Welcome to Music City!
Attractions
Belle Meade Plantation
5025 Harding Pike
800-270-3991 or 615-356-0501
Once a world-renowned 5,400-acre thoroughbred horse farm, the plantation showcases the 1853 Greek Revival mansion filled with original furnishings and a large antique carriage collection. More info
Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
222 Fifth Avenue South
615-416-2001
The world’s largest music museum is also an exciting and entertaining destination with something for everyone. More info
General Jackson Showboat
2812 Opryland Drive
615-458-3900
Lunch and dinner cruises with country music shows and a variety of entertainment. More info
Adventure Science Center
800 Fort Negley Boulevard
615-862-5160
Take a scientific adventure the entire family will enjoy. Take a journey through the human body and see what goes on beneath the skin at BodyQuest. Blast off into the sky at BlueMax. If you still have energy, visit the Adventure Tower—scale a wall of skin, lift a car and let your imagination go wild at this educational Nashville attraction. More info
Grand Ole Opry
2804 Opryland Drive
800-733-6779
The Grand Ole Opry has hosted thousands of prestigious and memorable performance and events from the CMA Awards and the Gospel Music Awards to special appearances by Dolly Parton, Elton John and Bruce Springsteen. See the concierge for schedules at this Nashville tourist attraction. More info
The Hermitage
Explore the site that former President Andrew Jackson once called home. Wander through the halls of this mansion and visit the formal garden, slave quarters and the original log cabin the Jacksons once occupied. The plantation was home to more than 150 slaves, who worked the farms, cultivated livestock and tended gardens. Take a voyage into the past with Stories from the Slave Community and get a glimpse into the lives of the people who contributed to the maintenance of the country’s most authentic presidential home. More info
Nashville Zoo at Grassmere
3777 Nolensville Pike
615-833-1534
Explore a wild kingdom with more than 350 species of exotic animals, including Bengal tigers, zebras, ostriches and red pandas. Discover the habitats the animals call home and get up close and personal with the critters in the petting zoo. More info
Ryman Auditorium
116 Fifth Avenue North
615-889-3060
The original home of the Grand Ole Opry, the Ryman Auditorium has showcased some of the country’s best talent, from Roy Acuff to James Brown and Patsy Cline to Sheryl Crow. Check schedules for upcoming events. More info
Cultural Highlights and Area Landmarks
The Parthenon in Centennial Park
Visit a little piece of Greece, even if it’s just for the day. This full-scale reproduction of the famous Greek temple stands in Centennial Park and features both the city’s art museum and the Athena Parthenos sculpture. Standing 42 feet tall, Athena Parthenos is the tallest indoor sculpture in the Western world. More info
Frist Center for the Visual Arts
919 Broadway
The works at the Frist will make you see the world in a whole new way. The beautiful Art Deco building houses new exhibits every six to eight weeks, so there’s always something new. Discover your inner Picasso at ArtQuest, which is made up of 30 interactive stations that let you be the artist. Paint an original watercolor or design a colorful sculpture. Before you leave, stop by the gift shop to browse the expansive collection of books, prints, art supplies and clothing. More info
Cheekwood Botanical Garden & Museum of Art
1200 Forrest Park Drive
Take a walk through the most beautiful gardens, and admire a world-class collection of American and contemporary paintings and sculptures. The art collections also house the largest Worcester porcelain collection in America. Stroll through the original Cheek gardens featuring pools, fountains, extensive boxwood paintings and breathtaking views of the grassy Tennessee hills. Explore the property with a guided tour or on your own. More info
Schermerhorn Symphony Center
Named in honor of the late Maestro Kenneth Schermerhorn, the center is home to the Nashville Symphony. Over 100 classical, pop and special concert events are performed each season, in addition to recitals, choral concerts, cabaret, jazz and world music events. More info
Tennessee Performing Arts Center
505 Deaderick Street
In the mood for a show? The Tennessee Performing Arts Center (TPAC) is Nashville’s premier venue for theatrical and musical performances. The center houses both the Nashville Ballet and the Nashville Opera and famed Broadway shows such as Wicked, Sister Act and Jersey Boys. More info
Legendary Live Music
The Bluebird Cafe
With a worldwide reputation for presenting the best original country and acoustic music, The Bluebird Cafe showcases up-and-coming songwriters. See the place where legendary musicians such as Kathy Mattea and Garth Brooks first started their careers. They serve wine, beer, appetizers and sandwiches. Learn more
Tootsies Orchid Lounge
No trip to Music City is complete without a stop at the world’s most famous honky-tonk. Bought by Tootsie Bess in 1960, this hot spot once catered to the likes of Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Patsy Cline and more. Learn more
Exit/In
A legendary venue that hosts big-name touring acts and local favorites in an intimate setting. A Music City landmark, Exit/In has welcomed artists including Emmylou Harris and The Donnas.Learn more
The Cannery Ballroom & Mercy Lounge
These sister clubs inhabit the first two floors of Nashville’s Historic Cannery building. Built in 1883, the former flour mill and food-processing center is now home to two of Nashville’s premier music venues. Learn more
Wildhorse Saloon
Located on 2nd Avenue in downtown Nashville, the Wildhorse offers three floors of action-packed fun, including five bars, award-winning Southern dining and live entertainment seven nights a week. Learn more
Nashville Food Scene
Check out Thrillist’s list of Nashville’s Most Iconic Foods and Drinks to see where they are eating in Music City.
Elliston Place Soda Shop
2111 Elliston Place
Little has changed at the Elliston Place Soda Shop—Nashville’s oldest continuously operating restaurant in the same location—since it was opened by Lynn Chandler in 1939. (He has since sold it.) The fountain and grill serve up a typical pharmacy/soda shop menu of breakfast, burgers and fries, sundaes, shakes and banana splits; the kitchen serves up a daily changing repast of meat-and-three.
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Prince’s Hot Chicken Shack
123 Ewing Drive, #3
Some like it hot, and at Prince’s, it’s “beads-of-sweat-forming-on-the-brows-of-grown-men” hot. Inside, booths seat about 20 people and straw fans adorn the walls. There are four heat levels: mild is for those who like “spicy” food; for the neophyte, medium induces sweating; hot is a quasi-religious experience and extra-hot is fine if you have no plans for the next 12 hours. Sides of beans, slaw and potato salad are tasty heat extinguishers.
Loveless Cafe
8400 Tennessee Hwy 100
Serving Southern comfort fare to Music City’s guests and locals with a charming country flair. Located at the Northern terminus of the Natchez Trace Parkway, this legendary haunt is a blend of successful tourist hot spot and local favorite.
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Bound’ry
911 20th Avenue South
Eclectic, global cuisine. Treat your taste buds to a culinary trip around the world without ever leaving your seat.
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The Midtown Café
102 19th Avenue South
The place for a power lunch or a romantic dinner. The food is modest and unpretentious, but always well executed and it doesn’t get in the way of deals or dates.
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The Pharmacy
731 Mcferrin Ave.
Voted Nashville’s #1 Burger 2013 & 2014 and Best New Restaurant in 2012, The Pharmacy boasts of an impressive selection of German wurst and bier, as well as an old-school soda fountain serving legendary phosphates, milkshakes, and ice cream sodas. Learn more
Rotier’s Restaurant
2413 Elliston Place
This legendary, no-frills diner serves some of Nashville’s best burgers.
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Tavern
1904 Broadway
Located in the heart of Nashville’s Midtown, Tavern offers an innovative menu and friendly, attentive service in a contemporary, inviting atmosphere. Rich, warm interior hues, large patios and multiple flat-screen TVs make Tavern the perfect backdrop to enjoy with friends all year long.
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Virago
1126 McGavock Street
The fashionista set frequents this hot-spot restaurant and lounge. The menu features creative sushi rolls and Asian fusion entrées.
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