Don't Buy Into the Hype
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7/6/2016
I believe Nashville has been getting a false reputation of being a great destination for transplants, and I find this to be quite misleading. If you are looking for a friendly, open-minded city in which others are always looking for opportunities to interact with others and meet new people, look elsewhere, like Austin. The people who seem to enjoy the city the most are those that grew up and have made friends and have family there, or those that have a stable job in the music industry. If you come alone, and aren't an attractive female, you're likely to stay that way throughout your duration.
Despite being a southern city, the people just aren't that friendly. When I go to my home town in Arkansas, I see people interacting with strangers, smiling, and being welcoming in general. People keep to themselves in this city, for the most part. Even most clerks, bartenders, servers, etc. seem very closed off and not at all eager for a friendly conversation. When you go out at night, you see groups of people keeping to themselves and not really interacting with others or even acknowledging them. Even at work, people don't seem eager to converse with people outside of their group of friends.
The restaurants are okay-there are a few gems (Hattie B's hot chicken is moderately priced and wonderful), but it is mostly your corporate affair. Night life is not for everyone- you'll mainly find very crowded, very noisy venues serving $5 beers and featuring miserable looking musicians playing generic country songs. If you're in a group, you should be able to have a good time, but if you go in alone hoping to meet people, you'll be disappointed in most cases.
If your career depends on you moving to this city, then I can understand the decision to move here. But it is a very artifical, corporate town. You may hear the sound of that and not care, but the people feel very cold and fake as well. I've lived in and visited many different cities, and have never experienced troubled in meeting or befriending people. If you meet good ones here , they are the exception, not the rule. Just do yourself a favor and avoid, unless you absolutely aspire to be a country musician. Traffic sucks. Peoplr(for the most part) suck. No personality. Go on vacation here and move along.
Austin | Nashville, TN