Where to stay · Nashville · United States
Where to stay in Nashville
7 neighbourhoods compared, with the trade-offs hotel listings don't tell you.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Colin1769, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
For a first visit, stay in Downtown and Lower Broadway. Neon honky-tonks, the Ryman and the big music museums. Best alternatives — families: Music Valley; budget: East Nashville.
Key facts
- First visit
- Downtown and Lower Broadway
- Families
- Music Valley
- Budget
- East Nashville
- Nightlife
- Downtown and Lower Broadway
Best area for each kind of trip
| Trip type | Area | Why |
|---|---|---|
| First-timers | Downtown and Lower Broadway | Neon honky-tonks, the Ryman and the big music museums |
| Families | Music Valley | The Grand Ole Opry, Gaylord Opryland resort and outlet mall |
| Couples | The Gulch | Glass towers, boutique hotels, restaurants and the angel-wings mural |
| Budget | East Nashville | Bungalows, bars and independent restaurants around Five Points |
| Luxury | The Gulch | Glass towers, boutique hotels, restaurants and the angel-wings mural |
| Nightlife | Downtown and Lower Broadway | Neon honky-tonks, the Ryman and the big music museums |
| Food lovers | The Gulch | Glass towers, boutique hotels, restaurants and the angel-wings mural |
| Solo travellers | Downtown and Lower Broadway | Neon honky-tonks, the Ryman and the big music museums |
| Shopping | The Gulch | Glass towers, boutique hotels, restaurants and the angel-wings mural |
| Quiet stays | 12 South | Walkable strip of boutiques, cafés and murals south of downtown |
Nashville neighbourhoods in detail
$$$$ · Best for first-timers, nightlife and solo travellers
Downtown and Lower Broadway
Lower Broadway between Fifth Avenue and the Cumberland River is the honky-tonk strip, with live music in multi-storey bars all day. The Ryman, the Country Music Hall of Fame, the Johnny Cash Museum, Bridgestone Arena and the National Museum of African American Music are all within a few blocks, as is the pedestrian bridge to the Titans' stadium.
- Good
- Walk to music venues and museums; Live music at all hours; Many hotels
- Watch out
- Very loud and crowded on weekends; Expensive hotels and parking; Party buses and pedal taverns everywhere
- Nearby
- Ryman Auditorium, Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, Johnny Cash Museum, John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge
$$$$ · Best for couples, luxury, food lovers and shopping
The Gulch
A former rail yard south of Broadway, the Gulch is now a district of high-rise hotels, restaurants, boutiques and rooftop bars, with the well-known 'What Lifts You' wings mural. It is a short walk to Lower Broadway but noticeably calmer at night.
- Good
- Polished restaurants and hotels; Walkable to Broadway; Calmer than downtown
- Watch out
- Expensive; Feels newly built rather than historic
- Nearby
- Lower Broadway, Station Inn, Music Row
$$$ · Best for culture, nightlife and first-timers
Midtown and Music Row
Music Row's tree-lined streets of converted houses hold record labels, publishers and studios, including RCA Studio B. Midtown around West End Avenue and Vanderbilt University has bars, restaurants and Centennial Park with the full-scale Parthenon replica.
- Good
- Between downtown and Belle Meade; Lively bars with a local crowd; Many hotels on West End
- Watch out
- Not walkable to Broadway for everyone; Student crowds in term time
- Nearby
- Centennial Park and the Parthenon, RCA Studio B, Vanderbilt University
$$ · Best for food lovers, nightlife, budget and solo travellers
East Nashville
Across the Cumberland River, East Nashville is the city's creative, independent neighbourhood, with Victorian and Craftsman houses, bars and restaurants around Five Points and Gallatin Avenue, and vintage shops. Shelby Bottoms Greenway follows the river to the east.
- Good
- Local bars and live music; Excellent restaurants; A short ride to downtown
- Watch out
- Mostly short-term rentals; Spread out without a car
- Nearby
- Five Points, Shelby Bottoms Greenway, Lower Broadway
$$$ · Best for couples, shopping and quiet stays
12 South
12th Avenue South is a short, walkable street of boutiques, coffee shops, restaurants and colourful murals such as the 'I Believe in Nashville' wall. Sevier Park has a historic house and lawn, and the neighbourhood is mostly residential.
- Good
- Pleasant, walkable street; Good brunch and coffee; Quiet at night
- Watch out
- Few hotels; Needs a ride to downtown
- Nearby
- Sevier Park, Belmont University, Music Row
$$$ · Best for food lovers, couples and quiet stays
Germantown
Just north of downtown, Germantown was settled by German immigrants in the 19th century and keeps its brick houses and church spires, now among some of the city's best-known restaurants. The Nashville Farmers' Market and the Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park are next door, along with First Horizon Park, home of the Nashville Sounds minor-league baseball team.
- Good
- Some of the city's best restaurants; Historic streets; Walk or short ride to downtown
- Watch out
- Few hotels; Quiet nightlife
- Nearby
- Nashville Farmers' Market, Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park, First Horizon Park
$$ · Best for families and budget
Music Valley
About 15 km northeast of downtown, Music Valley holds the Grand Ole Opry House, the vast glass-roofed Gaylord Opryland Resort with its indoor gardens and the Opry Mills outlet mall, along with many mid-priced chain hotels.
- Good
- Walk to the Opry; Cheaper chain hotels with parking; Family-friendly
- Watch out
- Far from downtown nightlife; Car-dependent
- Nearby
- Grand Ole Opry, Gaylord Opryland Resort, Opry Mills
Areas compared
| Area | Price | Nearby |
|---|---|---|
| Downtown and Lower Broadway | $$$$ | Ryman Auditorium, Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, Johnny Cash Museum, John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge |
| The Gulch | $$$$ | Lower Broadway, Station Inn, Music Row |
| Midtown and Music Row | $$$ | Centennial Park and the Parthenon, RCA Studio B, Vanderbilt University |
| East Nashville | $$ | Five Points, Shelby Bottoms Greenway, Lower Broadway |
| 12 South | $$$ | Sevier Park, Belmont University, Music Row |
| Germantown | $$$ | Nashville Farmers' Market, Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park, First Horizon Park |
| Music Valley | $$ | Grand Ole Opry, Gaylord Opryland Resort, Opry Mills |
Getting to your hotel
Nashville International Airport (BNA) is about 13 km southeast of downtown, about 15–20 minutes by taxi or rideshare outside rush hour. WeGo buses link the airport with downtown's WeGo Central station.
Questions travellers ask
+What is the best area to stay in Nashville for first-time visitors?
Downtown and Lower Broadway. Lower Broadway between Fifth Avenue and the Cumberland River is the honky-tonk strip, with live music in multi-storey bars all day.
+Where should families stay in Nashville?
Music Valley: Walk to the Opry.
+Which area of Nashville is best for a budget stay?
East Nashville ($$): Bungalows, bars and independent restaurants around Five Points.