Nashville, Tennessee surprises most first-time visitors. You arrive expecting country music and hot chicken and you leave with a much longer list of things you wish you had done. Two days is enough time to get a real feel for the city if you plan it right. This itinerary covers the essentials without rushing.
Whether you are visiting from out of state or looking to finally explore a city you have flown out of a dozen times, Nashville rewards every kind of traveler. Here is how to spend your weekend.
Day 1 Morning: Brunch and the Gulch
Start the day at Biscuit Love in the Gulch. The line forms before it opens, which tells you everything you need to know. The bonuts are the thing to order: biscuit doughnuts with lemon mascarpone. Get there by 9am if you want a short wait.
After brunch, walk the Gulch neighborhood. The wings mural at the corner of 11th and Pine is one of the most photographed spots in the city. The boutiques and coffee shops in this area are worth an hour of wandering before you move on.
Day 1 Midday: Music Row and the Country Music Hall of Fame
Music Row is a short drive or rideshare from the Gulch. The street where Nashville’s recording industry was built still has working studios behind many of its doors. Walk it and you will see why the city earned its reputation.
The Country Music Hall of Fame sits at 222 Rep. John Lewis Way South downtown. It is bigger and more compelling than most people expect. The exhibits cover the full history of country music with personal items, instruments, and recordings from artists across every era. Plan for two hours if you want to do it properly.
Day 1 Afternoon: 12South and Mural Hopping
The 12South neighborhood is Nashville’s most walkable afternoon destination. The I Believe in Nashville mural on 12South Avenue is the one everyone photographs, and for good reason. The street also has some of the best independent shops and coffee in the city.
Draper James, Reese Witherspoon’s clothing boutique, is on 12South. Even if shopping is not on the agenda, the blue and white striped exterior is a good photo stop. From here, a rideshare to downtown takes under ten minutes.
Day 1 Evening: Nashville Party Bus, Then Broadway
This is where the night becomes memorable. Before heading to Broadway, book a Nashville party bus to take the group through the city together. It is the most efficient and enjoyable way to see downtown Nashville after dark, and it puts everyone in the right mood before the bars.
Rowdy Bus operates the city’s top-rated open-air BYOB Nashville party bus tours, holding a 4.9-star rating from over 1,200 verified guests. The open-air bus runs a 5.5-mile loop through downtown Nashville for just under two hours, passing the Ryman Auditorium, the Country Music Hall of Fame, Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge, the Gulch, Music Row, and 12South. A VIP bartender is on board throughout the tour. Guests supply their own drinks (canned only, no glass, nothing over 8% ABV and no liquor) and Rowdy Bus provides cups, ice, and coolers.
Private charters for up to 25 guests run $395 Monday through Thursday and $595 Friday through Sunday. Public tour seats start at $49 per person. All tours depart from 1343 Lewis St, Nashville, TN 37210. Call (615) 212-8869 or book online at rowdybus.com. Advance purchase is required.
After the bus drops you back downtown, Broadway is the natural next stop. Every bar on Honky Tonk Highway has live music and there is no cover charge anywhere on the strip. Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge has been a Nashville institution since 1960. Luke’s 32 Bridge has five floors and a rooftop with views across the city. Stay as long as the music keeps you.
Day 2 Morning: Centennial Park and the Parthenon
Centennial Park is free to enter and sits just west of downtown. The full-scale Parthenon replica is the centerpiece of the park and has been there since 1897, when it was built for the Tennessee Centennial Exposition. It still functions as an art museum inside.
The park is quiet in the mornings, which makes it a good antidote to the energy of the night before. The one-mile walking trail is a simple loop that covers the whole property. Give yourself an hour before the city picks back up.
Day 2 Midday: The Hermitage or Belle Meade
Two of Nashville’s best historic sites sit within 20 minutes of downtown and work well as a midday excursion before leaving the city.
The Hermitage is the home of President Andrew Jackson, dating to the early 1800s. Tours cover the house, the grounds, and the full story of the family and the people enslaved on the property. It is one of the most honest and well-presented historic house museums in the South.
Belle Meade Plantation takes a similar approach and includes a working winery on the grounds. The property dates to 1807 and once held championship racehorses. The tour is candid about the history and the winery tasting is a natural ending to the visit.
Day 2 Afternoon: Hot Chicken Before You Leave
Do not leave Nashville without eating hot chicken at least once. Prince’s Hot Chicken Shack is the original. Hattie B’s is more accessible for visitors and consistently excellent. Order medium unless you have a genuine tolerance for heat. The shut the cluck up level is exactly what it sounds like.
Hot chicken is served on white bread with pickles. That is the tradition and there is no improving on it.
Quick Tips for Your Nashville Weekend
- Stay downtown if you can. Most of the best experiences are walkable or a short rideshare from the city center.
- Rideshares are affordable. Most trips around downtown cost $10 to $15. The airport runs $20 to $30.
- Book the party bus early. Weekend slots in spring fill several weeks ahead. Advance purchase is required.
- There are no cover charges on Broadway. You spend what you drink, nothing more.
- Sign your Rowdy Bus waiver online before the tour to save time at departure.
Nashville is the kind of city that earns a return trip. Two days gives you the highlights. Coming back gives you everything else.
