A Weekend in Nashville | Travel Guide by Alana Robin
Nashville: a city of music, food, and history. The city has been growing rapidly and seems to be transforming just as quickly. From street art, to cafes with talented singers and songwriters, it is such an incredible place to explore. In early February, I visited Nashville for the first time and it was everything I'd dreamed and more!
When to Visit Nashville
Most people would probably say Spring or Fall for the best weather, but (if you're willing to embrace the cold) I actually liked going in Early February. It was cold (35 to 45 F throughout our trip), but things were not too crowded. I think we had a better exerpience at various restaurants and bars because of it!
How to Get to Nashville
Flying into the Nashville International Airport (BNA) or driving would be the easiest ways into town! The airport was only a 20 minute drive from our hotel that was on the other side of town, so was very convenient. The Uber was under $20!
Where to Stay in Nashville
We stayed at the Aloft West End and LOVED it. The hotel was an amazing location for everything we wanted to do and provided a great value. The room was nothing too amazing, but was everything we needed at a reasonable price.
What to Do and Eat in Nashville
Country Music & Museums
Listening Room Cafe: This was an amazing cafe to check out upcoming singer/songwriters. We loved listening to the music and hearing the artists soundbites on how the music industry works in Nashville. It was about $10 a ticket, and then we just had some an app and drinks to fill the drink minimum.
Country Music Hall of Fame & Studio B: We did the full tour package of the museum and studio tour. I loved the studio tour! It let us in on the history of recording in Nashville and the impact Elvis made on the music scene. The museum was nice to see and is definitely a 'must see' if you're in town, but I honestly did not know many of the artists as I am not very familiar with traditional country artists.
Grand Ole Opry Tour: We did the full tour, and it was well worth it! For a little under $40, you get to go backstage, check out the dressing rooms, and learn the full history of the Grand Ole Opry.
Neighborhoods to Explore
12 Avenue South: Great place for food, the insta-famous mural, and shops! We loved checking out Reese Witherspoon's Draper James Flagship store.
The Gultch: Full of micro-breweries, brunch spots, and murals!
Food & Drinks
Hattie B's: HOT CHICKEN! The whole time you're in Nashville, locals ( & Uber drivers) will be asking you if you have tried the hot chicken yet. TRY IT! The hot chicken at Hattie B's was so so good! It is essencially spicy fried chicken that is spicy from the batter and not from just a sauce. I like spicy food and went with the Mild, which was plenty spicy! I heard anything more than mild is burn-your-mouth hot, so be warned ;)
Martin's BBQ: Some great southern BBQ can be had at Martin's! I got the brisket sandwich and it was delish.
Frothy Monkey: Breakfast time! We went here for breakfast right after our plane landed on Friday, and it was so good. Would highly recommend the gravy breakfast.
Mockingbird: Brunch time! I did a full restaurant review here, but in summary it is a delicious brunch with great vibes.
The Farm House: Brunch time round two!
Christie Cookies: REALLY good cookies. We checked this on our in the 12th avenue south area, and it was an amazing chocolate chip cookie. So gooey and delicious!
Yazoo Brewery: Loved this brewery! They had a full array of beers to sample, which was a great line up and value. We loved trying all the different beers and seeing which we liked best. I shared one flight with my friend, and we luckily had opposite reactions to every beer!
Jackalope Brewery: Great spot to try a beer and play some games!
Night Out on Broadway
Broadway is a great area to go see live music for free and bar hop down the strip of ~20+ bars. As you walk down the street, you will hear amazing music coming from every spot. A few of our favorites were:
Tootsie's: Fun rooftop area and fairly large stage.
The Stage: Large stage (compared to the other bars we checked out) and great place to truly watch music. This one had more of a concert vibe than a bar vibe.
Nudies: Great spot for both live, country music, and fun DJs. Each level had a different type of music playing, and we loved bouncing around.
Other places I didn't make it that came highly recommended as well: Five Daughters Donuts, Biscuit Love, Milk & Honey
Tips to Save Money While You Travel to Nashville
Eat only two meals a day! We did brunch and early dinner (around 4pm) and then just had snacks in bars at night.
Don't buy too many drinks in the main Broadway area. The main drag is pretty expensive for drinks, so I would recommend pre-gaming in your hotel or in a nearby bar before going through the main area.
XOXO,
Alana Robin
