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Fun Things to do in Nashville Tn for Couples

Written by Chuck G. in Things to Do

There are lots of romantic and/or fun things to do in Nashville TN for couples! Well, Nashville has all the above and more. In this article, we are going to cover many options.

What are some fun things to do in Nashville Tennessee for couples? Well, this is the Music City so bar-hopping checking out great musicians is an option. Then there is hiking, mural chasing, eating at awesome places, free arcade game rooms, art museums, or a romantic ride on the General Jackson.

If you are looking for romance, Nashville can provide that. I’ve lived near the Music City for over 40 years. Nashville is set up more for fun. But, let’s be honest here. Having a good time laughing with your significant other is very romantic as well. Laughter gets those feel-good hormones going. The feel-good hormones lead too .. well .. you get the point 😉

Table of Contents

Fun Things to do in Nashville Tn for Couples

It is going to be rather difficult to know how to put this in any type of particular order. Nashville Tennessee is built for fun, although there are lots of romantic options, this isn’t Paris France folks :-).

Couples come together due to attraction first, then getting to know one another and finding what they do or do not have in common. If a couple has lots of likes and interests in common, the bond and connection start to build from that. So, with that being said, let us go in that order. I’ll start with the fun stuff and build to the romantic.

Games in Nashville

HQ Beercade Nashville

Headquarters Beercade is a 2 floor, 6500 square feet vintage arcade bar located right in the historic district of Downtown Nashville that has over 30 old-school arcade games such as Pac-Man, Galaga, Centipede, and lots more! More of a pinball fan? Gotcha covered, there are over 10 of those as well. They have lots of craft beers on draft and 40+ cans to choose from and plenty of mixed cocktails as well. If y’all are feeling a bit hungry, they have a full food menu for you and your date.

I have visited HQ Beercade several times. Either chilling with my son when he is in or out in Nashville with a lady friend as a couples night. She has always had a blast in HQ!!

Game Terminal

Game Terminal has over 250 games to choose from!! A few of the arcade games would be Baby Pac-Man, Blasteroids, Space Invaders, Donkey Kong, Mortal Kombat, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Pole Position, and that is barely a hint of what they have. Pinball? Hot Wheels, Deadpool, Tron, Space Invaders, WWF Royal Rumble, Guardians of the Galaxy, and lots lots more!!

When there is nice weather there are lots of cool games to enjoy outside as well. Games such as Corn Hole, Giant Jenga, Giant Beer Pong, Shuffle Board, Ping Pong, and life-sized Connect 4!

This game room is so big that it really should be on your list of Fun Things to do in Nashville TN for Couples. Nashville has lots of great food trucks, the food trucks rotate when they are serving up the goods at the Game Terminal. Here is a link for the food truck schedule so maybe you can catch your favorite truck if you are a Nashville local. They serve subs and pizza out of their kitchen.

As for drinks, they have a good selection of cocktails, boilermakers, shots, frozen drinks, and beers.

16-Bit Bar + Arcade

16-Bit is located right in the heart of the Gulch. This place has just a bit over 30 games to have a good time. Being that this is in the Gulch, don’t forget to check out all the cool murals around that area. Most especially get you a fun Nashville couples pic by the famous “What lift you” wings by Biscuit Love.

Do you want some drinks?? They have a really diverse and cool list of cocktail mixers. A good selection of beers, wines, frozen drinks, and mocktails (non-alcoholic drinks) as well. During Happy on Wednesday-Friday, you get $2 off certain drinks.

Two Bits

Two Bits is a small cozy little place on Demonbreun Street in the SoBro area of downtown Nashville. They have 20+ old-school arcade games to choose from. But … they have more than 70 card and board games! Nothing like a good friendly Nashville couples rivalry with your date that night. If you feel like singing a song to your date, well they have karaoke in the back. Either you better be able to sing or hope they have a sense of humor if you can’t :-).

I’ve eaten at Two Bits, the food is pretty good! They have a good selection of foods choices to give different foodies something to appease their taste buds at that moment. As for the drink selection, it isn’t a lot, but it is diverse enough that most people can find something they will like.

Up-Down Nashville

Up-Down Nashville is located in East Nashville on Woodland Street. They have more than 80 arcade games, plus pinball, skeeball, Nintendo 64, life-size Jenga, and connect 4. Wanna bring your pet? They have a large pet-friendly rooftop patio to chill with Fido if you want. All games are .25 cents per play.

If you need some drink or grub they have over 60 beers on tap and even more bottles and cans to choose from. Grab you a slice of in-house pizza to take care of the hunger!

Downtown Nashville Arcade Games and Pinball

Digital Worlds VR

So this place isn’t located in Downtown Nashville, it is just a short drive down to Franklin Tn. If you have never played VR games, you are in for some excitement!! Thrillist.com said that Digital Worlds was one of the top picks for “Nashville’s Coolest and Most Romantic Date Ideas”.

On their website, they have an area showcasing the games perfect for a good date night. But that’s not all they offer, they have about 80 cool games to choose from so you and your date are bound to find something fun.

Top Golf

Top Golf is one of those places that if my date wanted a good laugh at my expense, this is it!! I’m good at putt putt golf though!! I am a nerd .. I’ll just be straight about it. I enjoy games, I’ve just never been a die-hard gamer. Every time I’ve been to one of the game rooms mentioned above I got my tail KICKED by my date!! I’m a good sport about it and I still had fun .. so it’s all good!!

So, what is Top Golf? This is a sports entertainment complex that is centered around Golf. So what’s the big deal about that? This place has high-tech equipment that tracks the golf ball and scores it based upon the target you hit. The system even gives you the stats of the speed, angle, distance, and accuracy. It tells you everything you need to know about your golf ball flight. It would just tell me how bad I am and to put down the club before I hurt someone.

But Golf isn’t all they have. They have lots of good food, drink, and a live entertainment venue (temporarily closed at the moment). You can also schedule group events, birthday parties, tournaments, and team-building events.

Fun Adventurous Things to do in Nashville Tn for Couples

AxeVentures – Ax Throwing and Rage Room

Learn how to throw a Tomahawk ax? Now that sounds like fun! Step in your lane and get training from the friendly professional ax throwers. Try a few throws and let them hone your skills. Once you get it figured out, you and your date can play games competing against each other. When you are there try playing a few games of cornhole, giant Jenga, or Giant Connect 4.

Have you had a rough work week? Do you just like to bust stuff up? Or, just maybe you and your date can simply have smashing party couples style! Come into the Rage Room. Where you can take a baseball bat or other similar object and start bashing and smashing things in the room! Sound like a fun thing to do in Nashville for couples thing to me.

The Escape Game

Schedule a reservation at either the downtown or Oprymills Mall location of The Escape Game. Even though this will be a Nashville night out for you and your date as a couple, you will be able to make new friends as you are grouped with others to make the teams.

Combine your wits to solve the clues to escape the game in the time allowed. Whether victorious or not, it is sure to be a good time.

Ideas for the Foodie Couples

Nashville Farmers Market

There is so much great food in this place! The Market House has a large variety of choices of food to try. There is Jamaican, Chinese, Southern BBQ, Vegan Mexican, Crepes, Sushi, Pizza, Smoothies, Ice Cream, Bubble Tea, and more!

Step outside and you will find lots of great art vendors, local farmers with their produce, and even seasonal cooking demonstrations.

Goo Goo Chocolate Company

Goo Goo Chocolate Company located downtown is more than just the Chocolates. They offer interactive classes to design your own unique confection plus a retail shop to get you some goodies. There is also a complete chocolate bar that serves wine, whiskey, and boozy milkshakes.

The new renovation opens up in November of 2021. Make sure you drop by and check it out!

Five Daughters Bakery

If you are all about supporting a family business, then check out Five Daughters Bakery! I’ve been there several times, their donuts are freaking awesome!!! With 3 locations in Nashville, you are sure to find one close to you.

These donuts are not your average sugar-coated bread circle. They have yeast-raised, Paleo, Cookies, buns, minis, and their flagship donuts …. the 100 layer!! Yep, thats right layered donuts! Peel that awesome goodness a layer at a time to make that mouth-watering experience stretch out as long as you can! Each of their style of donuts comes in many different flavors.

There are other good bakeries in town that have donuts. Five Daughters Bakery is THE top shelf in my opinion.

Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream

This is probably my favorite ice cream place in Nashville. There is one in the same shopping complex as Five Daughters Bakery, so you could really load up on carbs!! There are a few other locations around Nashville as well so finding those very inventive and unique flavors that Jeni’s offers is sure to be a short drive for you.

I mentioned inventive and unique flavors, well check this out. They have Pistachio Macaron, Mexican Hot Chocolate, Middle West Whiskey & Pecans, Banana Cream Pudding, Salted Peanut Butter w/ Chocolate Flecks, and MANY more!!

Here are the ones I’ve had personally and loved every single one! Brown Butter Almond Brittle, Gooey Butter Cake, Coffee with Cream & Sugar, Goat Cheese w/Red Cherries, and Strawberry Buttermilk. I try to get something different each time. So far my favorite is Gooey Butter Cake.

Mike’s Ice Cream

If I’m kickin’ it Downtown on Lower Broadway and I want something sweet, cold, and tasty … Mike’s it is! This place has that old-school ice cream parlor vibe, that offers many original and exclusive to Mike’s flavors. The inside is all-natural brick walls, hardwood floors, and the sweet smell of ice cream. They recently started offering great coffee bar selections as well.

Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream

Brewery and Distillery Tours for Nashville Couples

I have taken the Jack Daniels tour in Lynchburg and the Makers Mark Tour in Kentucky and they both were great. But, there are several great distilleries right here in Nashville. Let us cover a few to give yall some more couples’ time-out ideas.

Corsair Distillery

Corsair Distillery started out in Bowling Green Ky and later moved to Nashville, but we aren’t gonna get into all the history here. Y’all looking for cool things to do as a couple in Nashville, not a history lesson.

Go check out the Marathon Distillery & Taproom located in the historic Marathon Village on Clinton St. This is an active distillery and taproom full of all the local beers along with fresh-baked pizzas. Order spirit flights to try the whiskey flavorings they have to offer.

While you are there you can schedule a 30-minute walking distillery tour that covers the history and the whole process of how they make their spirits. Yes, there are both tasting and non-tasting tour options available.

Along that tour you will be taken back in time by showing you a 1920’s old school pot still, condensing stills, fermenting, mash cooker, and a gin still.

Pennington Distillery

Pennington Distillery offers a few unique experiences as tours. There is the Distillery tour and tasting, Single Barrel Flight Testing, and a Bourbon Steward Class. The tour I would love to do is the “Blend your own Bottle Experience”, but it’s about $200 at the time of this writing.

The Distillery tour is a 1-hour walking tour where they explain the process of making their many different varieties of impressive spirits. The tour ends at the tasting bar where you can sample the many different flavors.

At the Single Barrel tasting, you get to enjoy 3 samples of their top-level barrels of Tennessee Sour Mash, Tennessee Bourbon, or Tennessee Rye. This is about 30-45 minutes long.

Ok, now we are stepping up in the “cool whiskey education” tours. Have you ever wanted to learn what makes a bourbon a bourbon and not just a whiskey? The in-depth science of distilling and aging? Well, Pennington offers a Bourbon Steward Class so you can acquire such knowledge and skills! This class is led by a Certified Specialist of Spirits. If you and your date claim to be Bourbon connoisseurs, This should definitely be on the “Fun things to do in Nashville TN for couples” list!

Pennington “Blend your own Bottle Experience”

Because of me being the nerd that I am, this is the class/tour I would love to do and at some point, I will. This is the “Blend your own Bottle Experience”, yep that’s right, you get to make your own unique blend and take a bottle home for yourself.

You get a self-guided tour, hor d’oeuvres, cocktails, and a personally engraved Davidson Reserve bottle. Now, choose samplings from four to six barrels chosen by the owners of Pennington. You taste and record your impressions of each sampling using a flavor wheel to help build a flavor profile suited to each individual. Then you blend the samples you chose into the final product. Once you confirm the flavor profile you are looking for, they use that formula you created and fill up your personally engraved Davidson Reserve bottle.

Nashville Brewery Tours

Due to some COVID restrictions, many of the breweries are not back to doing tours as of this writing of 11/2021. As I find out about more breweries doing tours I’ll add them to this article.

Yazoo Brewery

Yazoo is probably Nashville’s best-known and fastest-growing brewery. It all started out by purchasing a home brewing kit from the back of a magazine to growing into a 40+ barrel brewhouse located in The Gulch area of downtown Nashville.

These Saturday tours are limited to 12 guests per tour so it is recommended to book your tour online. You will get the history of Yazoo, a walking tour through the production facility detailing the methods of brewing, fermenting, and bottling. At the end of the tour, you will get to sample the goods with your yours to keep souvenir logo glass while you participate in the Q&A session. Just a heads up, this isn’t a climate-controlled tour so whether it is hot or cold outside .. dress accordingly.

I have personally had several of Yazoo’s beers. The ones I have tried were all good.

Jackalope Brewing Company

Jackalope tends to lean more towards lighter beers such as IPAs, Pilsner, and Ales as their year-round brews. With the occasional seasonal Stouts thrown in. I’ve had a couple of their beers, yep, I do recommend!

The tours are about 45 minutes long that include exclusive beer taste testing.

Fun Romantic Things to do in Nashville Tn for Couples

So I’ve added lots of fun stuff to do for Nashville couples. Let’s get some romantic stuff added in now.

Horse Drawn Carriage Rides

What better way to get a historic tour of Nashville than a romantic ride in a horse-drawn carriage. The 20 minutes tour takes you sightseeing around downtown Nashville with a knowledgeable driver narrating as you relax with your date. Pick up and drop off is usually down near the Hard Rock Cafe’ or in the turnabout at the very end of Broadway. Depending on which tour you want, ride time can be 20-45 minutes.

Parthenon in Nashville

A casual walk around Centennial Park

Centennial Park is beautiful year-round. But in the summertime, there is a huge flower garden, the ducks swimming in the lake, squirrels and other small wildlife scampering around. There are monuments placed around the park that have historic tales to learn about. But, the biggest attraction of all is The Parthenon. It is a full-size replica of the actual one in Greece. Go inside and check out the 40+ foot tall statue of Athena that has layers of real gold.

A romantic walk around Gaylord Opryland Hotels Atriums

This place is a favorite for the locals to check out, especially around Christmas. There are 3 beautiful atriums to take a romantic walk and take in the sights of the indoor gardens. There are great places to eat and even grab a drink if you want. This is a must-do for fun things to do in Nashville Tn for couples.

Want to learn more about Opryland Hotel? Click here to read the article.

Catch a breathtaking view at Love Circle

This is one of the highest vantage points in Nashville. Once you get to the top you will have an awesome view of the city lights of downtown Nashville. Couples do go up there and chill to talk and enjoy the view. It is often that you will see some of the Vanderbilt students hanging out up there as well. Everyone is just casually sitting on their blankets enjoying some simple conversation. I’ve been there a few times, it is nice and relaxing.

Summarize Fun things for Nashville Couples

There are lots of great things to do in Nashville for couples. Everything mentioned above is really just a drop in the bucket.

So I’ll just add a quick list to the end here to give you some more ideas.

  1. Go check out the Country Music Hall of Fame
  2. Take a relaxing hike at one of the many great state parks
  3. Kayak the Cumberland River
  4. Check out the Nashville Zoo to see all the exotic animals
  5. Get a ride on the General Jackson for a romantic dinner cruise
  6. Go on a mural hunt to find all the awesome wall art Nashville has to offer
  7. Tour the Grand Ole Opry House
  8. Explore the Belle Meade Mansion and/or The Hermitage.
  9. Checking out Cheekwood Botanical Gardens is a must!
  10. Or just party on Lower Broadway otherwise known as the Honky Tonk Highway!

I hope all you wonderful Nashville couples have a great time!! Later Y’all!!

The Row Kitchen and Pub

Written by Chuck G. in Restaurants

A good friend of mine and I picked The Row Kitchen and Pub as the one to try today. It did not disappoint! Well, one tiny little detail .. but we will get to that later in the article.

The Row Kitchen and Pub is located in the Midtown area of Downtown Nashville just off of West End. This place is a 30-year establishment that has been the hangout for many upcoming musicians and songwriters. The food is excellent, with lots of great brews, cocktails, and whiskeys to choose from.

Let me tell you about our experience.

The Row Kitchen and Pub
The Row Kitchen and Pub

The Row environment

The outside of the building had sort of a barn look to it in which I really like. As you walk in The Row Kitchen and Pub you instantly notice lots of natural wood used throughout the place. There are lots of posters, wall murals, and even a chalkboard presenting many music artists that have entertained there. Everyone we met from customers to staff was really nice. It has a real chill vibe in there.

Our Personal Experience

We arrived at The Row about brunch time on a Sunday so the wait wasn’t long at all. Due to COVID you scan a QR code as you walk in to see the menu. The hostess will seat you. When the waiter arrived just minutes after we sat down, he was immediately attentive to anything we needed for drinks, food, or even questions about the food. He got us a paper copy of the menu as well as requested. It was just a “copy machine” copy which is fine, they were probably going to trash it as soon as we left to help with not spreading the virus. If anyone is asking, yes he and the staff at The Row Kitchen and Pub were wearing masks. The customers did not have to wear one.

My buddy ordered the American Burger and fries. I ordered The Row Burger with sweet potato fries. Both of us opted for the Wagu beef upgrade, which turned out to be well worth the extra couple of dollars. I also ordered some Sweet Potato skins as an appetizer.

How was the food from The Row Kitchen?

The Sweet Potato skins came out shortly after placing the order. OK .. this next comment I get it .. they were skins! I would have liked them even more if they left a bit more of the “meat” of the potato on the skin. Overall they were still great. But the bites that had thicker parts of the “potato meat” left on the skin added a bit more sweet mixed in with the cheese and sauce .. it was really GOOD!! I would still order them again.

The burgers? They were freaking awesome!! The Wagu beef was definitely worth the upgrade! I had my burger cooked at medium, it was so juicy that it looked like water running out of it! The Palmento cheese spread on mine added a cheesy richness and texture but it also added just a bit of heat from some spices. Typically when I go back to a restaurant I try getting something different each time so I can explore the many flavors they have to offer. It is going to be difficult to pass up this burger. The Row Kitchen and Pub knocked it out of the park with this burger!

Likes or Dislikes?

As he and I were discussing our likes and dislikes (there weren’t any dislikes up to this point), he brought up an interesting point. Up until eating at The Row our favorite burger place was M.L. Rose on Charlotte Pike in Nashville. The burgers we had this day have us second-guessing that. We both decided we needed to hit M.L. Rose again soon to get that comparison.

Welp, it was time for dessert. I got a Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie, he got the fresh seasonal Cobbler which happened to be peach. OK .. I’ll be straight with ya. We should have passed on any of the desserts. The waiter said that most everyone never finished the Banana Pudding. His Peach Cobbler had very little breading at all in it. It was more like canned peaches that got some spices thrown in and maybe fried a little. My pie had a chocolate brownie crust that was pretty much chewy. The pecans were more like they were candied and then stuck together with some form of light sugar coating. There wasn’t a hint of bourbon taste at all. So, on my next visit, I’ll pass on the dessert options.

  • Sweet Potato Skins
  • Seating Booth
  • The Row Burger
  • The Classic Burger
  • The Row Entrance side

The Row Kitchen and Pub Summary

To summarize this up. I’ll put it to you this way. My buddy said that he was going to get his wife and bring her back for the burgers. I would without a doubt eat there again. I gotta get another “The Row” burger!!

Day Trips from Nashville

Written by Chuck G. in Things to Do

Nashville is an awesome city, there can be no questioning that. Even with all the cool things it has to offer don’t let that shroud the fact that there are other great places within a good day trip of Nashville. Allow me to tell you about some of them.

Within a day trip from Nashville, you will find waterfalls, great hiking trails, tours, more music, and lots and lots of history! Also, there are some other great cities such as Chattanooga, Knoxville, and Lynchburg. Don’t forget the home of Elvis Presley located in Memphis.

Those are just a quick summary of places to visit that are an easy day’s visit away from Nashville. For the most part, the places listed will be within a couple of hours’ drive or less. Places like Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge and Memphis are more like 4 hours from Nashville. So, they may be an overnighter depending on your energy levels and how you drive. I’ll note the approximate travel time for each location. Wanna know more? Well, read on then 🙂

Table of Contents

Tennessee Attractions that are a Day Trip from Nashville

Lynchburg

At about an hour and a half away, we will start out with Lynchburg as a Nashville day trip. Why? Well, it is home to one of Nashville’s most popular tours leaving out of downtown Nashville. That tour would be the Jack Daniels Tennessee Whiskey Distillery.

Taking the tour out of Nashville would be great and all but honestly I recommend driving there yourself. You are not on a time frame set by someone else. You get to Lynchburg, take the JD tour, go back into downtown and explore the shops and eateries. As for places to eat there are 2 main places that I can recommend.

Places to eat in Lynchburg

The most popular place is Miss Mary Bobo’s Restaurant. This is a sit-down family-style restaurant where you pass the food around to the person sitting beside you. You have to make reservations, no exceptions. This is because of the way they serve the food, it is made fresh for each reservation.

It is totally worth the wait for the reservation. The food is GREAT!! Plus, as you are eating you get a great story about how the restaurant came to be.

The second place I recommend, which is actually my personal favorite, is Barrel House BBQ. They use JD Whiskey in many of their recipes. Not to the point of the whiskey is the dominant taste, but just enough you pick up a hint of the warmth and the whiskey overtone. On the TripAdvisor website, Barrel House is the actually #1 place in Lynchburg to eat.

Then there is the BBQ Caboose Cafe. I personally haven’t eaten here. There are lots of great reviews about the food, atmosphere, music, and even a music radio show.

After you eat go explore the shops. Downtown Lynchburg is like walking back in time. Life there is a bit more chill and slow-paced.

Chattanooga

Here we have about a two-and-a-half-hour drive from Nashville. For a fun day trip from Nashville, you can’t go wrong with Chattanooga. There is so much to do there!!

Chatanooga is in many ways a lot like Nashville. There is nature to experience, clubs to party, museums to visit, and some awesome food!! I’ve been to Chattanooga quite a few times. Love it there!

I’ll list a few of the attractions. The Tennessee Aquarium, Chattanooga Zoo, Chattanooga Choo Choo, Ruby Falls, Rock City, and Lookout Mountain. That my friend is just scratching the surface.

For nature lovers, there is hiking, kayaking, the Riverwalk, fishing, boating, and lots more.

Sparta

Located about an hour and a half from Nashville is Sparta. No … not Sparta in Greece where the movie 300 was based. This part of Tennessee is home to some of the best hiking, waterfalls, and natural rock formations in Tennessee. I personally LOVE this area of Tennessee. I have spent several overnighters in a tent or just hanging from a hammock at Virgin Falls State Park.

The waterfalls in this area are nothing short of amazing. There is Burgess Falls, Lost Creek Falls, Cummins Falls, and Wildcat Falls. Twin Falls and Great Falls are located in Rock Island State Park. There are lots more but those are the main ones that tourists and locals frequent the most. Most of these hikes and waterfalls can easily be a day trip from Nashville.

Virgin Falls Warning

I am putting Virgin Falls in its own paragraph. Why? Well, it’s like this. I have come across hikers several times thinking they were just going to hike back and see Virgin Falls and then hike back out. It is not that easy!

The trail going back to Virgin Falls is a rough long hike. You have to get there early and be in at least decent shape to pull it off. It is a 9-mile hike in and out with about 900 feet of elevation change. Depending on your physical conditioning, allow 5 to 9 hours to make the hike in and out. There are several areas where you will be boulder hopping. Other places that getting on your hands and feet to climb a short hill are almost needed. There is a water crossing that has a cable stretched across the creek to aid in keeping your footing. You will need to carry plenty of water and snacks with you.

As you hike back to Virgin Falls you will pass Big Laurel Falls as well, which is usually where I camp at. I hang my hammock about 30 yards or so from the falls … oh talk about going into a deep sleep!!! What is unique about both Virgin and Big Laurel is they both just disappear into the ground. Virgin Falls just drops into a sinkhole. My son and I went to the bottom of Virgin Falls, it is really peaceful and surreal looking up the falls as you are sitting on the rocks.

Oh, that I know of this is the only park in this area that allows backcountry camping. There is no electricity, no city water, no camping hookups/amenities/ or any provided comforts of any kind. It is just you and nature. Be prepared!

Memphis

This is another popular tour that leaves out of Downtown Nashville. Located just over 3 hours from Nashville this is a bit longer drive than some of the places mentioned above. But if you plan your time just right, it can be a day trip from Nashville easily. It is totally worth the trip!

Elvis Presley’s Graceland

The first and most popular reason to visit Memphis is Graceland, the home of Elvis Presley. Come check out the 200,000 square feet entertainment complex that features lots of his costumes, memorabilia, artifacts of his music, personal life, and his family. Also onsite is the Lisa Marie, his personal aircraft that he used to fly from show to show. For all you automotive aficionados, there is a museum of all his cars including the Pink Cadillac.

Beale Street

Beale Street has been dubbed “The official home of the Blues”. I’ve been to Beale Street so I can tell you that it is a fun place to check out. Music everywhere! I was walking down the street and heard some music, laughing, and just lots of fun coming from this back alley area. I walked back there to find a small live band jamming out some blues while people were dancing everywhere. Strangers and friends alike were having a great time!! I had a funnel cake in my hand so I just sat down and enjoyed the vibes.

There are many shops, restaurants, and clubs to check out. Even with many “newer generation” places, Beale Street still has that old-time vibe and feel. I really enjoyed my time there.

Memphis Zoo

Memphis Zoo is home to more than 4,500 animals, including Pandas. They have resident animals that can be seen in person and on cameras. They have seasonal exhibits and events for all age groups.

This Zoo also has onsite dining .. no not just a little snack shack. A legit Cafe that has a great variety of food options. also onsite is a frozen treat shop, pizza shop, burger shop, and coffee shop.

Bass Pro Shops Memphis

Bass Pro … an attraction?!? Trust me, you really need to go there to understand. Even if you are not a big outdoors person, this particular location is simply cool! First of all to help you find it easily, look for the big glass pyramid. The pontoon boat display is floating on a shallow lake. NO .. not outside .. the lake is inside!! With HUGE real fish swimming around like they were in a real outside lake. The Sturgeon in the indoor lake is as long as some of the boats are wide. Then there are bass, catfish, crappie, and lots of other species of fish just swimming around freely. Oh .. I almost forgot about the alligator exhibit.

You cross little bridges to get from one area of Bass Pro to the other. There is a bowling alley and 3 restaurants inside. You purchase a pass to ride a glass elevator to the upper-level restaurant to check out the observation decks that overlook Memphis and the bridge. If you time it just right you can see the “Mighty Lights” show on the bridge from the observation deck. It really is a great stop even if you are just site seeing.

There is lots more to do in Memphis on your day trip from Nashville adventure. There is so much that I could create another whole site just about Memphis …. hmm .. that’s an idea.

Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge

OK .. Google maps said this was three and half hours from Nashville. I’ve been there several times, It’s more like 4 hours. But, aside from Nashville, this place is probably one of the most iconic and most visited places in Tennessee.

Even though you could make this a day trip from Nashville, I wouldn’t suggest it. There is so much to see and do in this iconic area of Tenneessee that you should at least do an overnighter. A couple or three days would be even better.

First of all, the mountain scenery is breathtaking! There are so many back mountain roads you can just go for a drive to experience the beautiful Smokey Mountains. It is a common occurrence to see bears and other cool wildlife.

There are many miles of hiking trails that bring you to awesome scenic overlooks and waterfalls. Lots of great camping places as well. Please prepare and be safe while hiking and/or camping. Lots of water and some food is a must to have with you.

Not an outdoorsy person? That’s all good as well. Downtown Gatlinburg has lots of cool stuff to see and do. Check out Ripley’s Aquarium, Ripley’s Believe-it-or-not museum, Skylift, Space Needle, Anakeesta and lots more. There is plenty of shopping and some great food to fill ya belly! There is a 5.4-mile hiking trail that starts and ends downtown as well.

Pigeon Forge has lots of cool shops, restaurants, museums, and even a huge go-cart track!

Told ya you should make this a more than a day trip from Nashville.

Centerville, TN

OK, I had to add this one. There really isn’t much in Centerville, but it is only about an hour’s drive away for a great southern dessert tradition. But, if you happen to be visiting Nashville and want a day trip for some good Banana Pudding. You must go to the Banana Pudding Festival at the beginning of October! There were so many varieties and they were all good!! When I was there they had a big bouncy slide set up for the little ones, live music on 2 stages, and a live cook-off. Arrive hungrily, leave bloated on lots of delicious Banana Pudding!!

Kentucky Attractions that are a Day Trip from Nashville

Franklin

Head about an hour drive North and you will arrive in Franklin Kentucky. This is a little town that just kinda putt putts along at a slower pace. But, don’t let that fool ya, if you like to gamble, there is excitement to be had!

Kentucky Downs! This is the closest place to Nashville to play cards, dice, slots, bingo, and lots more. There is also horse racing right there at the Downs. So, if you like to gamble, Kentuck Downs in Franklin is where you need to visit.

Franklin has lots of history dating back to the Civil War. So checking out the Octagon Hall Civil War Museum would be worth your stop if you are a history buff.

Nashville has lots of distilleries but I do feel that Dueling Grounds Distillery deserves a shout-out.

There are Mennonites that have little shops that offer leather goods, woodworking projects, and even some good ole fresh jam. Get you a snack or even lunch while you are there. This would be a great stop if you want a very special souvenir for you or a family member or friend.

Bowling Green

Just up the road a bit from Franklin is Bowling Green. I’ve actually spent a lot of time in BG at Beech Bend International Drag Strip. But drag racing isn’t all there is to do in this city. There are TONS of cool stuff to do in Bowling Green!!

National Corvette Museum

Probably the most famous reason to visit BG is the National Corvette Museum. Voted “Best Attractions for Car Lovers” by USA Today, this is Kentucky’s top-rated Museum. There are over 70 Corvettes on display new to old. There is a Kidzone so the little ones have something fun to do as well.

Really wanna turn up the Corvette experience? For additional fees, you can ride around the property in one of the museums ‘Vettes. Or, head over to the motorsports park to get the real thrills!!

Beech Bend Amusement Park

Although not a huge place, Beech Bend Amusement Park and Splash Lagoon is probably the closest amusement park to Nashville. Oh, I miss Opryland Theme Park!! Nashville locals understand what I’m talking about. But, I digress, that has nothing to do with Bowling Green. Beech Bend Park has the Splash Lagoon waterpark. A wooden roller coaster called Kentucky Rumbler, and the infamous Sea Dragon that was once at Michael Jackson’s Neverland Ranch. They have live entertainment such as magic shows, a wild west show, and a cool game show. Don’t worry, if you get hungry there are several cafes, shops, and diners on-site to get you some grub.

Beech Bend International Drag Strip

This 1/4-mile strip hosts everything from local fun drags to full on NHRA events. You will have to check their schedule to see what events they are running. Either way, if you like cool fast cars on a 1/4-mile track, this is a place to check out.

Lost River Cave & Zipline

Come check out the underground boat tour as you lose daylight floating into the cave. You will be on the same river banks that Native Americans, Civil War troops, and the infamous Jessee James have used.

Kentucky Down Under

Come check out the kangaroos! While you are there watch sheepherding, bird show, and take a horse-drawn wagon ride. Hopefully, you will get to meet the white bison in your visit. Wanna milk a cow or feed a baby lamb? They have that there as well.

Mammoth Cave National Park

It has been said that this is the longest-known cave system in the world! As they have found so far there are about 420 miles of cave passageways. Mammoth Cave is about another 30 minutes outside Bowling Green so if you are doing a day trip from Nashville you may want to take this added time into account.

Alabama Attractions

Huntsville

Head south about 2 hours and you will arrive in Huntsville Alabama, home of the Space and Rocket Center. Huntsville is known as the “Rocket City” because this is where the rockets were developed that put men on the moon. If you are a space enthusiast you really should take this short drive from Nashville to check out the Rocket Center and museum.

Illinois

Metropolis

The home of Superman is only about 2 and a half hours away. Standing right in the middle of the square is a 15-foot tall statue of the Man of Steel himself. The whole town is centered around the Superman theme. Even the local newspaper is called The Planet. So, if you are a comic book fan, this isn’t a far drive from Nashville. Come say hi to Superman!

Pictures coming soon! Thanks for visiting Things In Nashville!!

CMA Fest in Nashville Tennessee

Written by Chuck G. in Events

CMA Fest shuts down lower broadway and partially a little farther up broadway to have a four-day party with music, food, and lots of other entertainment around every corner.

The CMA’s is live performances inside venues and in the streets. There is music everywhere, games, festivities, food, awesome vendors, meet and greets of famous stars. As you walk around meeting new people, you will discover that these people come from around the WORLD to be at the CMA Festival.

Let’s look at what all there is to do during the CMA Fest.

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How does the CMA work?

The festival is for four full days. It starts on Thursday at 10 am and continues through till Sunday night to 11 pm. There are multiple stages set up around downtown in the streets and inside some select venues. All the shows are general admission and lots of fun! The only reserved seating during CMA fest is for the shows inside the Nissan stadium. That’s when the big shows happen!!

As for the general admission shows that I have been to, they were all free. You simply walk up to the stage area and enjoy! Oftentimes the stages rotate different artists each day. So if you want the full experience of seeing as many stars as possible, get the 4-day CMA pass.

What is there to do during the festival?

Well as I mentioned above there are lots of opportunities for music. Scattered around on Lower Broadway and the SoBro area will be stages set up in the streets. On these stages could be local musicians or even famous stars playing some great tunes for everyone to enjoy. The number of stages set up in the streets has been known to vary.

There typically is a large stage right on the edge of the river of Riverfront Park. People sitting on the bank watching the show. Boats floating in the water behind the stage and to the side. I’ve been there a couple of times, it’s awesome!!

Inside the Bridgestone Arena, there was a stage set up as well. There were some big ole monster trucks to look at up close to entertain the kids or the kid at heart. You really never know what they are going to have set up and where.

Ya gonna need food eventually! Welp of course there are the restaurants, bars, and clubs that have the delicious grub. The locals know that Nashville has lots of awesome food trucks. There are always lots of them lined up during the CMA Fest. Being that I am in Nashville often I have tried several of them.

Lined up along Lower Broadway will be local businesses, cool product displays, and some of the small food trailers. Each year it gets bigger so it changes up a bit, you really never know what’s gonna be happening. That is why you should try to attend each year.

While you are visiting Nashville, if you want to check out some other great activities .. just click here.

Parking during the festival

Finding affordable parking during the CMA fest is a MUST to discuss!! Parking fees during the CMA fest go up A LOT!!!! There are still a few choices to not get price gouged too bad for parking.

Most of your typical parking lots in and around downtown are about $20 a day on average. During big events like this the fees double or even triple. This is because most lots are privately owned by hotels, restaurants, or private business firms.

You need to get the lots that are owned by Davidson County or certain spots in Nissan Stadium’s lot. The lots owned by the county are the one for the Nashville Public Library and the one on James Robertson Parkway, they both cap at $25 a day for CMA fest as of this writing. This could change so if I were you I’d check and makes sure.

The other option is the lot at Nissan Stadium. I’m not going to say which part of that parking lot because they tend to stay in one area. But, if you purchase the CMA Fest 4 day parking pass it could be a different area.

Nashville CMA Fest Street Stage

Where to stay during the festival

Where you stay during the CMA fest can be a matter of preference and/or budget. There are very important things to consider with these 4 days of CMA. The festival covers a large area of Lower Broadway and SoBro. So having a room within walking distance of all the bars and action is either a good thing or a bad thing depending on your wants and budget.

We will discuss the obvious first. The hotel rates in this area are going to be much higher than usual. It is a simple case of economics … supply and demand! So either plan ahead, save up, and purchase way ahead of time. Purchasing way ahead of time will help the odds of getting a room that will be available at this time and often times it can save you some money as well.

Not only will the nightly stay rates go up, so will the hotel parking fees more than likely. Rates can vary between $40 to $50 a day.

Another thing to consider about having a room right in the middle of the CMA Fest location will be the noise. If you are a person to go to bed early, remember something, there are way more party people that have all intentions of shutting down every bar on Broadway. They will be coming down the halls of the hotel drunk and possibly still cranked up and loud. Welcome to the typical Nashville party crew!

If you are the party all-night type and have the budget for a room in the middle of the CMA party, get you a good room and have a blast!!!

In summary … CMA Fest is one huge party that you really should experience at least once.

Nashville Tours for fun and celebrities.

Written by Chuck G. in Things to Do

Nashville has a very good variety of tours to choose from. For this article, I’m just going to focus on the type of Nashville tours that take you around town. Not like tours of individual places, There are other articles here on the site that somewhat touched on that.

Nashville tours can consist of history about the city, celebrity information, places to see, things to do, and other cool things of interest.  Each tour company will have its own type of ride. Walking, Cars, Double-decker buses, trolleys, bicycles, horse and buggy, an old school Bronco, and more!

Let’s list out some of the Nashville tour options. Hope you find something interesting!

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Taking a ride on a Nashville Tour

Nashville has a TON of tours available. To be honest, if I wrote this article with every single tour that’s available it would be ridiculously long!! So, I will cover the most popular ones that people enjoy. Most of the tours are right here downtown or also some in the surrounding districts. There are a few tours that take you a few hours away, I have been to these places and they are awesome!! Let’s get started.

Big Buses, Monster Trucks, Tractors, Trolleys and Pedal Taverns

Old Town Trolley Tours Nashville Hop on Hop off

You can hop on and hop off at each of the stops to get you some pictures, maybe a drink or some food. When the next trolley comes through, just hop back on and head to your next tour stop. As you are riding along the driver narrates the history and/or information about each destination and highlights things along the way.

Nashville Old Town Trolley Tour

Nashville’s Party Tractor

Nashville’s Party Tractor Tour has 2 packages to offer. There is the Public Party Tour and the Private Party Tour and I’ll explain each. They have beer and drink onboard and they accept cash or card.

Public Party Tour – This tour basically gets you the same as the private except you will be getting the opportunity to make new friends. Hitch a ride on the party tractor with other guests for the 75 minutes of cruising fun while dancing on the light-up dance floor. Hitch a ride and have a good time!!

Jacked Up Monster Truck

These jacked-up monster trucks will accommodate 12 people per ride. Like above you can get a Private Party Ride or join in the ride with a bunch of strangers that may just become friends during the cruising session. They have a cooler on the back to stock up your favorite drinks.

If you are opting-in for the group package you can tailor the ride to your group’s liking. You can simply make it a party ride or ask for the tour to get to see the highlights of Nashville.

Nashville City Tours on the Gray Line Bus

Grayline Nashville tours offer a few different tour packages ranging from a short city tour to a 15-hour tour to Memphis to see Elvis’s Graceland.

If you want to stay in Nashville yet learn a bit about the landmarks and famous places, be sure to check out a 3-1/2 hour Discover Nashville Tour where you get to see famous landmarks while having a narrator giving you the info about each location. The tour fee includes admission to The Ryman Auditorium and Country Music Hall of Fame.

Nashville Music City Rollin Jamboree Comedy, Country Music Sing-Along Tour

Mural art tour of Nashville by Golf Cart

Selfie opportunity here! Nashville is famous for music, its celebrities, bars, and even food. But, Nashville is quickly being known for its awesome murals painted around town. Come check out the Golf cart ride that takes you to the mural hot spots so you can get those awesome Instagram pics and selfies.

Ride Nashville in a 50’s era car

Your driver picks you up in a 1950’s model car and you notice that they are dressed era-correct clothing to the car. That’s right, this isn’t your usual jeans and t-shirt tour, this is Ride Nashville. You are being chauffeured around in this fine ride while the driver tells you the history of Nashville and the famous sights you will see. Come check out this truly very old-school nostalgic experience.

Big E’s Bronco Tour

Check out Nashville in a SWEET old-school classic topless Ford Bronco from Big E’s Bronco Tours. This fun ride through Nashville will take you to Murals, cool buildings, stories about Nashville, back alleys, and more. I’ve seen this rig a couple of times, it is a really nice Bronco! Some of your stops will e the Ryman Auditorium, the Union gospel Tabernacle, the Grand Old Opry, the Bicentennial Capitol Mall Park, Printers Alley, the Country Music Hall of Fame, and more.

Tommy’s Nashville Tours

Support privately owned businesses like Tommy’s Nashville Tours. This independently owned and operated tour guide will take you to the highlights of the Music City. You will get to see places such as Honky Tonk Highway (Lower Broadway), the State Capitol, the famous Ryman Auditorium, and several of the home of famous country music stars. Tommy is a bit of a comedian so you will laugh while you learn about Nashville.

Nashville Food Tours

Nashville’s Secret Food Walking Tour

You will walk the streets of East Nashville trying the best foods they have to offer. I have eaten at most of the restaurants in EN so I can tell you .. there is a lot of good grub in East Nashville!

The tour is about 3.5 hours long with 5 stops. There will be about 30 minutes of walking, no hills or difficult terrain but I do recommend you wearing good walking shoes. In this tour, you will try some southern-style pulled pork, Nashville hot chicken, smoked meats, desserts, beverages, a secret dish, and more. The food will be served with water or a non-alcoholic beverage but if you prefer you can upgrade the package and get some good libations as well.

Taste of Nashville Food & Sightseeing Tour

Nashville Food Tours works with over 50 of the best food and drink partners in Nashville and is always working hard with adding more to work with. Having so many food partners allows this tour company to create custom tours so you can have a wide selection of food tour options.

There are tour options for different districts in Nashville. Districts such as Germantown, East Nashville, 12 South, Midtown, The Gulch, and of course downtown!! Is this a food tour? Yes, but it is also a sightseeing tour as well.

They offer both walking and driving tours a well as specialty tours. You can bring your own beer or wine if you want. To me personally, a food tour is the most creative and fun way to socialize, learn, and get your belly stuffed while having a good time.

Nashville Helicopter Tours

Helicopter Tour

It is cool and all to take the Tractors, buses, or even the monster truck. But, a helicopter is a real way to see all of Nashville in one trip.

Come check out Helicopter tours for an aerial view of the Music City. Fly over Downtown and see the Ryman Auditorium, head down toward West End and see the Partenon, and then Nissan Stadium, and more! As of this writing, there is a maximum of 3 people to your tour group at one time. Come on and take an aerial tour!

Booze Tours & Pub Crawls

Arrington Vineyard Winery Round-Trip

Honky Tonk Party Tours takes you to Arrington Vineyard. You get to taste award-winning wines while enjoying the beautiful scenery of middle Tennessee that is only a 30-minute ride from downtown.

This tour lasts 3 hours which includes the travel time in a private luxury shuttle. The tours are self-guided with up to 25 guests per shuttle.

Nashville’s Honky Tonk Sightseeing Pub Crawl

This is the original Nashville pub crawl. There are so many great places to check out and doing a tour like this is one of the best ways to try them out. Often times by participating in this tour you can save money by using discounts that may be offered in the tour for other cool merch as well. As you walk from one great pub to another you get to check out all the cool sights of Nashville.

All-Inclusive Nashville “Hey Y’all” Distillery Crawl

Barrels of fun offers several tour packages. There are 2 distilleries, 3 distilleries, 1 distillery plus Arrington Vinyard (public or private), 3 distilleries plus Arrington Vineyard, Jack Daniels Distillery, and a distillery crawl. Of course, they have something to offer for the bachelor & bachelorette parties as well.

Barrels of fun only offer transportation to Arrington Vineyard. Any tour fees, tastings, or purchases are up to the individual once they arrive at the vineyard.

Night-Time Nashville All-Inclusive Pub Crawl

Nashville is obviously known for its musical roots. Nashville is quickly becoming a brewery city as well! There are now many craft brewers and distilleries located here in Music City. These tours will take you to 3 of the top breweries and distilleries where you will get an educational tour of each along with a taste testing of each.

You will be provided VIP transportation so you don’t get busted drinking and driving. That’s a no-no, people!! You will get multiple taste testings at each location, so if you are a lightweight like me, you might be feeling “happy by the end of the tour at Marathon Music Works. Oh, there will be a special gift at the end.

A few hours away from Nashville

Jack Daniel’s VIP Experience with lunch at Miss Mary Bobo’s

Just a heads up, this is a 7-hour tour so make this a day trip. You take the ride to Lynchburg and enjoy an educational tour of the Jack Daniels facility. Then you sit down to have a taste testing from a single barrel select and two limited edition whiskeys. You get to take an engraved bottle of Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel home with you. But, before you head home you will have a good meal at Miss Mary Bobo’s where you will hear a story of how the place came to be. After ya get yer belly full you can walk around Lynchburg for a bit to check out the small shops and the old general store. It’s been a while since I’ve been down there but there was a really cool motorcycle shop there as well that had some old rides!!

Nashville to Memphis Daytrip with Graceland VIP Tour

Grayline tours take you to Memphis for a day trip that includes a VIP tour of Elvis’s Graceland. Come to Memphis where you will get another taste of great music. You will visit Sun Studios where many great country and blues artists such as Johnny Cash and B.B. King have recorded. You will get a bit of time to explore Beale Street where you can visit the Rock and Soul Museum. While you are there try some BBQ, Memphis is known for having the best BBQ in the US. I’ve eaten at a few places in Memphis, they were all very good!

Walking, Biking, and Segway Tours

Nashville Downtown Segway Tour

Nashville Downtown Segway Tour is a fun and unique way to see the sights of downtown. This 2.5-hour tour will take you through Germantown and Downtown as you learn the history of the great city of Nashville.

Nashville Pedal Taverns

Pedal Taverns, some people hate them. But, most people love them! Sit down on your seat, grab a cold drink of your choice, then ride .. sing .. and drink!! It always seems that whenever I see one cruising the street the pedaling crew is having an awesome time!!

Nashville Pedal Tavern

Guided Bicycle Tour of Downtown Nashville and neighborhoods

Take a 2.5-hour bike ride through Downtown, Germantown, Marathon Village, and in The Gulch. If time is flowing right you may get to stop for a refreshing lemonade, beer, or hot chocolate.

Nashville Ghost Tours

Ghost City Tours

Ghost City Tours offers three ghost tours for Nashville. A family tour, Adults only tour, and a Haunted Pub crawl. Here, check out their website for booking the tours and some cool ghost stories!!

Family Ghost Tour

This tour offers the most haunted locations to stop. You will learn about the history of all the places you stop and what makes them so spooky! Some of the locations were featured on TV shows.

The Murder in Music City Walking Ghost Tour

Haunted Nashville Ghost and Pub Walking Tour

Where are the awesome Rooftop Bars in Nashville?

Written by Chuck G. in Bars and Pubs

Rooftop Bars in Nashville are a lot of fun I do have to admit. I’ve been to most of them so I can tell you that some are better than others. I’ll detail that later in this article.

There are many rooftop bars in Nashville. There are some on Lower Broadway, The Gulch, SoBro, Printers Alley, and “The District” by Church Street. The rooftop bars on Lower Broadway have the best entertainment watching the party buses, pedal taverns, street performers, other rooftops, and the crowd.

So where are all the rooftop bars located? Let’s make that list and see.

Kid Rocks Rooftop bar in Nashville
Rooftop at Kid Rocks Honky Tonk Bar and Cafe’
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Rooftop bars on Lower Broadway

Well of course I was going to start with the best location first. Let’s face it, Lower Broadway is the #1 reason people visit Nashville. I am going to go ahead and add 2nd avenue to this section, mainly because the party crowd migrates around Lower Broad and 2nd anyways. There are several rooftop bars in the area of Lower Broadway and 2nd Ave Nashville. Some have a better view than others. But they all provide a great Nashville experience.

Tootsies Orchid Lounge

Tootsies has more history than any of the other rooftop bars in Nashville and a great view to boot. There have been MANY famous old-school Country music stars graced the walls of Tootsies. This is why I am listing it first.

Nudies Honky Tonk

Nudie’s Honky Tonk is located on the Northside of Lower Broadway. This 100-year-old historic building has three floors of super rare country music memorabilia and stage costumes. There are also three stages for your Nashville live music entertainment, multiple bars, and a rooftop bar overlooking Broadway that also has live music for ya. Come check out the longest silver dollar bartop in Nashville.

The George Jones

George Jones Rooftop bar is located on 2nd Ave just around the corner from Lower Broadway. I’ve been to this rooftop a time or two and to be honest, it probably has one of the best views of all the rooftop bars in Nashville. Look across the Cumberland river you have Nissan Stadium, home of the Tennessee Titans. Turn around and you have a view of all the tall buildings in Nashville. The AT&T building aka “The Batman Building” standing tall above the rest. It really is a very cool view! George Jones Rooftop Bar has been named one of Nashville’s best rooftop bars by Thrillist Media.

AJ’s Good Time Bar

AJ’s Good Time Bar is located on the south side of Lower Broadway. So, Who’s AJ? … hmmm .. who’s initials would that be? If you guessed Alan Jackson you would be correct. This is a small cozy little place that has 3 floors and a rooftop bar with that great old-school honky tonk Nashville music. Voted #1 honky tonk in Nashville by Billboard Magazine. Come on by and check it out!

Acme Feed and Seed

Acme Feed and Seed is located at the end of the south side on the corner of Lower Broadway & 1st Ave. I have been here many times for food and drinks. As for the rooftop bars in Nashville on the south side of Broadway I personally like this one the best because there is an awesome view of 1st Ave, 2nd Ave, and the Cumberland River. As you walk in the door there is an in-house radio station just to your right. Once you get in you will enjoy the live music, local craft beers, and great food! You can’t go wrong checking out Acme.

Kid Rocks Honky Tonk Bar and Cafe

Kid Rock’s Big Ass Honky Tonk Rock & Roll Steakhouse is located on the corner of 3rd Ave and Broadway. There are some partying rooftop bars in Nashville, this one tops them all for the energy! Plus it’s on the 5th floor and has a great view of Lower Broadway and the other rooftop bars around it. It is said to be the largest honky tonk venue in Nashville with a rooftop bar. They have an extensive menu that includes a 36oz Tomahawk Steak. If you come to drink, they got you covered. If you come to eat, you better come hungry.

The Lookout at Ole Red

The Lookout at Ole Red is owned by no other than Blake Shelton. This rooftop bar in Nashville is a mix of grit and glam with live music all while overlooking the downtown street of Lower Broadway. There is a full feature menu with very unique county names for the food and drink items. As for drinks they have beers from your basic Bud Light to locals craft beers and a good mix of high octane spirits to choose from.

Jason Aldeans’s Kitchen and Rooftop Bar

This Nashville rooftop bar is called “My Kinda Party”. Their kitchen allows you to build your own food basket. That is a great idea, you get to pick whatever your flavor is for that moment. You will have a great view of Lower Broadway while out enjoy your drinks and/or food.

Jason Aldean Rooftop Bar

Dierks Bentley’s Whiskey Row

Whiskey Row opened up on the corner of 4th and Broadway in 2018. This 3 story building is said to be the tallest of the Broadway rooftop bars in Nashville and obviously has a great view of the streets below but also a great view of the Batman building as well. The menu is of American fare with huge burgers, wraps, and sandwiches. There is also their take on Nashville’s Hot Chicken, BBQ, and can’t forget the ribs. You may like their cocktails drinks and beer selection. I am a dark beer fan and all they have on the menu is your basic light stuff.

Luke Bryan’s 32 Bridge

Luke Bryan’s Nashville rooftop bar is called “The Nuthouse”. Luke’s 32 Bridge is located on the south side of Lower Broadway. The 30,000 sq ft facility has 6 levels, 8 bars, 3 stages, and 2 restaurants. One restaurant is a twist of Southern and American with pulled pork, Salmon, burgers, chicken, and of course Nashville Hot Chicken. It’s rare of the rooftop bars in Nashville to have Sushi, the second rooftop restaurant here does! Yum! I love a good burger but it wouldn’t be a far stretch to see me pigging out on some sushi!

Redneck Riviera

John Rich of Big and Rich decided they wanted Redneck Riviera to be one of the historic buildings on the north side of Lower Broadway. Redneck Riviera has what they call the “Heroes Bar”. This is their way to thank you to the vets, active duty, and all first responders by offering their first round as a 2-for-1 on all domestic beers and half-price on their house Jerky. For their support of the men and women in uniform, please make sure this is one of the rooftop bars in Nashville you visit. Redneck Riviera has a great selection of cocktails and spirits. But the food selection is just enough you don’t have to leave hungry.

Nashville Underground

Forty thousand square feet of live music, restaurant, bar, and event space at the Nashville Underground. But this article is about rooftop bars in Nashville .. right? Well, Nashville underground has a double-decker rooftop. Claiming to have the largest and only double-decker rooftop bar in Nashville, you are sure to have a good time being able to take many friends up to the deck or meet new friends. It is always a good idea to eat while you drink, there is a decent selection of foods to choose from while you are hanging out at the Nashville Underground.

Casa Rosa

Miranda Lambert getting in on the celebrity rooftop bars in Nashville game with her 4 story Tex-Mex honky-tonk bar with a rooftop patio called Casa Rosa. There are just over 17,000 square feet of Miranda memorabilia to check out while you are munching down on some tacos or other great tex-mex menu items. Don’t forget the margarita’s to wash it down!

The Stage on Broadway

Located at 412 Broadway, The Stage is that classic dive bar with rowdy country music that keeps the fun energy flowing. Of course, this is another one of the rooftop bars in Nashville that is overlooking broadway and it puts you in view of the other rooftops as well. This classic bar has been blessed with having several famous country music stars play here. Great acts such as Hank Williams Jr., Toby Keith, Gretchen Wilson, Miranda Lambert, and more. The Stage has an ongoing schedule of great local talent to entertain you as well.

Famous Nashville

Famous Nashville is located on 2nd Ave which t-bones right into Lower Broadway. This is one of the more upscale rooftop bars in Nashville in the downtown District. With the awesome lighting and wicked cool bars, it is guaranteed to be a good time. The view from the rooftop bar is spectacular as well. You get a great view of Nissan Stadium, the Cumberland River, 2nd Ave, and a good portion of Lower Broadway.

The Valentine

Located in the middle of Nashville’s famous Honky Tonk Highway is The Valentine. This isn’t one of the largest rooftop bars in Nashville located on the Lower Broad strip but with a decent food selection and a wide variety of beer and spirits to choose from, you will still have a good time. The rooftop bar overlooks Lower Broadway to make sure you will be entertained with a birds-eye view of all the cool Nashville people roaming the entertainment district.

Jason Aldean Rooftop Bar looking over at Kid Rocks

Nashville’s Printers Alley Rooftop Bars

Bobby Hotel

Wanna sit in a bus that is on top of a hotel? Welp, come on and check out the Rooftop Lounge at the Bobby Hotel. This is one of the most talked-about rooftop bars in Nashville for its cool features. Parked on top of the hotel is a 1956 Scenicruiser that you can sit in while enjoying your drinks or check out the driver’s seat view that is overlooking 4th Ave. Great drinks and live music is sure to entertain anyone.

Jane’s On Top

Jane’s on Top is a fun late-night pizza place perched right above the historic Printer Alley. Come on by for a great cocktail of the regular or frozen variety while enjoying all the old-school lights above Printer Alley and Nashville’s skyline.

If you want to see what hotels are close to the Lower Broadway bars … click here.

Rooftop Bars outside of lower Downtown Nashville

The Gulch

LA Jackson

OK .. time to get “Uppity”. L.A. Jackson sits on top of the Thompson Nashville Hotel overlooking 11th Ave and The Gulch with an awesome view of downtown. The indoor part of the rooftop bar has floor-to-ceiling windows to make sure you maintain that awesome view. As for food, this is one of those “look at my pretty plate” small plate eateries. So, don’t come here hungry :-). One more thing, they have a dress code of smart casual. This is one of the rooftop bars in Nashville that I will not be going to. I’m just a country boy that likes his jeans, t-shirts, and a good steak! If this place is your vibe, hope you have a great time!!

L27

This is a kinda upscale place but with a chill vibe. But I can personally tell you, of the rooftop bars in Nashville, this rooftop has the best view of downtown overall. They have ambiance lighting that slowly color shifts. There is an infinity pool that is open for hotel guests only. I loved the view from L27!

Rooftop view from L27 - Rooftop bars in Nashville
Rooftop bars in Nashville – Rooftop view from L27

Germantown

Third and Home

For all you baseball fans, this is the place to check out!! Located right beside the Nashville Sounds baseball stadium, you can go out on the 1500 sq. ft. beer patio to watch a game while you eat and enjoy a cold beverage. Now that’s one of the unique rooftop bars in Nashville to watch sports while you enjoy a meal and a drink. Third and Home is a 7,000 sq. ft. restaurant that has a great view of the Nashville skyline and a great selection of food and drinks. Come on by and by and cheer for the Nashville Sounds!!

Music Row

Virgin Hotels “The Pool Club”

On the 14th floor of the Virgin Hotel is “The Pool Club“. Sit back and chill in the pool or poolside while the DJ spins some popular tunes. Take a look around and you will see that you are above the historic Music Row with a great view of downtown. The Pool Club has a good selection of food and drink so you could make a meal here if ya wanted.