Nashville is a great city! It's full of history, music, and fun. It’s also home to celebrities like Taylor Swift, Dolly Parton, Keith Urban, Nicole Kidman, and more. Makes it easy to understand why it’s known as the Country Music Capitol of the World. There’s a lot of great food to try too. Nashville is known for its Hot Chicken. Whether you’re in town for the weekend or for a week, you’ll enjoy these exciting things to do in Nashville, Tennessee.
The Grand Ole Opry is rich with almost 100 years of Country Music history and is a cultural landmark. Grab tickets to take a back-stage tour and hear interesting stories about your favorite artists, or get tickets to see this iconic show. You’re sure to have a time to remember and learn something new. Don’t forget to stop by the gift shop. They have great souvenirs.
Grand Ole Opry Resort and Convention Center
Located next to the Grand Ole Opry, is their resort. It’s huge. We took an indoor river boat ride which was a lot of fun! There are so many places to shop and eat. Their SoundWaves water experience is a great attraction. Famous musicians like Dolly Parton have stayed here. See their calendar for different family events scheduled.
When I first visited Nashville, I had no idea this was here. The Parthenon is a replica of The Parthenon in Greece. It’s a stunning building to see in person. Go inside to view the museum. The statue of the goddess Athena is an exact replica of the one in Greece and is huge standing at 42 feet tall! Admission for Adults is $10, Children $8 (ages 4-17) and Seniors. It’s located at Centennial Park which was the site of the Tennessee Centennial Exposition in 1897 which has a rich history of its own.
Cooter’s – Dukes of Hazzard Museum
If you’re a fan of the T.V. show The Dukes of Hazzard, you won’t want to miss this. The museum is ran by Ben Jones (Cooter). Admission is free but there are fees to take a photo with the cars. Daisy’s Jeep, General Lee, The Cop Car, Cooter’s Tow Truck and more are on display. Bring some spending money and grab yourself a pair of Daisy Duke shorts. See their events page for cast appearances, car shows, and band performances.
The County Music Hall of Fame has been called the Smithsonian of country music. Visit and enjoy their many music exhibits telling county music’s stories. Group tours are available. Check their calendar before visiting to see their different events offered. They offer a Song Writing Program. There’s even a Taylor Swift Education Center on their site.
Third Man Records is and eclectic record label founded by White Stripe’s front man Jack White in 2001 and a fun place to check out! You can visit the record store or schedule a tour. Within the store is a Novelties Lounge, full of cool vintage novelty machines. Third Man Record’s Blue Room Bar venue hosts concerts and events. Third Man Records also owns a photo studio (in Nashville) and an art vinyl pressing plant (located in Detroit). There are 2 other Third Man Record locations, one in Detroit and one in London. They’ve had pop-up shops in Austin, Texas during SXSW in the past.
Located on lower Broadway, you’ll find a row of Honky Tonks where you can enjoy free live country music and grab a drink. Dierks Bentley, Willie Nelson, and Gretchen Wilson performed in their early career here. On Honky Tonk Highway you’ll find places like Rippy’s Honky Tonk, open daily. With 3 stages, 2 floors, and BBQ you’ll have a great time. Another place you’ll want to swing by is Bootlegger’s, Nashville’s only Moonshine bar. You’ll find live music 365 days a year on 2 floors and 2 separate states. Another of the many cool places to visit on Honky Tonk Highway is Miranda Lambert’s Casa Rosa, Tex-Mex Cantina. This place has 4 levels, 2 stages, and is the self-proclaimed best Tex-Mex Cantina in Music City.
Museums to see
Nashville has so many great museums to see, you’ll want to book a whole weekend for it. You can start with the Jonny Cash Museum, celebrating the famous signer songwriter. Above the Jonny Cash Museum is the Patsy Cline Museum, where you’ll learn more about this pioneering singer who was the first country music signer to cross over to pop. Another museum that’s a must visit is the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American Music. Reservations are required and you can get your tickets online. Check their website before your visit to see what events may be going on that day. Something you might not have known is that the National Corvette Museum is located here in Nashville. Stop by to see the beautiful cars and learn about the evolution of the Corvette. For $10 you can sit behind the wheel of a C6 Corvette in the Corvette Simulator and pilot around a virtual racetrack!
Music Row is home to some of the most recognizable record labels, radio stations, and recording studios – like RCA Studio B where Elvis, Dolly Parton, and Willie Nelson have recorded. Main areas are on 16th and 17th Avenues South. You can walk by or take a trolley ride. You’ll notice some of the street names are in honor of country music stars.
Fido/Bongo Java
Bongo Java started opened up in 1996 in the Hillsboro Village as a coffee-roasting café. When its neighbor (a pet shop) became available, they expanded their space to Fido. At Fido, you can get all day breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Their menu has a limited selection of gluten-free items. I was able to order a gluten-free breakfast here without any reactions, but order at your own risk. Be sure to tell your server of any food allergies. You can get all day breakfast, lunch, and dinner at Fido.
Another fun place to experience breakfast is at the Pfunky Griddle. They have an entire gluten-free menu! Vegan pancakes are also offered. Your table has a griddle built in. They bring you all your ingredients and you get to make your own pancakes. You can even book a Pfunky party.