The town nicknamed “Music City” has a mighty reputation to uphold—and Nashville certainly hits all the right notes
Your essential guide to the best things to see and do in Nashville. Find more travel inspiration for more amazing cities here.
Nashville is a nirvana for country music lovers, with more than 180 live venues of all shapes and sizes scattered across town like rhinestones. But beyond this musical mosaic of honky-tonks, dance halls and auditoriums, Nashville has plenty of other faces too. A charming Tennessee city frequently topping polls of the best places to live in the U.S., it has evolved into a vibrant hub for tech, the visual arts and soul-galvanizing Southern cooking.
There’s its party reputation too, hence “Nashvegas.” Centered on the pulsing neon canyon that is Lower Broadway, Nashville’s nightlife is as fun as it is relentless (which might explain why it’s now widely considered to be America’s number one destination for bachelorette parties). Few places have the soul, the creative thread and the gastronomic flair of Nashville, a warm, welcoming city that dances to its own eclectic beat.
When it comes to artistic expression, Nashville isn’t just about music. For starters, it’s home to the world’s only full-sized replica of the Parthenon (the original structure was built in 1897 to support Nashville’s claim as “The Athens of the South”). Rebuilt to scale in the 1920s, it remains a must-visit today, housing the city’s art collection, including an incredible 42-foot golden statue of Athena. Meanwhile, the Frist Art Museum—situated in a magnificent art deco former post office on Broadway—showcases everything from modern photography to ancient sculpture, and history buffs will adore the free Tennessee State Museum, with its combination of permanent and rotating exhibits.
If you’re looking to invest in your own art collection, head for NoBro (North of Broadway), where you’ll find a group of phenomenal galleries clustered on and around 5th Avenue, including the Tinney Contemporary and The Rymer. Better still, join around 1,000 attendees each month on the First Saturday Art Crawl, when more than 20 art galleries throw open their doors from 5–8 p.m.
Fly into Nashville International Airport (BNA). Take the Route 18 bus to central Nashville, which takes around 35 minutes, or grab an airport taxi and be there in 20 minutes.
All buses have wheelchair ramps or lifts and accessible space. Guided tours for the visually impaired are available at many attractions, including the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Nashville is a walkable city. Public transportation is limited. WeGo buses travel the city, and WeGo Park & Ride offers free parking for bus passengers. Download the QuickTicket app to book. Electric scooters are found across Nashville. Download an app to locate and book your ride. Cycle the city using the e-bike rental program. Pay as you go by credit card at the kiosk or through the mobile app. Ridesharing apps are readily available, or rent a car to explore further afield.
Nashville Pride Festival takes place in June in Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park and the surrounding streets. East Nashville, specifically Church Street, is a thriving LGBTQ+ neighborhood.
While much of Nashville’s fun revolves around live music in bars, 21-and-over policies aren’t typically enforced on Broadway until at least 6 p.m., depending on the venue. The Bluebird Cafe singer-songwriter sessions are also open to all ages, while free all-ages concerts are held outdoors in West End’s Centennial Park from mid-May to mid-June.
“Meat and three” is a proud Nashvillian tradition, still served in restaurants all over the city. Consisting of one meat (normally chicken, beef or a pork chop) and three sides of your choice (think steaming mashed potato, buttery green beans, and gooey mac and cheese), this Southern staple is best enjoyed at old-school eateries like Arnold’s Country Kitchen, Big Al’s Deli and Monell’s—a well-heeled Victorian townhouse where the dishes arrive family style at communal tables.
Hot chicken is another iconic Nashville food, with most places serving their fried fowl at four levels: mild, medium, hot and very hot. Purists will tell you to head to Prince’s, where the tradition began, but Pepperfire and Hattie B’s both have their outspoken fans too (the latter has an additional heat level: “Shut the Cluck Up”).
For something a little more upscale, head to East Nashville for a rich, eclectic mix of restaurants including the rustic, French-inspired Café Margot, seasonal small plates at june, and inventive Iberian gastronomy at Peninsula.
For post-dinner cocktails, make a beeline for The Patterson House—a cozy, book-lined establishment with masterful mixologists—or Attaboy, which looks like an industrial bunker from the outside, but conceals a dimly lit speakeasy with incredible drinks.
The bars up and down Lower Broadway—aka “Honky Tonk Highway”—pump out live country, blues, soul, jazz and rock until the wee hours every night, meaning you’ll be genuinely spoilt for choice. It’s hard to go wrong here—just follow your nose (and your ears)—but a popular place to start is Robert’s Western World, which has been here for years and seemingly never raised its prices, or Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge, if only to count the number of locals dancing on the bar.
Many will want to pay homage at the Ryman Auditorium—universally considered “The Mother Church of Country Music”—but don’t sleep on the more intimate Station Inn, which serves a similar purpose for bluegrass lovers. Another essential Nashville experience: a session of music and banter with the city’s top songwriters at the Bluebird Café (just be sure to get tickets well in advance).
Nashville’s dizzying collection of world-class music museums makes for a fine way to fill up the daylight hours between gigs, including the Country Music Hall of Fame, the Johnny Cash Museum and the Patsy Cline Museum (both housed in the same building), and the National Museum of African American Music, which opened in 2021, tracing 400 years of African American music and its influence. Also, keep an eye out for the Gospel Music Museum, set to open in 2025.
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Hugging the southwestern corner of Downtown, The Gulch is an old industrial district that’s morphed in recent years into one of Nashville’s most stylish neighborhoods. Old warehouses host exciting restaurants like Adele’s, The 404 Kitchen and Saint Añejo, while their flanks are adorned with an abundance of lively street art (don’t miss the famous angel wings mural for a must-have Instagram shot). All of Nashville’s major attractions are within walking distance of The Gulch, but by staying slightly out of the spotlight you’re upping the relaxation factor—and the possibility of better deals.
Nashville’s oldest suburban neighborhood, Germantown has its own unique personality, radiating period charm from its restored Victorian buildings. Here you’ll find well-heeled wine bars, quirky cafés and chic boutiques tucked away on leafy sidewalks, just north of the State Capitol. Centered around the lively Nashville Farmers’ Market, Germantown is also home to two of the city’s best restaurants: 5th & Taylor, emanating rustic industrial vibes; and Rolf and Daughters, serving its feted “modern peasant” menu. Bed down at the Germantown Inn, a stylish bed and breakfast channeling the neighborhood’s vibe perfectly—and within easy walking distance of all the action.
Just across the Cumberland River from downtown, East Nashville is the heart of the city’s creative scene, with indie boutiques, record shops, art galleries, and lauded dining spots, such as Lockeland Table for “Southern-accented” American fare or Urban Cowboy for innovative craft cocktails. Much of the action is centered around Five Points intersection.
Jonathan Thompson is an award-winning travel journalist and author who splits his time between Dallas and London. He contributes to publications on both sides of the Atlantic, including Travel + Leisure, Condé Nast Traveler, The Sunday Times, GQ and Esquire. He also hosts the Discovery Channel TV show Adventure Cities.
