Midtown: Midtown is a great neighborhood for a student who enjoys nature. In fact, Centennial Park is located in this neighborhood. It is also close to Music Row and many concert venues.

Downtown: Downtown Nashville is another great option for students who want to be close to campus and all the fun that Nashville has to offer. It is home to many music venues, restaurants, parks, and other great places students will enjoy.

And wherever you live, you may want to live with a fellow Belmont student or two so you can maximize your budget.

Dining

There is no shortage of good coffee shops in Nashville, nearby the Belmont campus. For example, Frothy Monkey is a small coffee shop that serves specialty coffee alongside sandwiches. It is the perfect environment for students to hang out at. Additionally, Bongo Java is located right across from campus. It serves coffee and an all-day breakfast. If you are in the mood to listen to music, it also has a small performance venue upstairs. For an old school coffee shop, you could go to Makai. They serve delicious coffee, tea, sandwiches, and pastries. Clearly, there are many great coffee shops to try in Nashville.

And you can't miss one of the most famous breakfast places in Nashville -- the Pancake Pantry, located in Hillsboro Village. They are known for their “old fashioned buttermilk pancakes”, but their waffles, French toast, and eggs are also good options.

Of course, Nashville is also known for its delicious Southern style food. If a student goes to Belmont University, they should definitely try some of Nashville's best Southern restaurants.

Monell's is an award-winning restaurant with three locations throughout Nashville. It is known for its biscuits and fried chicken, along with its barbecued meats. They serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner (except for dinner on Sundays and Mondays).

Another great restaurant for Southern style food is Arnold's Country Kitchen. Although their menu varies from day to day, they usually have Southern staples like roast beef, fried chicken, green beans, mashed potatoes, and mac and cheese.

Transportation

Nashville MTA Bus: If you need to commute to and from campus, you can use the Nashville MTA bus. You can ride for free with your Belmont University ID. With various routes and convenient stops, the bus is a great option for students who want to get off campus and into the city.

Belmont University Commuter Bus: For students who live off campus, Belmont has a bus service that will pick them up in various popular neighborhoods and drop them off on campus. The “Relax and Ride” commuter bus system has stops in Rutherford County, Sumner County, Dickson, Springfield, Franklin, Clarksville, and Spring Hill. Students can obtain free tickets on the Relax and Ride website. This is the best option for students who live close to campus but can't necessarily walk or bike to campus.

Biking: Nashville is a very biking friendly city. For that reason, it's definitely a good idea to get around the Belmont with your bicycle. Still, before riding a bike around campus, students should register it with the Belmont Office of Campus Security. The OCS will give you a decal to display on your bike. When you do bring your bike to campus, be sure to only park it on a designated bike racks. Biking is a quick, healthy, convenient, and environmentally friendly way to travel around Nashville and the Belmont campus.

Parking

Parking On Campus: Like many other universities, Belmont has parking permits students can buy to park in various lots or garages around campus. There are decals for commuter students that allow them to park anywhere on campus (except for reserved spaces, guest spaces, or spaces for those with disabilities). There are other parking permits for students who live on campus, and they are required to park in their designated lot or garage. If you are a commuter student, you can get a parking permit and park your car on Belmont's campus.

Parking in Downtown Nashville: If a student needs to park downtown, they definitely can. There are many metered parking spaces located conveniently throughout Nashville. However, just because you see an available meter spot does not mean you can park there. Look out for signs letting you know if the meter has any restrictions (for example, no parking from 10AM-4PM, or a bag over the meter). Parking in downtown Nashville is possible, just make sure you follow all the posted rules.

Safety

WalletHub conducted a study of Safest Cities in America, in which Nashville was ranked #80 out of 180 cities. Many crimes are property related crimes, such as theft (especially of bicycles), but more violent crimes do happen. For this reason, it is important for students to take care of their personal property, be aware of their surroundings and to go out in groups, rather than alone.

Shopping

The two biggest grocery chains that serve the Nashville area are Kroger and Publix. You should be able to find everything you need there. There are also multiple locations of each store throughout Nashville, so you are likely to have one nearby. Additionally, Nashville has more specialized grocery stores like Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, and H.G. Hill Urban Market. These stores are known for selling organic, healthy food.

Nashville is also home to multiple shopping malls. For example, the 100 Oaks Mall is close to campus, and it also has a movie theater and many stores (like Ross, Burlington, and TJMaxx). It has restaurants like Panera Bread and Au Bon Pain, too. Additionally, the oldest mall in Nashville is The Arcade, which is known for its boutiques and wide selection of restaurants. There is also an outlet mall called the Opry Mills, where students can find shopping and entertainment. If you need to access a bigger mall, the RiverGate Mall is a little further outside of Nashville, but it contains good stores like Macy's and Dillards.