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Nashvilleans are on the whole a very friendly bunch, but in recent decades the city has grown into a major metropolitan area with its share of big-city problems. According to current FBI statistics, Nashville's per capita crime rates exceed national averages both in acts of violence and nonviolent property crime. Statistics aside, Nashville is not a particularly dangerous city, but tourists can be easy prey for criminals, so a few basic precautions are in order.

Property theft, including motor vehicle theft, accounts for the greatest number of major crimes here, so keeping track of your belongings is crucial. Never leave unsecured valuables like notebook computers, cameras or jewelry in your hotel room or in a parked car. And always keep a tight grip on your purse, camera bag or fanny pack when you're in a bar, night club or other crowded public place where tourists congregate.

Most Nashville neighborhoods are perfectly safe in the daytime, but if you go out on the town after dark, seek local advice about which areas are best avoided. If you have any doubts about where you're going, consider traveling door-to-door by taxi instead of driving yourself.

For more visitor safety tips, see the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department Web site at www.police.nashville.org.