Planning Your Music City Vacation
If you’re planning a trip to Music City, you may be overwhelmed by the amount of things to do in Nashville. That’s why we’ve put together this list to help you plan your visit and make the most of your time in Music City.
Here are some things to keep in mind during your planning process:
- Things to Do
- Experience the City Like a Local
- Where to Stay
Interested in a tour of the city? Book your tour with Tommy’s tours.
Things To Do
Live Music: Broadway, the city’s main strip in downtown, is full of live music that you’ll be able to experience all day, every day. No matter what type of music you’re interested in, you’ll be able to walk from bar to bar and listen to talented acts. You’ll also be able to see a variety of local and touring acts at venues across the city like The Basement East, Brooklyn Bowl, and Marathon Music Works.
Museums: Just like the music scene, Nashville’s museums provide something for everyone. If you’re a country music fan, you can check out places like the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum or The Johnny Cash Museum. If you like art, the Frist Art Museum offers rotating galleries that feature a variety of artists.
Experience the City Like a Local
If you’re looking to visit more than just the tourist hotspots, there are plenty of exciting things to do like hiking, shopping districts, and more. Let’s go over a few:
Radnor Lake State Park: Interested in visiting a state park? With nine trails to choose from, Radnor Lake State Park offers a variety of hiking trails that vary in length and difficulty. Located amongst some of the highest hills in the Nashville Basin, you’ll be able to see plenty of wildlife in a relaxing setting.
12th Avenue South: Called the 12South neighborhood, this walkable neighborhood makes the perfect outdoor stroll. You can start your visit by picking up coffee from Frothy Monkey, taking photos in a variety of beautiful murals, and browsing stores like MODA Boutique and Savant Vintage.
Grimey’s New & Preloved Music: With over 20 years in business, the locally owned music store is the perfect place to pick up new releases and old favorites. Whether you’re looking for records, CDs, cassette tapes, or even books about music, there’s a lot to look through. Plus, they regularly do in-store events like listening parties and record releases so be sure to check out their calendar.
Parnassus Books: If you like to read, the independently owned bookstore offers plenty to browse through. They also have an extensive collection of local authors and signed books. And they regularly have in-store events with various authors that are free to attend.
Where to Stay
With so many neighborhoods, figuring out where to stay can often be the hardest part of the planning process. Here are some places you may consider:
Downtown: If you’re interested in things like the city nightlife and visiting museums, areas like downtown and The Gulch have plenty of hotels. It also makes it easy to walk to a variety of places like Broadway and various museums.
East Nashville: Looking to stay in a more residential area? Neighborhoods like East Nashville and 12South offer plenty to do nearby without all of the downtown crowds.
Getting around may also sway where you decide to stay if you’re not driving down or renting a vehicle. While you can easily order an Uber or Lyft, you can also utilize the city’s local transportation. The MTA has buses running throughout the day with pay passes available and the Music City Circuit offers free transportation downtown Monday through Saturday. There’s also bike sharing options with approximately 30 stations and hundreds of bikes available where you can rent a bicycle for a day or the whole week.
See the City With Tommy’s Tours
Make the most of your trip with a guided tour from Tommy’s Tours. Guided by Comedian Charmin’ Tommy Garmon, it’s a fun-packed, three-hour Nashville bus tour of Downtown Nashville’s hotspots and celebrity homes. Along with downtown, you’ll be able to see a variety of places like the Hall of Fame Museum, Music Row, the State Capitol, and more.
Contact Tommy’s Tours today to book your tour.
