Five Nashville Must Do’s That Are Can Do’s in Any Neighborhood
There’s a lot to do and see in Nashville. In the five years(ish) since my sister moved to the city, I’ve gotten to do a lot and there are still things on my list (Cheekwood Gardens…I’m coming for you!)
Here are some ideas for things to do in Nashville that can easily be accomplished in virtually any Nashville neighborhood.
(1) Listen to Live Music.
They don’t call it Music City for nothing! Even if you wanted to, it would be hard to avoid encountering live music in Nashville (but why would you want to?). It’s a right of passage to catch a few country performances at bars on iconic lower Broadway. But Nashville’s music offerings aren’t limited to country music. Bars and restaurants across throughout the city frequently host performances by across musical genres.
The Ryman Auditorium, home to the Grand Ole Opry, Bridgestone Arena, and the new(ish) open air Ascend Amphitheater are frequent hosts to large shows. In late summer, Live on the Green offers free outdoor performances from world famous artists like Sheryl Crow and Portugal the Man.
If you somehow avoid live music during your Nashville stay, you have one last chance to catch it at the airport (BNA) where Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge has two locations with live music, one inside security and one outside security.
(2) Chow Down on Some BBQ.
Barbecue is as ubiquitous as live music in Nashville. And it’s not just BBQ, it’s good BBQ. The kind people travel for.
The pulled pork nachos at Edley’s Bar-b-Que have my heart and pair well with a Bushwacker (basically an alcoholic milkshake). The meat trays with sides from Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint come in a close second. The white BBQ sauce (sometimes called “Alabama White Sauce”) offered at a few places like Hog Heaven is a BBQ delicacy that receives rave reviews.
(3) Sip on Some Good Coffee.
Nashville abounds with unique local coffee shops and roasters in all neighborhoods. Hip, uber-modern Crema offers a seasonal coffee soda that is known as the best in Nashville. Hipsters unite at one of the multiple Barista Parlor locations around town. At 9-feet wide, Headquarters is almost literally a hole in the wall with quirky details and killer drinks. Chances are there’s a Frothy Monkey nearby wherever you are in the City. The coffee shop and restaurant started as one location but became so popular that it now has five throughout Nashville.
(4) Enjoy Some Greenery.
It’s one of the United States’ 25 largest cities but Nashville, Tennessee hardly feels like a concrete jungle. The city prioritizes green and open spaces. There’s “the Greenway,” which is a actually a series of connecting greenways throughout the city. Then there’s Percy Warner Park which offers acres upon acres of mixed use hiking trails. Once you get past the main entrances, there’s a perfect balance of enough people that you don’t feel completely isolated but not so many that it interferes with enjoying nature.
Just outside of the city, you can kayak or canoe down the Harpeth River, camp, boat, and fish at Percy Priest Lake, or check out waterfalls at Fall Creek Falls State Park.
(5) Get Thrifty.
It took me a few visits to realize it, but Nashville is a thrift and antique store mecca! Virtually everywhere you go there is a thrift or antique store of some type within a block or two. The shop styles range from high-end clothing thrift to antique furniture focused to multi-vendor shops.
Cool Stuff, Weird Things takes the award for best name that I’ve seen (and bonus: is right next to Headquarters). Pre to Post Modern offers affordable prices on vintage items you actually want to buy. Old Made Good is an East Nashville favorite.
