VAC Nashville Orientation

About Nashville

The Vanderbilt Addiction Center is located in Nashville, Tennessee. It is just five minutes from downtown Nashville. Located in Middle Tennessee, Nashville is Tennessee's state capitol, and the incorporated metropolitan area has a population of more than one million. It is noted for its health care, publishing, insurance, finance, music, and entertainment industries. The Vanderbilt campus is located just southwest of the central city between commercial and residential districts, offering the advantages of both. Nashville has the largest area of parks per capita of any city its size in the U.S.

Close to campus are a variety of restaurants and coffeehouses with a more local flair. For ethnic cuisine, choices range from Chinese to Thai to Indian, all within walking distance.

Nashville's historic riverfront district has tourist attractions like the Hard Rock Cafe, Wildhorse Saloon and Planet Hollywood as well as more cozy restaurants, coffee houses, nightclubs, bookstores, and shops.

Pro sports abound with Adelphia Stadium, home of the Tennessee Titans National Football League team, and Gaylord Arena, home to the National Hockey League Predators, as well as the Nashville Sounds Triple-A baseball team. The Iroquois Steeplechase is an annual attraction. With Nashville's moderate climate, golf and tennis are played virtually year-round.

The Tennessee Performing Arts Center (TPAC) in downtown Nashville is home to the Nashville Symphony Orchestra, Nashville Opera Association, Tennessee Repertory Theatre, Tennessee Dance Theatre, and the Nashville Ballet, as well as a venerable amateur theatre group, Circle Players. TPAC also offers a Broadway Show series as well as a variety of local and national touring artists. And, of course, Nashville is the home of the Count Music Hall of Fame and the Grand Ole Opry for country and western music fans.

In the visual arts, Nashville resources include Cheekwood Botanical Garden and Museum of Art, the Frist Center for the Visual Arts, galleries, and annual craft fairs featuring artists of regional national distinction. Areas of historic interest include the Hermitage, home of President Andrew Jackson, and Belle Meade Plantation.

Nashville has many parks with hiking trails and quiet spots for reflection. Radnor Lake and the Warner Parks are a short drive away from the Vanderbilt campus. Centennial Park with its famous replica of the Greek Parthenon is within walking distance of the VAC.

You can also visit these web sites to learn more about Nashville:

CitySearch Nashville
Nashville (official site)
Nashville (unofficial site)
Nashville Convention and Visitors Bureau On-Line
Tennessean's "On Nashville"

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