Nashville, TN
When: March 2023
Danielle’s highlight: Sitting on a rooftop in the sun listening to live music
Jason’s highlight: Chillin on Broadway
Where we stayed: Airbnb in walking distance to Hillsboro Village. We really enjoyed this area because there are several shops and restaurants for when you don’t want to travel too far. For all of the school trips, I stayed at Sonder on 21st. I HIGHLY recommend Sonder and in Sept, Nov, and Jan it was very affordable. Unfortunately prices were too high in March. Definitely worth checking though!
Itinerary: This was our 4.5 day itinerary.
Day One: This was our half day. We flew in at 4:30. We changed and went to dinner at Hattie B’s Downtown. We then bar hopped all along Broadway. Below is a breakdown of the bars.
Hattie B’s: all around great food. Not my favorite chicken in Nashville but worth it. The sides were the best part. Must try the cheese and bacon grits! The downtown location had about a 30 min standing in line wait. When I went to the one on 19th ave on a school trip, it was much quicker. If you don’t want a line, do the one on 19th. If you’re already heading downtown and are not in a hurry, downtown wasn’t too bad of a wait.
Broadway Bars: Ultimately, I don’t think there is one best bar. At the end of the day (or wee hours of the night), they are all the same. Live music, drunk people, expensive drinks. I personally think it’s most fun to grab a drink at one place then hop to another. With every place the main floor was packed and the upper levels were much less crowded, yet they still had live music on each floor. If you want a crowd, stay on the bottom floor, if you want a table and to just enjoy the music while being able to hear each other, go up. Also important to note- we first went to Broadway on a Wednesday. It was just busy enough but not over-crowded. We briefly were there on Friday night and it was packed. (Make sure you look at the “Overall Tips” below for some important Broadway info!)
Tootsies: famously known bar in Nashville. It’s an older building and not modern. It does have a rooftop. Felt more like a dive bar vs others. It is located at the start of the bar area, so the view is so-so. We were told that famous people used to hang out behind Tootsies in the alley (next to the Ryman) and word is you still might see someone famous today. We never made it back there.
Honky Tonk: it’s in the middle of the bar strip and has many balconies you can get good views from. This is where we realized beer and seltzers are much cheaper than liquor. Step out on to one of the balconies for a selfie.
Jason Aldeen: this was a nicer bar and felt like more of a restaurant bar (because it is). There was one big stage in the room and didn’t have the personal feel. I could have skipped this one.
Kid Rock: same as Honky Tonk but a little more modern.
The Lucky Bastard: This was a favorite for me. It was modern and cool looking inside. The upstairs was quieter but the music/band were still engaging.
Dierks Bentley: STAIRS. The roof top is like 6 flights of stairs up. It was a cool rooftop but there wasn’t any live music. Also the drink menu was limited. It was a great view though. We ended up moving down to the middle bar and it was a cool, modern room that was just busy enough.
Whiskey Bent: Rustic and divey bar. Just the one bottom floor. Nothing special and nothing bad.
Miranda Lambert: we walked in then walked out. The design was cool but it was just a main floor and then a restaurant upstairs.
Ole Red: This was a family friendly place and we went during the day Saturday. The roof top was awesome and I really enjoyed this spot.
Bar I forgot the name of… So we went here at the end of the night Wednesday, hence me not remembering the name. It was just past Kid Rock (as you go towards the river). Only reason I mention it is that it was very patriotic and there was a sign that said discounts for first responders. At one point the band sang the National Anthem and we all had to stand up. If you are a first responder, worth it. If not… how patriotic are you feeling?
Day Two: first things first… if you plan to go to Broadway, make sure don’t schedule something early the next day. Thank goodness we followed this advice. We walked to breakfast at Fido (in Hillsboro Village) then ubered to Belle Meade where had scheduled a mansion tour and wine tasting. Our actual itinerary was to get dinner somewhere in Midtown and find a bar with live music. Wellll Broadway got the best of us so we ended up walking to Vanderbilt and exploring the campus then called it a night. If you like beautiful college campuses or like Vandy, I do recommend this if you’re in the area or have downtime (I am biased).
Fido: Modern spot for quick-ish breakfast and coffee. I would recommend if you’re in Hillsboro.
Belle Meade: We booked the tour and wine tasting through Viator (Belle Meade Guided Mansion Tour with Complimentary Wine Tasting). This place is beautiful. It has a little buffet dining area and gift shop, nothing particularly fancy. The Belle Meade Mansion tour was about 30 minutes long and our guide shared lots of interesting info of the family and TN history. At the end there is a complimentary wine tasting. The pours aren’t that big, but you can also purchase a glass of wine then roam the grounds. We didn’t do it, but our guide told us about the Journey to Jubilee tour which goes more into slavery. I have this on my list for future visits. I definitely recommend this experience if you like history and old sites. Much of the history is about horse racing and whiskey, so if you like those, this is also good for you.
Day Three: We started out with the RCA Studio B tour then the Country Music Hall of Fame. Definitely book these in advance for timed entrance. We did a quick lunch at CMHOF then went to Ole Red on Broadway for some roof top drinks. Dinner was at Monell’s then we went to a ghost tour pub crawl
RCA Studio B: you show up at the CMHOF and they take you in a bus to the studio. It took about an hour and was a really cool experience. This is the studio where Elvis and Dolly Parton recorded some of their most famous songs. We got to stand right where they sang!
Country Music HOF: The CMHOF is great for country music lovers. As a person who only semi-likes Country, I breezed through it a bit quicker than most, but I still enjoyed my time. The exhibits are mostly outfits the artists wore and instruments they used.
Monell’s: You HAVE to go to Monell’s!! It is not your typical restaurant so keep that in mind. It is family style and you get seated at a table with other guests. They didn’t seem to have any alcohol and I didn’t ask. They also say no phones at the table. It is old fashioned but so worth it. The main course is different each night so look at the menu and decide which night sounds best. Southern comfort food at it’s finest!
Ghost tour pub crawl: This was a last minute addition to the schedule. The name of the tour was “Nashville’s Seeking Spirits Haunted Pub Crawl.” It was booked through Viator. Mixed feelings on this one… Neither of us regret doing it, but I’m not sure we would do it a second time. Our guide was very nice and engaging, but some of the stories felt a bit hoaky. We were expecting something like our NOLA ghost pub crawl that was more based on history and city-legends; these stories just didn’t have as much depth. So, if you are into ghost stories and “some random lady died here and now people feel a tug on their shirt,” then I would recommend it.
Day Four: We skipped breakfast, again, and headed straight to the distillery tour. Sounds like a great idea, right? No, eat breakfast before whiskey drinking! Anyway… We did “Nashville’s Craft Brewery Tour & Distillery Experience” and booked through TripAdvisor. We finally ate at one of the stops, Fat Bottom Brewery, for lunch. After the tour we went to Helen’s Hot Chicken for dinner and then the Grand Ole Opry.
Distillery Tour: We loved this! We booked this tour through Viator: Premier Distillery & Craft Brewery Bus Tour with 9+ Tastings.
Pennington: This is a local, smaller distillery and we loved it! The guys who worked there were so down to earth and the tasting pours were not shy. It is next door to Fat bottom, so this is a great place for an unofficial distillery tour if you just want to drive yourself. Always good to book in advance though! They also had vodka and liqueors to sample.
Fat Bottom: This is a fun brewery with a great patio, game room, and delicious food. The pretzels and cheese were soo good. Not something I’d normally order but I highly recommend it! They are the official beer sponsor of the Nashville Soccer Club and the Pitch Invasion Lager is the highlighted beer. This was my favorite because it’s the type of beer you could sit outside on a sunny day and drink
Nelson’s Green Brier: We’d love this tour. Nelson’s is one of the oldest distilleries and the tour goes deep into their history. The tasting guide was very knowledgable and taught us the correct way to sample whiskey… yes, there is a right way to do it!
Helen’s: The best chicken! I went here every trip for school and it was delicious each time. The chicken and waffles is soo good. If you’re over 30, make sure you take your heartburn meds… this fried chicken is spicy and greasy, but oh so worth it. We went to the location across from Vanderbilt. It is very casual btw.
Opry: The Opry is a must! It’s such a fun and special event. There are about 7-8 artists who go on for a few songs. Even if you haven’t heard of some of the artists, it’s still worth going! We saw Little Big Town and Trace Adkins. This was my (Danielle’s) second time. The first time I was in section 16 and the second time section 6. Honestly no matter where you sit, you’ll have a great time. It was awesome being in section 6 and having a more direct view, but the upper levels are cheaper and you still have a good view!
Day Five: We spent most all of the day doing the Jack Daniel’s Distillery Tour in Lynchburg. Once we got back to Nashville, we walked around Hillsboro Village again and then had dinner and drinks at E3 Chophouse.
Jack Daniel’s: This tour left at 9:00 AM and returned at 4:00 PM. It was booked through Tennessee Whiskey Tours on TripAdvisor. We hopped on the bus in downtown Nashville then rode 1-1.5hr. The guide shared some history with us here and there, but during the silent times I wish I had brought headphones. It was an easy drive overall and I do recommend this tour!
Lynchburg: Apart of the tour included 2 hours walking around Lynchburg. It’s a tiny, cute, southern town. The town square a big square (who’d have guessed?) with little boutiques and souvenir shops. I would only travel to Lynchburg for the JD distillery.
E3 Chophouse: I have been to this restaurant twice and both times it was fantastic! It is on the expensive side, so for this trip we just got a couple appetizers to share and cocktails. The rooftop is relaxing and modern. It got a little chilly so we moved to the fireplace and it was perfect and cozy.
Bonus days: Here are a few things I did during my school visits
Trolley tour: On my first Nashville trip we did a two-hour trolley tour that hit the main sites of Nashville. This was a chill, sit-in-a-trolley-while-someone-points-out-sites tour. The guide did share some history of the town and sites so that was fun to hear. I wouldn’t recommend it for super active folks. It was a great way to see all the main sites at once.
Parthenon: One of the stops was the Parthenon, which is an exact replica of the Greek Parthenon. I have no idea why there is a Greek building replica in Nashville, Tennessee… but it was cool! We weren’t able to go inside, but it was fun to walk around the building and take pictures.
Opry museum: I didn’t go, but my mom did. She said it was fun and you actually get to stand on the famous, historic Opry circle. She says it isn’t a “must-do” but she does recommend it.
San Antonio Tacos: Quick and easy lunch spot. Nothing fancy. It is across from Vanderbilt. The queso was the best of the meal.
Maggiano’s: This appears to be a chain restaurant but I had never been. Super good Italian food if you’re okay eating at a chain!
Overall tips:
Get some breakfast/power bars. We skipped breakfast almost every day because we were so busy.
Alcohol tips:
Choose beer/seltzer over liquor, it’s way cheaper!
A bartender told us that in Nashville, single liquor pours can be up to 2oz, but aren’t allowed to go over 3oz. So if you want a double, think about this first. 1. Just ask for a 2oz pour and save money. 2. Since they legally aren’t supposed to go over 3oz, your double isn’t really a double (unless you have a super cool bartender). 3. All the doubles we got were just twice the price. You don’t get a deal with a double.
Uber and Broadway: all our drivers said that it is significantly easier to get an Uber if you walk a few minutes out of the Broadway area. It’s just SO crowded and sometimes the road is actually closed so Uber’s can’t even drive on Broadway. They recommended going to a hotel because it’s just an easy and safe spot that the driver can find quickly.
Safety: we were told that bachelorette parties are really vulnerable to crime in Nashville. One tactic is following the bach party back to their airbnb then returning the next day when the girls are gone and breaking in/stealing from the house. I debating sharing this because it is so scary, but knowledge is power. Always be looking around you and make sure no one is following you. We were also told that a female will run up to another girl and say she frantically lost her phone and has an emergency. The girl will give the female perpetrator her phone and the perp runs off. Don’t lend your phone. Direct frantic people to a bar or restaurant for a phone, or offer to call 911 yourself. There are bouncers located outside of every bar on Broadway, so if you have a weird situation look for one of them!
On Friday night we had originally planned to go to the Bluebird Cafe. This is a famous music cafe that is highly rated. Apparently it was where Taylor Swift got her big break. You have to book tickets literally right as they become available, so if this interests you, do some research and set an alarm. We didn’t get tickets in time.
Please let us know if you have any questions! Nashville is a blast and you can’t go wrong with any of these activities!
– Danielle & Jason
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