The best things to do in Nashville

Broadway is the place to be in Nashville, and is now more trendily known as Lower Broad. Simply, it’s an incredibly cool street in the city, lined with honky-tonks and other music venues, buzzing bars and food spots. You can spend a whole afternoon and evening on this stretch, just make sure you don’t miss Robert’s Western World while you’re there. 

Explore a bunch of cool Nashville neighborhoods after the sun goes down

Well, you are in Nashville, aren’t you? Hot chicken is an absolute must when you’re in Tennessee, and you won’t get it better than here. If you’re not familiar, hot chicken is spicy fried chicken in buttermilk, squished between two slices of soft white bread and served with a pickle. The original is Prince’s Hot Chicken, but Hattie B’s Hot Chicken is pretty amazing too. We’d advise getting both, obviously. 

Chow down on hot chicken and savor more of Nashville during a neighborhood tour

The Ryman Auditorium is the most famous music venue in Nashville, a.k.a. the "mother church of country music." Built as the Union Gospel Tabernacle church in 1892, it once was the home of the Grand Ole Opry. Everyone who is anyone wants to perform on this stage. The acoustics are unparalleled and often result in singers showing off their chops in ways they might not be able to elsewhere. It is a pleasure to watch artists’ reverence for the space. Come early and take the backstage tour.

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A testament to the history and impact of Black music in America, the National Museum of African American Music downtown winds visitors through a series of exhibitions that explore the evolution of African American culture chronologically, beginning with the indigenous African music that survived during slavery all the way through modern-day hip hop. Interactive technology brings the exhibits to life, like the ability to record a gospel song in the “Wade in the Water” hall and the virtual dance battle in the “One Nation Under a Groove” gallery.

The Civil Rights Room is a freestanding exhibit on the second floor of the main public library. It illustrates Nashville’s essential role in the U.S. civil rights movement and desegregation. It is kind of a hard sell to convince people to go to the library on vacation, but these powerful photographs, videos, and displays are worth seeing to learn about the sit-ins and other protests that changed the face of America. 

Nothing else captures the aesthetic of Nashville like a letterpress-made poster from Hatch Show Print. This shop, connected to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, has been making posters since 1879. You can take a tour and see the old-school methods or buy a souvenir.

Nashville is packed with low-key places to hear singer-songwriters play their lyrics, usually acoustically. A listening room is the very core of the Music City experience. Nashville is more about the people who write the songs than the stars who perform them. Open mic and songwriter nights at listening rooms, such as Listening Room Café and Bluebird Café, are places to hear the stories behind the songs.

Want to see more? Book a tour of Nashville. 

Nashville is in the heart of Tennessee whiskey country. It would be impolite not to see how the locals get things done on a distillery tour. You can take a pretty drive in the countryside to go to Jack Daniel’s Distillery or stay in the city and check out Nelson Green Brier Distillery or the Corsair Distillery and Taproom. If you want something completely different, grab a whiskey doughnut at East Nashville’s Donut Distillery.

At restaurants serving the meat-and-three, choose one meat dish (often beef tips or fried chicken) and up to three vegetables. It doesn’t get more Nashville than this. The food is delicious, particularly at Arnold’s Country Kitchen and Swett’s, with solid takes on comfort food Southern dishes, many of which rotate daily (though the latter actually serves meat and two). Also, this is the only context in the world where macaroni and cheese count as a vegetable.

Since 1925, Grand Ole Opry (broadcast on WSM) has offered a round-up of different performers playing gospel, country, bluegrass, and more in a jokey entertainment extravaganza. This is the quintessential Nashville experience. Expect shows at least twice a week, on Fridays and Saturdays, with additional ones on Tuesday nights during most weeks. Throughout most of the year, it is taped at the Opryhouse in Music Valley, where a backstage tour is available (and worthwhile). Between Thanksgiving and New Year’s, the Opry returns to its historic home at the Ryman Auditorium.

Bicentennial Capitol Mall is a state park inside the city, underneath the shadow of the state capitol building and near the Tennessee State Museum. This is an engaging way to learn about the history of the state without being stuck inside. Locals love to grab lunch at the Nashville Farmers' Market and picnic in the park. Tall trees on the east side replicate the topography of the state. Every hour (on the hour), you can hear the bells toll, playing “Rocky Top” and the “Tennessee Waltz.”

See Nashville at night with an after-hours tour

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Nashville has a bonafide soccer club with a rowdy fan base that relishes cheering them on to victory. Not only are the action-packed games a blast to watch in person, but the team’s home, Geodis Park, is a sleek new $355 million stadium that prides itself on keeping food and drink options local, with outposts of Prince’s, Rock ‘n Dough, and other Nashville staples that are ready to fuel hungry fans.

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A 55-acre botanical garden and art museum located on a historic 1929 estate, Cheekwood features over 250,000 blooming buds in the spring along with events and festivals year-round—like outdoor jazz nights and a fall harvest festival. Inside the estate, you’ll find the Cheek family’s personal art collection, while the gardens beyond feature winding walking paths and a children’s playscape with a “Little Engine that Could” storybook trail.

An indoor/outdoor waterpark at the Gaylord Opryland Resort with big slides, a lazy river, a giant movie screen for watching flicks from the pool, serious cabana action, and an adult-only pavilion with a bar. While Soundwaves is designed for hotel guests, there are all sorts of deals for locals (big discounts on rooms and the chance to book day-only parties). While the term staycation is lame, the idea of feeling like you embarked on a vacation without having bought a plane ticket is not. And Soundwaves delivers with a big splash.

Located in the right field of First Tennessee Park (now known as First Horizon Park), The Band Box is a seriously hip place to hang out during a Nashville Sounds minor league baseball game. You'll find gourmet spins on the classic burgers and dogs, plus options such as a quinoa kale salad and globally inspired snacks such as empanadas and jalapeño corn fritters. This is not your everyday ballpark food. You can even get actual table service.

This is a free party on the first Saturday of the month, where you walk door-to-door-to-door and check out the work of new artists at some of the city’s top art galleries downtown. Expect a festive atmosphere (and free wine) to toast the best visual art in a city that values creativity and artistic expression.

Want to see more of the neighborhood? Book a tour. 

Music City has more than 90 miles of greenways and 133 miles of on-road bike lanes, so it is a fun city to get to know on a bike. In June 2021, this program introduced electric bicycles, a glimpse into the future. You don’t need to own a bike to make it happen. BCycle has 36 rental stations around town, and you can rent a bike for an hour or a day. Nashville has some hills, so you’ll enjoy great vantage points… and a workout.

Marathon Village is a 1900s car factory repurposed into a shopping-dining-drinking district. The old Marathon Motor Works details and photos in the building give a quick history lesson, while the new tenants make for a fun afternoon or evening. Don’t miss Third Coast Comedy Club, Corsair Distillery and Taproom, or the Bang Candy Company. TV’s Mike Wolfe (of American Pickers fame) has an Antique Archaeology shop, too. You’ll recognize it by the line out front.