Visitors from all over the world head to Nashville, Tennessee to enjoy everything the bustling city has to offer. From amazing food, non-stop entertainment and endless activities, you definitely won’t be bored.
I recently visited the music city to celebrate my sister’s 21st birthday. The length of our trip (we thought) was going to feel too short. We arrived on a Sunday and left on that Wednesday. Our flight was originally supposed to leave in the early hours of the morning on Sunday, giving us that additional day to enjoy the city, but when our flight got moved to far later in the day, we were super bummed about missing out on a whole day of an already short trip. We also weren’t sure what the city would be like during the week. All of our concerns were quickly washed away.
First of all, I would say that the ideal length of time for a Nashville trip is three days, especially if you are planning to spend most of your time on Broadway, the main strip where all the honky tonks and shops are located. While we were having a blast, we felt like our trip was a lot longer than three days when we looked back at all the things that we did in such a short period of time.
Also, if you are worried about the city being quiet during the week, do not worry. No matter what days you go, you’ll see tons of bachelor/bachelorette parties, lots of people out and about and plenty of live music. Nashville is not just busy on the weekends. Broadway specifically is flooded with tourists, so it is busy all the time.
Let’s get into some specifics. I have been to Nashville twice, and the first time I stayed at a hotel that was a little further away from Broadway. Still walking distance, but not extremely close. This time, I stayed at a hotel right near Broadway and I liked it a lot better and would absolutely stay again.
We stayed at Drury Plaza Hotel in Nashville and it was wonderful. On top of being so conveniently located with its central location, it was a beautiful hotel. They had lots of different rooms. We sprung for a suite, which included a separate bedroom, a living space and a little kitchen area by the bathroom with a sink, microwave and fridge.
Drury Plaza had great food options, with breakfast included each morning and a restaurant in the hotel with live music and dinner options for an additional price at night. We ate at the restaurant the day before my sister’s birthday and enjoyed some pizza and chips before heading out to celebrate.
The hotel also had a beautiful pool on the roof with amazing views of the city. We hung out there a lot. Part of the pool was inside and part was outside. The inside part was especially nice when we needed some shade.
Our group’s favorite event of the trip was the pedal bike tour. I knew this was going to be a good time, but I underestimated how much fun it would be. I could not recommend doing this enough.
If you have ever been to Nashville, you’ve probably seen pedal bike tours on the street. They basically look like a bar surrounded by bicycle seats. My sister and I’s best friends visited Nashville just before us, and they talked about how amazing their experience with the pedal bike was. We were deciding between the bike and doing a bus type situation, which they also have, but hearing such great reviews about the bike made us lean more towards that option.
There is a driver with you who of course, operates the vehicle but also has so many other roles. Our driver was absolutely amazing and really made our experience so much better. He served as the driver, bartender, photographer, DJ and entertainer. We basically got a comedy show with our ride.
You can book these bikes privately with your party, but they do hold a lot of people, so if you have a smaller party, you can book per person and you’ll get paired with others. Honestly, I would recommend booking per person because you can meet new people and it’s more fun when the bike is full and lively!
I could not recommend doing the pedal bike tour more. On top of being so much fun, it is also such a great way to see the city. And don’t worry, the pedals are just for show, although it is a nice little workout to get your legs pumping. We booked through the Nashville Pedal Tavern and had an amazing guide named Ryan.
There are so many bars in Nashville that it can be hard to hit them all in one trip. One you definitely can’t miss is Kid Rock’s bar. On the last night of our trip, my dad and sister visited Kid Rock’s on a whim, and I was ready to get in my pajamas and go to bed. I reluctantly went to the bar and ended up having the best time. They scored a perfect spot on the second floor right above the band, where we had plenty of space and a great view. We ended up staying until the bar closed to enjoy the music from the amazing rock band, Hippies and Cowboys, that was playing.
Some things to note about the bars in Nashville are that they all have multiple floors, so get ready to do some serious stair climbing to get to the top. The typical setup is live music on the first floor and then a DJ at the top.
Another thing to note is that there isn’t just music at night. Live music plays all day. If you traveling with kids under 21, they can still enjoy music during the day, since the bars serve as restaurants during the day and are open to all ages, so take advantage of all the music you can.
We also liked the Wildhorse Saloon. I am a big fan of line dancing, but wanted to see what it was like in Nashville. Wildhorse Saloon has a huge dance floor near a stage where a live band plays. There are tables surrounding the dance floor and a second floor as well that overlooks the first.
There was an instructor who taught lessons every hour or so, and in between the lessons, she also stood at the front of the floor and did the steps for different dances that were very easy to follow along with. This place was so much fun, and the dances were beginner level, since the large majority of guests are visitors.
Throughout your trip, if you are ever looking for a quick bite to eat, Assembly Food Hall is a great option. There are lots of different places here that serve all different grab and go foods. There’s also ice cream places here if you need something sweet.
While in Nashville, you’ll probably want to get a nice authentic pair of boots. These can run you a whole lot of cash, but a little extra looking around can save you a lot of money.
Don’t buy the first pair of boots you love. Instead, do some shopping around first. There are lots of different places to buy boots right on Broadway and some have major deals where you can save a lot of cash.
We were traveling with a lot of people who all wanted boots. We found a place that had a sale where all of our boots came out to just about $130! The boots were valued at much higher prices, $300-$400, but finding a good sale got us all a pair of new boots for an affordable price. Just make sure you have extra room in your suitcase when buying boots and hats and all the fun Nashville accessories, or you’ll have a pretty funky look at the airport on your way home, which of course works too. But if you want to avoid wearing your hat and boots home, keep some space reserved for souvenirs. I recommend bringing an almost empty carry-on if you are planning on shopping on your trip, so you have plenty of extra space on your way home.