Nashville City Guide

A four-day itinerary of music, museums, and shopping!

Nashville stole my heart! While I had visited the city once before for a bachelorette weekend, this most recent trip was all about the music. I loved it so much, that I’m already planning my next trip and pondering what it might be like to live there.

We had an epic girls’ weekend of music, museums, and shopping that packed in most of the tourist-y spots, plus a few hidden gems.

They don’t call this town Music City for nothing. Everywhere you go has live music - including the airport - with different bands on each floor of bars and restaurants. While there’s definitely a lot of country music, we heard many other genres, as well. It was a music lover’s paradise!

We took the first flight in Saturday morning and the last flight out on Tuesday for four full days of exploring.

SATURDAY

Monell’s - Our first breakfast was a mixed-bag and not my cup of tea, but I’m including it here because I know that some of you would absolutely LOVE it. It’s an all-you-can-eat, family-style breakfast in an adorable little house in Germantown. You sit with strangers and everything on the menu gets passed around the table. There’s no ordering. The fried chicken was especially delicious, but we weren’t expecting a heavy, Southern, all-you-can-eat breakfast with strangers. You definitely have to be in the mood!

National Museum of African American Music - This new museum opened during the pandemic and is one of the best-designed museums I’ve ever visited. It’s laid out chronologically, which gives valuable historical context to the exhibits. It’s also full of interactive activities, such as opportunities for you to put on a robe and sing in a gospel choir or to write your own blues song. I loved this museum so much that I bought the book so that I can continue learning at home. Add on the optional wristband to save your personalized playlists of music!

Gaylord Opryland - This massive hotel, resort, and convention center with New Orleans vibes is a sight to behold. There are shops and restaurants, and the massive atrium hosts an abundance of plant life and waterfalls. Be sure to take the Delta Riverboat tour. It’s only 15 minutes, but allow plenty of extra time. Plan to be at the hotel for several hours.

Grand Ole Opry - This legendary country music radio show is a bucket list experience. We were lucky enough to be there for the Opry’s 98th Birthday Bash, which included Sara Evan’s induction ceremony. We also took the backstage tour, which was incredible and well worth the extra time and money. The Grand Ole Opry is about a 15-20 minute walk from the hotel, so get there early and leave a good bit of time to travel between the two. (They seem closer than they are.) Also, know that food options are slim (though you are allowed to bring food in,) so make reservations at either the hotel or Opry Mills shopping mall across the street.

SUNDAY

Johnny Cash Museum - This museum was so much more impressive than I imagined. It is loaded with artifacts and memorabilia and gives you a deep appreciation for Johnny Cash’s music and life. I was on a time crunch and got through it well in about 45 minutes, but I would have preferred a good hour to immerse myself in the details and spend more time listening to the music. This building also hosts the Patsy Cline Museum upstairs, which I didn’t have time to visit (I hear it’s very small - really more of a room) and the secret House of Cards supper club downstairs. It’s a fine-dining restaurant, magic show, and card museum that I attended on my previous trip to Nashville. I initially had no interest in going there, but it was AMAZING - highly recommend!

Franklin, TN - About 30 minutes outside of the city, this picturesque Southern town makes you feel like you’re in a Hallmark movie. Main Street is full of boutiques and restaurants. It’s a beautiful way to spend an afternoon. My favorite find was Triple Crown Bakery - so cute and delicious!

Ryman Auditorium - Known as the Mother Church, this old church used to host the Grand Ole Opry and is one of the most legendary venues in the country. People like Helen Keller, Harry Houdini, Adelina Patti, and Marian Anderson all graced this iconic stage. We saw Shawn Colvin and Mary Chapin Carpenter give an intimate concert that felt like we were in their living room. FYI - the wooden benches are not comfortable, but the discomfort is worth it. There is also a self-guided tour option, but I heard it is unnecessary if you are attending a show.

Broadway - Nashville is famous for its honky tonks, and they were packed even on a Sunday night. Many have giant windows wide open, and I loved walking the streets, standing outside, and listening to whatever music caught my ear. Many country stars have their own places, but Miranda Lambert is the only female represented - her Casa Rosa was my favorite spot. We also enjoyed the more mellow vibe of the Moxy Hotel lobby, just off Broadway. Also, be sure to go to some of the original Honky Tonks, like Legends. We couldn’t get over how clean the city was and how nobody got out of hand despite so many birthdays and bachelorettes and everyone living it up!

MONDAY

The Gulch - This small upscale neighborhood is close to downtown and hosts the famous WhatLiftsYou Wings Mural. We had breakfast at Biscuit Love. (Be prepared for a long line, but it moves quickly.) Then we shopped in boutiques such as Kittenish and tried on cowboy boots at Lucchese.

12 South - The famous half-mile stretch on this street is a shopper’s paradise. My favorites included Reese Witherspoon’s Draper James, and the designer discount store United Apparel Liquidators (ULA.) There’s also the famous donut shop Five Daughters Bakery and the gift store White’s Mercantile.

Parnassus Books - Pulitzer Prize finalist Ann Patchett owns this unassuming bookstore located in a strip mall across the street from The Mall at Green Hills. All copies of her books are signed, and I picked up her latest novel, Tom Lake (a favorite of mine,) and Bel Canto. The bookshop even houses a piano - swoon!

The Bluebird Cafe - We got in line at 4:00 for the 6:00 Monday Open Mic show, and it was worth the wait. Tickets for other shows go on sale a week in advance, but you have to wait in line for the Monday shows. We heard 17 up-and-coming songwriters. All were enjoyable and a few blew us away! This tiny listening room is where people like Taylor Swift got their start, so you never know who you’re going to see perform.

The Twelve Thirty Club - We had enough of the Broadway bar scene, and we lucked into this restaurant and supper club right off of the main drag. There was a country duo downstairs and an R&B group upstairs. We loved the music selection and the more upscale vibe of this place - definitely want to eat here on my next trip!

TUESDAY

Souvenir Shopping - We wandered through Assembly Food Hall and down Broadway for some last-minute clothes shopping, gifts, and souvenirs to take home.

RCA Studio B Tour - We participated in this short add-on bus tour that took us to Music Row and into the legendary RCA Studio B where famous songs such as Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You” and Elvis Presley’s “How Great Thou Art” were recorded. The best part was getting a picture at Elvis’s favorite piano. This tour was interesting, but not a “must-see.”

Country Music Hall of Fame - This museum is full of guitars, costumes, cars, and more from country’s greatest stars. The actual Hall of Fame rotunda was breathtaking and a rather spiritual experience. The rest of the museum was so-so. It was cool to see, but could have been better designed. The museum is attached to a hotel, so the building is huge and houses muliple stores, as well as Hatch Print Shop, the legendary show poster print studio. There is an optional Hatch tour add-on, but you can simply look through the windows to get a peak of the studio.

Hattie B’s Hot Chicken - We couldn’t leave without eating this notorious fried chicken. It lived up to the hype - so good!

Have you been to Nashville? I’d love to know your favorite spots!