Howdy y’all… Nashville hits all the right notes for GTO of the Year®, Emma

Winning the 2025 Group Travel Organiser of the Year Award® was an honour, and the familiarisation prize that came with it gave me the perfect excuse to choose a destination I could enjoy personally while also exploring through the eyes of a future organiser.

I have since launched a new company, The Social Collective, to grow the social-travel offering, and I have also launched a new musical venture, Country Choir, so a musical trip to Nashville felt just about as fitting as it gets.

My partner Chris and I took the trip together, and I planned an itinerary that balanced music and energy with history, culture and gentler moments. We stayed in Music Row, a short taxi ride from Broadway, which meant we were close to the action but not trying to sleep in the middle of it.

Music Row had its own character too, surrounded by the famous recording studios that make the whole area feel steeped in musical history. It was a lovely retreat at the end of the day, especially after the constant soundtrack of downtown.

And Nashville really does have a constant soundtrack. Music is everywhere - not just in the obvious places, but in breakfast cafés, airport bars and clothing stores. Little stages seem to appear in the most ordinary settings, and the musicians playing on them are astonishingly good. In Nashville, live music is not an extra. It is part of the fabric of the place.

“For me, being a GTO is about bringing people together and giving them experiences that lift them, connect them and stay with them afterwards.”

Broadway is the star attraction but with Neon signs, live bands on every floor, party vehicles rolling by, cowboy boots in every direction, it is a lot. But I quickly discovered that it suited me better in the daytime. Arriving around 11am meant I could enjoy all the colour, character and bustle while the crowd was still more mixed and manageable. The atmosphere felt lively rather than frantic. I found a rhythm suited me perfectly: daytime exploring among the honky-tonks, noise and fun, followed by more considered evenings with good dinners and seated listening rooms where you can stop and take it all in.

The big attractions were excellent and, for me, the ideal starting point was the Country Music Hall of Fame. It takes you through the roots of country music right up to the present day, so you come away with a real grounding in the genre and its evolution. The famous Ryman music venue was another standout. We opted for the tour and had a wonderfully charismatic guide who brought the place to life with stories, humour and warmth. That context made our later visit to the Grand Ole Opry even better. Seeing the live radio show format in action, with several very different acts each performing a few songs, was one of the highlights of the trip.

We also made time for quieter days beyond central Nashville. Franklin was absolutely lovely - elegant, historic and so polished it almost looked like a film set. We took a trolley tour with an excellent live guide and then had brunch at Puckett’s, which was bustling, friendly and full of Southern comfort. We learnt about the Civil War and slavery. From there, Leiper’s Fork offered a completely different pace: tiny, scenic and full of rural charm, with galleries, greenery and that timeless feel that makes you want to slow right down. Belle Meade gave us another beautifully balanced day, with its grand mansion, thoroughbred history and a wine-and-food pairing experience that felt elegant without being stuffy.

Food was a joy throughout the trip. We tried hush puppies, cornbread, snickerdoodle, tater tots and shrimp and grits, and had the fun of eating at Monell’s, where food is passed round a shared table in true family style. We also met some really interesting people along the way. One of my favourite music experiences was the Station Inn, which was gloriously unpolished: beer only if you want a drink, pizza only if you want food, and a curtain across the toilet! But the bluegrass and fiddle playing there was sensational.

“Nashville really does have a constant soundtrack. Music is everywhere…”

Nashville is not shy about being Nashville. There are plenty of “howdys”, more than a few “y’alls”, and enough boots, hats and yeehaw spirit to fill a hundred honky-tonks. But what could have felt like a caricature actually felt warm, good-humoured and welcoming. I came home with cowboy boots and fresh ideas.

For me, being a GTO is about bringing people together and giving them experiences that lift them, connect them and stay with them afterwards. That is why winning this award meant so much to me. Nashville gave me music, inspiration, history and plenty of Southern charm, but it also reminded me why I love doing what I do.