Your guide to Nashville
Nashville highlights
Music city
If you’ve been planning a visit to Nashville, you’re probably familiar with the city that nurtured Dolly Parton and Johnny Cash. The world-famous Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum celebrates them both, alongside the likes of Elvis Presley and Hank Williams. By night, look for the neon signs and noisy honky tonks on Broadway, where bluegrass, jazz and rock ’n’ roll create a beautiful soundclash.
Hot chicken
Digging into a plate of hot chicken is a must when in Nashville, and there’s no better place to try it than where it all began, Prince’s Hot Chicken. Legend says the dish was created when the girlfriend of serial womaniser Thornton Prince III cooked him some fried chicken laced with cayenne pepper as revenge for staying out late. To her dismay, he loved it and ended up spreading the word. The rest is history.
Emerging arts
Nashville’s creative credentials don’t end at music — the city has a flourishing art scene too. Art lovers should start at the Frist Art Museum, a local favourite since 2001 that showcases hands-on exhibitions year-round. Then, in true Music City style, check out Nashville’s iconic illustrations at Hatch Show Print, a working letterpress print shop that created the city’s most famous concert posters.
Nashville: Know before you go
| Language | English |
|---|---|
| Currency | United States dollar ($) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) and UTC-5 (CDT) |
| High season | May - July |
| Low season | January - February |
Find the best time to go to Nashville
Weather in Nashville
March – May: Tornado season brings wet and sometimes extreme weather, so pay attention to forecasts. But by May, warm, dry days are for getting outside. Take a dip at Old Hickory Lake.
June – August: Nashville is at its hottest from July to August, when temperatures reach 31°C. Stay hydrated at outdoor festivals, and be prepared for July’s sudden downpours.
September – November: Early autumn brings balmy days. Head to Percy Warner Park in October to see the colours. But pack a jacket for the cool evenings.
December – February: Winter lows can dip below freezing in January, with occasional snow. Cosy up in a famous listening room like the Bluebird Cafe or City Winery.
Events in Nashville
Tin Pan South (March): For five days, Nashville celebrates its songwriting tradition with over 100 shows at venues across the city.
CMA Fest (June): Watch A-list artists walk the red carpet at country music’s most glamorous awards. Then join the crowds at their stage performances.
Tomato Art Fest (August): Wear something red to East Nashville’s quirkiest community event. Celebrate the humble vegetable (or is it a fruit?) with paintings, performances and more.
Oktoberfest (October): In autumn, the city honours its foodie culture with a bunch of beer, wine and barbecue events. But nothing beats the Bavarian-style feasting that takes over the Germantown neighbourhood.
The best neighbourhoods in Nashville
Downtown
Downtown is the best area to stay in Nashville for the bright neon lights of Broadway. But you should first take advantage of the Nashville Trolley. This old-style streetcar offers hop-on-hop-off tickets to give you easy access to all the major sights, including the Country Music Hall of Fame. At night, follow the lights and sounds to the city’s best honky tonk bars and live music shows.
Good for: Neon lights, live music, streetcars
The Gulch
Located south of downtown, this former industrial zone is the city’s trendiest zip code and one of the best neighbourhoods to stay in Nashville. The Gulch is LEED-certified, its warehouses and once-abandoned factories transformed into boutique hotels and art galleries. Today, it’s known for colourful street art, live music venues and some of the city’s top cocktail bars.
Good for: Street art, live music, hotels
East Nashville
Across the Cumberland River from downtown, East Nashville is where to stay if you want a more laid-back urban experience. This family-friendly neighbourhood is close to good parks, like East Park with its baseball diamonds and playground. It’s also a prime spot for indie shopping, home to used bookstores, vintage boutiques and a smattering of art galleries.
Good for: Galleries, parks, indie shops
Things to do in Nashville
Family friendly things to do
There are plenty of things to do with the family in Nashville that don’t involve live music. For starters, the kids will love riding the old school Nashville Trolley street car. Nashville Zoo and the Adventure Science Center will also keep them occupied for hours. In Cumberland Park, there’s a climbing wall and splash area too.
Shopping
Even the pickiest travellers will appreciate the shopping in Nashville. Lovers of high street brands like Levi’s and Sephora will feel right at home around Fifth + Broadway in Downtown. If you’re looking for unique items, head for the vintage and antique stores of East Nashville and Germantown for the city’s best indie retailers.
Take in the culture
Checkout Elvis Presley’s gold-plated Cadillac at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, then head to Centennial Park to marvel at a full-scale replica of the Greek Parthenon. Catching a performance at the Grand Ole Opry is all but required here. The world’s longest-running radio broadcast still books an impressive lineup of musicians. The National Museum of African American Music celebrates the contributions of Black Americans to more than 50 musical genres and subgenres with interactive exhibits.
Places to eat
Going to Nashville and not trying the hot chicken is like going to New York City and not having a slice of pizza. Prince’s Hot Chicken is the original place and one of the best restaurants in Nashville, but Hattie B’s also comes highly rated. The city’s culinary scene reflects its diverse population, so you’ll find BBQ, tacos, pizza and sushi in just about every neighbourhood.
Nightlife
Nightlife in Nashville is all about experiencing the city’s live music scene. The four-block stretch of Lower Broadway known as the ‘Honky Tonk Highway’ rollicks with country, jazz, bluegrass and more until the early hours thanks to bars like Tootsies Orchid Lounge. Don’t worry if you don’t like country music — Kings of Leon, Jack White and The Black Keys all came out of Nashville too.
Free things to do
If you’re looking for free things to do in Nashville, begin at the city’s parks and trails. There’s also the Tennessee State Museum and State Capitol, which are both free to enter. Art lovers could attend First Saturday Art Crawl or walk along the mural trail.
Get ready for Nashville
Budget
The city may be the most expensive in Tennessee, but exploring Nashville on a budget is still possible. You’ll find an inexpensive meal for around 18 US dollars ($) and a plate of hot wings with a side of hush puppies for even less. A short taxi ride costs about $10. Or you can hop around on the city’s e-bikes and scooters.
Day trips from Nashville
Less than 30 minutes from downtown, the historic town of Franklin has quaint boutiques, gourmet restaurants, whiskey distilleries and famous American Civil War sites. Head north and explore over 640 kilometres of underground caverns at Kentucky’s Mammoth Cave National Park. Or cross into Alabama to experience astronaut life at Huntsville’s US Space & Rocket Center, a two-hour drive south.
Getting around Nashville
Nashville is a big city where most people use cars to get around. If you’re not staying downtown, you’ll need a hire car or rideshare. But many neighbourhoods are easy to explore on foot. For a budget option, WeGo buses run citywide but can be slow in traffic. Cycling is also getting more popular. Consider hiring a bike or scooter for the day.
