30 Top Things to Do in Nashville, TN

By The Backseat View

Nashville’s historic and creative music vibes and award-winning restaurants keep Nashville packed. The stunning luxury of the Opryland Resort, located next to one of the best malls in the South, makes Nashville a top Girl’s Weekend Getaway. Nashville is perfect for family-friendly fun, such as petting kangaroos at the zoo or a sports-filled weekend watching hockey or football. From visiting historic plantation homes to exploring the trendy boutiques, there’s no way to do everything in Nashville.

The 30 Top Things to Do in Nashville Travel Guide provides top activities, restaurants, and hotel options. Since Christmas is my favorite, I’ve included the best events for Christmas vacations. There’s nothing better than waterfall chasing on vacation so there’s three of those to hike. With the average trip being 4 days, you will have agenda choices to make. Since there’s something for everyone in iconic Music City, let’s WALK THE LINE to Nashville.

Nashville Travel Guide

1. The Gaylord Opryland Resort

WOW is always the first impression of Opryland! The stunning atriums of the hotel, with four waterfalls, an indoor river, and over 50,000 tropical plants, transport you to a world of peace. There are nine acres of indoor gardens filled with banana trees, palms, and plenty of quiet places to relax next to a pond. Unlimited charming walkways twist and turn through the resort to restaurants and stores resembling the French Quarter. For directions, the hotel has an app.

Ensure you visit the Garden Conservatory, Cascades Atrium, and the Delta Atrium. There’s also an indoor three-level waterpark (Sound Waves), an outdoor pool area, a high-end spa, and an 18-hole golf course.

Opryland’s Christmas

While the Opryland is beautiful any time, Christmas is extravagant and worth the trip. Opryland turns into the North Pole with phenomenal themed ICE sculptures, sledding, ice skating, and Santa. It’s truly a magical place at Christmas. However, the weekend crowds can be unbearable, so come on a Thursday.

Tip: Drive on McGavock Pike to help avoid the traffic around Opryland.

2. Opry Mills

Opry Mills is Tennessee’s largest outlet shopping center. It features over 200 stores, from Bass Pro and Tory Burch to Vineyard Vines and North Face. Over 13 Restaurant options include the Aquarium, Rainforest Café, Saltgrass, The Cheesecake Factory and Dave & Busters. The fun starts with Madame Tussauds Wax Museum, Escape rooms, and a movie theatre.

Y’all, this is my favorite mall, and I will drive four hours to shop here, but it can be crowded on the weekends!

3. Grand Ole Opry

The Grand Ole Opry is iconic and Nashville’s number-one attraction for country music performances. It’s no surprise that the show is the longest-running broadcast in the world. While daytime backstage tours are available, there’s nothing like experiencing Country Music’s biggest stage in action.

Parking Tip

The Opryland Resort, Opry Mills, and Grand Ole Opry are within walking distance of each other. However, it’s free to park at the back of Opry Mills Mall and walk to the Opryland Resort and Grand Ole Opry instead of paying $35 for parking at Opryland Resort. First, you follow the signs and exit for Opry Mills and park behind Opry Mills next to the Opryland parking lots. Then, move your car back closer to the mall to shop.

4. General Jackson Showboat

The 300-ft paddle-wheel showboat provides a delicious Southern meal and entertaining show with views of the Nashville skyline. For night boat trips, I would take a jacket. You board the boat at the back of Opry Mills Mall. Honestly, the reviews are “OK” at best, and it’s $100 a person.

Downtown

5. The Ryman Auditorium

The Ryman is hallowed ground for country music fans. It is the birthplace of bluegrass and where Johnny Cash met June Carter. The Ryman is open daily for tours and shows with the best acoustics in the country, so, buy a show ticket.

6. Broadway Bars

Welcome to Broadway, the home of country music bars. The strip has more than 32 bars, and live music is played at every bar. Most of the bars are multi-level and have roof-top access with city views.

• Half the bars are owned by country music stars, from Blake Shelton’s Ole Red, which often has surprise celebrity guests, to Dierks Bentley’s Whiskey Row, with the best rooftop view.

• Alan Jackson owns AJ’s Good Time Bar, which sells alcoholic drinks that look like Capri-Suns with karaoke on the third floor every night.
  
• Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge opened in the 1960’s with three levels and stays packed because it features the best singers. Country Music legends like Willie Nelson have performed here.
  

• Honky Tonk Central is the loudest party scene for all the bachelor and bachelorette parties.
  
• The Tin Roof has a good combination of a dance floor and a restaurant side for conversation.
  
• Robert’s Western World is for old-school country music fans and is famous for its fried bologna sandwiches.
  

• Of all the bars, everyone notices the changing windows of Nudies Honky Tonk when walking down Broadway. The bar opened in 1947, so there’s a car on the wall and millions of dollars in rare country music costumes and memorabilia.
  

• On our last trip, we ate at Jason Aldean’s, and while the music and environment were good, the food and service were not.
  
• The Stage on Broadway has a rooftop patio with a band playing and plenty of seating.
  

• Broadway is crazily crowded and expensive, with $10 beers. After 7 p.m., most restaurants require you to be over 21.
• While Broadway is always hopping, the CMA Fest is probably the biggest party, blocking the street from traffic.

• Christmas will bring extra Pop-Up Bars to every restaurant and hotel, with themes like Grinch, Frosty, and the Polar Express.

Off-Broadway Venues

• If you want up-and-coming performers without the Broadway crowds, try the Bluebird Café in Green Hills. Reserve your tickets in advance since shows sell out.

• Station Inn offers bluegrass and country music in the Gulch on a first-come-first-served basis, so arrive early.

7. Broadway Shops & Bridge

5^th & Broadway

My favorite part of Broadway is the 5^th & Broadway area, which has shops like Ariat, Carhartt, Free People, Tecovas, and the 100-layer donut at Five Daughters Bakery. Chairs for a break are found in the Assembly Food Hall. Hattie B’s Famous Hot Chicken is also located here.

Goo-Goo Clusters

The Goo-Goo Chocolate Company is on a side street near the Johnny Cash Museum. Clusters, round candy bars with chocolate, peanuts, marshmallows, and caramel, were created in Nashville in 1912. You can create your own cluster, and it’s a great place to rest for 15 minutes with a snack.

Pedestrian Bridge

At the end of the strip is the peaceful Cumberland River, which offers views of the Titans stadium. The John Seigenthaler pedestrian bridge is the best place for photogenic views of Nashville’s skyline. Access to the bridge is on 3^rd Avenue South. For free parking, people park across the bridge near Cumberland Park and walk into downtown. The bridge is almost a mile long, so it takes 15 minutes to walk across.

• We spent three to four hours eating and walking Broadway. The area feels safe, but we saw over twenty homeless people and several street performers, so bring a few dollars to be kind.
  

8. Country Music Hall of Fame

The Country Music Hall of Fame is home to over 2.5 million artifacts and the historic RCA Studio B. Tickets cost $30/per person, and the museum is open 9-5 p.m. The RCA studio is an extra charge and 2 miles away, so you must move your car and deal with parking hassles to visit. My teenagers took 48 minutes to look at these “old clothes,” but it should take a few hours. I love the vintage cars, tour buses, and costume designs. While visiting is educational, and the feature exhibits rotate, it’s not a must-do activity for me on every trip.

9. Johnny Cash Museum

Forbes and National Geographic Traveler ranked the Johnny Cash Museum as the best music museum in the world. It’s located in the heart of downtown and brings the legend to life. The museum houses performance costumes, handwritten lyrics, and gold and platinum records. However, it’s a small museum for $26, and my boys don’t know Johnny Cash.

10. The Predators

The Predators are a professional hockey team that plays in the Bridgestone arena. We visit Nashville for the exciting hockey games. The arena is located downtown on Broadway and has a 58-degree inside temperature. Hockey games have a band and entertainment between periods. Usually, fans arrive an hour early to watch the team’s warm-up. Lastly, the arena also hosts concerts, the circus, and wrestling events.

11. Tennessee Titans

Visiting the Nissan Stadium for a Titans game is always an exciting event.

12. Nashville’s Farmers Market

The huge Farmer’s Market is a mile from the Ryman downtown, where you can browse local vendors.

13. The Parthenon

The Parthenon is ten minutes from downtown in Centennial Park. A full-scale replica of Athen’s Greece Parthenon comes with a 42-foot sculpture of Athena and an art gallery. Nashville is known as the “Athens of the South,” so the temple was built to celebrate its reputation. The Parthenon also hosts Candlelight Concerts throughout the year with outstanding reviews. There is a $10 entrance fee, and you must rent a locker for any bags. Centennial Park has jogging paths and a small lake for a fun picnic. There’s also a dedicated reading bench for Taylor Swift near the lake.

14. Nashville Zoo

The Nashville Zoo has over 3,000 animals, including triplet tiger cubs and clouded leopards, and it’s only 5 miles south of downtown. Animal habitats are natural, and the animals seem happy. It has one of the best playgrounds in America, having won dozens of awards for its treehouses, ziplines, and snake slide. The kangaroo petting area was our favorite. It’s a good regular zoo, but the historic house, farm, and playground elevate it to a higher level. The cost is $22, and tickets are timed entrance.

ZooLumination

The ZooLumination in the winter is the country’s largest lantern festival, with over 1,000 lanterns. Y’all, this is the second-best activity (behind Opryland’s ICE) at Christmas. These lanterns are amazing!

15. 12 Avenue South

Spend a few hours strolling Nashville’s upscale boutiques, bakeries, coffee shops, and gourmet restaurants. Reese Witherspoon’s flagship clothing store, Draper James, is here.

16. The Gultch

The Gultch is an urban neighborhood about two miles from 12 Avenue South with trendsetting restaurants and high-end boutiques. Nashville’s “What Lifts You” Wings Mural is here. My favorite burger restaurant is Burger Republic. For a relaxing night, visit Station Inn for live music.

17. Music Row

Music Row has radio stations, record label offices, and recording studios, all of which developed Music City. Most are not open to the public, but you can stand where legends like Dolly Parton and Elvis recorded their biggest albums. The historic markers are mainly on 16^th and 17^th Avenues South.

Historic Attractions

18. Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage

Andrew Jackson’s Home is the largest and most visited presidential home in the United States, with over 200,000 visitors annually. The Hermitage is over 1,000 acres and is a National Historic Landmark. Jackson’s daily life fills the museum rooms. The famous “DUEL” is reenacted on the weekends. It’s a short drive for this much history being 30 minutes (10 miles) east of downtown.

19. Plantations & Wineries

• With over 200 years of history, Belle Meade is only seven miles from downtown and offers guided tours, two on-site restaurants, and wine and bourbon tastings. It’s a lovely plantation tour with antiques, horses, and great food.

• Belmont Mansion and Fontanel Mansion are other home tour options.

• Arrington Vineyards is 25 miles outside of Nashville for a day of wine tasting on a beautiful estate.

20. Cheekwood

The Cheekwood Mansion is classy and phenomenal at Christmas! It’s the perfect winter wonderland stroll. Cheekwood has a dozen stunning Christmas trees. The decorator used to work in the White House, so all the decorations were jaw-dropping.

Cheekwood Events

Christmas tickets cost around $32 per person and are worth the money. In spring, the 55 acres of gardens come alive, and then a pumpkin patch takes over fall. Parking is limited, so arrive early or prepare for a decent walk to the grounds. Gawking at the neighborhood filled with extravagant million-dollar homes as you drive by is another reason to visit. The Sportsman Grille is an excellent nearby local stop for dinner.

21. Belcourt Theatre

The Belcourt Theatre opened in 1925 and is the best place to catch a classic film.

Museums & Fun attractions

22. Science Center

The Adventure Science Center has hands-on exhibits and educational activities that explore light, flight, physics, and fossils. Education is meant to be fun, and for $22, you can learn about beekeeping, climb through a heart, and visit a planetarium. This is a fabulous stop for kids.

23. Lane Motor Museum

The Lane Motor Museum has the most extensive European collection of cars and motorcycles in the United States. USA Today rated it the 8th best car museum in the United States, with over 150 vintage cars.

24. Game Terminal

With one of the country’s largest selections of arcade games and pinball machines, Game Terminal is a fun stop. It’s a mile from the Lane Motor Museum and about three miles from Broadway. Being a bar means, people over 21 are free, and under 21 are $10.

25. Tennessee State Museum

The Tennessee State Museum is FREE! Begin with the Tennessee Time Tunnel’s entertaining walk-through history bringing events to life. Then, the Civil War section, with uniforms, flags, weapons, and photos, is one of the best in the country. It’s a great hour-long stop.

26. First Horizon Park

First Horizon Park hosts a minor-league baseball team for a fun, affordable family night out. Remember, only clear bags are allowed inside. This is the perfect laid-back atmosphere with plenty of kid activities along with the Band Box having corn hole and ping pong.

27. Pinewood Social

Pinewood Social is about five minutes from Broadway in Rolling Mill Hill. It has bowling lanes, an outdoor pool, a coffee bar, and a restaurant.

28. Outdoors

• When you need a few hours in nature, head to Radnor Lake State Park, only 30 minutes from downtown. It has six hiking trails covering 1,300 acres.
  
• Fannie Mae Dees Park has a giant sea serpent, so “Dragon Park” is an cool place for younger kids.

Waterfalls

These waterfalls are in state parks around an hour and a half from Nashville. They are all stunning and a great day adventure.

• Burgess Falls has four waterfalls along a 1.5 mile trail.

• Rock Island has you hiking through a gorge to the swimming holes.

• Cummins Falls requires a permit (limit of 100/day) for hiking to the base of the falls and swimming.

29. Frist Art Museum

Browse art exhibits and admire the museum’s architecture for $15 per person in the Gulch area.

30. Instagram locations

• The Concert Ticket Mural is located at the Nashville Municipal Auditorium, 417 4th Avenue North, for larger-than-life concert tickets.
• Hire a mural tour professional photographer for the best photogenic memories.
• Printer’s Alley for a street with vibrant Nashville signs without the crowds.
• The Pedestrian Bridge, Downtown Broadway, and the Parthenon
• I Believe In Nashville wall mural is located at 2702 12the Avenue South.
• The Wings mural is in the Gultch.

Restaurants

I always plan a few places to eat, and we rarely end up there. So, here’s our top-rated restaurants, but the options are endless. The Aquarium (Opry Mills) and Pancake Pantry (near Broadway) are our favorite traditions.

Pancake Pantry

• Pancake Pantry near Broadway for lovers of the Gatlinburg Pancake Pantry since they are sister locations. If I’m coming to Nashville, I’ll have the rolled strawberry pancakes at Pancake Pantry, or there will be a fight. The Christmas Grinch decorations are the cutest, so it’s a bonus.
  
• The Loveless Café has over 12K positive reviews and has been a Nashville classic since the 1950s. It’s an eclectic café with homestyle southern cooking that’s stepping back in time. It’s about 20 miles from town and a 40-minute drive.
  
• Hattie B’s Fried Chicken has 12 K positive reviews and affordable pricing, so you know the chicken is good, and it’s on Broadway.
  

Ole Red

• Ole Red on Broadway has almost 12K positive reviews for brisket, tacos, and live music.
  
• The Pharmacy Burger Parlor has over 7K positive reviews. It is near the Bridgestone Arena and has an old-time soda fountain and famous burgers.
  
• Martin’s BBQ downtown has over 10K positive reviews for barbecue & ribs with a 10-minute walk from Broadway.
  
• Puckett’s Restaurant has 8k positive reviews for a Southern bar & grill with a general store theme with live music. It’s a 10-minute walk from Broadway.
  
• The Hampton Social has 10K positive reviews. It is near the river and a 6-minute walk from Broadway. This stylish beach retreat theme is chic and stunning.
  
• Acme Feed & Seed on Broadway near the river has over 6k positive reviews.
  
• Maggiano’s Little Italy has 6K positive reviews and is a few miles from downtown.
  

The Aquarium

• The Aquarium Restaurant at Opry Mills serves delicious seafood and volcano cake with fish for entertainment.
  
• Biscuit Love has gravy and biscuits, shrimp & grits, and fried chicken.
  
• Five Daughter’s Bakery for the 100-layer donut that takes four days to make.
• Prince’s Hot Chicken Shack started the hot chicken craze in Nashville with several locations around town.
  

Hotels

The Gaylord Opryland Resort is THE PLACE to stay at Christmas.

• The Opryland Inn is a much cheaper choice. Just be aware that it’s across the hectic highway from Opryland and a long walk I wouldn’t attempt with small kids.
• The Graduate Hotel by Hilton has a Dolly Parton-themed 9-5 room with Christmas trees starting at almost $700 a night. Regular rooms start at $250. It is located in midtown, a short distance from downtown.
• The Noelle has the best Christmas pop-up options. It is located downtown, a couple of blocks from the arena.
• The Bobby Hotel is downtown with a top Christmas pop-up a couple of blocks from the arena downtown.
• There are several Hampton Inn locations near the Bridgestone area.
• The Omni Hotel has a prime downtown location with luxury and exquisite ambiance.

Best Christmas Events

Nashville is a top-five Christmas destination in the South, so make your Opryland Resort and ICE! reservations months in advance.

1. Opryland Resort for photos, ice skating & ICE!
   
2. Zoolumination’s Lantern Wonderland is filled with activities.
   
3. Cheekwood Manor for a stroll through magical lights.
   
4. Tennessee Performing Arts Center hosts A Christmas Carol, Nashville Nutcracker, or the Nashville Symphony Christmas Concerts.
   
5. Grand Ole Opry or the Ryman hosting Christmas Concerts.
   
6. The Dancing Lights of Christmas is a drive-thru light display.
   
7. Nearby Franklin, Tennessee, hosts a Dicken’s Christmas one weekend in December, and it’s my absolute favorite for seeing a small-town Christmas come to life. Franktown Festival of Lights is also a fun drive-thru light experience.
   

Christmas Pop-up Bars

1. Pancake Pantry has Who’s Tavern, and it’s family-friendly!!
   
2. Noelle Hotel has Whoville for over 21 years old & Ralphie’s Christmas speakeasy.
   
3. Bobby Hotel has 1970’s campfires, igloos for reservations at $250, and food minimums for 90 minutes.
   
4. Grand Hyatt Nashville has a fake rink that’s $15 and not rated very good for actual skating.
   
5. Jane’s Hideaway has Candy Cane Jane’s with live music.
   

Must be over 21

6. Thistle & Rye has a disco wonderland, igloos, and reserved $50 igloos.

7. Geist is nutcracker-themed.

8. Park Café has igloos with a northern light theme for a $25 reservation and a $125 food minimum.

9. Miracle at Tiger Bar has 1930s Christmas decorations.

10. Lodge 27 is a snowy retreat with views over the city on the 27^th floor.

Itinerary: Day 1

Christmas is the peak of tourism, so this is a glimpse of my typical crowd-free Christmas trip.

We leave on Thursday morning and arrive in Nashville by lunch. The Pancake Pantry is why I came, so I’m having my rolled strawberry pancakes. By going during lunch, we avoided the large crowds for breakfast. Being downtown, we visit the Country Music Hall of Fame and eat our way down Broadway from Goo-Goo Clusters to Savannah Candy Kitchen, then Five Daughter’s Bakery for the 100-layer donut. After dinner at one of the endless options on Broadway, we head to a Predator hockey game.

Day 2

Day 2, Friday morning, we arrive at the Opryland Land Hotel early (9:30) to avoid the huge crowds that come for the weekend. After strolling through all the atriums and taking those Christmas photos, we go to our 11 a.m. tickets for ICE! The ice sculpting is worth the trip for the magical feeling of being in a winter wonderland and ice sliding. Ice skating is next, and we laugh at each other for a good hour. Then, head to the Opry Mills for lunch at the Aquarium and shopping. Next, the Parthenon was on my agenda for an hour, but a nap replaced it. Around 4:30, we head to Cheekwood Manor for a magical stroll under the lights. Then, we finished off the day with dinner at Sam’s Place.

Day 3

Day 3 is Saturday, and the crowds have arrived, so we are headed to the Zoo. After a quick lunch, we decide if it’s off to the Hermitage or the Lane Museum and Game Terminal. Then, we finish off the day with ZooLumination. However, I realize two trips to the zoo is a bit excessive since most animals are not out in cold weather, but we wanted to see the tiger cub triplets. Lastly, Attending an event at the Grande Ole Opry or Ryman is always a favorite choice, too.

Lastly, on Day Four, we are heading home. I try to time our trip with a stop in Franklin, TN, for the Dicken’s Christmas festival.

Nashville Travel Guide

Thank you for reading my Top 30 Things to Do in Nashville Travel Blog.

Next, try Gatlinburg, TN, for a top destination for Christmas memories.

Believe me, those tricycles will turn into trucks, so take the trip!