Enjoy Music City like a local would - Fewer lines, more fun. 

Nashville like a local

We’re known for our music, great food, and endless entertainment. Here is a breakdown of suggestions from a Nashville local to help you have a smoother time in town without being overwhelmed by crowds or underwhelmed by over-hyped spots.

This guide is broken down by area of town so you can cluster destinations together. There are accommodation suggestions nested for each neighborhood/area at the end of each section. 

Getting the true Nashville experiences means getting off Broadway and out of downtown.  One of my favorite neighborhoods is Germantown. It’s home to some of the best restaurants in town and is very walkable. Once you park, you can easily navigate to different spots by foot.

From live music to great food, Nashville’s downtown is the center of the excitement and entertainment. However, it gets crowded and some spots are more worth your time than others. 

There are a lot of new spots opening that are geared towards the tourist party vibe. If that’s your scene, go for it. 

If you want something more local and classic Nashville, here’s what I’d recommend: 

There is no shortage of great places to stay downtown. Here are a few options that I would suggest: 

Nashville Pontoon Party Cruise - Pontoon Saloon

It’s hard to go downtown without seeing pedal taverns, party bikes, etc. While tourists love “transpotainment”, most locals avoid them. However, there is one that I enjoy doing every now and then and that’s the Pontoon Saloon! 

A great way to see the city and learn some history is taking the Hop-on-Hop-off Trolley tour. This also allows you to see things at your own pace while having some audio guide along the way. 

There are a lot of condos and houses in Germantown so you are likely to find a lot of Airbnb options. 

Ryman Auditorium

Butchertown Hall

Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

Assembly Food Hall

Lockeland Table

HiFi Cookies - East Nashville

Tennessee State Museum

Goo Goo Chocolate Co

Pie Town Tacos

DeSano Pizzeria Napoletana

Centennial Park

Biscuit Love (Hillsboro Village)

6th & Peabody

Martin's Bar-B-Que Joint

Just Love Coffee Cafe - Music Row

Nudie's Honky Tonk

The Stage on Broadway

Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park

Nashville Farmers' Market

Vanderbilt University

The Pharmacy Burger Parlor & Beer Garden

Up-Down Nashville

French's Shoes & Boots

Library Garage

The Burnham

Bobby Hotel Rooftop Lounge

National Museum of African American Music

Virgin Hotels Nashville

Grand Hyatt Nashville

Noelle

Moxy Nashville Downtown

Renaissance Nashville Hotel

The Stillery

Ophelia's Pizza + Bar - Nashville

Sinatra Bar & Lounge

Puckett's Restaurant - Downtown Nashville

Nashville Sounds

Sonder The Chorus

Germantown Café

Little Hats Market

The Goat Germantown

Germantown Inn

Graduate Nashville

The Patterson House

Winners Bar & Grill

Hutton Hotel

Home2 Suites by Hilton Nashville Vanderbilt, TN

Moxy Nashville Vanderbilt Area

Nashville Marriott at Vanderbilt University

HiFi Clyde's Nashville

Velvet Taco

Waymore's Guest House & Casual Club

The Russell

Drift Nashville

Bad Idea

Chivanada

Honeytree Meadery

Vinyl Tap

Grimey's New & Preloved Music

Shelby Bottoms Nature Center & Greenway

The Basement East

HiFi Cookies

Noelle, Nashville, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel

Ophelia's

Puckett's Grocery & Restaurant - Downtown Nashville

Nashville like a local

Buy to unlock full guide