What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you hear “Nashville?” For me, the answer is country music. Country music was not born here (it was actually born in Bristol, Tennessee) but Nashville is responsible for growing the country music industry over the past 100 years. People travel here to see the Country Music Hall of Fame, the legendary Ryman Auditorium, and of course, the hallowed halls of the Grand Ole Opry.
But what if you don’t care about the history behind the music. What if you just want to have a good time? Nashville will not disappoint. With a hopping nightlife scene, live music spilling out of the Honky Tonks onto Broadway, and great restaurants, this city is a ton of fun for the over 21 crowd.
They say that Nashville is a drinking town with a music problem. You don’t have to be a country music fan to have a good time here (Tim and I proved that!). Take a look and see what Nashville has to offer.
Best Things to do in Nashville
#1 Bluebird Cafe
If you go to one place in Nashville, it should be the Bluebird Cafe. This was our favorite place in Nashville. The Bluebird Cafe is located in a strip mall a few miles from the heart of Nashville.
In this 90 seat cafe, four to five singer/songwriters sit in the center of the room, taking turns playing their music for the audience. It is an intimate, casual experience. The small venue and the talent of these artists are what really makes the Bluebird Cafe special. Up-and-coming songwriters play here, hoping to make their big break. Bluebird Cafe has become even more popular in the past three years with its frequent appearance on the ABC television series “Nashville.”
Reserve your tickets as soon as they are available online (about one week before the performance) or be prepared to wait in line. We waited in line for three hours to get one of the few walk-in seats. This line grew to over 60 people before opening time, just to give you an idea of the popularity of this venue. But the wait was absolutely worth it.
To visit the Bluebird website where you can purchase your tickets online, click here.
LEARN MORE: How to Get a Seat at the Bluebird Cafe
#2 Go Honky Tonking
The Honky Tonk bars on Broadway are Nashville’s most entertaining site. The beer and the Wild Turkey are flowing, live music is playing in every bar, and this place is just pure fun. Our favorites were Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge, Robert’s Western World, The Stage, and the Big Bang Dueling Piano Bar.
#3 Ryman Auditorium
The Ryman Auditorium, a historic building dating back to the 19th century, is now used as a concert music venue. From 1943 to 1974 it was the home to the Grand Ole Opry. Now, artists like Coldplay, Mumford and Sons, and Sheryl Crow perform here. Take a self-guided tour during the day or watch a concert at night. Located just one block off of Broadway, it’s easy to get to.
Click here to buy tickets for concerts at Ryman Auditorium. Click here for skip the line tickets on this self-guided tour.
#4 Wait in Line for Some of Nashville’s Best Eats
The people of Nashville do not mind waiting in line to dine at their best restaurants. Wow, never have we waited in line so many times in one weekend. Most of the time it was worth it. Recommended restaurants are Loveless Cafe, Arnold’s Country Kitchen, the Pancake Pantry, Biscuit Love, and Hattie B’s Hot Chicken, just to name a few. During the three days we were here, we sampled as many as possible.
For our post on the best places to eat in Nashville, click here.
#5 Country Music Hall of Fame
For us, even though we are not country music fans, we couldn’t visit Nashville without at least taking a peek at the Country Music Hall of Fame. See Elvis’ solid gold Cadillac, the gold and platinum records lining the walls, and the exhibits documenting the growth of country music.
#6 RCA Studio B
This was another highlight of our weekend. RCA Studio B was the recording studio where Elvis recorded more than 260 songs. Dolly Parton, Roy Orbison, and many other artists also recorded their music here. The Steinway piano that sits in the corner of the room has been here since 1957 and was played in many songs from the 1950’s and 1960’s. To sit in this room where so much musical history took place was a very cool experience.
You can visit RCA Studio B as an add-on to your Country Music Hall of Fame admission. It takes one hour to tour the studio and it is worth it!!
RELATED: Want to visit the recording studio of Motown? Check out our Detroit Travel Guide.
#7 Grand Ole Opry
This is another destination that is on the Nashville “must see” list. How can you pass up a visit to the Grand Ole Opry? This establishment put Nashville on the map and was responsible for making country music what it is today. Take a backstage tour and/or watch a show.
Here are several highly rated tours on Get Your Guide that include the Grand Ole Opry, the Country Music Hall of Fame, and/or RCA Studio B.
#8 Take a City Tour
There are no shortage of fun tours in Nashville. Take a Segway tour, a redneck NashTrash Tour, or ride the Sprocket Rocket Party Bike or Pedal Tavern around town.
#9 Johnny Cash Museum
One last museum, especially for the country music fans out there. This one contains a world class collection of items that tells the story of Johnny Cash’s life.
#10 Franklin, Tennessee
If you have a car and want to escape the Honky Tonks and the museums, Franklin is a great change of pace. A small, historic town located a half hour drive away from downtown Nashville, this is a place to enjoy more Tennessee cooking and to go shopping.
#11 Jack Daniel’s Distillery
Located in Lynchburg, Tennessee, this is a hour and a half away from Nashville by car. For whiskey fans this excursion may be worth it. This tour from Nashville is a great option if you don’t have a car, or don’t feel like doing the drive on your own.
#12 Union Station Hotel
This is a 19th century Victorian train station reborn into a historic hotel. It is beautiful inside and would make a great splurge hotel in Nashville.
Where We Stayed
We stayed at the Homewood Suites Nashville Vanderbilt. This hotel is located 2 miles from the Honky Tonks and downtown Nashville. The hotel offers a free shuttle service to take you to and from downtown. The rooms are large and come with a kitchen. We picked this hotel because it gets great reviews and was a little cheaper than staying down by the Honky Tonks.
If you are want to stay in downtown Nashville, check out 21c Museum Hotel. This hotel/art museum combo is located within walking distance of the main sites on Broadway and gets excellent reviews.
More Information for Your Trip to Tennessee:
- BEST EATS IN NASHVILLE: 15 Great Restaurants to Try in Nashville
- BLUEBIRD CAFE: How to Get a Seat at the Bluebird Cafe
- GATLINBURG: A Weekend in Gatlinburg and Great Smoky Mountains National Park
- GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS: Hiking Mt. LeConte in the Great Smoky Mountains
Read all of our articles about the USA in our United States Travel Guide.
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- TEXAS: 13 Best Things to do in Austin, Texas
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- ARIZONA: Petrified Forest National Park: Travel Guide & Itinerary
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Comments 19
Hello Earth Trekkers
Thank you for this informative content. I would like you to add one more place that I found during my Visit of Nashville, that is called as The Stage On Broadway, that offers great live country music bands and dance bars experience.
Hey, thank you for this amazing blog. I would like to add one more place that I found amazing for live music and nightlife bars. It is called as Legends Corner that offers a classic dive bar experience and provides great country music.
going back in june for my third visit all the way from new zealand long journey to get there but once there am in neaven
Author
Nashville is a great place!! I feel the same way about Queenstown, New Zealand. 🙂 Cheers, Julie
You have some interesting pics in here. By seeing your pics and reading your blog makes me crave to visit and experience Nashville soon.
What camera did you use for the pictures?! Looks amazing.
Author
Here’s a link to our camera gear guide. I used the Canon 5D Mark III with a 24-70 mm lens. Since our first visit to Nashville I upgraded to the Canon 5D Mark IV. Cheers, Julie
Why wasn’t the Parthenon one of these sites to see???
Author
The Parthenon is a good place to visit, but for us, there were at least 12 things we liked more in Nashville.
Thank you for your great recommendations! We’ll be visiting Nashville in January and we’ll definitely have this post in mind.
Author
Nice! Have fun!
Someone else mentioned the Opryland Hotel but that’s another Nashville staple. There are a few other staples such as Loveless Cafe, Marathon Motor Works, and Belle Meade Plantation. I live in Nashville so I could go on all day.
Author
Thanks for the recommendations! We have Loveless Cafe listed in post about where to eat in Nashville. Cheers, Julie
Very accurate list but you missed a biggie in my humble opinion. A walk through the Gaylord Hotel is worth a couple of hours while in Nashville. Leave early before your Grand Ole Opry experience and tour the nearby Gaylord or even stay there for that matter. It’s comparable in beauty and uniqueness to some of the Vegas Strip hotels.
Author
Hello Deborah. We did drive by it but never went in (we have been to the Gaylord in Orlando). Thanks for the recommendation! – Julie
Great list but you missed a few of the wonderful, unique, “Old Nashville” places. The Aracade, between 4th & 5th Avenues. The Nashville Nut Peanut Shoppe is on the corner at the center of Arcade. These two are so, so Nashville. The Frist Center for the Arts on Broadway, next to Union Station Hotel. All of these places/buildings are older than the Bluebird. Next time you’re in town, check out them out. You’ll love them!
Author
Hello Sharon. Thank you for the recommendations! Yes, we will have to check them out the next time we are in Nashville. And there will be a next time…Nashville is awesome! – Julie
I didn’t know there was a Johnny Cach museum in Nashville! That would be so much fun to visit. I am currently planning a trip there, and I will have to add that to the list for sure. I bet everyone in the family will love it.
Author
Have fun in Nashville! It’s a fun city to visit. 🙂 – Julie