Green Hills - Nashville, TN

In the last half century, Nashville as a whole experienced an astonishing level of growth. This resulted in many of Nashville's residents moving out of the city itself and into many of the growing suburban areas, including Green Hills.

The nearby presence of three nationally-recognized universities (Vanderbilt, Lipscomb, and Belmont) played a large role in sculpting the current culture of Green Hills. A number of the businesses and bars in the area cater to this college crowd, and the neighborhood has a trendy feel to it. The neighborhood enjoys numerous cultural and artistic events, including annual Green Hills Harvest Festival. There are no proper museums in Green Hills, although the universities often erect displays paying homage to the area's history.

The numerous Green Hills restaurant options actually make the area one of the best dining destinations in Nashville. In the area surrounding The Mall at Green Hills, a number of upscale chain eateries await, including the Cheesecake Factory, Noodles and Company, Carraba's, and Taziki's Mediterranean Cafe.

Locally-owned restaurants in Green Hills include the culturally significant Bluebird Cafe. Besides serving succulent sandwiches and quesadillas, the Bluebird Cafe's stage hosts some of Nashville's most talented songwriters. Lines almost always form outside the Bluebird Cafe especially on Sunday nights. Fortunately, the great food and stunning music make this Nashville treasure well worth the wait. Busy aptly describes the nightlife in Green Hills. The Greenhouse Bar fittingly occupies a greenhouse, allowing it not only to serve delicious drinks, but also to decorate with a truly unique design inspired by plants and natural themes.

Just around the corner lies Crow's Nest. This sports bar's reputation in Nashville grew quickly due to its superior service and great food menu, and the beer selection's growth to include local and regional brews helped. Despite the busy atmosphere of Green Hills, Crow's Nest truly feels like a slow-paced neighborhood bar.

The close proximity of Green Hills to Nashville's city center makes transportation in and around the area quite simple. Both taxis and ride-sharing services like Uber cater to the neighborhood, and numerous street parking spaces and paid lots exist for private drivers.

Hillsboro Pike passes directly through the center of Green Hills. This road, which later goes by the names 21st Avenue and then Broadway, is one of Nashville's most important highways. It allows easy access to both I-440 and I-65.

Nashville's public bus system, the Nashville MTA, passes extensively through Green Hills. Bus lines 2, 21, 8, 7 and 91 all pass through the neighborhood, and visitors should have no trouble finding one of the many bus stops along the major roads.

Though the business areas experience massive amounts of automobile traffic, biking and walking through the residential sections of the neighborhood remains an option. Biking lanes exist on a small percentage of roads, though riding in the shoulders of smaller streets poses no threats to bikers.

Green Hills Park, Sally Beaman Park, Woodmont Park and Elmington Park comprise the greenery options in Green Hills. Though all four of these operate on small patches of land, residents heavily frequent all the parks, especially Green Hills Park. The playground, jungle gym, unique rope web pyramid and walking trails make this a perfect spot for children. Furthermore, animals are welcome at the park. Green Hills Park features baseball, soccer and tennis facilities, making it one of the more exercise-centric parks in the neighborhood. The parks host numerous special events throughout the year.

Due to its prime location and upscale nature, the cost of living in Green Hills remains high when compared to many of the other neighborhoods in Nashville. However, when compared to a national cost of living, Green Hills is remarkably average, deviating just 1 percent less than the national average. Housing in Green Hills costs roughly $1,250 per month for a one-bedroom residence. Beer at a local pub typically costs only $5 per pint. Gas prices usually rank about 3 percent higher than the national average and 11 percent higher than the city average.

The Mall at Green Hills represents one of the best shopping malls in Nashville. This immense complex features numerous high-end fashion and cosmetic stores, including Nordstrom and Louis Vuitton. The mall also hosts an Apple store and Teavana.

The area surrounding the mall supports many small boutique stores. Ten Thousand Villages sits just across Hillsboro Pike from The Mall at Green Hills, but its unique products make it an entirely different experience. This establishment prides itself on sourcing free-trade products and providing transparent details on the origins of its wares. This admirable business practice, coupled with the unique variety of jewelry and gift items, makes Ten Thousand Villages stand out among the crowded Green Hills shopping scene.

Parnassus Books fulfills the literary needs of the Green Hills neighborhood. The cozy bookshop features works by local authors to give visitors an insider's view into the history of the town. Patrons peruse novels, nonfiction and classic literature of all types.

Find a number of grocery options in Green Hills, including Kroger, Whole Foods Market and Trader Joe's. Attend the West End Farmers Market every Saturday, rain or shine. Purchase locally grown produce, meat, dairy, baked goods and honey at the Vine Street church parking lot at Vine Street and Harding Pike.