Nissan Titan + NFL + Nashville = Epic Weekend

We board a 2017 Nissan Titan & head to Tennessee, where finger-licking-good BBQ and a rockstar-worthy NFL experience turn us into football believers.

Chances are you’re a football fan, and therefore an NFL fan. After all, football is the country’s most-watched sport, with baseball coming in a close second. But believe it or not, nobody in the Perez residence is a fan of ball-powered sports, with the exception of soccer (and primarily during the World Cup.)

Formula One races, we’ve been there and done that all over the world. Indycar races, check. MotoGP, check. Red Bull Air Race, check. Daytona 24 Hours, done that as well. NASCAR, yup. This might help you understand why when Nissan cordially invited us to attend a Tennessee Titans game at the Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Missi and I said: “Titans, who?”

Stoked about visiting a city we’ve never been to, attending a sporting event that’s new to us, and driving a cool pickup truck through tree-lined highways in the midst of Fall, we packed up our suitcases in a hurry and ran out the door.

Nissan Titan PRO-4X

Nissan delivered a 2017 Nissan Titan Pro-4X in gorgeous Cayenne Red with black leather interior and Tennessee Titans door magnets. After all, it’s about that team spirit, right? This would be our family’s trusty chariot during our 600-mile round trip from our home in Indianapolis, IN to Nashville, TN.

In crew cab configuration (four full-size doors), the Titan boasted more than plenty of room for the four of us to enjoy our trip down south in safety and comfort. Up front, Missi and I had everything we needed and then some. From heated and cooled seats to a sweet Rockford Fosgate 12-speaker sound system, we were more than set to party it up on our way to one of the party cities in America.

When it came to the kiddos in the backseat, they also enjoyed a plethora of comfort and convenience features. Power outlets for their electronic devices, dedicated ac/heater vents, ample legroom, and even heated seats — you name it — it had it. Thankfully the weather was toasty enough to keep everyone from utilizing the heated functions.

Our Journey

We planned a couple of stops in order to make the trip a bit more fun, but in reality, we had one thing in mind: BBQ. Good ‘ole BBQ (and pizza) is the one food the entire family can agree on while traveling.

Our first pit stop was at the Falls of the Ohio State Park, which funny enough, isn’t in Ohio — it’s actually on the border of Indiana and Kentucky, but it refers to the Ohio River. There, Lewis and Clark kicked off several expeditions, including one that’d eventually discover parts of Louisiana.

After a short history lesson, it was time for…you guessed it, BBQ! We stopped at Feast near downtown Louisville, KY and enjoyed some delicious brisket, pulled pork, and mac n’ cheese. Despite being in a self-induced food coma, we boarded our Titan to continue our drive to Nashville. Sadly, our drive wouldn’t test the Bilstein off-road shocks and all-terrain tires found in the Pro-4X trim.

After a brief but restful evening, we were ready to explore Nashville ahead of the big day. Things became even more exciting as we explored the iconic Broadway Street in downtown Nashville and we got a clear view of the massive Nissan Stadium!

Needless to say, walking around Broadway Street requires a bit of patience, but all of us enjoyed the live music, the boot and leather goods stores, and of course — the people-watching. Boy, it’s a great place to people-watch.

After burning-off the calories from our previous BBQ feast, it was time for more BBQ. This time we were off to the iconic Peg Leg Porker in the heart of Nashville, where we were welcomed by a long line of people looking to chow down. Thankfully, things moved rather quickly and got to the front in no time.

After cruising around city streets lined with music recording studios, it was time to head back to our temporary home, the stunning Thompson Hotel and recharge our batteries for the next day. The Titan, once again, maneuvered through tight city streets with ease, and its 360-degree bird’s eye view camera system made it effortless to parallel park into tight spots.

NFL Sunday

There’s something tantalizing about arriving at a stadium on game day and seeing everyone pumped up, wearing their team colors and ready to party their butts off ahead of the kick-off.

Nissan had arranged an awesome tailgate party complete with, yes, BBQ for breakfast! Of course, there were other items, but we ignored them all. In fact, the gig was catered by the Peg Leg Porker restaurant we ate at the day before, and we even got to meet the celebrity owner.

Nissan even gave us a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to walk on the field and a peek at the cheerleaders and football players as they prepared for the game. Then, it was all about the suite life.

Nissan’s Zero-Gravity seats adorned the suite, providing the best-ever seating accommodations for any sporting event anywhere. An enormous spread of game day food was on tap, including everyone’s favorite grub plus a bartender who made some kick-butt margaritas.

Funny enough, it didn’t take us too long to be overcome by the cheering Tennessee Titans fans. The roar of the crowd was more than enough to get us to love football, even if it was temporary.

Eventually, the fun had to end, but we were stoked the Titans beat the Ravens and everyone went home happy. As for us, it was time to get some rest and pack up the Titan for our drive back home.

Three nights, 600 miles, nearly two tanks of fuel, and many awesome memories. The Titan wasn’t only a perfect road trip vehicle, but it was a perfect family road trip vehicle. Who knows, maybe we’ll even watch an NFL game on tv from time to time?

Until next time, Nashville!