Things to Do in Nashville, Tennessee

Nashville is Music City — the capital of country music, the home of the Grand Ole Opry, and one of the fastest-growing cities in America. But it’s become more than just country. The food scene is nationally recognized, the neighborhoods are walkable and distinct, and the live music on Broadway is unlike anything else in the country.

Lower Broadway & The Honky-Tonks

The neon stretch of Lower Broadway between 1st and 5th Avenue is ground zero for Nashville nightlife. Every bar has live music — no cover charge at most venues — and the volume cranks up around 10 PM.

Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge — The most famous honky-tonk in Nashville. Three floors of live music. Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, and Patsy Cline all played here when they were nobodies.

Robert’s Western World — The best honky-tonk for actual country music (some Broadway bars have gone more pop/rock). Get the fried bologna sandwich. Seriously.

The Stage — Multi-level with a rooftop bar overlooking Broadway. Good for groups.

AJ’s Good Time Bar — Alan Jackson’s bar. More laid-back than some of the bigger venues.

Kid Rock’s Big Ass Honky Tonk — Love him or hate him, the rooftop bar has one of the best views on Broadway.

Music Landmarks

Grand Ole Opry — The longest-running radio show in American history, broadcasting live since 1925. Shows happen at the Opry House (Tuesday, Friday, Saturday nights). Backstage tours are available on non-show days. If you’re in Nashville, this is the one thing you have to do.

Country Music Hall of Fame — Downtown museum covering the full history of country music. Elvis’s gold Cadillac, Taylor Swift memorabilia, Johnny Cash exhibits, and rotating special collections. Plan 2-3 hours.

RCA Studio B — The studio where Elvis recorded “Are You Lonesome Tonight,” Dolly recorded “Jolene,” and over 35,000 songs were cut between 1957-1977. Tours run through the Country Music Hall of Fame.

Ryman Auditorium — The “Mother Church of Country Music” and original home of the Grand Ole Opry. Now a concert venue with some of the best acoustics in the country. Self-guided daytime tours available.

Bluebird Cafe — A tiny, 90-seat listening room in Green Hills where songwriters perform their own songs. This is where Taylor Swift was discovered. Reservations required — seats sell out fast.

Hot Chicken & Food

Nashville hot chicken is the city’s signature dish — fried chicken coated in a cayenne-based paste that ranges from “mild” (still spicy) to “shut the cluck up” (genuinely painful).

Prince’s Hot Chicken Shack — The original. The family that invented Nashville hot chicken in the 1930s. There will be a line. It’s worth it.

Hattie B’s — The most popular hot chicken spot with tourists. Multiple locations, consistently good. The line moves fast.

Bolton’s Spicy Chicken & Fish — Local favorite, less tourist traffic than Hattie B’s.

Beyond hot chicken: Biscuit Love (brunch institution), The Catbird Seat (tasting menu, Nashville’s most acclaimed restaurant), Martin’s Bar-B-Que (whole-hog BBQ), and Monell’s (communal Southern dining — strangers pass platters family-style).

Neighborhoods

East Nashville — The hip side of the river. Craft cocktail bars, vintage shops, murals, and restaurants. Five Points is the center.

12 South — Boutique shopping, Draper James (Reese Witherspoon’s store), and the “I Believe in Nashville” mural wall.

The Gulch — Former rail yards turned upscale dining, condos, and the famous angel wings mural.

Germantown — Historic neighborhood north of downtown with Monell’s, craft breweries, and the Nashville Farmers’ Market.

Day Trips

Jack Daniel’s Distillery (Lynchburg) — 75 minutes south. The oldest registered distillery in America. Free tours, tastings in the dry county’s only legal tasting room.

Franklin — 25 minutes south. A preserved Civil War town with a walkable Main Street, antique shops, and the Carnton plantation.

Vacation Deals

View Nashville Timeshare Promotions →