A weekend in Nashville is not a long visit, but it can be a fun time if you plan it right. In Nashville, there are several different routes at your fingertips.
- You can go the party route and spend your time on Broadway hitting up the honkiest of tonkiest bars and live music venues
- Keep it studious and visit all the music museums and monuments like the Grand Ole Opry or Elvis Presley’s home Graceland
- Or you can take the foodie route and explore the restaurant, coffee, and drink scene (plus some shopping)
This Spring I was able to spend several weekends in Nashville and have compiled a list of the best things to do during a weekend in Music City.
We’ll keep it high-level and scannable.
Getting around Nashville
You will need to rent a car or be prepared to Uber to get the most out of your visit. Nashville is a spread-out city that doesn’t have a great form of public transportation available.
You will also have to pay for parking 9 times out of 10. Prices range from $2.75 – $30 when depending on the parking lot, time of day, and hours. Make sure to account for that additional cost.
Where to Stay for a Weekend in Nashville
As for where to stay, you’ll have your pick of Airbnbs and hotels around the city. East Nashville is a great location for Airbnb units that aren’t too expensive yet close to the action.
This unit is a quaint stay located in East Nashville with lots of space and cute decor. It is also a few minutes walk away from a wonderful all-day cafe, Cafe Roze. Or check out this private suite Airbnb that is also located in East Nashville. It’s located within walking distance to the Butcher and the Bee restaurant as well as Smith and Lentz Brewing and Pizza.
Station Inn – Bluegrass Music Hall
Station Inn is the type of place that feels like a front porch gathering on a summer night. The band doesn’t play on the stage but rather congregates just off stage around a single mic suspended from the ceiling.
Even on Sunday the place was packed. There was just enough room to grab a beer and popcorn and possibly a Lunchable-esque pizza from the bar in the back. The music is not too loud and allows for easy chatting and listening. The band is a mix of musicians who come and go, jumping into the fray and playing along as one. You might see a man with a holster of harmonicas, and it’s not uncommon for someone to walk in off the street and sing a song or two.
On my visit, a woman sang Amazing Grace along with the twanging tempo. It was a stunning off-the-cuff performance.
Shopping in Hillsboro Village
The Gulch has several areas lined with a mix of trendy and unique boutiques. One of the best areas to shop is Hillsboro Village on 21st Avenue South.
It offered a great mix of chains and local boutiques, great parking, and a couple of popular eateries too. There’s also a parking lot reserved for thrift pop-up shops that supply a mix of shirts and jackets as well as a healthy selection of vintage jeans. Some of my favorite stops included:
- Dress Up
- ShopUAL (United Apparel Liquidators)
- j.marie
There were plenty of other stores along that strip that made shopping for a wedding guest dress a great experience.
Shopping in 12th South
12 South is a quaint neighborhood area with a lively shopping and dining scene all on its own. It is home to the 12th South Taproom, the Frothy Monkey, and Burger Up.
The shopping is a mix of high-snuff boutiques and more accessible shopping outlets. Meaning, half the stores are very upscale with nothing under $130. The other half of the stores are more accessible. My favorite stops were Serendipity and ShopUAL.
ShopUAL is a hodge podge of high-end designer items that are on deep discount. Some of the items are still several hundred dollars, but you can luck up and find a good deal. Free parking in the residential neighborhood a few blocks away is a bonus.
Broadway for Live Music
We can’t leave out mentioning Broadway as a main attraction. The area attracts more bachelorette parties than you can count and stays lit up and high energy on the weekends. Parking is hard to come by, traffic is heavy and stagnant, and the blood alcohol content is rather high per capita…
While Broadway isn’t a very long strip of town it is packed with enough live music stops to keep you busy for an entire weekend. Honestly, the honky tonk was a little too much for me over the weekend, but a Monday night stroll and dinner stop with a live show isn’t too bad.
Greenhouse Bar
If the sound of a bar inside a greenhouse sounds like a cool atmosphere to you, this is your spot. Located about 15 minutes outside of downtown, Greenhouse Bar offers up ample seating and interesting decor in a literal greenhouse filled with hanging plants and local brews. She is located near Trader Joe’s and the ever-popular Bluebird Cafe.
Butcher and the Bee
Butcher and the Bee gets a 10/10 in terms of aesthetics and vibe. The main dish I ordered just didn’t wow me at all. It was a little one-dimensional and not as fresh and the ethos of the place led me to believe it would be. The dessert, however, was top-notch. They have a dedicated dessert chef who creates artistic sweet treats with 10/10 flavors. Overall hit and miss for me.
Coffee + Breakfast
Nashville isn’t as coffee shop dense as Minnesota, but you can find a fair selection of shops worth a sip and visit. Not only that, but Nashville hosts several notable brunch and breakfast spots.
Crema Coffee
Be prepared to pay for parking if you’re staying more than 15 minutes. Crema Coffee serves up a great cup of coffee with a light interior and a decent amount of seating. Located in the Gulch, Crema is an easy stop for anyone staying in that area or even downtown.
Cafe Roze
I can’t say enough good things about Cafe Roze. This was an unexpected find as our Airbnb host was the one who recommended this culinary delight. The food is excellent, the aesthetics are on point, and the coffee was great too. Certainly worth a visit.
Frothy Monkey
Located in several different areas of town, the Frothy Monkey is a Nashville staple. Visit the 12th South location for a nice sit-down breakfast and a delicious latte. I wouldn’t recommend this stop for a remote work location. It is busy and loud. Check out White Bison Coffee for a calm and quiet place to get some work done.
Hearts
Located in East Nash and 12th South, Hearts offers a fresh spin on brunch. And serves up a mean cup of coffee from what I’ve heard.
Milk and Honey
Located in the heart of the Gulch, Milk and Honey is the step-sister to the wildly popular, always has-a-line-out-the-door Biscuit Love. Don’t get me wrong, you’ll likely have to wait for a seat at Milk and Honey too, just not as long. The croissants here are divine, the side of fruit option is always a yes, and beware of the hot chicken, because she is hot.
Biscuit Love
Biscuit Love has a location in the Gulch and 12 South. The 12 South spot is a little easier to get into. Expect to wait over an hour on the weekends and about 30 minutes on the weekdays. After seeing what all the fuss is about, I can safely say that Biscuit Love is overrated. I didn’t find the biscuits to be that good, but I’m more of a soft and dough-biscuit kind of girl. The fresh squeezed orange juice and freshly made raspberry jam were top-tier, however.
Dose
A coffee shop that exists on the outskirts of the main city, Dose has a cute interior and exterior design. The coffee, on the other hand, wasn’t my favorite. I think it had something to do with how strong the roast was and the resulting burnt flavor.
My Perfect Weekend in Nashville
I think it’s no secret that my first order of business when in a new town is to locate the best coffee shops available. The second order of business is finding the most niche thrift stores the area has to offer.
That said, if I could smash all my favorite stops into one weekend in Nashville, I would choose:
- Friday:
- Station Inn for Bluegrass, beer, and popcorn (for live music and a chill vibe)
- Greenhouse Bar (for a burger and a beer–get the Bearded Iris Homestyle IPA)
- Saturday
- Crema coffee for a coffee
- Milk and Honey for breakfast (get a croissant)
- Shopping in the Gulch (checkout Hillsboro Village)
- Anaconda Vintage (the best playlist + a nice selection of vintage pieces)
- Living Waters Brewery for a beer and lunch
- Hip Zipper
- 12th South for Shopping
- Maybe grab an afternoon coffee at Frothy Monkey
- Dinner at Cafe Roze or if you’re feeling brave Broadway for live music
- Sunday
- Brunch at Cafe Roze before hitting the road for home
