If you love history, slot some time for a tour of Belmont Mansion – the largest house museum in Nashville. This beautiful Italian-style villa was constructed in the 1850s for Adelicia Acklen, one of the wealthiest women in the country at the time and, according to some, Nashville's own Scarlett O'Hara. Although it was originally built to be a summer home, Ms. Acklen did not skimp on the details. A tour of the 19,000-square-foot mansion leads visitors through rooms ornately decorated with 19th-century antiques and lavish art.

Recent visitors praised the beautifully preserved interior and knowledgeable docents, but warn that parking around the mansion is limited. To avoid dealing with a parking headache, consider using the hop-on, hop-off trolley, which stops at the mansion.

Sitting on Belmont University's campus, a little more than 3 miles southwest of downtown Nashville, Belmont Mansion is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission costs range from $15 for adults to $5 for children ages 6 through 12. Tours of the mansion, which typically last about an hour, are also available. For more information, consult the mansion's website.