Nashville Sept 2024

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Nashville

Germantown, East Nashville & Music Valley

Dhere’s no denying music is the heart and soul of Nashville, a.k.a Music City, and any vacation here comes with its own soundtrack. The live music scene is only one part of the fabric that makes up Tennessee’s capital. With award-winning cuisine, world-class museums, unique tours and experiences as well as vibrant neighborhoods, Nashville rivals the kind of offerings you’d expect in metropolises many times its size. Even if you’ve been here before, Nashville is growing at such a pace that you can have a different experience each time you visit. Read on for our guide on what to eat, see and do around town, whether you’re here for a long weekend or a midweek stay when crowds are thinner.

Named for chef Sean Brock's maternal grandmother and informed by his Appalachian roots, Audrey is a highlight of this part of town. Another neighborhood standout is Rolf and Daughters, where Phillip Krajeck creates stunners such as his campanelle with lobster mushrooms and Pernod and trout with brown butter, cucamelon and ginger. Japanese teahouse Kisser was recently named to Bon Appétit’s 20 Best New Restaurants for 2024. Edley’s Bar-B-Que in East Nashville promises to be open “’till the last drink is poured.” With all its various menu offerings, you might be here awhile. Meats are smoked low and slow daily with white oak. Choose from smoked wings, brisket, ribs, pork, chicken and turkey or splurge on the smoker sampler.

A true aficionado's experience, the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum immerses you in the untold stories and little-known histories of some of the nation's favorite recordings. Among the mind-blowing memorabilia is a famed studio where both Elvis and Neil Diamond recorded; a Stratocaster that belonged to Jimi Hendrix (along with a Nashville stage he performed on); and various other instruments played by Johnny Cash, Elton John and many more.

Eat

See

You can’t come to Music City without catching a show at the Grand Ole Opry, which turns 100 in 2025; keep your eye on the calendar to see what celebrations may be on hand. Even if you can’t see a rising artist make their debut or catch a special guest appearance, you can still take a backstage tour (or check out the gift shop). To make your visit go from iconic to epic, book the VIP Experience. The special touches include a golf cart escort to the Opry House artist entrance; a pre-show private tour of the Opry backstage area; access to a backstage dressing room that's stocked with hors d'oeuvres and champagne and a visit to the artist's dressing room, where you'll be welcomed by whomever you're about to see on stage. Oh, and naturally, there are pro keepsake photos.

Downtown

There's more than one way to play

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Wedgewood-Houston, Gulch & surrounds

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12South, West Nashville & Green Hills

At the Schermerhorn Symphony Center, you can catch performances by not only the Grammy Award-winning Nashville Symphony, but also visiting Latin, chamber, jazz and genre-bending musicians. The upcoming season includes everything from classical works by Mozart and Brahms to a pop-inspired series that includes Patti LaBelle, the Beach Boys, Boyz II Men and Joss Stone. Then there are the cinematically-inspired series: Black Panther, Jurassic Park, Harry Potter, Home Alone and Hocus Pocus In Concert (for anyone who's traveling with kids in tow).

See

With its singular mission to preserve and celebrate every musical genre that's been created, influenced or inspired by African-Americans, the recently opened National Museum of African American Music is a must. Exploring 50+ genres and styles—spirituals, blues, jazz, gospel, R&B and hip hop, for starters—the six onsite galleries are packed with commemorative clothing, instruments and other memorabilia, as well as cutting-edge technology to help provide context for what you're seeing.

Eat

Having appeared everywhere from CNN to Condé Nast Traveler, chef Deb Paquette has been a beloved Nashville fixture for decades. At her downtown eatery Etch, she serves up her favorite flavors from around the globe—and the American South is no exception, so don't be surprised to find the likes of fried cornmeal catfish with sweet potato beignet alongside, say, bulgogi pulled pork sandwiches with kimchi and caramel soy aioli or charred broccolini with za’atar spiced chickpea ragout and creamy tahini lemon drizzle. After opening in 2021, Fifth + Broadway has quickly established itself as a foodie destination, thanks to Assembly Food Hall. Here, there are more than 20 eateries. Try the gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches at Cheese Lab. Dig into authentic Vietnamese cuisine at Hans Banh Mi & Pho. Sample custard-based ice cream at Hattie Jane’s Creamery. Afterward, head to the rooftop to listen to live bands and dance off the calories.

Support local artists with some indie boutique shopping. Head to 12South for the likes of Judith Bright's locally-crafted artisanal jewelry, imogene + willie's Nashville-made denim offerings; and Emerson Grace for a beautifully curated collection of women's clothing and jewelry. Learn about the area's history by taking one of the guided tours at Belle Meade Historic Site & Winery, set at a historic 1853 Greek Revival mansion. Visitors can learn about the family that lived there and the enslaved people who worked the land. Afterward, consider the Chef-Inspired Food & Wine Pairing that includes four small plates of seasonal specialties, each paired with a renowned house wine.

Locust | photo courtesy of Andrew Thomas Lee

See

Considered a classic example of an American Country Place Era estate, Cheekwood Estate & Gardens was built in 1929 as private home and was converted into a museum and botanic garden three decades later. Visit this lush 55-acre spread where you can be at peace in the Blevins Japanese Garden or admire the hues at the Bradford Robertson Color Garden, among other places. Stop to look at a fascinating array of exhibits, from the permanent collection of paintings and sculptures to the current show, Interventions: Ann Carrington (through Oct. 27), in which discarded objects are used to create ornate sculptures. On weekends through Oct. 27, you can linger and lounge in the beer garden—the only one in Nashville that's in an actual garden.

Eat

A semifinalist for the 2023 James Beard Award for Best Chef: Southeast, Trevor Moran is shaking up the menu at Locust once again. Moran scrapped the dinner service—of which reservations were scarce—in favor of dumplings and drinks for walk-ins only. Reservations are taken, however, for the newly expanded lunch menu, but the restaurant is only open Friday–Sunday. Food tours are a great way to experience a mixture of what the area has to offer and Walk Eat Nashville provides a host of tasting stops. Join the 12South Food & Mural Tour and visit restaurants, coffee houses, bakeries, bars and boutiques along a half-mile stretch of the neighborhood.

An unassuming stone building among towering new developments, Station Inn should not be missed. A longstanding icon of the bluegrass, Americana and roots music scene, this stage hosts local and global legends alike, and any given night here is guaranteed to be rousing. For exhilaration of a different kind, catch football one of two ways in town. Major League Soccer’s Nashville SC plays at newly opened GEODIS Park, the largest soccer-specific stadium in the U.S. (Games go through Oct. 2.) Or, walk across the pedestrian bridge from Lower Broadway to cheer on the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium.

See

At the Frist Art Museum, the widely varied exhibits range from Journey through Japan: Myths to Manga (Oct. 25–Feb. 16, 2025) to Farm to Table: Art, Food and Identity in the Age of Impressionism (Jan. 31–May 4, 2025). Even the elevators currently feature stunning artwork now thanks to the museum's first micro-exhibit, Elise Kendrick: Salon Noir, an homage to the beauty of African American women, their hair and the Black salon experience. If you're in town on the first Saturday of the month, another art experience not to be missed is the WeHo Art Crawl—though you can explore the neighborhood's famed art scene on your own schedule if you happen to miss the organized crawl.

Eat

For particularly thoughtful drink pairings, check out a spot that prides itself on them—as well as its ever-changing six-course dinners: Bastion, where you're as likely to find Chrysanthemum Tears ginjo with your raw scallop and huckleberry as you are a Höpler Grüner Veltliner with your halibut, apple and urfa. Here is also where you'll find Chef Josh Habiger, Nashville's only finalist for a 2023 James Beard Award. Family-owned Arnold's Country Kitchen is a beloved Nashville institution thanks to its meat-and-three Southern comfort food. Its location in The Gulch has a cafeteria-style setup. Its North Nashville spot, set to open in spring 2025, will have a sit-down experience and a drive-thru. The Gulch will also soon be home to the Catbird Seat and The Patterson House, which are relocating to the rooftop of the Bill Voorhees building.

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Nashville Symphony

Audrey

Rolf and Daughters

Locust | photo courtesy of Andrew Thomas Lee

Day One

Day Two

Day Three

Day Four

Downtown

Germantown

East Nashville

BNA Airport

The Gulch

In 2023, an estimated 16.8 million visitors descended on Nashville and there's good reason why: there's always something going on to entertain folks of all ages. As mentioned, in 2025, there will be centennial celebrations for the Grand Ole Opry, but other annual events draw tourists as well. In February, there's the annual Dine Nashville, when foodies flock to the weeklong prix fixe menus. The Tin Pan South Songwriters Festival (April 2–6) is a chance to hear more than 400 songwriters perform their radio hits. June brings music lovers to the CMA Fest and Bonnaroo. Cheer for your favorite country artists when they come to town in November for the CMA Awards. Celebrate the New Year at Nashville's Big Bash.

Events calendar