Nashville Travel Guide: Music City's Honky-Tonks and Hot Chicken

First Impressions of Nashville

Nashville calls itself Music City, and the title is earned. The city is the capital of country music, home to the Grand Ole Opry, the Country Music Hall of Fame, and hundreds of live music venues ranging from dive bars to concert halls. But Nashville's music scene extends well beyond country—rock, blues, gospel, and Americana all thrive here, and the city has become a major recording center for all genres.

Broadway, the main entertainment strip downtown, is lined with honky-tonk bars with open doors and live music pouring onto the street at all hours. The bars are free to enter (though drinks are expensive), and the musicians are often as talented as the headliners playing the arenas. It is possible to walk from bar to bar and hear excellent live music from noon until 3 AM without paying a cover charge.

Beyond the music, Nashville has a growing food scene, a walkable downtown, and a creative energy that has attracted young professionals and artists from across the country. The Gulch and East Nashville neighborhoods are the current centers of the city's restaurant and bar culture, with everything from hot chicken joints to craft cocktail bars to award-winning restaurants.

Best Time to Go

Spring (March to May) and fall (September to November) offer the most comfortable weather. Temperatures range from 12-25°C, and the city's trees and parks are at their best. The CMA Music Festival in June brings 80,000 country music fans to the city for four days.

Summer (June to August) is hot and humid, with temperatures regularly reaching 33-36°C. Hotel rates are lower except during festivals. Air conditioning is universal, and the indoor attractions are at their best.

Winter (December to February) is mild (2-12°C) with occasional freezing rain or snow. Hotel rates are lowest. The holiday season brings decorations to downtown and the Opryland Hotel.

Getting There and Around

Nashville International Airport (BNA) is 10 miles southeast of downtown, with direct flights from most major US cities. From the East Coast, flights take 2 hours; from the West Coast, 4 hours.

Downtown is compact and walkable, especially the area between the Gulch and the Cumberland River. The free Music City Circuit bus connects downtown hotels and attractions. Uber and Lyft are widely available and inexpensive—a typical ride within downtown costs $6-12.

Renting a car is useful for reaching neighborhoods like East Nashville and attractions outside the center. Rental cars cost $35-60 per day. Parking downtown costs $10-20 per day.

Where to Stay

Downtown puts you within walking distance of Broadway, the Country Music Hall of Fame, and the Ryman Auditorium. Hotels range from $120-350 per night.

The Gulch, just south of downtown, is a trendy neighborhood with boutique hotels ($150-300 per night), excellent restaurants, and walkable streets.

East Nashville is the hip, creative neighborhood across the Cumberland River. It has bed-and-breakfasts, boutique hotels, and vacation rentals ($80-200 per night) with a local feel. The area has the city's best independent restaurants and bars.

Must-See Attractions

Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

This museum is the definitive collection of country music history. Exhibits cover the genre from its roots in Appalachian folk music to the present day. Displays include Elvis Presley’s gold Cadillac, Johnny Cash’s black suit, Taylor Swift’s early handwritten lyrics, and hundreds of instruments, costumes, and recordings. The adjacent Studio B, where Elvis, Dolly Parton, and the Everly Brothers recorded, offers tours ($20 add-on). Allow 3-4 hours.

Price: $28 adult | Hours: 10 AM-5 PM daily

Grand Ole Opry

The longest-running radio broadcast in the United States, the Grand Ole Opry has been broadcasting live since 1925. Shows are held at the Grand Ole Opry House on Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday nights, with additional shows during the summer. The shows feature a mix of established stars and newer acts, each performing 2-3 songs. Backstage tours ($25) are available when shows are not in session. Tickets range from $40-150 depending on seating.

Price: $40-150 per show | Hours: Showtimes vary (typically 7 PM or 9:30 PM)

Ryman Auditorium

Known as the "Mother Church of Country Music," the Ryman was the home of the Grand Ole Opry from 1943 to 1974. The building, originally a tabernacle built in 1892, has exceptional acoustics that musicians still praise. Self-guided tours ($20) include the stage, dressing rooms, and exhibits on the Opry’s history. The Ryman continues to host concerts year-round by artists of all genres.

Price: Tours $20, concerts $40-150+ | Hours: Tours 9 AM-4 PM daily

Broadway Honky-Tonks

The stretch of Broadway between 1st and 5th Avenues is lined with multi-story bars, each with live music on every floor. Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge, Robert’s Western World, The Stage, and Kid Rock’s Big Ass Honky Tonk are the most famous. There is no cover charge at most bars—revenue comes from drink sales. The music starts early (often by noon) and continues past midnight. Robert’s Western World is known for its $3 fried bologna sandwich and traditional country music.

Price: Free entry (drinks $6-12) | Hours: 10 AM-3 AM daily

Centennial Park and Parthenon

Centennial Park is a 132-acre urban park west of downtown. Its centerpiece is a full-scale replica of the Parthenon, built for the 1897 Centennial Exposition and reconstructed in concrete in the 1920s. Inside stands a 42-foot statue of Athena, the largest indoor sculpture in the Western world. The park also has a lake, walking trails, and an art museum.

Price: Parthenon $10 adult | Hours: Parthenon 9 AM-5 PM Tue-Sat, 12:30-4:30 PM Sun

Food and Drink

Nashville Hot Chicken — Fried chicken coated in a cayenne pepper paste that ranges from mild to incendiary. Prince’s Hot Chicken claims to have invented the dish. Hattie B’s has multiple locations and a more approachable heat level. A chicken plate costs $10-15. Order "medium" if you are not sure about your spice tolerance.

Meat and Three — A Southern cafeteria-style meal: choose a meat (fried chicken, meatloaf, roast beef) and three side dishes (mac and cheese, collard greens, cornbread, fried okra). Arnold’s Country Kitchen downtown is the most famous meat-and-three. A plate costs $10-14. Go before 11:30 AM to avoid a long line.

Biscuits and Gravy — Fluffy Southern biscuits covered in sausage gravy. Loveless Cafe, 20 minutes southwest of downtown, has been serving them since 1951 and is a Nashville institution. A breakfast of biscuits, jam, and eggs costs $10-15. Expect a wait on weekends.

Craft Beer and Cocktails — Nashville has a growing craft beer scene. Yazoo Brewing, Jackalope Brewing, and Tennessee Brew Works have taprooms with tours and tastings. For cocktails, The Patterson House in the Gulch serves classic cocktails in a speakeasy setting. A beer costs $5-7, cocktails $12-16.

Practical Tips

• Go to Broadway during the day for the best experience. The bars are less crowded, and the musicians are still excellent.

• Book Grand Ole Opry tickets in advance. Shows sell out, especially during the CMA Festival.

• Wear comfortable shoes. Downtown Nashville is walkable but covers more ground than you might expect.

• Try hot chicken at Hattie B’s rather than Prince’s for your first time.

• Explore East Nashville for food. The neighborhood has the city’s best restaurants outside downtown.