Nashville is the obvious trip for any country music fan, and for good reason. The city runs on music the way other cities run on finance or tech. You can hear live country on any given Tuesday at 2 PM, walk past the studios where your favorite records were made, and eat hot chicken until you question your life choices. Here’s how to make the most of a weekend.
Friday Evening: Lower Broadway
Get into town by late afternoon, drop your bags, and head to Lower Broadway. Yes, it’s touristy. It’s also a four-block stretch where you can walk into any honky-tonk and hear genuinely skilled musicians playing for tips. Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge has been there since 1960, and Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, and Roger Miller all played there before they were famous. Robert’s Western World is the spot if you want classic honky-tonk and a fried bologna sandwich at the same time. The Stage on Broadway books solid cover bands that play deep cuts, not just the hits.
Don’t camp out at one bar all night. The whole point of Broadway is bar-hopping. Most places don’t charge a cover, so you can walk in, listen to a few songs, and move on if it’s not your thing. Tip the musicians well. They’re playing four-hour sets for whatever people put in the jar.
Saturday Morning: The Country Music Hall of Fame
The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum is worth several hours. The permanent collection traces the genre from its Appalachian roots through every major era, with original instruments, stage outfits, handwritten lyrics, and enough memorabilia to keep you reading placards all morning. They rotate special exhibits regularly, so check the website before you go to see what’s current.
From there, walk over to the Ryman Auditorium. The Ryman was home to the Grand Ole Opry from 1943 to 1974, and even empty, the room has a weight to it. The self-guided tour takes about thirty minutes and includes the chance to stand on the stage where Hank Williams, Patsy Cline, and Johnny Cash performed. If there’s a show that night, get tickets. The acoustics in that room are something you have to hear in person.
Saturday Afternoon: Beyond the Tourist Zone
After the museums, head to East Nashville for lunch. The Pharmacy Burger Parlor does excellent burgers and has a solid beer garden. East Nashville in general is worth a couple hours of wandering. It’s where a lot of Nashville’s working musicians actually live, and the neighborhood has record shops, coffee spots, and smaller venues like The Basement East that book up-and-coming acts.
If you can get a reservation at the Bluebird Cafe in the Green Hills neighborhood, do it. This 90-seat room is where Nashville’s songwriting community does its thing. The “in the round” format puts four songwriters on stage together, and you’ll hear the stories behind songs that went on to become huge hits. Garth Brooks was discovered here, for context. Book ahead because seats fill up fast.
Saturday Night: The Grand Ole Opry
If the Opry is running a show during your visit, go. It’s been broadcasting since 1925, making it the longest-running radio broadcast in American history. The format is old-school: multiple artists each play a short set, and the lineup mixes legends with newer acts. The current Opry House out by Opryland isn’t as atmospheric as the Ryman, but the show itself is still special. Dress however you want. You’ll see everything from suits to cowboy boots to cargo shorts.
If the Opry isn’t running, check what’s happening at the Ryman, the Station Inn (great for bluegrass), or 3rd and Lindsley. Nashville has more live music on any given night than most cities have in a month.
Sunday Morning: Biscuits and Music Row
Start Sunday at Biscuit Love in the Gulch neighborhood. Get there early because the line gets long. The bonuts (biscuit donuts) are the move. If you’d rather skip the wait, Loveless Cafe on Highway 100 has been serving country ham and biscuits since 1951 and rarely disappoints.
Before you head out of town, drive through Music Row. It’s not flashy. It mostly looks like a residential neighborhood with some office buildings. But those unassuming buildings house the recording studios, publishing companies, and label offices where most of Nashville’s music gets made. RCA Studio B, where Elvis, Dolly Parton, and the Everly Brothers recorded, offers tours if you want to see the inside of a room where hundreds of hit records happened.
Practical Tips
Wear comfortable shoes. You’ll walk more than you expect. If you’re going in summer, prepare for humidity that feels personal. Uber and Lyft work well for getting around, but downtown is walkable. Don’t skip the hot chicken. Hattie B’s and Prince’s are the big names, but Bolton’s in East Nashville is arguably better and has shorter lines. And if someone at a bar tells you they’re a songwriter, they probably are. Nashville has an estimated 30,000 of them.
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