Nashville is known for its fun energy, historic sites, hot chicken dishes, and, most of all, music. After all, it is nicknamed “Music City” for a reason. As the birthplace of country and bluegrass along with several notable musicians, there is much to do and see in this city that is related to music. But there’s a whole lot more as well. Here are our Top 10 Things To Do when visiting Nashville.
Visit Broadway
Nashville is home to the Country Music Awards but you don’t have to attend the event to see great live music. The best way to get a feel for the vibrancy of the city’s music scene is by going to the heart of it. Broadway – affectionately nicknamed the Honkey Tonk Highway – has several bars lining the streets that all host live music.
The establishments here are without cover charges so it’s the perfect place to spend an afternoon or evening bar-hopping. Make sure to stop by Honkey Tonk Central, which has three levels of live music!
Of special note is Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge, which is unmissable and shown in the photo. This bright purple building has an exciting and colorful history in Nashville’s music scene. The oldest honkey honk bar in Tennessee is where Willie Nelson got his first gig, as well as where Waylon Jennings and Kris Kristofferson would often frequent.
Cumberland Park
Nashville is known for its huge and beautiful Cumberland River, which spans 700 miles throughout Tennessee and Kentucky. Cumberland Park is the best place to view this famous river.
It is a great spot for the whole family with a gigantic splash pad, bike paths, and an amphitheater that accommodates 1,200 people for outdoor concerts. Plus, there is a crushed-stone trail for strolling through plant groves and meadows designed to attract butterflies, a stone climbing wall; and a one-of-a-kind nature and play area for children that includes sand play, a bouncing pad, and a tandem see-saw for parents and kids.
Grand Ole Opry
The Grand Ole Opry has deep roots in Nashville’s country music scene. Open and running for almost a century, it has helped to make country music famous. Travelers to Nashville can visit this iconic location by going to one of the gospel, country, folk, or bluegrass music shows that are hosted at the Opry every week, or they can take a tour of the building for a behind-the-scenes look into the history.
The Ryman Auditorium was the original site of the Opry. During certain times of the year when crowds are smaller, the Opry is still held in the Ryman. However, the larger Grand Ole Opry venue is used most of the year.
Music Row
If you know anything about Nashville, you’ve heard about its most famous street, Music Row. This street is jampacked with record labels, recording studios, radio stations, and production companies. There are several tours for music lovers that include various radio towers and recording studios, as well as several landmarks.
Music legends like Elvis Presley and Dolly Parton recorded hits at Historic RCA Studio B, which is open for tours. And many country stars are honored with street names in the area. In Owen Bradley Park there is a statue of the illustrious record producer seated at a grand piano.
Parthenon
A lesser-known reputation for Nashville is that it was once the place to go for higher learning. Dubbed “the Athens of the South,” it once offered the largest number of colleges and universities in Tennessee. For that reason, builders decided to recreate a to-scale replica of the Parthenon right in the city’s center.
This building is an art museum and cultural center, and we recommend visiting it when you’re in Nashville.
Located in Centennial Park about 2 miles west of Music Row, the Parthenon is open every day with varying hours depending on the season.
Museums
Nashville contains an abundance of museums such as the Tennessee State Museum with exhibits of Tennessee’s natural history; Native American history; military and sporting history; and the Civil War. The Lane Motor Museum showcases a collection of mostly European automobiles. And the Frist Art Museum, which is housed in a historic U.S. Post Office features rotating art exhibitions.
Of course, there are several music-related museums as well. These include the Johnny Cash Museum where visitors can get an extensive look at different periods of this country music legend’s life through costumes, films, and even handwritten notes penned by Cash. Willie Nelson and Friends General Store also holds a museum status and sells Nashville souvenirs. There’s also the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum which contains the historic RCA Studio B, where Dolly Parton and Elvis Presley recorded some of their most popular songs. This museum has the largest musical collection on the planet. And, to celebrate the African American and Black musicians’ powerful influence on popular music genres including jazz, gospel, Hillbilly rock, and country, there’s the National Museum of African American Music which teaches visitors about the roots of these music genres.
Cheekwood Estate and Garden
Art and nature lovers will enjoy visiting Cheekwood Estate and Gardens, featuring greenhouses, a sculpture trail, and a chromatic flower display. Sitting on 55 acres, the specialty gardens include roses, herbs, a Japanese garden, boxwoods, dogwoods, a children’s garden, and spectacular Chihuly hand-blown glass art installations resembling plants and flowers. Plus, there are gorgeous seasonal displays and a small amphitheater on the property for literary events.
Housed in the Georgian-style Cheek family mansion is an interesting collection of furniture and sculptures, as well as 19th- and 20th-century American paintings.
Nashville Zoo at Grassmere
This beautifully designed and well-maintained facility is perfect if you’re an animal lover. The Nashville Zoo at Grassmere features more than 3,000 animals representing 325 different species, including monkeys, red pandas, clouded leopards, white rhinoceroses, and several reptiles, as well as exotic bird and fish exhibits.
Interactive experiences include Critter Encounters for getting up close with various animals, Lorikeet Landing for visitors wishing to feed colorful Australian parrots, and the unique addition of Kangaroo Kickabout for visitors that want to pet kangaroos. Add a Backstage Pass to your ticket for a specialty tour that includes behind-the-scenes access. Additionally, the zoo houses a 4D theater, a zip line, a carousel, and a Wilderness Express Train.
Auto Racing
For lovers of auto racing, this city offers up Nashville Superspeedway which hosts NASCAR‘s truck series, Xfinity Series, and Cup series annually, usually in the month of June depending on the schedule. To celebrate the end of the season, NASCAR drivers and teams return to Nashville in November for Championship Week to crown the winning drivers, owners, and manufacturers of each series and to participate in year-end events, such as exhilarating burnouts on the street.
Racing enthusiasts can also find a speedway at the Fairgrounds for a variety of racing events including Super Late Models, Pro Late Models, Super Trucks, Limited Late Models, Street Stocks, Legends, Bandoleros, and occasionally the SRX Series, which is an American stock car racing series founded by NASCAR’s Tony Stewart and Ray Evernham.
Flea Markets, seasonal events, and a fall fair are also hosted at the Fairgrounds. Check the website HERE for the events schedule.
Printers Alley
For visitors that have exhausted Broadway and are looking for additional nightlife, consider a visit to Printers Alley. Originally the home of newspaper stands and publishing companies, this area transformed into an interesting and somewhat clandestine passageway full of bars, pubs, clubs, and burlesque joints. In the late 19th century, it was known as the Men’s Quarter.
Located between 3rd and 4th Avenue and between Union and Church Streets in the downtown core, visitors will find neon lights glittering throughout the darkened alley. If you’re a fan of Bourbon Street in New Orleans, Printer’s Alley is the next best thing.
Photo Credits:
Lead – Cute Wallpaper
Broadway – Visit Music City
Cumberland Park – Nashville Jason on Pixabay
Grand Ole Opry – Wikiwand Public Domain, Transferred from en.wikipedia to Commons | Adam mcmaster
Music Row – Travel Solutions
Parthenon – Simon from Pixabay
Country Music Hall of Fame – Matthew LeJune on Unsplash
Cheekwood Estate and Garden – Cheekwood Estate and Garden
Nashville Zoo at Grassmere – Shannon Potter on Unsplash
Nashville Superspeedway – NASCAR via Go TrackHopper
Printers Alley – cody lannom on Unsplash
