Your Travel Guide to Nashville, Tennessee
I Believe in Nashville mural in Nashville, Tennessee. Click on my photos to pin on Pinterest!
I believe in Nashville! If you’re looking for a party, delicious food, and amazing live music, Nashville is the vacation spot for you. This blog will be all about what to do on your visit. I’ll go over where to stay, what to do, where to eat, my favorite murals, and the best photography spots around Nashville, Tennessee.
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Our vacation rental in Nashville, Tennessee
Where to Stay in Nashville
During one of my stays in Nashville, my family and I stayed in this lovely vacation rental. It was in a quiet neighborhood just 1o minutes from downtown. We loved the outdoor space and everyone had their own room. This vacation home is perfect for families or a group trip. Fun fact: this house was even used in one of Thomas Rhett’s music video! How cool! Check it out here.
I have also stayed near bustling Broadway while visiting Nashville. This is a great area if you’re looking to stay close to the action. Here are some of the best hotels near Broadway.
Wherever you decide to stay, I recommend a rental car to get around to see all the cool neighborhoods around Nashville. Check out affordable rental cars here.
What to do During Your Nashville Vacation
There are so many fun things to do, see, and experience while in Nashville. Below is my list of recommendations for entertainment, fun, photo-opts, and food!
Broadway at night in Nashville, Tennessee
Visit Broadway
A must-do while visiting Nashville is hang out on Broadway, a district full of exciting entertainment, music, and food in downtown Nashville. Here, you’ll hear live music playing all day and night throughout the stretch of bars. Get ready to get your honkey tonk on if you’re planning a visit!
Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge
Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge
My favorite bar, and one of the most iconic on Broadway to visit is Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge. You can’t miss it. It’s a 3 story purple painted brick building full of music and fun. Each floor has a different set of live music playing at all times of day. It’s such a fun experience! So many famous musicians have played here. You never know who you’ll see!
Rooftop views from The Lookout at Ole Red
The Lookout at Ole Red
Grab a drink and some food on the rooftop at The Lookout at Ole Red. This bar is owned by Blake Shelton and has some amazing panoramic views of downtown Nashville. We went during the afternoon to enjoy the sunshine and eat some delicious food. It was great!
Luke's 32 Bridge
Right across from The Lookout at Ole Red is Luke Bryan’s bar, Luke's 32 Bridge. His bar also has a rooftop patio and endless drinks and live music. We loved the atmosphere here too!
Luke's 32 Bridge
All the bars on Broadway are fun and lively. Some have line dancing, others have great views, and they all have amazing music and drinks. I don’t think you can go wrong! Hop around and see which one speaks to you. Grab your cowboy boots and get honkey tonking!
Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
A great family friendly activity is visiting the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. It’s not too far away from Broadway, about a 15 minute walk or a 5 minute drive. This museum is huge and so cool! They always have special exhibits running. On our visit, Kacey Musgraves was featured and I really enjoyed learning more about her and seeing all of her guitars and concert outfits. Admission is $29.95 per adult and $19.95 for kids. Get your tickets here.
Grand Ole Opry
Seeing a concert at the Grand Ole Opry, Country music’s biggest stage, is quintessential Nashville. We loved our evening spent at the Grand Ole Opry and got to see so many talented artists perform, like Russel Dickerson and Mitchell Tenpenny. See who’s performing during your visit and grab your tickets here.
The Parthenon in Nashville
Visit The Parthenon
That’s right, The Parthenon… in Nashville! Nashville is home to an exact size replica of the Parthenon in Athens. You can explore inside the museum, or simply take an afternoon stroll admiring the beauty from the outside. This was a nice and relaxing afternoon activity while we recovered from Broadway craziness. It’s also a great spot for some beautiful photos.
Topgolf Nashville
Visit 12 South
Another cool neighborhood to visit while in Nashville is 12 South. Do some shopping, take photos by their iconic murals, and grab some food. The 12 South neighborhood is easily walkable and full of fun finds like Draper James, Reese Witherspoon’s store, and White's Mercantile.
12 South neighborhood
Nashville Murals
Speaking of murals, here are some of my favorite mural photo-opts around Nashville and where to find them. Grab your friends and get exploring! Nashville has so many cute photography spots.
Nashville Looks Good On You mural 12 South Neighborhood
Nashville Looks Good On You Mural
The Nashville Looks Good On You Mural by nashᵀᴺ, is located in the 12 South neighborhood behind in the parking lot behind Frothy Monkey. There are also several others around the city!
Draper James Mural
Draper James Stripes Mural
Also in the 12 South neighborhood is the Draper James blue stripes mural painted on the store. Head over to Draper James to get this charming photo-opt.
Flowers Mural
Flowers Mural
How pretty is this Flowers mural in 12 South? It’s located on the side of United Apparel Liquidators. Totally up my alley!
I believe in Nashville mural 12 South
I Believe in Nashville 12 South
You can take your pick of I Believe in Nashville murals around Nashville. This one in 12 South is by artist Adrien Saporiti and a perfect stop on your mural tour around 12 South. It’s located in Howell's Alley and is the original I Believe in Nashville mural.
I Believe in Nashville Marathon Village
I Believe in Nashville Marathon Village
Over in Marathon Village is another Adrien Saporiti I Believe in Nashville mural. It’s located at the concert venue, Marathon Music Works. You can drive right up to this mural!
Where to Eat Around Nashville
Nashville is such a great food city! Here are a few restaurants I recommend.
The Pancake Pantry chocolate chip pancakes
The Pancake Pantry
I LOVE breakfast food. For some over the top, decadent chocolate chip pancakes, head to The Pancake Pantry. Their pancakes are so good and come in many varieties, like buttermilk, cinnamon roll, sweet potato, and more! There are two locations around Nashville. One is located in downtown Nashville and the other is located in Hillsboro.
The Bluebird Cafe
If you want to get the full Nashville experience with great live music from up and coming musicians with a full menu, head to The Bluebird Cafe. This is the famous club where Taylor Swift landed a record deal after performing. This venue is small and tickets are harder to come by. Test your luck and grab your tickets here.
The Listening Room
A similar venue with food and talented singer-songwriters is The Listening Room. It’s a bit easier to get tickets here, and you still get to enjoy an evening of music and food. We loved our experience!
Bar-B-Que neon sign
Prince’s Hot Chicken
You have to try some Nashville hot chicken while you’re in Nashville. We tried Prince’s Hot Chicken and it was no joke. We loved it and our mouths were also on fire. lol. Definitely worth it.
Martin's Bar-B-Que Joint
BBQ is all over in Nashville. We loved Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint. They had all the classics and live music. You can’t go wrong here.
Edley's Bar-B-Que
In the 12 South neighborhood, we enjoyed Edley’s Bar-B-Que. Their brisket was so good! I definitely recommend it.
Goo Goo Chocolate Co
For dessert, head over to Goo Goo Chocolate Co near Broadway. Here, you can make your own candy bar in store! How fun! You can also take a chocolate tasting and candy making class at Goo Goo Chocolate Co. Check out the experiences here.
Jack Daniel’s Distillery
Jack Daniel's Distillery
If you’re up for a little road trip, I recommend taking a visit to Jack Daniel’s Distillery in Lynchburg, Tennessee. The trip is about a 1.5 hour drive from Nashville. At Jack Daniel’s Distillery, you’ll get to take a tour of the distillery plus try some of their whiskey variations. It was pretty cool to see how the famous Tennessee whiskey is made. The tour is $35 for adults. Book your tour here!
Overall thoughts on Nashville, Tennessee
Overall, Nashville, Tennessee is such a fun vacation location. You don’t have to be part of a bachelorette party to go and visit. There is plenty to do in Nashville for everyone! Music, food, history, and so much fun, Nashville has it all and is constantly growing.
Nashville Looks Good On You Mural taken by Carly Molstad
Camera used to document my travels: Canon EOS 5D Mark III 50mm lens and Pentax MX 35mm film by Carly Molstad
