Nashville, Tennessee has been on my travel list for a LONG time. I grew up just 3 hours away from Nashville in Louisville, Kentucky, and yet somehow, I didn’t visit until this year. What the heck?! I’m glad I finally had a chance to right this egregious wrong!
Nashville is a city brimming with energy: from music spilling out of every doorway on Broadway, to down-home Southern food and mind-blowing drinks, to the history and art on display all over town, Music City lives up to its name and so much more.
As a general rule, Jeremy and I are crochety old people at heart, but Nashville brought out our inner 22 year olds again. We couldn’t help it: Nashville is the kind of city that makes you want to dance even if you don’t know the steps, sing even if you don’t know the words, and drink even though it’s 2pm and you’re still riding a hot chicken high.
If you live in the area, spending a weekend in Nashville is like a rite of passage. Jeremy and I finally visited Music City this summer as a weekend trip from Louisville, and we found that Nashville makes for a perfect couples’ getaway – there are tons of romantic things to do in Nashville!
Our weekend itinerary was definitely created with couples in mind (namely us), but would be easily adaptable for a BFF trip or solo-cation.
Table of Contents
Estimated Reading Time: 35 Minutes. Grab a coffee and settle in, y’all, it’s gonna be a while.
Psst: Planning a romantic weekend getaway to Nashville? Check out our guides to nearby Louisville and Memphis, too! They’re each just 3 hours away from Nashville.
- 15 Perfect Things to Dvo on a Romantic Getaway to Louisville, Kentucky
- Romantic Things to Do in Memphis, TN: Weekend Getaway Itinerary
We stayed in the Kimpton Aertson Hotel in Midtown. It was perfectly located and we loved the artsy, boutique vibe! Plus: free wine and dogs. So. All bases covered.
Where to Stay in Nashville
We stayed in the gorgeous Kimpton Aertson Hotel in Nashville’s Midtown district.
The hotel is beautifully furnished with a modern, artsy boutique vibe and one of the best hotel restaurants we’ve ever eaten at in our lives (more on that very shortly). Plus, the Aertson is equipped with a gorgeous rooftop pool with stunning city views, bikes available for guest use, and of course Kimpton’s signature complimentary wine happy hour.
We’ve stayed in Kimpton Hotels before and absolutely love them, and the Aertson is no exception.
Oh, and you can bring your pet, too, which is a major plus in our book. Not that we have pets. We don’t. We just like to live vicariously through OTHER people’s pets. We’re that creepy couple trying to bribe your dog to be friends with us 10 steps behind you while you’re just trying to take Waffles on a walk. LOVE US, WAFFLES! LOVE USSSSSSSSS.
Anyway, if a plethora of puppies is your kinda deal, hop on the “awkwardly cooing at other people’s dogs” train with us and head for the nearest Kimpton!
If hotels and dogs are not your thing and you want more of that home vibe there are some great places on Airbnb worth checking into for the weekend.
We even found one that ACTUAL JOHNNY CASH lived in!! It’s right where the music folks hang so you can celeb spot from your window! Check it out here.
If you want to stay a little off West End there’s this super cute cottage to escape to in between exploring
OK, now that you’ve got that squared away, let’s jump into our weekend in Nashville itinerary!
Nashville Weekend Getaway: Friday
Plan to head to Nashville on Friday after work. Depending on how early you arrive and how you’re feeling, you should have time for dinner … and some hijinks. This is Nashville, y’all, hijinks are a requirement.
You’ll start your weekend in Nashville at one of the best restaurants we’ve been to in a long time …
Kick off your Nashville weekend getaway with dinner at Henley, one of the best restaurants in Nashville! This is the duck and dumplings. So. Good.
Dinner at Henley
If you’re driving to Nashville, don’t fill up on junk food. If you’re flying, say no to those plane peanuts. It will be worth the wait, we promise!
Head to Henley first thing after you arrive for one of the best dinners in your life. The rest of the places we visited in Nashville were casual and quick, so make the first one count. It’s romantic, foodie AF, and insanely delicious.
- Henley | Address: 2023 Broadway, Nashville, TN
Henley is conveniently located in the Kimpton Aertson Hotel, but it was already on our list to visit as one of the best restaurants in Nashville, so we actually didn’t realize that it was IN our hotel. But wow, that could not have worked out more conveniently!
Check into your hotel and head to Henley. If you’re already staying at the Kimpton Aertson, you’ll just head… downstairs and through the lobby. Boy, that was easy!
Henley’s seasonal farm-to-table menu changes regularly, but whatever’s on the menu is bound to be delicious. We ordered the Duck and Dumplings: black pepper gnocchi, seasonal veggies, bourbon duck broth, and big chunks of crispy duck.
Our visit was in July, so our veggies included summer fresh peas, asparagus, and foraged morel mushrooms. YEP, MOREL MUSHROOMS. Y’all, I died and went straight to foodie heaven – I haven’t had morel mushrooms since I was a kid, when we would pick them in my grandmother’s forested backyard!
Have you ever bought Morels at a store? They’re like a zillion dollars. I was thrilled.
- Foodie Tip: In addition to insanely good food, the drinks at Henley are fantastic, too, so go crazy. Just be sure to take a Lyft to your next destination – you won’t want to hassle yourself with parking anyway, and it’s not far! Speaking of which…
Head to the Honky Tonk Highway to experience the energy and vibe of Music City firsthand. Hit a few honky tonks, have a few drinks, make a few friends, and take it all in. Welcome to Nash Vegas, y’all!
Hit the Honky Tonk Highway
Head to lower Broadway – just wander straight towards for the AT&T tower that looks like a cross between Batman and the Eye of Sauron – and you’ll find the Honky Tonk Highway. It’s a musical hub in Music City, and one of the coolest places to immerse yourself in Nashville’s cultural scene.
What’s so special about this area? It’s FULL of Honky Tonks!
I know some of y’all are scratching your head right now like I just made up a word, but a Honky Tonk is actually a specific type of musical venue.
According to Visit Music City, “a honky tonk is an establishment that contains at least one rockin’ stage, cold beverages, and a party that lasts all day, everyday.” And the Honky Tonk Highway is FULL of them – here’s a complete list.
The only place we’ve ever been that even compares to the Honky Tonk Highway was Beale Street in Memphis, although Beale Street has its own very unique music, vibe, and energy.
Spend your Friday evening strolling up and down Broadway admiring brightly colored neon signs, taking in the crowds (there is some truly excellent people-watching to be had here), and soaking up that energy and excitement that you can only find in a city with music flowing through its veins.
Live music pours out of every open doorway on the Honky Tonk Highway, and the drinks are flowing, too. If you’re looking for a good time, you’re bound to find it here!
- Travel Tip: If you keep walking down Broadway, you’ll eventually hit the waterfront. Turn right down 3rd Ave and you’ll find yourself at the John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge. This is one of the best places to take in evening views of Nashville in all its glory. The lights of the city twinkle and reflect across the water of the Cumberland River, and you’ll find yourself savoring one of those peaceful, perfect moments that you stumble across every so often when you travel. Strolling hand in hand across the bridge admiring the city lights across the water is one of the most romantic things to do in Nashville.
Nashville Weekend Getaway: Saturday
Your Saturday is going to chock full of the best that Nashville has to offer. And we have the perfect first stop to fuel up for a day of exploring!
Pinewood Social is more than a restaurant. It’s also a coffee shop. And a bowling alley. And a bar. And a pool. And an incredibly photogenic place to hang out!
Coffee & Brunch at Pinewood Social
Pinewood Social is a must-visit Nashville hotspot, and not just because it’s what Instagrammable dreams are made from (but like, it is though).
Pinewood Social is many things: a restaurant, a bar, a coffee shop, a bowling alley, a pool, a bocce ball court… yep, ALL of them. In one place. Amazing! You could spend an entire day hanging out here, and many do.
If you bring a group of friends, renting a lane and relaxing in the pool is the PERFECT all-day group activity.
- Pinewood Social | Address: 33 Peabody St, Nashville, TN
For Jeremy and I, the biggest draw was the food and the coffee.
First things first: the coffee at Pinewood Social is excellent. We’re proud coffee snobs, and Pinewood Social lives up! Their beans come from local specialty coffee roasters Crema Coffee – incidentally located right around the corner – and they’ve created an in-house cafe right at the entrance of Pinewood Social.
So even though there was about a 30-minute wait for a table (for Saturday brunch, that’s to be expected, honestly) we were happy to sit on a cozy chair, sip some truly excellent coffee, and peruse the menu. Jeremy ordered a pour-over and I ordered a cortado, because y’all know we had to evaluate the coffee AND the espresso (for RESEARCH).
By the time our table was ready, we were actually awake, so it worked out perfectly.
Pinewood Social’s weekend brunch includes Southern classics like chicken and biscuits or brown butter waffles, plus unexpected treats like a Croque Madame, a Lobster Roll, and breakfast tacos.
If you’re feeling up for it, the brunch cocktails looked fantastic, but we’re barely functioning in the morning as it is so we didn’t partake. To be fair, they also had some coffee cocktails for balance.
We fueled up, admired the view of the city from the parking lot (that sounds weirder than it is – their parking lot actually has an awesome view) and headed out for more Nashville weekend fun.
By night, the Honky Tonk Highway is a haven for music lovers and partiers. But by day, it’s … OK, same. But also there are museums and stuff that are only open during the day, so.
The Johnny Cash Museum
Experiencing the Honky Tonk Highway at night is a must, but we wanted to come back for some of the daytime attractions, too.
We picked up a Total Access Pass from the Bridgestone Arena (conveniently located at one end of the Honky Tonk Highway) which gave us free entrance into a huge number of Nashville area attractions!
Our first stop? The Johnny Cash Museum!
- The Johnny Cash Museum | Address: 119 3rd Ave S, Nashville, TN | Admission: $19.95
Jeremy loves Johnny Cash and sings his songs frequently at karaoke. And although I admit I didn’t have much of an appreciation for Johnny Cash growing up, I am now firmly in the fan camp.
And not just because Jeremy singing Johnny Cash is a vision straight out of my tall, green-eyed ginger-bearded husbandly dreams. You guys: Jeremy singing Johnny Cash is SO DREAMY. I swoon every time. It’s gross. We’re gross. Sorry/not sorry.
I learned a piece of Johnny Cash’s story at Sun Studios in Memphis, and the Johnny Cash Museum in Nashville filled in the rest. From his working-class roots, to his time in the Air Force, to his passion and activism for prison reform and First Americans, I gained a newfound knowledge and respect for Johnny Cash.
I also fell in love with his devotion to June Carter Cash, and was thrilled when I learned that they met backstage at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville – where we would be that very same evening! I know I live under a rock, but I haven’t seen Walk the Line, so this was all new information to me.
By the time we reached the end of the museum to watch the Grammy-winning music video for Hurt, I was a blubbering mess – and a Johnny Cash fan.
In fact, after our trip, I learned June’s part in “Jackson” and sang it as a duet with Jeremy at karaoke! You thought we were exaggerating that karaoke thing, didn’t you? No. We are SERIOUS karaokers. We had a karaoke wedding reception, y’all.
- Travel Tip: Directly above the Johnny Cash Museum is the Patsy Cline Museum. Admission is included if you purchased a Total Access Pass, so head upstairs and check it out! We also noticed during our visit that Patsy Cline bears a striking resemblance to … me. Like, we have the same face?! Visit yourself and let us know if you see it.
Goo Goos are a yummy Nashville candy with a silly name. They were actually the first EVER candy bar to combine more than 1 ingredient together. Shocking, I know! Today they take things next-level with crazy candy concotions. Even if you don’t visit the shop, be sure to try a Goo Goo while you’re in Nashville!
The Goo Goo Shop & Dessert Bar
After our love affair and sob-fest with Johnny Cash, we needed a pick-me-up. Luckily, we didn’t have to travel far: The Goo Goo Shop is right across the street!
- The Goo Goo Shop & Dessert Bar | Address: 116 3rd Ave S, Nashville, TN
You’re probably wondering, “does literally everywhere in Nashville have a silly name?” And the answer is yeah, kinda. But that’s not the point.
The question we should all be asking ourselves is, why don’t they have Goo Goo Clusters EVERYWHERE?!?!?!
Let me back up. What’s a Goo Goo Cluster? A Goo Goo Cluster is a delicious candy. And not just any delicious candy: it’s the FIRST combination candy bar. Ever.
The geniuses at Goo Goo were the first to combine chocolate with other delicious stuff, way back in 1912. Their concoction of marshmallow nougat, roasted peanuts, and caramel covered in milk chocolate was a game-changer in the early 1900’s.
As for the silly name, it was a marketing tactic. The joke was that kids can ask for Goo Goo from birth! … I mean, I hope it’s a joke. Maybe it wasn’t a joke in the 20’s. Things were weird back then. At any rate, it’s a fun name and it stuck around.
So here’s what’s important about Goo Goos: they’re freakin’ delicious. Like, seriously. They’re SO GOOD.
I have no idea how these aren’t in every vending machine worldwide?! At the Nashville Goo Goo Shop & Dessert Bar, not only can you try the original treat, but you can try some of their off-the-wall creations. And I MEAN off-the-wall.
Like how about a Goo-Goo made of sriracha candied bacon, peanut butter, and bacon fat caramel? Or lime ganache, honey nougat, sweet potato chips, and ginger caramel, covered in dark chocolate?!?!?!?!? Stop it, I just swooned.
Other than ridiculous, life-changing flavors, the coolest thing you can do at the Nashville shop are the Make-Your-Own-Goo-Goo classes! You get to learn how to make a specialty version of the treat yourself – plus eat plenty of yummy samples, of course. Be sure to book your class online.
Spend a few hours hunting down murals in Nashville and taking cutesy, mushy couple’s pictures in front of them, like this one! It’s one of the most romantic things to do in Nashville 😉
Sightseeing in Nashville
Depending on how early you wake up in the morning and how long it takes you to tour the museum, you’ll likely have plenty of time to spend a few hours sight-seeing. Here are some of our top picks for things to do in Nashville.
- Admire the Street Art: Nashville is FULL of stunning street art! We’ve got a few of our favorite recommendations sprinkled throughout this post, but if you’re a street art connoisseur, you can spend a whole afternoon hunting down murals. Camels & Chocolate, a Nashville local, has an excellent guide to murals in Nashville, complete with a handy dandy map for efficient self-guided exploration. Or, you can hop on a golf cart and explore Nashville’s street art with this guided tour. OR you can do a Nashville Mural SCAVENGER HUNT. WHAT!? We LOVE scavenger hunts (hello, we even created our own for Disneyland and Disney World) and now we’re kicking ourselves for mural-hopping on foot.
- Take a Black History Tour: Nashville is an old, southern city, and in the USA that means that it’s got a complex racial history. You can learn about Nashville’s Civil Rights history on a self-guided walking and driving tour. You’ll visit the sites of the infamous Nashville lunch counter student sit-ins, visit schools that were the sites of contentious de-segration, and admire some of the many historic architectural and cultural contributions from Nashville’s black community. You can download a free guide to the tour produced by Historic Nashville right here. If you prefer a guided and immersive tour, check out this Black History Tour. You’ll hear fascinating stories about the art, music, history, and culture of the Black community in North Nashville as you stroll past homes, churches, and colleges that played key roles in Nashville’s history. You’ll also visit the vibrant historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) that are at the center of Black empowerment movements both historically and today.
- Travel to Greece at the Parthenon: Jeremy is a history buff, so we made sure to head to Centennial Park to take in this life-size replica of the original Parthenon in Athens. Inside, there’s even a giant replica of the statue of Athena! Whether or not you’ve seen the original, touring the Nashville version is a fascinating way to spend the afternoon. Plus, entrance is free with a Total Access pass!
- Visit the Ryman Auditorium: Welcome to the Mother Church of Country Music! The Ryman is the historic heart and soul of country music in Music City. It dates back over 125 years, but you may know it as the original home of the Grand Ole Opry – the place where Johny Cash met June Carter. Today, the Ryman is still a music venue, but there’s plenty to do here for music lovers and history buffs. Take a self-guided tour or the museum, or a guided tour of backstage to learn all about the history of country music and Nashville’s role in shaping music as we know it today.
Don’t forget to try some local beer while you’re in town. Southern Grist is a fantastic Nashville brewery with a ton of selection. You can try their Strawberry Ginger beer at The Pharmacy Burger Parlor!
Dinner at The Pharmacy Burger Parlor
We wanted something quick and casual for dinner to allow for our exciting evening plans. So we headed to local favorite The Pharmacy for burgers and sodas.
The Pharmacy is like an old school soda shop/burger counter, complete with the kind of juicy burgers that taste incredible but absolutely do not photograph well (so you’ll just have to take our word for this one).
Try a classic burger, or get funky with a chili burger, stroganoff burger (IT WAS SO GOOD YOU GUYS OMG) or two vegetarian burgers that sounded so good I was actually tempted.
There are also plenty of wursts on the menu, and you know what? They’re not the worst. I’m sorry, I had to, Jeremy would divorce me if I didn’t.
- The Pharmacy Burger Parlor & Beer Garden | Address: 731 Mcferrin Ave, Nashville, TN
Our favorite thing at The Pharmacy actually wasn’t the burgers or the fries. It wasn’t even the beer selection. It was the sodas!
The Pharmacy serves up old-school phosphates (which are basically artisanal sodas, minus any creepy chemicals), hand-crafted soda drinks, and root beer floats that are OUT OF THIS WORLD good. We ordered a cream soda – made with REAL CREAM! – and then immediately ordered another one.
I know that sharing an Egg Cream at a soda shop is like, definitely one of the most romantic things to do in Nashville, but trust on this one: resist the urge to share. You will want your own. Also, psst: 2 straws in one drink is romantic, but 2 reusable straws in one drink is romantic AND earth-friendly. Pick up some re-usable straws here. Look, they even have cutesy ones!
If for whatever reason handmade soda drinks don’t appeal to you (I … can’t say I understand, but I won’t judge) then you can partake in their extensive beer selection.
Be sure to try a local Nashville brew, like the Strawberry Ginger tart ale created in partnership with Southern Grist Brewery and modeled after The Pharmacy’s phosphates!
It’s brewed with strawberries, organic ginger, & jalapenos, so yum, and also I feel like it’s kind of the beer version of my strawberry blonde, ginger-bearded Mexican husband. I guess if you’re going to eschew a soda in favor of a beer, this is probably the closest you could get. And now you’ll think of Jeremy while you’re drinking it, too! Awww.
There are plenty of other beers to try too, including plenty of German and Belgian imports. At one point, they even had Kwak, which is widely known throughout Belgian thanks to its incredibly extra glass and wooden stand, designed specifically so you could drink and drive. Yep. (Read more about ridiculous Belgian beer history and rituals in this Belgian beer guide).
Whatever you order, take it outside and sit in the stunning Biergarten! But don’t take too long, because your evening plans await…
Welcome to the Grand Ole Opry, home of the show that made country music famous! Visiting Nashville without visiting the Opry would be like visiting Nashville without stuffing your face with a zillion yummy things: just, like, why would you do that to yourself? The point is, the Opry is as quintessentially Nashville as it gets!
Saturday Evening Show at the Grand Ole Opry
At the heart of Music City is its music, and at the heart of its music is the Grand Ole Opry.
What exactly IS the Grand Ole Opry, though? Honestly, it’s a lot of things.
It’s the longest-running radio show in the USA. It’s a world-class music venue. It’s a community. It’s a cultural relic. It’s the home of country music in the city that created country music. It’s a quintessential Nashville experience!
- The Grand Ole Opry | Address: 2804 Opryland Dr, Nashville, TN
I’ll be totally honest with you: Jeremy and I are not actually country music fans, persay.
Sure, I’ve got some country songs on my Spotify playlists – don’t we all, if we count early Taylor Swift? And like, whenever I find myself road-trippin’ through the South (which happens more often than you’d think, Kentucky is driving distance to just about everywhere south of the Mason-Dixon line)
I’ll turn on some country and soak up that Americana vibe. Heck, both Jeremy and I spent our childhoods in places where country was popular – him in Bakersfield, California, and me in Kentucky. But neither of us were ever like, INTO country.
Still, if my first foray into Tennessee’s historic music scene taught me anything, it’s that prior knowledge or enjoyment is not a pre-requisite for musical appreciation.
I knew NOTHING about Soul or Blues when we visited Memphis last year, and now we listen to my Memphis playlist on repeat ALL the time.
So Jeremy and I opened our minds wide and decided to immerse ourselves in a musical genre we knew absolutely nothing about. And we’re so glad we did!
Not only did we watch some incredible musicians – including Tenille Townes, whose folksy, indie style is right up our hipster AF alley – but we got to head backstage! That’s a dressing room on the left! And the view FROM ONSTAGE on the right!!!! Can you hear me shrieking with glee from where you are?!
The Grand Ole Opry was a HOOT. Like, we had a BLAST. It was SO MUCH FUN!
We really didn’t know what to expect – we’ve never listened to the show before, and we kind of thought it would be like, a concert? But it … was not. It was a live radio variety show.
It was like listening to the radio, but in person. It was like going back in time to the good ol’ days of radio entertainment, and also enjoying an excellent and entertaining concert and comedy act, all at once. It was unlike anything we’d ever experienced.
Every few minutes, a new speaker, entertainer, comedian, or musician would come on for a few minutes at a time, in between a live announcer reading commercials out loud (which was surprisingly entertaining).
They’d do their thing for a little while, and then head offstage to make way for the next act. Things moved FAST, and we never once found ourselves getting bored or tuning out. In fact, we found ourselves laughing along, hootin’ and hollerin’, clapping our hands, stomping our feet, and totally getting swept up in the fun of it all.
One of our major concerns before the show was whether we would feel uncomfortable at any point. After all, we’re bleeding-heart liberal feminists, anti-racists, and frankly, a little bit granola. But to our relief, there was NO political rhetoric of any kind during the show – and that’s standard policy. Phew!
We were also thrilled to discover that country music is inclusive of a variety of sounds, from instrumental jug bands (which took me STRAIGHT back to my Appalachian roots) to bluegrass to gospel to Western swing to the folksy crooning of Tenille Townes (y’all need to check her out, seriously, she’s amazing) to old-school country crooners and greats like Ricky Skaggs. Who, BY THE WAY, is from Kentucky, hayyyy y’all.
Each Opry show features 8 or more musicians, many of which are part of the Opry family – and their familiarity with one another makes you feel a bit like maybe you could be part of the family, too.
We really would have enjoyed every minute just sitting in the audience and enjoying the show, but we were privileged enough to be invited along for a backstage tour. And … Y’ALL. It. Was. So. COOL!!!!
We learned all about the history of the Grand Ole Opry, from its humble origins in 1925 as a Barn Dance show on the radio to the way country became interwoven with comedy, a foundation laid by comedic superstars like Minnie Pearl.
But the amazing thing was that we were learning all of this fascinating history AS THE SHOW WAS HAPPENING, backstage, live. Like we’d walk by a door and our tour guide would say “and this is the musician’s entrance” and a guy with a guitar walks up AND 10 MINUTES LATER WE SEE HIM ON STAGE. Mind. Blown.
We wandered into dressing rooms, both empty and inhabited. We watched musicians jam and hang out and meet for the first time. We sat on couches graced by the derrieres of music’s most famous and talented stars, and peered into mirrors where musical legends had checked their outfits and fixed their makeup before rushing onstage.
It wasn’t the quiet, imaginative experience you get while walking through a museum: we were LIVING it. We were IN it.
You didn’t have to think hard to imagine what it might have been like 50 years ago – you could just peek into the hallway and listen to the sounds of overlapping music and conversation and laughter and know EXACTLY how, say, Johnny Cash must have felt when he saw June Carter backstage for the very first time.
We were awestruck.
By the time we were taken on stage to watch the show FROM THE STAGE, I had a grin on my face the size of Tennessee and I felt like breaking into a jig alongside the Square Dancers.
The Grand Ole Opry had swept me up in her musical magic and I was along for the ride. By the time the show ended, we were walking on air.
If you’re visiting Nashville and not sure whether you should visit the Grand Ole Opry because you’re not a country music fan, let me assure you: you don’t have to be. You don’t have to know who the musicians are to appreciate their talent and passion, and you don’t have to already know the history to learn about it.
The Grand Ole Opry is the kind of show that everyone can enjoy, and we’re so grateful that we were able to experience it!
You can take a look at the Grand Ole Opry show calendar to see what’s playing during your weekend in Nashville. Or, tune in and see what you think from the comfort of your own home! It’s a radio show, after all.
Each show is streamed live at 650 AM WSM, via Opry.com, on Sirius XM Satellite Radio (Saturdays), and also via the free Opry App, available on iPhone, iPad and Android. So go on. You just might be surprised.
- After the Show: The show ends before 10pm, which is our bedtime because we’re lame, but if you’re still up for it (you young whippersnapper, you) why not wind down over drinks? We wished we had checked out Patterson House, a craft cocktail bar located in Midtown Nashville, within walking distance from our hotel.
Barista Parlor is one of the best coffee shops in Nashville. This location has a really cute mural outside that’s perfect for romantic photo ops!
Weekend in Nashville: Sunday
Before you leave Nashville, you’ll want to squeeze in as much food and sightseeing as you can.
We’ve left things flexible to allow you to set your own departure time, but as always, we’ve got some excellent coffee and food recommendations, because that’s all we care about in life incredibly important to us when we travel. And just like … in life.
Coffee at Barista Parlor
After sadly checking out of the beautiful Kimpton Aertson Hotel, we made our way directly for coffee.
We headed to Barista Parlor, one of Nashville’s best specialty coffee shops. They have multiple locations (one of which is actually next to Pharmacy, the burger place from Saturday) and we found one close to our breakfast spot.
- Barista Parlor Golden Sound | Address: 610 Magazine St, Nashville, TN
Take your coffee to go – but be sure to bring your own takeaway mug! Cuz, hello, the environment.
We’re obsessed with our Contigo coffee mugs, which are spill-proof, leak-proof, and keep your coffee ice cold or piping hot for about 8 hours (yes, we’ve actually tested. Several times). Pick up a pair of coffee mugs here, so y’all can avoid fighting over who drank SLIGHTLY MORE THAN HALF or whatever (again, I speak from a lot of experience).
- Travel Tip: In addition to excellent coffee and a rad vibe, Barista Parlor has a beautifully photogenic mural that’s perfect for photos! We didn’t actually take any ourselves, because at the exact minute we went outside to take them, it started pouring. … And then stopped 5 minutes later, after we’d already left. Oh, crazy Midwest/Southern weather, how I’ve missed you!
Behold: the Wash Park from Biscuit Love. Two burger patties stuffed with melty pimento cheese and slathered in bacon jam, topped with a runny egg and served on a buttermilk biscuit. Hot. Day. Um.
Breakfast at Biscuit Love
The reason we suggested that you bring your coffee with you because is there will likely be a line at Biscuit Love. Don’t worry: it looks longer than it really is.
When we arrived, the line was around the corner, but we stuck it out and it was really only around a 20 minute wait. In San Francisco time, that’s like having no line at all!
We studied the menu as we sipped our coffee, so that by the time we sat down, we were ready to go. Also, awake. There’s a pattern here somewhere … hmm.
- Biscuit Love Gulch | Address: 316 11th Avenue South, Nashville, TN
You may have already guessed this, but the best thing on the menu at Biscuit Love are its flaky, tender buttermilk biscuits.
Order them any way you want: smothered in gravy, topped with fried chicken, burger-style with pimento cheese and bacon jam (Jeremy’s choice), fried and topped with lemon mascarpone, or stuffed with pineapple and banana jam and topped with cream cheese icing and pecans. Did you hear that? I just audibly drooled.
If you’re feeling gluten-free and incredibly left out, there are gluten-less items on the menu here, but they aren’t biscuits.
There are cheese grits and breakfast hash and a surprisingly good shaved brussel sprout salad topped with poached eggs (full confession: that’s what I ordered, because after 3 days of gluttony, my stomach was trying to kill me. Which means I will have to come back and take care of my lingering food regret at some point).
After you’ve dived into a metaphorical pool of buttery biscuits, dust those crumbs off your shirt and let’s get going! Music City is waiting.
- Travel Tip: This location of Biscuit Love is located in a rad neighborhood called The Gulch, which is a great place to wander around and explore. Close to Biscuit Love you’ll find one of the most iconic Nashville murals: “Nashville What Lifts You,” or more as it’s perhaps more commonly known, “those really cool wings.” Check it out on 11th Avenue South.
- Foodie Tip: Hungry for more biscuits & biscuit accessories? Learn to make these classic Southern treats yourself in a Biscuits & Breakfast cooking class, taught by creator of an Emmy-award winning documentary about – you guessed it – biscuits. You’ll learn all about the history of biscuits and how to make a proper Southern biscuit, and also, hello, you’ll get to eat biscuits. And gravy. We could not be more gutted that we didn’t have time to take the class ourselves!
What you see here is a 100-layer donut from Five Daughters Bakery in 12South. Confession time: this is not the only one that was consumed on this trip. Also, there are about 95926296 other photos of me making googly eyes at this donut that will definitely be making an appearance at some point….
Explore 12South
There’s no better way to recover after a biscuity breakfast than with a nice stroll.
We recommend spending some time after breakfast exploring The Gulch, where Biscuit Love is located. But another perfect spot for strolling and exploring is 12South!
We found out about 12South from a friendly Lyft driver on our first night in Nashville, and knew absolutely nothing about it other than that it was a cool place to walk around. Well, it was!
We had no expectations and nowhere specific in mind to go, so we just wandered around and found some incredibly rad places. We recommend exploring all the way from Sevier Park to the 12South Flats.
12South is full of cool vintage stores, delicious places to eat, street art, and just enough options for dessert that we managed to work up an appetite again. I know: we are eating machines. If eating & travel were Olympic sports, we’d be too lazy to actually compete, but we’d probably still qualify.
There are 2 spots in 12South that we recommend for dessert, so divide and conquer: Five Daughters Bakery and Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream.
We picked Five Daughters Bakery for an epic, beautiful 100-layer donut, which I immediately fell in love with and spent a ridiculously long period of time gazing lovingly at before devouring every last buttery crumb.
If you go, AND YOU NEED TO GO, you’ll want to order the Chocolate Sea Salt. And whatever’s seasonal is probably good too. But according to copious donut-eating research (THIS IS MY JOB OKAY) chocolate sea salt is the best one. So.
- Travel Tip: Be sure to stop by the “I Believe in Nashville” mural for a photo op! There’s also a GIANT rainbow Nashville mural at 2705 12th Ave. S. You can also take a photo tour of The Gulch for those insta worthy shots at all the best spots.
- Dessert Tip: If you can make it to 12South on Saturday around lunchtime, you’ll catch the S’more Love food truck in front of Imogene & Willie. Sharing a heart-shaped, gooey s’more is definitely one of the most romantic things to do in Nashville!
We saw this store is called Cool Stuff Weird Things while driving through Nashville and immediately squealed tires and took a U-turn to investigate, because we like both cool stuff AND weird things. And yes, at this store you can get both cool stuff (like light-up signs that say Nashville) and weird things (like creepy baby dolls with missing eyes). For some reason, this made us irrationally happy.
More Sightseeing in Nashville
You’ve still got time left to explore Nashville! Don’t panic, but we have a bunch more suggestions for you to pick from.
- Take a Food Tour! Look, I know it’s insane to suggest that you could possibly have room for MORE FOOD during your trip to Nashville. But … OK, sure, it’s insane. Whatever. I’m not here to judge you, I’m here to eat whatever you can’t finish and encourage you to order dessert just so I can have a bite or 3. Anyway, if you’ve still got room, this food and sightseeing tour of Nashville combines my 2 favorite things (um, travel and eating, in case it wasn’t obvious).
- Tour Distilleries … and a Winery? You’re in Tennessee Whiskey country, so how about hitting some distilleries? It’s easiest to do with a driver, not to mention a lot safer, so we recommend booking a tour to take care of the transportation. You’ll learn all about Whiskey, and moonshine, and Quinoa Whiskey (um?) at 3 Tennessee distilleries on this 6-hour tour.
- Take a Bike Tour! All that eating and drinking means you’ll good and fueled up for some biking, right? See the sights in Nashville on bike and work up an appetite so you can eat even MORE yummy Nashville food before you leave. Er, I mean, because it’s fun to do athletic things and sightsee at the same time. This guided bike tour will take you all over Nashville while you learn about the stories behind Music City.
- Squeeze in some more culture! Nashville is brimming with history and art and museums and music, and it can be overwhelming trying to figure out where to go. But thankfully, the Total Access Pass covers a LOT of places, and their site provides plenty of helpful information about each spot to help you decide where to visit. Check out the list of attractions included with the pass to get some more ideas for places that sound up your alley!
You can’t leave Nashville without eating some hot chicken first! And also trying the pimento mac and cheese at Hattie B’s. So it’s a 2 for 1, really.
Hot Chicken at Hattie B’s
Yes y’all, we saved the best for last: Nashville Hot Chicken.
I actually first tried hot chicken in Louisville – a few restaurants selling Nashville style hot chicken have migrated north in recent years (more information in our restaurant guide to Louisville).
But as travel lovers and foodies, Jeremy and I both know that you haven’t REALLY tried a local food until you’ve had it in the place where it was invented. And so, we headed straight to one of Nashville’s best Hot Chicken restaurants to officially try this Tennessee foodie staple: Hattie B’s Hot Chicken.
- Hattie B’s Hot Chicken| Address: 112 19th Ave S, Nashville, TN
Hattie B’s is one of those quintessentially Nashville places that we were looking forward to from the minute we started planning our weekend trip. I mean, look, I’m a Kentucky girl, so you know I appreciate good crispy fried chicken.
But Nashville takes fried chicken to a level of its own. Spices are worked straight into the batter and fried up for perfectly crispy, spicy, delicious chicken. Throw in some pimento Mac and Cheese (seriously, SO GOOD) and the best sweet baked beans we’ve ever had, and hot dayum, our love for Nashville was cemented for life.
- Travel Tip: There is a Hattie B’s located around the corner from our hotel, but the Midtown location is popular and often has long lines. We were on the verge of hanger, so we hopped back in the car and headed for the West location, which was blissfully line-free.
- Foodie Tip: Save room for dessert, if you can. Their banana pudding was amazing, but I still have dessert regret over not ordering a Peach Cobbler, too!
Sadly, your trip has now come to an end. But wait, one more thing!
There’s one last coffee spot that we really wanted to try, but didn’t get a chance: Steadfast. If you need a pick-me-up before you hit the road to head back home from your weekend in Nashville, stop there first – oh, and let us know how it is!
OK, NOW your trip has come to an end. If you’re anything like me, at this point you’ll have probably developed an appreciation for country music and eaten enough biscuits to tide you over for the winter. Ooh, also donuts. Mmm, donuts.
I think it goes without saying that by the end of our trip, my Southern accent had come back in full force. Yes, y’all, I have a Southern accent. But like, only when I’m in the South?
Oh hey, before you go, there’s just one last thing we want to give you to help plan your trip: your weekend in Nashville itinerary!
We snuck(ish) up onto the roof of the Kimpton Aertson hotel to catch these stunning views of downtown Nashville! And, er, it was a little bit windy.
Your Weekend in Nashville Itinerary
I’m the kind of person who likes to carry a list with me at all times (sometimes 2 or 3 of them!) so if you are too, here’s a nice, clean copy-and-paste-able list!
Friday Night
- Check into the Kimpton Aertson Hotel | Address: 2021 Broadway, Nashville, TN
- Dinner at Henley | Address: 2023 Broadway, Nashville, TN
- Hit the Honky Tonk Highway
- Enjoy the view on the John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge
Saturday
- Coffee and breakfast at Pinewood Social | Address: 33 Peabody St, Nashville, TN
- Tour The Johnny Cash Museum | Address: 119 3rd Ave S, Nashville, TN | Admission: $19.95
- Dessert at The Goo Goo Shop & Dessert Bar | Address: 116 3rd Ave S, Nashville, TN
- Sightseeing and tours – choose your own adventure 😉
- Dinner at The Pharmacy Burger Parlor & Beer Garden | Address: 731 Mcferrin Ave, Nashville, TN
- Saturday Night Show at The Grand Ole Opry | Address: 2804 Opryland Dr, Nashville, TN
- After-show drinks at Patterson House | Address: 1711 Division St, Nashville, TN
Sunday
- Coffee at Barista Parlor Golden Sound | Address: 610 Magazine St, Nashville, TN
- Breakfast at Biscuit Love Gulch | Address: 316 11th Avenue South, Nashville, TN
- Explore the 12South Neighborhood
- Sightseeing and tours – choose your own adventure again!
- Late lunch at Hattie B’s Hot Chicken| Address: 112 19th Ave S, Nashville, TN
If you need to check out early before you finish exploring and you’re not sure where to store your bags? Check out LuggageHero, a service that helps you find a safe place to keep your luggage while you’re running around! Use the code PRACTICALW for 2 hours of free luggage storage on us.
PHEW, that’s everything! We hope you enjoy Nashville as much as we did!
Which part on our Nashville weekend itinerary are you DYING to do? Is it the biscuits, the donuts, the one-of-a-kind entertainment at the Grand Ole Opry? Is it Cool Stuff Weird Things? You didn’t miss the bit about Cool Stuff Weird Things, did you? Scroll back up! Drop us a comment below.
By the way, if you happen to be vegan and you read this with tears in your eyes feeling personally victimized by Nashville’s chicken-fried food scene, take heart! There’s actually GREAT vegan food in Nashville, according to this Nashville vegan food guide written by A Southern Gypsy.
Oh hey, if you’re going to be in the area, we have some posts about nearby destinations we think you’d enjoy! Check out our other posts:
- Romantic Things to Do in Memphis, TN: Weekend Getaway Itinerary
- The Ultimate Local’s Guide to Places to Visit in Louisville, Kentucky
- 29 Amazing Places to Eat in Louisville, Kentucky: A Local’s Guide
- 8 Incredible Weekend Getaways in Indiana
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Disclaimer: This post was created in partnership with the Grand Ole Opry. Huge thanks to the Grand Ole Opry for hosting us and making our trip to Nashville absolutely unforgettable! All words, opinions, thoughts, feelings, gluttonous suggestions to keep eating well past the point of reason, awful puns, and jokes that didn’t quite land are entirely my own and absolutely not their fault.
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Wow, Nashville looks wonderful! (I need all that food, right now) It’s definitely somewhere I’d like to go; it never really gets much of a mention over here in the UK, but it’s always seemed to me like a place with soul – I shall look into it! And your photos show the place off beautifully!
It’s definitely one of those places where you can really feel the Americana vibe. “A place with soul” is definitely a great way to put it!
Hey Lia, this all looks amazing, I’ve booked a trip to Nashville in January, and this has some great advice, definitely going to check some of these out, so thank you. One question, with the Grand Old Opry show, did you get the backstage tour during the show as special treatment because of the article, or can regular tourists book into it somehow? I can only see pre show or post show tours on their website.
Thanks so much!
Rachel
We avoid doing anything that our readers wouldn’t be able to do, because that would be … like, super unhelpful for y’all 😛 You can book the VIP tour that we did right here: https://www.opry.com/backstagetours/vip
The only difference between that experience and what we did is that the VIP tour goes backstage at the start of the show, and we were pulled backstage in the middle of the show. Otherwise your experience will be the same as ours 🙂
I love your writing style girl! 🙂
Thanks Tamara!
Wonderful weekend)))))) we want to go to Nashville and visit Grand Ole Opry already booked tickets
How fun! You’re gonna have a BLAST!
Love all your guides! Will definitely be saving this for later because I am hopefully planning a trip to Nashville this summer! Thanks 🙂
Ooooh that’s exciting! Eat some hot chicken for us 🙂
Great article. Awesome writing style! Reminds me why we moved to Nashville 10 years ago.
There’s just so much that’s wonderful here and you captured a lot of it! Thanks!!!
My husband and I are thinking of going to Nashville for our 20th wedding anniversary this June, 2019. We would be flying in (Thursday-Sunday). Do you think we would need to rent a car?
We had a car for this trip and used it a few times, but we took Lyft to get to downtown from our hotel because its close and parking would have been difficult anyway. If you’re planning to stick to our itinerary, I’d recommend a car, yes.
this article is the best piece I’ve come across on my countless hours of research for my trip in a few weeks. Thank you for your information, it has been soooo helpful. I cant wait!
This is everything I needed for my upcoming Nashville trip!! Thank you, Lia:)) also, your pictures are gorgeous! what do you use to edit them?
Thanks for the kind words, Ela! I use Lightroom to edit my photos 🙂
Going to Nashville in 3 weeks for a travel article! This blog was really helpful to seek out some cool places.
Thanks a lot 🙂
Do you know if the Cash Mural is still there?
I don’t know! Haven’t been back since last summer 🙁
Hey!! I absolutely LOVE this!! What filter did you use for the pictures here and/or how did you edit them??
Hey Ellie, all of our photos are taken in RAW and edited in Lightroom 🙂
This was so helpful as I am heading there in October! Quick question, you got the total access pass, what other places did you visit and did you feel that the tours and things took up big chunks of your day? Thanks!!
Everything we visited and did is included in our itinerary!
This guide is really good! Having lived in Nashville it hits a lot of the hot spots! BUT you have to go to the Country Music Hall of Fame. It’s one of the best music musems in the country. Then a tour of Studio B (where Elvis and many others recorded music) is a must! Also, Prince’s is even better than Hattie B’s and its’ the original! Although Hattie B’s is fantastic, but there’s often a line.
Thanks for the tips!! We’ll hit these spots up on our next trip 🙂
I found your Nashville article on accident. I then read other articles on purpose, whether I plan on going to those areas or not. So entertaining!
We LOVE hearing that!! Thank you Toni!
Thank you for the wonderful post! I was wondering if you know of any trustworthy luggage storage areas in Nashville? I check out of my Air bnb at 11am, and my flight doesn’t leave until 7pm (not renting a car either), was hoping i could find a place to store my luggage for an easier experience as i see the town.
Appreciate any help,
THanks!
We typically recommend LuggageHero for this exact situation! It looks like Nashville is one of the cities they’re currently rolling out, though, so not sure if it’ll be up before your trip. More info here: https://practicalwanderlust.com/recommends/luggagehero/
There are a couple of alternative services that are pretty much the same idea. It looks like Vertoe, Stasher, and Bounce each have a location in Nashville! I’d check out one of those.
Thanks so much I spend a fair amount of time in and around Nashville for work. Although sometimes I’m just they’re remotely 🙂 I will definitely check out some of these places and try to indulge in the actual experience a little more next time around.