3 Days in Nashville: Where to Eat, Drink & What to Do
I finally made it to Nashville!
At the beginning of September, I spent three days in Nashville with one of my girlfriends visiting another friend who lives there. Having someone who actually knew the city definitely made the trip even better and gave us a good mix of the touristy Nashville experience and some more local spots.
Nashville had been on my list for a while, and after going, I totally get the hype! It’s busy, a little chaotic and definitely touristy in some areas, but it’s also just SUCH a fun city. There’s live music everywhere, so many good restaurants and coffee shops, cute neighbourhoods to explore and, obviously, no shortage of cowboy boots. 😉
Three full days felt like a pretty good amount of time for a first trip. We packed a lot in without feeling like we were constantly rushing, but I still left with a list of places I want to check out next time.
So, here’s what we got up to, everywhere we ate and drank, what I loved and a few things I’d recommend if you’re planning a trip to Nashville! You can check out my Nashville recap here.
THINGS TO DO IN NASHVILLE
Broadway
You obviously can’t go to Nashville without experiencing Broadway!
My first thought was that it kind of felt like a mini Las Vegas, or maybe the new Vegas? There are massive bars everywhere, neon signs, rooftops, celebrity-owned bars and live music coming from basically every building. It was so cool seeing it all lit up at night, but Broadway is honestly fun during the day too. We went out both during the day and at night, and I’d recommend doing both because it’s a completely different vibe.
There are SO many bars that I don’t think you need to have much of a plan. We basically just walked around, popped into places and stayed if we liked the music. And that was probably one of my favourite things about Nashville in general; everyone is SO talented. You can walk into a random bar in the middle of the afternoon and there’s someone playing live who could easily be headlining somewhere.
A lot of the bars also don’t have a cover, so take advantage of it! Wander around, listen to different bands and check out some of the smaller honky-tonks and dive bars too.
The Listening Room
This was probably one of the highlights of the entire trip for me! If you love country music, I would 100% add The Listening Room to your plans.
You get to listen to actual Nashville songwriters perform songs they’ve written, including songs you’ve probably heard a million times from big artists. But the best part is hearing all of the stories behind them, how the song came together, who it was written for, funny stories that happened along the way, etc.
It felt so Nashville and was such a cool way to experience the music side of the city beyond just going to bars on Broadway. Definitely buy tickets ahead of time because I wouldn’t want to leave this one to the last minute.
Grand Ole Opry
We wanted to go to the Grand Ole Opry, but when we looked at who was playing while we were there, there wasn’t really anyone we knew or were dying to see. We decided to skip it this time, but I would definitely go on my next trip if there was someone playing that I liked. It feels like one of those classic Nashville things you have to experience at least once.
12 South
12 South is such a cute area if you want a break from Broadway. There are lots of shops, restaurants and places to grab coffee, and we ended up buying a couple of things while we were there. It’s a really easy area to walk around for a few hours and feels a lot calmer than downtown. If you like shopping, I’d definitely make time for it!
NOTABLE BARS WE WENT TO
We did a mix of the big celebrity bars and some smaller spots, which I think is the way to go in Nashville.
Jason Aldean’s — One of the big Broadway bars we popped into. Fun, busy and exactly what you’d expect from Broadway.
Morgan Wallen’s — Another one of the celebrity bars we checked out. Again, I don’t think you need to commit to one place on Broadway. Go in, grab a drink, listen to the music and move on when you feel like it.
Red Door Saloon — Known for its Root Beer Float Shot, so obviously we had to try one. A fun little stop and something different from the massive Broadway bars.
Skinny Dennis — We went to Skinny Dennis in East Nashville and really liked the vibe here. Definitely worth getting away from Broadway and checking out some of the bars in other neighbourhoods too.
Bastion — Another cool spot we checked out and somewhere I’d add if you’re wanting to explore more than just the main tourist areas.
Honestly though, I wouldn’t stress too much about making a huge bar itinerary. There are so many places to go, especially around Broadway, that part of the fun is just seeing where you end up.
WHERE WE ATE
I was really impressed by the food in Nashville. There are SO many good restaurants and almost everywhere we went also happened to be really cute!
Aba
Loved this place. The food was so good, the restaurant itself was super vibey, and the hot honey halloumi was probably my favourite thing we ordered. I would definitely go back!
Stateside Kitchen
This was such a fun brunch. There was a DJ, disco ball pitchers, music playing and the whole place was packed. I had waffles and Nashville hot chicken because obviously I needed to have hot chicken at some point while I was there. Definitely make a reservation though, it was BUSY.
bartaco
We went here while we were in 12 South and I loved it. The tacos were really fresh and didn’t feel super heavy, and I loved all of the different salsas and hot sauces. Such an easy lunch spot to add while you’re already exploring the area!
Sixty Vines
This place is huge and another really fun restaurant. We enjoyed all of the food, but I mostly remember the frozen espresso martini because it was so good. I would go back for that alone!
Alla Vita
A newer Italian restaurant with really cool decor and great atmosphere. We had the vodka pasta and ricotta dumplings, and both were AMAZING. This was probably one of my favourite dinners of the trip.
White Limozeen
Okay, this one is VERY touristy, but it felt like a fitting stop while we were in Nashville, especially since it’s Dolly Parton-themed and she had just recently passed away. Located at the Graduate Hotel, it’s an all-pink rooftop bar inspired by Dolly. I’d say it’s more of a spot to go for the cute photos, views and overall experience than the food, but it was definitely fun to see while we were there!
Five Daughters Bakery
We also stopped at Five Daughters Bakery for doughnuts. If you have a sweet tooth, definitely add it to the list.
COFFEE + MATCHA
Nashville has SO many cute coffee and matcha places. I could have made an entire trip out of trying them!!
La La Land
I am still thinking about the Banana Cloud Latte. I wasn’t sure what to expect because banana coffee could definitely go either way, but it was SO good. It actually tasted like banana without being weirdly sweet. The coffee shop itself is also very cute and aesthetic with all of the yellow.
Volta
I got their strawberry matcha with strawberry cold foam and loved it. If you’re a matcha person, definitely add this one to your list.
Hami
I had their Einspänner Matcha, which had cheesecake cold foam and an orange garnish. This one was just really different from other matchas I’ve had. The cheesecake cold foam with the orange sounds a little random, but it worked!
WHAT PEOPLE WEAR IN NASHVILLE
One thing I LOVED was the style. Obviously there are cowboy boots EVERYWHERE, but it wasn’t necessarily as over-the-top western as I expected. There was a lot of western mixed with more everyday street style, which I loved. You could wear jeans, a cute top and cowboy boots and fit right in, or you could go all out with a sparkly dress and boots. Honestly, anything kind of goes here!
It was fun seeing how everyone styled their cowboy boots differently, and it definitely made me want to wear mine every day!
WHEN I’D GO
We went over the September long weekend, and it was HOT. And not just hot…humid. We still had an amazing time, but if I were choosing when to go again, I’d probably pick spring or fall when it’s a little cooler. You do quite a bit of walking and bouncing around from place to place, so I think it would be even more enjoyable when you’re not sweating the second you walk outside.
A FEW RECOMMENDATIONS
- Don’t over-plan Broadway. Have a few places saved, but leave yourself time to just walk around and pop into whatever looks fun.
- Make reservations for restaurants, especially if you’re going over a weekend. A lot of the places we went were really busy.
- Book The Listening Room ahead of time. This is one thing I’d definitely plan around.
- Get outside of Broadway. Broadway is so much fun and obviously a huge part of Nashville, but there are so many cool neighbourhoods, dive bars, restaurants and coffee shops outside of it.
- Take advantage of the live music! You don’t need to buy tickets to a concert every night. There are insanely talented people playing all over the city. Also, apparently celebrity sightings are pretty common in Nashville because so many country artists and other famous people live there or are constantly coming through. We didn’t see anyone on our trip, unfortunately, but maybe next time!
OVERALL THOUGHTS
Nashville is SUCH a vibey city. It’s definitely becoming a very popular and touristy destination, but I still really loved it. There’s just so much going on all the time.
The live music was probably my favourite part. I loved that you could walk into almost any bar and hear someone incredibly talented playing. But I also loved the style, the restaurants, all of the cute coffee and matcha spots and getting out into some of the different neighbourhoods.
And if you’re planning a girls’ trip, Nashville is kind of perfect because you can make it whatever you want. Go out on Broadway, dress up, shop, eat really good food, find cute coffee shops or spend an afternoon listening to live music.
Three days was enough to see a lot, but definitely not enough to do everything.
I already know I want to go back, and next time, the Grand Ole Opry is definitely making the list!
-Jenna xoxo