Nashville: music, barbecue and the Cumberland River
Nashville is the easiest American city to fall for. Live music plays from mid-morning until the early hours, the barbecue is some of the best in the South, and almost everything a first-time visitor wants is within walking distance of Broadway. We've been to every place in this guide.
It's also a city that rewards going at your own pace. Lower Broadway is loud and crowded on weekend nights, but the same bars are relaxed and friendly at eleven in the morning, with a band already playing and a seat by the window.
At a glance
- Best time to go: April to early June, and September to October. July and August are hot and very humid.
- How long: three or four days covers everything here without rushing.
- Getting there: British Airways has flown direct from Heathrow to Nashville; otherwise connect through a US hub such as Atlanta, Charlotte or Chicago. Check what's flying on your dates.
- Paperwork: you need an approved ESTA before you fly. See our USA country guide.
- Insurance: US medical bills are very high. Read travel insurance in your 60s, 70s and 80s before you book.
Nashville Farmers' Market
Next to Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park, just north of downtown · nashvillefarmersmarket.org
A good gentle first morning. The open-sided farm sheds sell Tennessee produce, honey, jams and plants, and the Market House next to them is an indoor food hall with stalls cooking food from all over the world, so it's an easy place to have lunch without a long wait. The market is under cover, which helps on a hot or wet day.
Afterwards, Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park next door is flat and spacious, with views up to the State Capitol. Check the market's website for opening hours, which vary by season and by day for the farm sheds.
A riverboat on the Cumberland
General Jackson Showboat, departs from Gaylord Opryland · generaljackson.com
Nashville grew up on the Cumberland River, and the nicest way to see it is from a paddlewheel riverboat. The General Jackson is a four-deck showboat that runs lunch and dinner cruises with a live music show on board. You sit at your own table for the meal and the show, so it's a comfortable afternoon or evening with no standing about.
The boat leaves from Opryland, about 20 minutes' drive from downtown, so allow for a taxi or rideshare each way. It's worth combining with an evening at the Grand Ole Opry, which is next door.
Museums worth your time
Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
Downtown, a short walk from Broadway · countrymusichalloffame.org
If you only visit one museum, make it this one. It's large, well laid out and air-conditioned, with costumes, instruments, cars and handwritten lyrics. Allow at least half a day, and use the lifts between floors. You can also book a tour of the historic RCA Studio B from here, where Elvis, Dolly Parton and Roy Orbison all recorded.
Ryman Auditorium
Just off Broadway · ryman.com
The "Mother Church of Country Music" and the Opry's home for 30 years. The daytime tour lets you sit in the old church pews and stand on the stage. Better still, book a concert here: the sound is famous.
Johnny Cash Museum
Near Broadway · johnnycashmuseum.com
Smaller and easier to manage in an hour or so, and a must for anyone who grew up with his records.
National Museum of African American Music
Broadway at Fifth · nmaam.org
A modern, interactive museum covering blues, gospel, jazz, R&B and hip hop, and how they shaped country music too. The hands-on displays let you try mixing a track or singing along.
The Parthenon
Centennial Park, west of downtown
A full-size replica of the Athens Parthenon, with a gilded statue of Athena more than 40 feet tall inside. The park around it is flat and shady, with a lake and benches, a peaceful change from Broadway.
Martin's Bar-B-Que Joint
Downtown and around Nashville · find on Google Maps
Martin's is known for West Tennessee whole-hog barbecue: a whole pig smoked slowly over hardwood, then pulled and served by the plate or in a sandwich. The ribs and brisket are excellent too, and the sides (cornbread, beans, slaw, mac and cheese) are generous. You order at the counter and they bring the food to you, so it's quick and relaxed. Portions are large, so sharing a platter is a good idea.
Live music bars for grown-ups
Broadway's biggest bars are four storeys of rooftop DJs and hen parties. These three are different: smaller, friendlier and built around a live band, and in our experience they suit people with grey hair far better. All three have live music, and all are within a few minutes' walk of each other.
Legends Corner
Lower Broadway at Fifth Avenue · find on Google Maps
Of all the honky-tonks on Broadway, Legends Corner feels the most like the real thing. It's small, with walls covered in old record sleeves, and bands play from late morning until late at night with no cover charge. Go in the late morning or early afternoon for a seat and a proper look at the walls; by evening it's standing room only.
The bands are paid largely from tips, so take some cash for the tip jar, and put in a request.
Bootleggers Inn
Lower Broadway · find on Google Maps
Tennessee has made moonshine for centuries, and these days it's legal, flavoured and served in tasting flights. Bootleggers Inn is a Prohibition-themed moonshine bar on Broadway, with live music like its honky-tonk neighbours. Order a flight and you get a row of small measures, from the traditional clear spirit to fruit and cream flavours. They're small but strong, so pace yourself, and eat first.
Doc Holliday's Saloon
2nd Avenue, just off Lower Broadway · find on Google Maps
A small, Wild West-themed saloon on historic 2nd Avenue, a short step from the Broadway crowds and noticeably calmer for it. There are two floors: sit upstairs and you can watch the band and the room below. It's known for its Bloody Marys, and for the dollar bills signed by customers that cover the walls and are collected for charity.
Tips for travelling at your own pace
- Go to Broadway early. Most honky-tonks have live music from around 10 or 11am. Daytime is calmer, cheaper and you'll get a seat. Weekend evenings are dominated by hen and stag parties.
- Bring photo ID: bars check ID at the door, whatever your age. A passport or UK photocard driving licence works.
- Heat: from June to September, plan museums for the afternoon and carry water. The humidity catches people out.
- Getting around: downtown is walkable, though some streets up from the river are steep. Taxis and rideshare are easy for the farmers' market, Centennial Park and Opryland.
- Money: prices are shown without sales tax, which is added at the till. Tip 18 to 20 per cent for table service, and tip the bands.
- Earplugs: the bars are loud. A cheap pair makes an afternoon of live music much more comfortable.
A three-day plan
- Day one: Farmers' Market for breakfast and lunch, a rest, then the Ryman tour and an early evening at Legends Corner.
- Day two: Country Music Hall of Fame in the morning, Martin's for lunch, the Johnny Cash Museum, then a moonshine flight at Bootleggers Inn and a band at Doc Holliday's Saloon.
- Day three: the Parthenon and Centennial Park in the morning, then a General Jackson lunch or dinner cruise, with the Grand Ole Opry in the evening if you have the energy.
Opening times, prices and cruise schedules change, so check each place's website before you go. We don't take payment for recommendations.