Nashville, Music City, is the capital of Tennessee and the home of country music, a friendly, fast-growing city of about 690,000 people on the Cumberland River. Live music plays from late morning to the small hours in the honky-tonks of Lower Broadway, the Grand Ole Opry has broadcast every week since 1925, and the Ryman Auditorium, the “Mother Church of Country Music”, still hosts concerts in its old church pews. Beyond the neon there is a full-size copy of the Athenian Parthenon, great museums, hot chicken and barbecue, and walkable neighborhoods such as The Gulch, East Nashville and 12 South. The airport is a short bus or taxi ride from downtown, so a long weekend is easy to plan.
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Nashville at a glance
- Best months: April–May and September–October for warm days and comfortable nights; summer is hot and humid; winter is cool and gray but quiet and cheaper.
- Time needed: two or three days for Broadway, the Ryman, the Country Music Hall of Fame and an Opry show; add a day for Franklin or a distillery trip.
- Getting there: Nashville International Airport (BNA) is about 8 miles (13 km) east of downtown; WeGo bus Route 18 runs to downtown for $2.
- Costs (as of October 2026): a WeGo 2-hour pass is $2 and a day pass $4; Country Music Hall of Fame adult admission is $31.95; hotel bills add 16.75% in taxes plus $2.50 a night.
- Before you go: entry rules, money, driving and general safety are on our United States travel guide.
Nashville neighborhoods and who each one suits
Downtown, Lower Broadway and SoBro
Lower Broadway, from the river up to about Fifth Avenue, is the famous strip of honky-tonks, rooftop bars and boot shops, with live bands on several floors at once and no cover charge at most places. Printers Alley, a narrow lane of old clubs, is a few blocks north. South of Broadway, SoBro holds the Country Music Hall of Fame, the Music City Center, the Schermerhorn Symphony Center and large hotels. Best for first-time visitors who want to walk to the music.
The Gulch and Midtown
The Gulch, a former rail yard just southwest of downtown, is now a polished district of hotels, restaurants, boutiques and murals, including the much-photographed “What Lifts You” wings. Midtown and Music Row, a little farther west, mix college bars, the studios and label offices of the music business, and the Bluebird-style songwriter venues that make Nashville special. Good for couples and food lovers.
East Nashville
Across the Cumberland River, East Nashville is the city’s creative, laid-back side: old bungalows, coffee shops, vintage stores, small music bars and some of the best independent restaurants in town, in pockets such as Five Points. It suits repeat visitors and anyone who prefers neighborhood bars to Broadway crowds.
12 South and Germantown
12 South, about 2 miles (3 km) south of downtown, is a short, walkable strip of boutiques, cafes and murals with quiet residential streets around it. Germantown, just north of downtown beside Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park, is a historic district of red-brick rowhouses and some of the city’s most admired restaurants, close to the Nashville Farmers’ Market and the minor-league ballpark.
Top things to see in Nashville
Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
The best place to understand country music, from fiddle bands and the Carter Family to today’s stars, with costumes, guitars, Elvis Presley’s gold Cadillac and the rotunda of Hall of Fame plaques. It is at 222 Rep. John Lewis Way South and is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Self-guided admission is $31.95 for adults (13 and over) and $21.95 for youth aged 6–12; an audio tour costs $5 more. Two add-on tours are well worth it: the Historic RCA Studio B, where Elvis, Dolly Parton and Roy Orbison recorded, and Hatch Show Print, a poster shop working since 1879. Each package with museum admission is $54.95 for adults and $44.95 for youth, and the “Experience It All” package with both tours is $82.95 and $67.95. Allow at least two to three hours.
Ryman Auditorium
Built in the 1890s as a tabernacle, the Ryman was home to the Grand Ole Opry for three decades and is still one of the best-sounding concert halls in the country. Daytime tours run daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 116 Rep. John Lewis Way North. The self-guided tour costs $25 plus tax and includes a short film and a photo on the stage; children 12 and under go free with a paying adult. A guided backstage tour is $42.52 plus tax and a two-hour VIP tour $62.02 plus tax. Seeing an evening concert here, of any genre, is one of the highlights of a trip.
Grand Ole Opry
The Opry, the long-running radio show that made Nashville Music City, celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2025. Each show is a fast-moving mix of legends, current stars and newcomers, a few songs each. Most shows are at the Opry House, 600 Opry Mills Drive, beside the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Opry Mills mall, about 10 miles (16 km) northeast of downtown, with 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. shows on several nights a week. Backstage tours of the Opry House cost $46.65 for the daytime tour, $88.34 for the VIP tour and $45 for the post-show tour (which needs a show ticket). Some shows are held at the Ryman instead, especially in winter; check the venue on your ticket.
The Parthenon and Centennial Park
Built for the 1897 Tennessee Centennial Exposition and later rebuilt in concrete, Nashville’s full-scale replica of the Parthenon in Athens stands in Centennial Park on West End Avenue. Inside are the city’s art museum and a towering gilded statue of Athena. It is open Monday to Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and on Sunday from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m., and closed on Metro holidays (including Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day). Admission is $15 for adults, $10 for seniors 62 and over and youth 4–17, and free under 4. The park around it, with a lake and walking paths, is free.
Lower Broadway’s honky-tonks
Walk in, find a spot and listen: bands play for tips from late morning until late at night, and the musicians are often superb. Classic names include Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge, Robert’s Western World and The Stage, alongside large multi-story bars named after country stars. Bring cash for the tip jar. Many bars admit all ages during the day but become 21 and over in the evening, so families should go early.
Tennessee State Capitol and Bicentennial Mall
The Greek Revival State Capitol, completed in 1859, sits on a hill at the north edge of downtown. Below it, Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park tells Tennessee’s story with a granite map, a World War II memorial and carillon bells, and it is free. The Tennessee State Museum, also free, is at the north end of the mall.
Other things to do in Nashville
- Songwriter nights: small venues around the city host “in the round” shows where writers play the hits they wrote for others; book ahead for the famous rooms.
- Food: try Nashville hot chicken, meat-and-three diners and barbecue; the Nashville Farmers’ Market in Germantown is good for lunch.
- Walking and the river: cross the John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge for the skyline view; our city sightseeing guide has tips for city breaks.
- Sports: the Tennessee Titans (NFL) play downtown by the river in fall, the Predators (NHL) at Bridgestone Arena on Broadway, and Nashville SC (soccer) at GEODIS Park.
- Events: CMA Fest, four days of concerts downtown and at the stadium, is set for June 10–13, 2027. NASCAR comes to Nashville Superspeedway in Lebanon on June 4–6, 2027, with the Cup Series Cracker Barrel 400 on Sunday, June 6.
Day trips from Nashville
Franklin
About 20 miles (32 km) south, Franklin has a handsome Victorian Main Street of shops, cafes and music venues, and important Civil War sites such as the Carter House and the Carnton plantation. It is an easy half-day by car; combine it with a drive along the Natchez Trace Parkway, whose northern end is nearby.
Jack Daniel’s in Lynchburg
The Jack Daniel Distillery in tiny Lynchburg, about 75 miles (121 km) southeast, offers tours of the hollow where the whiskey is made, with tastings on most tours. Book online, and choose a designated driver; the country roads are pretty but winding. Several other Tennessee whiskey distilleries are along the way.
Memphis and farther afield
Memphis, home of the blues, Graceland and the National Civil Rights Museum, is about 210 miles (338 km) west on Interstate 40, roughly three to three and a half hours by car, so it deserves at least one night. Going east, Gatlinburg and Great Smoky Mountains National Park are about four hours away; note that East Tennessee is on Eastern Time.
Nearby destinations
- Gatlinburg299 km
Getting there and getting around
From Nashville International Airport
BNA has nonstop flights from across the US and a few international routes. WeGo Route 18 Airport leaves from the Ground Transportation Center on Level 1 of the Terminal 2 Garage (follow the Ground Transportation signs from baggage claim to the purple WeGo stop) and runs to WeGo Central, the downtown transit center. Express trips take about 20 minutes and local trips 35–45 minutes. The fare is $2 ($1 for youth, seniors and riders with disabilities), and luggage is allowed. Taxis and ride-shares take about 15–25 minutes to downtown, longer at rush hour.
WeGo buses
WeGo Public Transit runs Nashville’s buses and the WeGo Star commuter train. Fares as of October 2026:
| Ticket | Adult | Youth 19 and under, seniors 65+ |
|---|---|---|
| 2-Hour Unlimited | $2 | $1 |
| Full Day | $4 | $2 |
| Calendar month | $65 | $33 |
| Cash single ride | $2, exact change, no transfers | — |
| Children 4 and under | Free | |
The easiest way to pay is to tap a contactless bank card, phone wallet or the QuickTicket card or app on the validator as you board; each fare works as a 2-hour pass. Discount fares need a WeGo Discount ID, issued in person downtown. WeGo Star trains to Lebanon cost $2–$5.25 depending on the station. Downtown, The Gulch and SoBro are walkable; for East Nashville, 12 South or the Opry, a ride-share is often quicker.
Driving
Interstates 40, 65 and 24 meet in Nashville, and traffic on them is heavy at rush hour. You do not need a car downtown, where parking is expensive, but one is handy for day trips. Pedal taverns and party buses share Broadway with traffic in the evenings, so drive slowly there.
When to go and how long to stay
Nashville has four distinct seasons. Spring brings dogwoods, warm days and some heavy storms; summer is hot and humid with afternoon thunderstorms; fall is mild, dry and the most pleasant time to walk around; winter is cool and often damp, with occasional light snow or ice that can disrupt the city. Rain is spread through the year, a little more in spring.
| Season | Average high | Average low | What it’s like |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring (Mar–May) | 63–80 °F (17–27 °C) | 40–58 °F (4–14 °C) | Warming fast; blossoms; storms possible. |
| Summer (Jun–Aug) | 88–91 °F (31–33 °C) | 66–71 °F (19–22 °C) | Hot and humid; CMA Fest in June. |
| Fall (Sep–Nov) | 84–61 °F (29–16 °C) | 62–39 °F (17–4 °C) | Dry, sunny and comfortable; busy weekends. |
| Winter (Dec–Feb) | 49–54 °F (9–12 °C) | 30–33 °F (−1 to 1 °C) | Cool and grey; occasional snow or ice; lower hotel prices. |
Figures are NOAA 1991–2020 normals for Nashville International Airport. The airport gets about 50.5 inches (1,283 mm) of rain a year and about 5 inches (12 cm) of snow, mostly in January and February.
How long to stay: 2, 3 and 4 days
- Two days: the Country Music Hall of Fame, the Ryman and an evening on Broadway; next day the Parthenon, The Gulch and an Opry show.
- Three days: add East Nashville or 12 South, the State Capitol and Bicentennial Mall, and a songwriter night.
- Four days: add a day trip to Franklin or Lynchburg, or continue to Memphis.
Where to stay in Nashville and the hotel tax
- Downtown and SoBro: walk to Broadway, the Ryman and the museums; lively and loud on weekend nights, and the most expensive.
- The Gulch and Midtown: stylish hotels a short walk or ride from Broadway, with plenty of restaurants.
- East Nashville and Germantown: boutique hotels and rentals in quieter neighborhoods with good food.
- Music Valley and Opryland: resort hotels near the Opry House, convenient if you are mainly there for shows, but a drive from downtown.
- Airport area: cheaper chain hotels with shuttles; you will need taxis or the bus.
Hotel tax: room rates are quoted before tax. Metro Nashville charges a 7% hotel occupancy tax (6% plus a 1% tax for the new stadium) and $2.50 per room per night. Rooms also pay Tennessee’s 7% state sales tax and Davidson County’s 2.75% local sales tax (raised from 2.25% on February 1, 2025, for transit), so the total is 16.75% plus $2.50 a night. Many downtown hotels add a daily resort or amenity fee and charge for parking, which is expensive downtown; check the full price before you book, especially for CMA Fest, big game weekends and bachelorette season.
Practical tips for Nashville
- Time zone: Nashville is on Central Time with daylight saving time; Gatlinburg and the Smokies, in East Tennessee, are one hour ahead on Eastern Time.
- Book ahead: Opry, Ryman and songwriter-night tickets and weekend hotels sell out, especially in spring, fall and around CMA Fest.
- Tipping and prices: sales tax is added at the till; tip about 18–22% in restaurants and bars, and tip the bands if you stay for a set.
- Safety: downtown and the main neighborhoods are busy and generally safe, but Lower Broadway gets very crowded and rowdy late at night; watch your drink and your phone, use licensed ride-share pickup points, and do not leave bags visible in parked cars.
- Emergencies: call 911.
What to pack for Nashville
Bring comfortable shoes for walking and standing at gigs (cowboy boots are optional and sold everywhere on Broadway), light, breathable clothes and sunscreen for summer, a compact umbrella for sudden storms, and a light jacket for air-conditioned venues. In spring and fall add a sweater for cool evenings; in winter, a warm coat. A small bag and some cash for tip jars make bar-hopping easier.
Nashville travel FAQ
How do I get from Nashville airport to downtown?
Take WeGo Route 18 from the Ground Transportation Center in the Terminal 2 Garage to WeGo Central for $2; express trips take about 20 minutes. A taxi or ride-share takes about 15–25 minutes without traffic.
How much is the bus in Nashville?
$2 for a 2-hour pass and $4 for a full day, or $1 and $2 for youth 19 and under and seniors 65 and over with a Discount ID. Tap a contactless card or phone when you board.
How much is the Country Music Hall of Fame?
$31.95 for adults and $21.95 for ages 6–12, open daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Packages with the RCA Studio B or Hatch Show Print tour are $54.95 for adults, and both tours together $82.95.
Is the Grand Ole Opry at the Ryman?
Usually not: most shows are at the Opry House at 600 Opry Mills Drive, about 10 miles from downtown. Some shows, especially in winter, move to the Ryman Auditorium downtown, so check the venue on your ticket.
What is the hotel tax in Nashville?
16.75% plus $2.50 per room per night: Metro’s 7% occupancy tax and $2.50 fee, plus 9.75% state and local sales tax. Some hotels add resort and parking fees on top.
When is CMA Fest 2027?
June 10–13, 2027, in downtown Nashville. Hotels fill early and prices rise, so book as soon as you can.
Can kids go to the honky-tonks on Broadway?
Many admit all ages during the day, but most become 21 and over in the evening, and rules differ from bar to bar. Families are best visiting before late afternoon.
How far is Memphis from Nashville?
About 210 miles (338 km) west on Interstate 40, or three to three and a half hours by car. Plan at least one night there.
When is the best time to visit Nashville?
April–May and September–October, for mild weather and a full music calendar. Summer is hot and humid; winter is quieter and cheaper.
Plan your trip
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Sources
Researched and last reviewed on October 4, 2026. Bus and airport fares come from WeGo Public Transit; museum hours and prices from the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, the Ryman Auditorium, the Grand Ole Opry and the Parthenon (Metro Nashville Parks); CMA Fest dates from CMA Fest; NASCAR dates from Nashville Superspeedway; hotel taxes from the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County and the Tennessee Department of Revenue; climate from NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for Nashville International Airport; population from Wikidata. Distances, taxi times, honky-tonk age rules, the airport-area and neighborhood details and the Opry’s winter Ryman shows are general references and flagged for checking. Prices and schedules change, so check the official sites before you go. For entry rules, money and general safety, see our United States travel guide.
Data: Weather: MET Norway (CC BY 4.0) · Air quality: OpenAQ · Rates: ECB · Holidays: Nager.Date · Costs: World Bank ICP and price levels · Wikidata (CC0)