Nashville Makes Reunion Planning Easy

Convention and visitors bureaus or tourism offices are a good place to start when choosing a location for a family reunion. Local bureaus can help locate accommodations that fit the group's budget, recreation and entertainment preferences.

The Nashville Convention and Visitors Bureau is especially attuned to the needs of reunion planners. Its one-stop service helps callers obtain hotel rate and availability information and arrange customized tours. With the same phone call, planners can obtain maps, travel guides, and brochures on Nashville attractions and African-American heritage sites. The bureau also offers Nashville postcards, posters and slides that can be used to promote a planned reunion.

Nashville's wealth of multicultural attractions makes it an ideal location for families celebrating their heritage. For families looking to explore Nashville's significant African-American sites, Nashville Black Heritage Tours offers a three-hour bus tour that encompasses Fisk University, Meharry Medical College, Fort Negley, African-American churches, and schools.

The historic campus of Fisk University, home of the Fisk Jubilee Singers, is an especially significant site. Its Jubilee Hall is the oldest building in the nation dedicated to higher learning for African-Americans. The Aaron Douglas Gallery in the university's library houses one of the largest collections of African art in the nation. Also on campus is the Carl Van Vechten Gallery, which features outstanding works of African-American artists.

For family members who enjoy shopping excursions, Nashville offers eight shopping malls. The newest is Opry Mills, with more than 200 specialty stores, manufacturer outlets, off-price retailers, restaurants, 20-screen cinema, and an IMAX 3-D Theatre.

Just 10 minutes from downtown is the Nashville Zoo at Grassmere. In addition to its animal exhibits, the zoo features the country's largest community-built playground and a working 19th-century farm. For another view of bygone days, the Belle Meade Mansion south of Nashville offers tours of a Greek Revival home, carriage house, stables and plantation grounds.

Fall is an ideal time of year for family gatherings in Nashville. The events surrounding the John Merritt Classic NCAA football game offer entertainment for all ages. This year's festivities begin August 30, and include the Big Blue Village Festival at Riverfront Park, band concerts and pep rallies. The contest between the TSU Tigers and the Alabama A&M Bulldogs takes place on September 1, at Adelphia Coliseum.

It's not too early to start planning a family visit to Nashville next summer to attend the annual Celebration of Cultures. This July event features music, entertainment, storytelling, food, crafts, cultural programs, and children's activities with a distinctly international flavor.