How to See the Best of Nashville in a Weekend

What you need to see and do on your next quick visit to Music City.

It seems like everyone is making their way to Nashville these days. Country music lovers, bachelorette party goers, nightlife enthusiasts, and more can find something to love about the streets of Nashville, Tennessee.

If you're thinking about where you might go on your next weekend trip, it’s a great destination to choose. You may not see everything there is to see, but you can certainly experience some of the highlights on a 48-72 hour getaway.

Check out some of the best things to do on your Nashville trip.

Ryman Auditorium

This is certainly a destination for music lovers. If you’re familiar with the Grand Ole Opry Opry House, you may or may not be familiar with its predecessor, Ryman Auditorium. The Ryman is a historic testament to the birth of Music City and the many acclaimed artists that had the chance to play on its stage when it originally housed the Grand Ole Opry. Elvis, Patsy Cline, Johnny Cash, and Hank Williams only scratch the surface of performers that filled the Ryman with music. The venue still sees performances today and visitors can tour during the day to learn about its history and its architectural design that makes it acoustically sound. Stop by on your trip or schedule a tour.

RCA Studio B

After you’ve seen where some of the most popular artists performed, you’ll want to see where they recorded. Studio B is the place to visit where you can stand in the same spot Dolly and Elvis recorded their hits. If you book a tour of the studio, you’ll be filled in on secrets that other music lovers don’t know, like when Elvis accidentally hit his head on the microphone at the end of one of his ballads. Bring your choir or musically inclined friends and even record something yourself. My high school choir got the chance to record our own rendition of a Dixie Chicks song right there in the studio!

The Parthenon

If you’re on a budget, you don’t even need to spend any money to visit Nashville’s full-size replica of the original Parthenon in Athens, Greece. Located in Centennial Park, the Parthenon houses exhibits that educate Nashville residents and visitors on those who built the original Athens structure. You can simply enjoy the architecture from the lawn outside of the building if you don’t want to purchase tickets to tour the inside or if you’re on a time crunch.

Nashville Street Art

One of the admired and recognizable features of the streets of Nashville is the street art you can find on many corners. There are plenty of places to search for the most instagrammable spots to bring your friends. This is another great way to experience the culture of Nashville without spending money or a huge chunk of time. Grab a morning coffee and a bagel and walk around to find one of the many murals throughout the city. A simple Google search can help you get started!

Bluebird Café

This one’s for anyone who loves the nightlife, live music, and the best new country singles. Bluebird Café opened in 1982 and has since become a famous spot to listen to the hottest emerging artists. You can grab a drink and listen to live performances by whoever the artist on deck may happen to be that night. Taylor Swift, Garth Brooks, Dierks Bentley, and more have been known to play a song or two at the Café even long after they became the big names that they are. This is a staple of Nashville for anyone who wants to truly embrace the music of the city and the stars who got their start in Tennessee.

Country Music Hall of Fame

You simply can’t plan a trip to Nashville without stopping by the Country Music Hall of Fame that houses around 2.5 million artifacts highlighting the best of country music past and present. A walk through the museum will take you through the timeline of country music itself and the key contributors to its tradition. The museum houses iconic outfits, memorabilia, instruments, and original documents of music legends. If you visit, make sure to stop in the Hall of Fame Rotunda where Country Music Hall of Fame members’ plaques cover the walls.

Honky Tonk Highway

You’ll need your cowboy boots for this. If you’re going to experience Nashville, you need to make a visit to one of the many honky-tonks that adorn Broadway. Referred to as Honky Tonk Highway, there is a strip of bars full of music, energy, and line dances that you can party in until the early hours of the morning. Some of your favorite country artists, like Miranda Lambert, even have their very own bars right there on the strip that you might be lucky enough to spot them in. There’s no cover to experience the bars on Honky Tonk Highway, so put on your boots and your hat and walk the streets until you’re ready to go home!

If these Nashville highlights don’t encourage you to grab your friends for a weekend adventure, I’m not sure anything will. There is plenty more to see and do, so you may have to plan a couple of trips.

Protect your trip costs before you go with Seven Corners Get Away USA insurance coverage. With Trip Cancellation and Trip Interruption coverage, Get Away USA makes you eligible for reimbursement if your Nashville weekend is cancelled or interrupted for one of the plan’s covered reasons. You can customize your plan with individual bundles that provide the protections you need to enjoy a weekend on the town.

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