Looking to plan a weekend trip later this year, probably spring or summer. Would like some suggestions for placesntonstay and local attractions.

Would probably drive there from St Louis but would like to limit driving and stay close to some entertainment.

Would just be a trip for 2.

Any help, suggestions or emails appreciated.

Not a resident, but visited my sister there this summer. We took a detour through Bowling Green and went to the Corvette museum - well worth it. The Parthenon was cool and the Cool Springs area offers a lot of shopping and places to eat. Burger Up was delicious!

Also would like info on areas to AVOID going to....

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Also would like info on areas to AVOID going to....

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Nothing would compare with East Saint Louis. Nashville East tends to be the rougher side of town. Just use common sense.

If your looking for the tourist dinner entertainment area it's Broadway with all of the bars, live music, dining etc.

TPAC (performing arts center) has a lot of great shows, many you will need to book early. Opryland of course of you like country music and history of it. The Nashville Zoo is nice.

We both like live music, both rock and country.

Tennessee War Memorial Museum is free and I like it. American Pickers shop is cool if you are a fan. They sometimes have live music. The Old Spagetti Factory is a fairly cheap full meal downtown. 2nd Avenue changes so much I can't keep up.

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Originally posted by KevinCW:
We both like live music, both rock and country.

We just got back from there. Just about anywhere you stay will be within 4 miles of Broadway where all the live music and bars are.

I was surprised how small and condensed it is compared to St.Louis. It seems like 50% of the entire city is under construction.

Places to see: Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, The Hermitage (Andrew Jackson's plantation) Johnny Cash Museum,
Belle Meade Plantation.

Music: The quality of talent in this town is mind blowing. Even the people busking on the street are pretty good. No matter where you go you are almost guaranteed to hear someone who is decent. Check out the Ryman for the dates you will be here; the acoustics are wonderful and you will be close to the performers. Look into the Grand Ole Opry as well.

I highly recommend you check out 3rd and Lindsley, particularly if you are here on Monday night. 3rd and Lindsley is a bar/music venue that locals and a lot of well-known talent frequent. For example, I was there one night when Allison Krauss, who had just finished her concert at the Ryman, stepped onto the stage to sing a couple of numbers. The Time Jumpers (local session musicians) play there every Monday night. Vince Gill is a member of the Time Jumpers and you can see him up close on Mondays if you come in.

Food: Prince's or Hattie B's for Nashville hot chicken. Two nice restaurants my wife and I like are Sea Salt (downtown) and Lockeland Table (East Nashville). These are just the ones that are on the top of my mind. I can get you more bar and restaurant names if you like.

Lower Broadway: Lots of music, drinking and crowds- worth a visit. You can hear the music from the side walk so just walk around until you find something you like and go in.

Places to stay. I am weak on advice in this area. Hotels close to the Lower Broadway/downtown action are more expensive but handy if you want to walk to the sights downtown. However, Nashville traffic is not too bad if you want to save money and stay a bit further out and drive in. For example, I live about five miles from lower Broadway; non-rush hour drive time is about 15 minutes, an uber down there is about $12.

My email is in my profile. Feel free to drop me a line; I'm happy to help in any way I can.

I love this Steve Earle song about south Nashville.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTTvQddSTXQ

Make sure you do the RCA recording studio tour, even if you're not a music fan. Better than you expect. Belle Meade Plantation, the Carter House, and Jacksons Hermitage are also worth going to, if that's your thing. Johnny Cash museum.

Nashville has a great restaurant/foodie scene. Make sure you leave the Broadway strip to eat. In general, the same goes for music. Roberts is the best place on the strip, or head back to Painters Alley, if you have to stay there. Be sure to check who is playing at the Ryman tonight, and get tickets if it is even remotely interesting. Station Inn is where you want to be, though, on a random night.

There are some great restaurant recommendations here:
https://marginalrevolution.com.../nashville-bleg.html

The wife and I love Margot's and City House, but there are a ton of great option.

No experience with hotels, but the OpryLand hotel is shockingly cool to stroll around in, so check prices there, although it is a drive from there to everything else in town.

I'm so so with country music but I had a blast going to the Opry.

All the touristy stuff is downtown. Food down there is ok at best. The Gulch has some good places to eat. Finding music is easy. Much harder to find someplace without music when you want a quiet night.

Lot's of good things to do south of the city. Downtown Franklin is a good place to do a little walking around. Some pretty good food in that area as well.

If you want to drive further south you can do a tour at the Jack Daniels distillery.

For a quieter more leisurely time, Radnor Lake.
The lake trail is under two miles, goes around the lake, an easy walk, nearly flat. A nice quiet walk through a wooded Natural Area. There are some more strenuous trails as well. Not very far from downtown, a popular spot for birders and walkers it can get a bit crowded at times.

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Radnor Lake was created by the Louisville and Nashville Railroad Company in 1914, and was initially used for watering steam locomotives and supplying the watering pens for shipped livestock.

https://tnstateparks.com/parks/info/radnor-lake

Spend an afternoon in Franklin. Quaint little town, decent shops, and some good food. I suggest Red Pony and Cork & Cow.

If you want to stay out of town a bit, we just finished a Hilton in Cool Springs and a Hilton/Residence Inn in the Green Hills area. Green Hills is a 10 minute car ride from Music Row.

If you want to stay downtown, I suggest the Hilton Garden Inn. And I recommend The Southern for dinner one night. This is easy walking distance from Broadway, Tootsies, the Ryman, HOF, etc.

Another vote for Prince's chicken. BEST hot fried chicken I've ever had.

I grew up just south of Nashville.

The Pharmacy is fantastic. Broadway is a zoo, but it has Merchants which is also fantastic. There is music EVERYWHERE. See a show at the Ryman. In Franklin, the Carter House, Lotz House, and Carnton Plantation are some neat Civil War sites. Tennessee Brew Works and Fat Bottom Brewery if you like beer. Corsair distillery if you like spirits.

Bluebird Cafe for live country music

Yes I live in Nashville.
Downtown is FULL of life and music and history and LOTS of construction. Good food everywhere, for Southern fare reasonably, “Monels” is great, family style, no booze, LOTS OF GREAT FOOD! All of the above are good recommendations, stay clear of North Nashville and Antioch. Bring a thick wallet! Happy New Year!

Hattie B’s Nashville hot chicken! Try to go during a non peak time as lines are out the door.

SB