While country music and southern charm make up a good part of Nashville’s DNA, the growth taking hold of Tennessee’s booming capital is attracting artists, developers and hospitality giants from around the country who are adding their worldly flavor to Nashville’s signature down-home style. Here’s how to spend a perfect weekend in Nashville.
A two-day stint in the city is just the right amount of time to get a taste of Nashville’s past and its current evolution into a major metropolis. From standing-room-only honky-tonks to swanky rooftop cocktails, Music City wraps up the thrills of big city living in a southern-fried package that just might inspire a return visit.
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When to arrive: Peak Nashville is May through November, when the sun shines daily, the trees are green and lush, and patio/rooftop season is in full swing. Winter and early spring brings overcast skies, biting winds, and slushy rains – not ideal for exploring the city.
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How to get from the airport: Your best bet for getting to and from the airport is a rideshare service – Uber and Lyft are the primary ones. You can also opt for the city’s WeGo Public Transit bus system which can be found at the airport’s Ground Transportation Center and costs $2 for two hours of unlimited rides.
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Getting around town: Nashville is largely a commuter town, so getting around means renting a car or relying on rideshare. If you’re staying within Downtown and the Gulch, you can snap up one of the many scooters around the area to zip you from site to site.
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What to pack: Depending on the time of year, it could mean shorts, shirts and sandals/sneakers for exploring the sites or puffer jackets, sweaters, and boots for the winter. In spring it’s always a good idea to make sure you have a sweater on hand because temperatures can fluctuate from 80 degrees during the day to the 40s at night. In terms of going out, jeans are a popular option at most bars and restaurants, but if you’re going high-end, slacks and dress shoes are never a bad idea.
Saturday
Morning
In Nashville, the early birds get the pastries. That’s because the line at 12South’s The Butter Milk Ranch often winds around the building, so getting there a few minutes before it opens is your best bet for scoring a table or a seat at the counter. Once you’re in, order some of the larger-than-life pastries from the bakery – like salted honey butter croissants, matcha pistachio lime tarts and “Lil’ Deborah” oatmeal cookie sandwiches the size of your head – to go with your ricotta scramble or to take on the road.
After fueling up, make your way downtown to the Ryman Auditorium, a church-turned-concert-hall that originally housed the Grand Ole Opry radio show. This is where Johnny Cash met June Carter and a teenage Elvis attempted to launch his career; it’s the stuff of music legend. Tours start at 9am, but you should purchase tickets a few days ahead of time to secure your spot.
Take a five-minute walk from the Ryman to the Johnny Cash Museum, which houses the most comprehensive collection of memorabilia and artifacts dedicated to “The Man in Black.” The space isn’t overwhelmingly large, so you’ll have time to pop into the Patsy Cline Museum directly upstairs and explore the history behind one of country music’s legendary singers.
Afternoon
Continue another five minutes east to the John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge and take in the sweeping views of the Cumberland River. It’s also prime real estate for spectacular photo ops – no filter required.
Now that you’ve walked off that Lil’ Deborah cookie, top up the tank with a visit to Pinewood Social, a comfy hang located in the city’s former trolley barns. Inside, you’ll find plenty of activities to keep your attention – from a bowling alley to a wading pool – alongside hearty salads, sandwiches and grain bowls.
Even if you’re not a country music fan, the Country Music Hall of Fame is definitely worth a few hours of your day. Kids can get crafty in the Taylor Swift Education Center while the adults marvel at Elvis’ gold Cadillac and Hank Williams’ Western-cut suit. Don’t miss the Hatch Show Print – one of the oldest letterpress print shops in the US – located next door to the museum. It’s been producing country music’s iconic posters for over a century.
Evening
After working up a thirst, walk about five minutes south to Four Walls at The Joseph Hotel, an upscale speakeasy that plays host to some of Nashville’s finest cocktails. The oxblood marble bar, plush couches and dim lights might set an illicit mood, but the drinks here are all on the up and up.
Soak up your cocktails with a heaping plate of fried chicken, and when you’re in Nashville, that means ordering it hot – as in Nashville hot chicken. You can choose between two of the city’s titans of heat at Assembly Food Hall: Prince’s and Hattie B’s. There’ll likely be a line at both, but don’t let that deter you. The perfectly crisp, yet moist, bird at both spots is worth it. You can opt to go mild or nuke your taste buds with the highest spice level on the menu.
Long after the sun has set, nearby Broadway continues to pulse with energy. It’s easy to get swept up in the frenzy of neon lights, pedal taverns and bachelorette parties stumbling their way through Taylor Swift lyrics, but you’ll want to dip into the strip’s more popular honky-tonks — like Robert’s Western World, The Stage, Acme Feed & Seed and The Twelve Thirty Club – for a taste of Nashville’s live music scene.
Sunday
Morning
While the inventive pastries at Butter Milk Ranch reflect a new culinary playfulness for the city, the traditional southern dishes at Monell’s preserve a piece of Nashville’s past. Prepare to sit with strangers in a beautiful Victorian-style house from 1905 and share an all-you-can-eat, family-style country breakfast of biscuits and gravy, country ham, pancakes, eggs, grits, and fried chicken starting at 8am. You’ll soon find – as do many of Monell’s guests – that those strangers become newfound friends.
From here, rent a Bird scooter and amble over to the Bicentennial Capitol Mall for a taste of the state’s history. Here you’ll find a 200-foot granite map of Tennessee, the Tennessee State Museum and direct views of the state’s capitol. The nearby Nashville Farmers Market is also an excellent way to check out the state’s local bounty.
Afternoon
Head about five miles south to the IG-famous 12South neighborhood for mural selfies and boutique shopping. White’s Mercantile, Savant, Imogene + Willie, and Draper James offer up a variety of locally made home goods, high-end clothing and eclectic accessories that make for perfect souvenirs.
While you’re in 12South, scout out the original location of Frothy Monkey, Nashville’s go-to coffee klatch. Power up with one of their caffeinated concoctions and rustic sandwiches, or for something a bit more chef-y, swing into the patio of the James Beard-nominated Locust for frozen Irish Coffees, funky wines and seafood-leaning snacks.
Evening
Every Sunday at 6pm, Bluebird Cafe in Green Hills hosts its Sunday Spotlight, a free performance that puts up-and-coming bands and songwriters up on stage. While you might recognize it from the popular television series Nashville, the Bluebird has hosted the likes of Garth Brooks, Emmylou Harris and the Cowboy Junkies since 1982. There’s a modest cover charge, and you’ll want to reserve your seats online a week before the performance.
After the show, catch a rideshare to Wedgewood Houston for dinner at Dicey’s Pizza and Tavern. The Chicago-style tavern pizza, with its thin crust and square-cut slices, is some of the city’s best. Paired with a glass of natty wine and a seat at one of the picnic tables under the stars, it’s a pretty exceptional ending to the evening.
But if you’re not ready to shut down the party, the big bar at Bastion is a funky hang that’s open until midnight with a sophisticated and boozy daily punch. For a later night, Melrose Billards is a relic of old Nashville in the best way possible. This 80-year-old bar offers pool, shuffleboard, ping pong, and a popular rubber ducky claw machine until 2am.
