me were the Springer Mt. Farms Chicken, the Crispy Brussels Sprouts and the Olive & Sinclair 74% Chocolate Torte. The chocolate torte was to DIE for… truly a chocolate lover’s dream. You better believe I will be going back just for that. It takes 20 minutes to make but is so worth the wait!
If you decide to try out Henley, say the secret phrase “refresh yourself” to your bartender or waiter for a complimentary cocktail. You can thank me later because their cocktails are top-notch!
The next day, we woke up to a somewhat snowy Nashville and ran a few errands for a photoshoot. We rarely get snow in Nashville so it’s always fun even when we just get a few inches. We got back the hotel and went straight to lunch at Caviar & Bananas, one of my favorite lunch spots in town. Caviar & Bananas is a gourmet market and cafe. I’m a huge fan of their salad bar. The Gramercy is my go-to order and you can’t leave without grabbing a latte from their espresso bar. They use fresh ingredients, including some locally-sourced and offer a huge variety of menu items.
After lunch, we all headed to Woodhouse Day Spa for massages and facials. It is such a beautiful space with such a relaxing atmosphere. One of my favorite spots was the Quiet Room where we got to sit, chat and drink champagne after our services. Looking back we probably were not supposed to chat in the “Quiet Room,” but let’s be honest… there was no chance of quiet with the four of us. I absolutely adore all of these ladies and always take any opportunity I can to get to know them better and learn from them. Fun fact: I’ve known Casey and Savannah since before I started blogging. They used to make custom kimonos and I became a brand rep for them in college. Casey says she takes credit for “discovering” me as a blogger. Ha! They are two of the most creative and authentic gals I know and have been a constant source of inspiration since the day I met them. They’re best friends who have been blogging together for six years and really have a lot of great advice about the industry and their experiences. If you’ve never seen their house… do yourself a favor and check it out. Talk about boho goals.
I just recently met Sarah, but I feel like I’ve known her forever. She is hilarious and so down to earth. I have love getting to know her better and hearing her story about how she ended up in here in Nashville. She has built an incredible community through her Youtube channel and is always willing to share her honest opinions. I love that about her. Nashville is full of so many inspiring and creative girl bosses and I feel lucky to work alongside many of them and most importantly call them my friends.
We went back to our cozy room and set up a fun Galentine’s photoshoot with balloons and girly decor galore. After a quick little shoot we headed to dinner at Nada. It had just opened that week and I was really excited to try it out. It’s a perfect casual spot beautifully decorated with fun and vibrant decor. A few of my favorite menu items were the Habanero “Kreeper” Salsa, the Chicken Carbon Taco and the Caramalized Cauliflower Taco. We tried to order just one dessert, but they ended up bringing out all four and OF COURSE I had to try them all. The Arroz Con Leche was the unexpected favorite across the board. I’m not a tequila gal, but they apparently have awesome margaritas as well if that’s your thing. I can’t wait to go back to Nada again soon and try some other dishes. I think I’ll be a food blogger in another life.
We finished off a fun and relaxing few days with a stop at my stomping grounds, Hotbox. If you follow me on Instagram you know that Hotbox is hands down my favorite workout in town. You can find me there most mornings getting my butt kicked by all the awesome instructors. If you like high intensity, music blasting workouts, you have to give it a try! Your first class is free and tell them I sent you. You can burn 800+ calories in one 60 minute class and you’ll have a BLAST doing it. Be sure to check out Sarah’s and the girls from Hey Wanderer’s posts for their take on our little girl’s getaway.
Really beautiful! Thanks for sharing this awesome Savannah Travel guide! I’ll be visiting there next week and I am already picking from a list of great hotels fromhttps://www.visitsavannah.com/hotels-motels to stay over at and I’m really excited for my trip and vacation!