Nashville, TN | Long Weekend Travel Guide
Plan your next trip to Nashville, the perfect destination for a long-weekend getaway with friends or loved ones!
Visiting Nashville, it’s more than Country Music
When you think about Nashville, it’s likely that country music, line dancing and Southern hospitality come to mind first but over the years, Nashville has truly grown into a city of its own! With a vibrant music scene, endless culinary options and activities for all ages, Nashville is a destination that is not to be missed.
The population of Nashville is growing at record speeds, in fact the city’s population has grown by 20% in the last ten years and is quickly approaching two million. A recent study also shows that Nashville has the most economic growth of all US cities in 2021.
Beautiful surroundings
It’s easy to see why Nashville is so popular—surrounded by the rolling hills of Tennessee and views of the Cumberland River combined with moderate temperatures and less than a 4 hour drive to the Great Smokey Mountains, Nashville is a family-friendly city that draws everyone from music lovers to outdoor adventurers alike.
College vibes
Nashville is known as the home of country music as well as home to Vanderbilt University and over 15 other colleges and universities, you will find a thriving young population in Nashville. Do note that on any given weekend you will run across many bachelorette and bachelor parties filled with those living up their final days of single life.
Mild Temperatures
Nashville has the typical temperate weather of the Southeast with a four-seasons experience. Spring and Fall are definitely your ideal months to travel to Nashville as summer can get very hot and the winters a bit unpredictable with snow and ice storms. Like in most areas, weather is becoming a bit more extreme but it’s safe to say that March through May and September through late November are great months to travel to Nashville.
Nashville International Airport | What you need to know before you go
Coming from Atlanta, mid-size airports are my favorite and Nashville International Airport is one! Easy to navigate, walkable, accessible and not too busy are all factors that make it a great location to fly into. I found the airport to be clean, safe and easy to navigate though there is a fair bit of construction going on right now.
Another bonus to flying into Nashville is the airport’s proximity to the city. Barring any major traffic, you can get to and from the airport in about 15 minutes.
The one downside I found at BNA (Nashville’s airport) was the restaurant selection. We got there early on Sunday and there was very little to choose from in terms of breakfast and the option we chose wasn’t even in our terminal, we had to walk the next one. In addition to limited restaurant selections, it seems that the food within the restaurants was limited. It does seem that there is a fair amount of construction happening inside the airport as well as outside, so hopefully more (and better) options are coming soon.
Transportation around Nashville | How to get around once you arrive
One of my biggest internal debates before heading to Nashville was transportation. I was in a constant debate about relying on ride-shares vs. renting a car vs. driving the almost five hour drive from Atlanta in my own car.
I quickly ruled out a rental car because costs would add up quickly. The rental and all the fees, plus parking at the hotel, gas, parking in the city just didn’t make it a budget-friendly option.
I considered driving until I learned that the drive itself is a challenging one (curvy roads, big trucks and heavy traffic through Atlanta, Chattanooga and Nashville). Add to that, many told me the traffic in and around Nashville, especially downtown, can be quite heavy and parking can be very hard to find and when you find it, it will cost a lot. Not to mention, if I’m driving, I can’t enjoy drinks with dinner like I would want to. After all, it was a girls trip!
So while ride-share was a bit outside my comfort level (based on my limited experience) and despite rumors of it being crazy expensive, I decided to give it a shot and see what it would be like to rely solely on ride-share for the weekend.
I’ll share more on that soon but let’s start with the airport, relying on ride-share was off to a very rocky start.
After getting bags and navigating construction zones, we walked a fair distance to get to the ride-share pick-up area. It was a zoo. People everywhere and by the time we found a place to “pull over” and request a ride, there were no rides available. We tried Lyft and Uber twice each and every time we were told no drivers were available. It was easy to see why, there had to be at least 500 people doing the same thing.
So my tip, skip the ride-share line and grab a taxi! The taxi line was about a 5 min wait and was over $25 cheaper (before tip) than the ranges we were seeing on the apps. Our taxi driver was so kind, appreciative and helpful with suggestions as we made our way into the city. Save yourself the hassle and take a cab. Hopefully you’ll have an equally positive experience.
We had no issues relying on ride-share during our stay. We toggled between the two main providers and they were usually within a dollar of each other. The only time we had to wait more than 5 minutes was after a concert at the Ryman. Other than that, we were picked up almost instantly.
It’s possible I have control issues (can you relate?) so relying on drivers I don’t know is not my favorite thing but I figured I’d get more comfortable with more “practice”. All and all, our experiences were positive. We had some really great drivers and only two not-so-great experiences. With almost 20 rides, I’d call that a fair ratio of good vs. not-so-great.
When I was in my debate of driving vs. ride-share the advice I heard over and over again (I asked a lot of people!) was that parking is not only challenging in Nashville but it’s also very expensive, so keep that in mind if you choose to drive.
Also, traffic in and around downtown is a beast, esp at night, so if you are driving and have plans to go into the city, I’d still recommend ride-share for your night events. You’ll save yourself a lot of money and stress.
One tip that given to us from our drivers on multiple occasions:
If you are in downtown after a big event, walk a block or two north or south Broadway to decrease your price and wait. Just FYI, Broadway (the main drag into downtown) runs east and west.
My goal is to provide as many suggestions and details as possible to help you plan your trip to Nashville. Sometimes you just need all the information in one place. With that in mind, I created a free downloadable guide with links to many of the spots I mention in this blog. Download it today for easy reference when you are ready to plan a trip to Nashville!
Nashville | Perfect for any celebration or occasion
Our focus for this girls weekend in Nashville was shopping, good food and live music. So most of the following recommendations are all focused on those three goals. I love the outdoors and hiking but this trip did not include any of that unless you consider walking uphill with bags hiking!
Nashville makes a great destination for a mother-daughter trip, a friends trip or reunion, a big birthday celebration or just an excuse to get away.
Nashville isn’t just about girls though—guys have a ton of fun too, so if you are looking for a couples getaway, anniversary trip or a joint couples adventure, Nashville should definitely be on your short list of cities to consider.
Downtown Nashville
Downtown is definitely the party scene of Nashville. Large crowds, loud music, an endless stream of party buses and groups of bachelorette and bachelor parties wherever you look. It’s vibrant, energetic and filled with people of all ages.
Since our party days are behind us, we opted to experience the vibe without being out too late. We started at dinner at Merchant’s and walked the strip a little until we stumbled on Tin Roof. Since it was only about 9pm, we were able to get in without paying a cover and found a table relatively quickly. Laura Walsh was performing and it was a fun night of live music.
If you are bigger party fans than us, there is no shortage of bars and live music venues on Broadway. My recommendation is to walk around a little and see if the style of music appeals to you. You don’t have to stay long if you’d rather explore your options. There are certainly options for dancing too.
Be mentally prepared for crowds, the more popular the bar or performer the bigger the crowds, the streets get packed and if you want a ride home, plan early. The ride-share companies have “stations” that they park at to wait. We accidentally stole an Uber b/c we thought it was a taxi line. The original requestor found us and we quickly resolved the issue—thankfully we were able to de-escalate the situation quickly. That was definitely a novice mistake a bit embarrassing but a lesson learned.
Favorite finds in Downtown:
The Ryman (if you can attend a show, you won’t regret it!)
Sixty Vines (our favorite meal of the trip. Beautiful aesthetic and awesome rooftop sitting area)
5th & Broadway shopping center
Merchant’s (if you want a more upscale experience, reserve a table upstairs)
Tin Roof (a fun time for live music and cold beers)
We almost stayed at Noelle in Downtown. If you prefer to stay in the middle of all the fun, check out that hotel. The vibe and design is gorgeous. We did not stay there, so I can’t speak from experience regarding quality of service or rooms.
If at all possible, see a show at The Ryman Auditorium. We got so lucky that one of my favorite bands Caamp was performing the same weekend we were there. My husband got us amazing tickets and we had the best time. The venue is filled with history & memorabilia and the acoustics are incredible. If you can’t see a show, The Ryman offers self-guided tours to learn more about the long treasured music history of the venue.
Beyond Downtown, Exploring the neighborhoods of Nashville.
What I loved most about Nashville were the outlying neighborhoods. They were my priority when planning this trip. I knew I wanted to get a true feel of the city (all of these are inside city limits) and neighborhoods have more small businesses, locally-owned restaurants and walkable tree-lined streets with adorable houses.
If you love bright, fun murals (after all, they do make for fun pictures), check out this website for a full listing of murals and locations.
Each neighborhood has its own personality. Here’s my take on the ones we visited.
The Gulch
This neighborhood of Nashville is closest to downtown and still has the city vibe including busier streets and taller buildings. There were great restaurants, bars and shopping to be found. It’s not as touristy as Downtown but still very vibrant. On 11th Ave, you’ll find the famous Wings mural, so be sure to stop by and take a picture.
Favorite finds in the Gulch:
Adele’s (We enjoyed a great dinner here. Excellent service and cool vibe inside)
Great shopping on 11th Ave.
You can see live music at The Station Inn or Sambuca, both were on my list but we didn’t get there.
If you are like me and love local coffee shops, one that came highly recommended is Killebrew Coffee.
12 South
In all honesty, we found out about this Nashville neighborhood thanks to an Uber driver and it ended up being our favorite. It is South of the Gulch and near Belmont University. 12th Ave South is lined with shops and boutiques from locally owned to your favorite usuals like Madewell or Draper James. There are breweries, bars, restaurants, coffee & desert shops and more. The streets were filled with groups of women and shoppers but nothing out of control. It made for great people watching as well as fun shopping.
Favorite finds in 12 South
Christie’s Cookies (Who doesn’t love a fresh-baked cookie?)
Outdoor Voices (Friendly service and fun to see the clothes in person. We don’t have a store anywhere near us.)
Judith Bright Jewelry (Beautiful, accessible jewelry. The store is bright and fun to walk around)
Emery Wood Fired (We only went for wine. They are brand-new, we hope to go back one day to eat!)
Another Frothy Monkey Location is here and you can find street murals all around. The two more famous ones are outside Draper James and Madewell.
Germantown
This was another quaint Nashville neighborhood with tree-lined streets, beautiful homes and lots of shopping and dining options. The shopping options are not as condensed as 12 South and they are all locally-owned businesses. Here you will find more gift shops, antique shops, salons and boutiques. Everyone was very friendly and we were given a map at The Golden Slipper to help us learn our way around.
In addition to The Golden Slipper, our other favorite stop was Steadfast Coffee. It’s on 6th and Taylor but an easy walk from the main area of Germantown. If you need a little outdoor time in Germantown be sure to check out the Bicentennial Capital Mall State Park. Germantown has the most neighborhood feel of the ones we visited. I imagine this is a coveted spot live in Nashville. There are even bike rental stations if you’d rather roll instead of stroll around the neighborhood.
Favorite finds in Germantown
Steadfast Coffee (service, food and coffee were all outstanding!)
The Golden Slipper (ask for a local map and check out all their cute gift ideas.)
Germantown Inn (we didn't stay here but based on the pictures, I wish I had at least gone in!)
Kindness Mural (probably my favorite mural and this one we just stumbled on. Just outside The Golden Slipper.)
If you are looking to stay in Germantown, check out The Germantown Inn and consider 5th and Taylor for dinner. These are both on my list for next time.
Midtown.
We chose to stay in Midtown during our visit to get away from the crowds and noise of Downtown. For us it was 100% the right call. You are still near all the action like bars and restaurants, a 5-10 Uber ride to anywhere but it gets quiet at night and there are not hoards of people outside your hotel.
Favorite finds in Midtown:
Kimpton Aerston (this is where we stayed and we have only good things to say. If you are like me and are Peloton-obsessed, they have bikes in the gym!)
The Flatiron (if you love goat cheese, get the whipped goat cheese appetizer!)
White Limozeen (A must if you love Dolly! If you want a table, make reservations far in advance.)
The Baked Bear (Custom ice cream sandwiches?! Yes, please!)
Centennial Park. This was on my list but we never made it. If you are wanting to visit Centennial Park, it’s a manageable walk from Midtown and is home to the replica of the original Parthenon in Greece. This is a great spot to visit if you need some green space or want to let the kids run around for a bit.
The Nations
This neighborhood is up and coming, slowly transitioning from an industrial area to a livable, viable neighborhood. Our main reason for going was Able. I have loved this company for a long time and their mission to support women and pay fair wages as well as sustainability has them ranking high on my list of favorite retailers. We ate breakfast at the Frothy Monkey and walked next door to Able. There are 1-2 other little shops in the center and a brewery nearby but not much else around it.
Favorite finds in The Nations
The Frothy Monkey (A great spot for quality coffee, healthy food and chill vibes.)
Able (Beautiful clothes and shoes, a woman-owned business and a brand focused on size-inclusion and fair wages.)
It was a beautiful morning, so after we shopped we walked to L&L Market. It was about 1.25 miles and mostly uphill so if you prefer to preserve your energy for dancing later, grab a car. The way we walked didn’t feel unsafe but we made sure to stay aware of our surroundings. We were the only people walking around so I’m sure we looked like tourists with our bags from Able!
The L&L Market would be a great place for lunch. Here will you find more boutiques, local makers and places to grab a light bite like cheese & wine from Culture & Co, a freshly made doughnut from Five Daughters Bakery or a milshake from Gracie’s Milkshake Bar.
Be sure to stop in Happily Grey and The Barefoot Cottage for great shopping.
If you love leather shoes and bags…
In addition to Able, my other must-visit store was Nisolo. Nashville is home to their only retail stores and I knew I wanted to see their handmade leather shoes & bags for myself. I had no doubt I was going home with a new pair of boots from Nisolo and spoiler alert, I did!
Nisolo is located in North Downtown, a short drive from Germantown so after our time there, we grabbed a ride and headed to Nisolo. The shoes are matched with their incredible service and after trying on what felt like one of everything, my friend and I each walked away with new shoes. If you love quality leather shoes for men or women, be sure not to miss Nisolo.
Nisolo is passionate about fair wages, ethically made products, sustainability all while creating a high quality product.
Nashville was everything we hoped it to be and more!
We got lucky, the weather was perfect. Cool, crisp mornings and bright sunny skies. We felt safe everywhere we went and we met so many friendly people. I can honestly say that the energy of Nashville was so inviting and everyone was happy to welcome visitors to their city, one they clearly love to call home.
With any bustling city, traffic is going to be a factor but truthfully it wasn’t that bad. Our only run-in with traffic was downtown and coming into the city on Thursday night and even that wasn’t that bad, compared to a city like Atlanta. It’s easy to be a little more patient on vacation so just know that you travel during peak times, your wait might be a little longer but nothing too disruptive is expected.
Downtown Nashville is a party scene—expect loud music, yelling people and party vans. You will see them everywhere. We’ve been told that the city is cracking down on the open-top party buses in 2022 but I am sure they will not be gone altogether. When we got back to our hotel, we could hear noise from nearby bars but there might be a noise ordinance enforced because we were never kept up all night from noise. About midnight or 1am, all was quiet.
Whether you are looking for a quick getaway weekend, a girls trip or a family vacation, Nashville truly has so much to offer. We stuck to city activities but I know there an endless outdoor adventures to be found and historical sights to visit.
With Vanderbilt and Belmont University within city limits too, Nashville is a great college city and could be really fun for teens too.
If you have any questions about planing your trip, leave a comment below and I’m happy to share my thoughts. We just scratched the surface of what Nashville has to offer and my list of spots to hit next time has already been created!
Celebrate friendship, Explore Nashville!
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