3 days in Nashville

Day by day

1. Day 1: Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum and Ryman Auditorium

   Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, Ryman Auditorium and Lower Broadway honky-tonks, then Grand Ole Opry in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

      The largest museum dedicated to a single genre traces country music from its folk roots to today, with instruments, costumes, Elvis Presley's gold Cadillac and the Hall of Fame rotunda of inductees' plaques.

   2. Late morning

      Ryman Auditorium

      If you can, see a concert rather than only a tour; the acoustics are famous.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Nashville hot chicken

      Hot-chicken shops across the city, including Prince's and several newer specialists; start at medium.

   4. Afternoon

      Lower Broadway honky-tonks

      Honky-tonks such as Tootsie's Orchid Lounge, Robert's Western World and the Stage line Broadway with live bands on every floor from late morning, mostly with no cover charge.

   5. Evening

      Grand Ole Opry

      Check whether the show is at the Opry House or, during some winter weeks, at the Ryman.

2. Day 2: Johnny Cash Museum and National Museum of African American Music

   Johnny Cash Museum, National Museum of African American Music and John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge, then Bluebird Cafe in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Johnny Cash Museum

      Allow about an hour; combine it with the Patsy Cline Museum on a combined ticket.

   2. Late morning

      National Museum of African American Music

      Opened in 2021 at Fifth and Broadway, this museum traces more than 50 genres shaped by African American musicians, from spirituals and the blues to jazz, gospel, R&B and hip-hop, with interactive booths where you can sing, dance or produce a beat.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Meat-and-three

      Long-running lunch spots such as Arnold's Country Kitchen near the Gulch; many serve lunch only on weekdays.

   4. Afternoon

      John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge

      Walk across at sunset or after dark when the skyline is lit.

   5. Evening

      Bluebird Cafe

      If you miss out on reservations, other songwriter nights downtown and in East Nashville offer a similar experience.

3. Day 3: The Parthenon and The Hermitage

   The Parthenon, The Hermitage and Belle Meade Historic Site and Winery, then Station Inn in the evening.

   1. Morning

      The Parthenon

      A full-scale replica of the Athens Parthenon built for the 1897 Tennessee Centennial Exposition stands in Centennial Park.

   2. Late morning

      The Hermitage

      Allow time for the grounds and the exhibits on enslaved people, not just the mansion.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Biscuits

      Breakfast spots across the city and the Loveless Cafe near the start of the Natchez Trace Parkway.

   4. Afternoon

      Belle Meade Historic Site and Winery

      A Greek Revival plantation house that was once a famous thoroughbred horse farm, with guided tours of the mansion, outbuildings and the history of the enslaved community, plus a winery tasting room on site.

   5. Evening

      Station Inn

      Arrive early for good seats; it is first come, first served.

Before you go

• Ryman Auditorium: Popular concerts sell out quickly; buy tickets through the official site.
• Grand Ole Opry: Book tickets ahead, especially for weekend shows.
• Bluebird Cafe: Reservations open online in advance and go very quickly; some seats are released for walk-ins.

If it rains

• Swap in Frist Art Museum (Downtown and Lower Broadway): Check the current exhibitions online; under-18s go free.
• Swap in Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum (Downtown and Lower Broadway): A good follow-on for music fans who have already done the Hall of Fame.

Where to stay for this itinerary

With 3 nights, Downtown and Lower Broadway keeps most of this route within easy reach. For a calmer or cheaper base, The Gulch ($$$$) suits couples, luxury, food lovers and shopping. Compare every area.

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 20–28 hours of visiting over 3 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 9.7 hours in December to 14.6 hours in June, so in winter start early and keep museums for the afternoon.

More or fewer days

• One day in Nashville
• 2 days in Nashville

Questions travellers ask