Country tunes and the Honky Tonk Highway await in Music City, but there’s something for everyone in Nashville, as we discovered when we visited the beautiful city
If you’re a fan of country music, Nashville is likely to be on your travel bucket list. And a trip to Music City, with Broadway and its Honky Tonk Highway, won’t disappoint. However, we found there’s much more to this vibrant city, including an impressive food and drink scene, interesting museums, exciting neighbourhoods, art and shopping…
Music city
Our first stop in Nashville was the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. Here, you can explore the history of some of the greatest artists of the genre, and view iconic outfits (including Shania Twain’s famous looks) and memorabilia like Elvis’ gold-plated Cadillac. During our visit, a Luke Combs exhibition was on (which is running until June 2025), and there’s also a Taylor Swift Education Centre, which celebrates her country music era and allows Swifties to write their own lyrics at the Songwriting Station.
Next, we went to Historic RCA Studio B, where Elvis recorded over 240 songs and Dolly Parton put down vocals for hits including I Will Always Love You. Look for the ‘X’ tape mark on the floor to stand exactly where they did.
We then visited the National Museum of African American Music (NMAAM) – the only museum dedicated to celebrating the music genres created and inspired by African Americans. Finishing off a busy day, we crossed the road to the iconic Ryman Auditorium, the “Mother Church of Country Music” and former home of the Grand Ole Opry.
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Night out at the Opry
The Grand Ole Opry is an unmissable experience. The live radio show runs most nights of the week and is set to celebrate its 100th anniversary in October. The broadcast is a mixture of singers and bands making their Opry debut, and members who have performed many times. We got to see American Idol star Lauren Alaina and “Whispering” Bill Anderson.
The Circle Room is a VIP experience you can add on to your ticket. Limited to just 100 guests, the plush, dimly-lit space with couches and chandeliers, food and drink, and a warm-up performance is a really special way to spend the hour before showtime. There’s also a backstage tour where you can peek inside dressing rooms and walk in the footsteps of country music stars.
Buzzing Broadway
Some tourists spend their whole trip on Broadway and as soon as we arrived on the lively strip, we discovered why. Honky Tonk Highway, on Lower Broadway, has over 30 bars with live music from 10am to 3am. The best bit? Most are owned by music legends such as Luke Combs, Jason Aldean, Blake Shelton, Miranda Lambert, Jon Bon Jovi, Kid Rock – the list goes on. The second best bit? It’s free!
You won’t be charged to enter any of the bars – just don’t forget your ID and make sure you keep some cash for the tip jar or for song requests. After recommendations, we also headed to Robert’s and The Stage, while the alluring purple lights of Tootsies Orchid Lounge drew us in for a late-night boogie.
Get exploring
Nashville was once called the “Athens of the South”, so in 1896 The Parthenon at Centennial Park was built with a 42ft statue of Athena inside. Also in the huge urban park is a stop for Swifties: Taylor Swift Bench. It’s said the superstar wrote some of her hit songs here during the early days of her career. Elsewhere, Third Man Records is a record store, label and live venue founded by Jack White, while the Frist Art Museum has ever-changing exhibitions and is located in the beautiful art-deco former US Post Office building.
Eat and drink
There’s likely to be a line for Hattie B’s Hot Chicken joint, but it’s worth the wait. Choose your level of heat wisely and get some sides, like bacon cheddar grits or pimento mac and cheese. For a late-night spot, Bad Idea is exactly the opposite of what its name suggests. The cool East Nashville bar serves Lao-inspired dishes and recently landed itself a place on the New York Times list of Best Restaurants in the US.
We also paid a visit to Rudy’s Jazz Room, a warm and cosy club favoured by locals. For breakfast, we refuelled at bakery The Butter Milk Ranch and Biscuit Love, and are still thinking about its ‘bonuts’ – fried biscuit dough topped with sugar and lemon mascarpone.
Shop like a celeb
If you fancy dropping some cash, head for the 12 South neighbourhood, home to Draper James, owned by Reese Witherspoon and named after her grandparents. It’s basically a shop version of the Oscar-winning actress, who is a regular visitor. The iconic “I Believe In Nashville” mural is opposite the shop, so you can get a photo while you’re there.
We also browsed the fancy general store White’s Mercantile, which is located in an old gas station, and spied Uncommon James, the jewellery brand by The Hills’ Kristin Cavallari.
Relax in style
We stayed at the W Hotel in trendy neighbourhood The Gulch. It’s well located, with Broadway a 15-minute walk away, and the rooms are modern and relaxing, with waterfall showers, luxe toiletries and big windows offering incredible views. Better yet, the PROOF Rooftop Bar has 270-degree views of downtown Nashville – a vista that goes well with a cocktail. Downstairs, the lobby is lively, with shops, a bar and a coffee spot to provide your caffeine fix.
How to book
Rooms at W Nashville start from around £280 per night for a standard queen room outside of peak season (room rates change based on seasonality and Nashville events). For more info on the city, visit Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp.
