The Best Areas to Stay in Nashville, TN

Nashville, Tennessee, is one of the hottest destinations in the country, thanks to its abundance of music venues, bars, and attractions. If you’re planning a trip to Music City, you need to know the hotspots so that you can get the most out of your getaway. This guide will help you map out your journey to understand what to expect from each neighborhood.

Downtown Nashville

Downtown Nashville is the heart of the city. Here, you can find many of the city’s iconic landmarks, like the state capitol building, Bicentennial Capitol State Park, and Music City Center. It’s also where all the best hotels are because everything is within walking distance. However, downtown is also home to many museums, all of which are worth visiting. The top museums and experiences include:

• Musician’s Hall of Fame and Museum – Here, you can learn more about the stories behind your favorite musicians, songs, and albums. For example, you can view instruments used by Johnny Cash, Jimi Hendrix, and Elton John.
  
• Tennessee State Museum – If you want to discover more about Tennessee’s past, this is the best place to visit. There are some incredible exhibitions that showcase artwork, the state’s involvement in the Civil War, and many more.
  
• Frist Art Museum – This swanky museum is one of the highlights of modern Nashville. The museum hosts tons of high-end exhibits that draw crowds of all shapes and sizes. Nothing compares to looking at excellent art while sipping some champagne.
  
• Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum – Nashville is well-known for country music bars and venues, and this museum is the best place to learn about the history of this genre. You can explore the various exhibits or participate in the many events hosted at the venue.
  
• Johnny Cash Museum – Johnny Cash is widely celebrated in Nashville, and this is the place to celebrate his music catalog and the myth of the man himself.

If museums don’t pique your interest, you can find tons of bars and music halls in the heart of Nashville. Lower Broadway Avenue is the best spot because it has one of the largest collections of live music venues. You can simply buy drinks and crawl from one place to another. This area with honkytonk and bluegrass bars and restaurants is also called Sobro, or “South of Broadway.”

There are far too many to mention, but you can either start at the Cumberland River and work your way west or begin at I-40 and head toward the waterfront. Some notable examples include Robert’s Western World, Nudie’s Honky Tonk, or Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge. You can also take advantage of scooter rentals to get around faster. Just be sure to ride responsibly. Printers Alley is another hotspot for going out, and it dates back to the 1940s.

City tours are another way to explore downtown while learning about the city’s history and heritage. Some top tours include:

• Nashville Ghost Tours – While most of Nashville’s history is positive and uplifting, the city has a dark underbelly, which you can explore in this tour. You’ll walk around downtown for about an hour, checking out the most haunted sites. Tours happen every night, so you can plan accordingly.
  
• Old Town Trolley Tours – One of the best ways to get around the city is by trolley, so why not learn some history while you do? You can book a single-day or two-day tour, depending on your trip.
  
• Nashville Food Tours – Music City is not just a place to experience live bands and great drinks. The city also has incredible restaurants that serve Nashville barbecue, chicken, and fine dining. You can take one of several food tours to experience the best that Nashville has to offer.

Finally, since you’re already downtown, you have to catch a show at the world-famous Ryman Auditorium. This music venue was home to the Grand Ole Opry from 1927 to 1974. The forum has been in continuous use for 130 years, making it one of the country’s oldest and most celebrated venues.

Midtown/Vanderbilt University

Midtown is next to downtown, and it is one of the best areas that caters heavily to tourists. You can find so many luxury hotels in midtown because it’s also home to Vanderbilt University. However, although the college takes over much of the neighborhood, there are still many places to check out. Here are some of our top picks:

• The Row – One of the top areas in Nashville is Music Row, which is home to many venues and live music bars. This restaurant pays tribute to the boulevard. It’s also where many music acts have dined before and after shows for over 30 years. As with most restaurants in the area, The Row hosts nightly music to accompany your food. The menu is full of Nashville favorites, such as hot chicken, smash burgers, meatloaf, chicken-fried steak, and shrimp and grits. Brunch is also served daily from open to 3 pm, so be sure to bring your friends for some drinks and delicious food.
  
• Hattie B’s Hot Chicken – There’s a reason Nashville hot chicken is making waves around the country, and part of that is because of Hattie B. You can find many locations throughout Nashville, so if you don’t make it to the Midtown spot, don’t worry. This restaurant only specializes in hot chicken, which you can get fried, in tenders or as a sandwich.
  
• Hi-Fi Clyde’s – If you’re looking for some old-fashioned Nashville barbecue, Hi-Fi Clyde’s is an excellent place to start. Clyde’s takes smoked brisket seriously, which you can see for yourself in a wide array of dishes. Some of our favorites include the brisket nachos, brisket poutine, and brisket sandwich. Clyde’s also has some incredible sides, including home fries, cheese grits, and buttermilk waffles. Brunch is also served all day, which is a running theme for many Nashville eateries.
  
• Midtown Cafe – This restaurant is a major hotspot for travelers because it offers shuttle services to famous venues like the Ryman Auditorium, Nashville Convention Center, and Bridgestone Arena. The menu is also spectacular, with highlights like lobster mac n’ cheese, voodoo pasta, blackened grouper, and Coca-Cola BBQ beef short ribs.

In addition to eating, be sure to check out Centennial Park, which is home to the Nashville Parthenon. This building is a replica of the Parthenon in Athens, and it serves as an art and music gallery. The park also hosts tons of events throughout the year, so there’s always something to experience no matter when you visit.

The Gulch

This neighborhood is actually part of downtown, but it’s become one of the best neighborhoods, so it deserves its own mention. Oddly enough, The Gulch used to be an industrial center, but after manufacturing companies left the city, it sat abandoned for many years. Fortunately, it’s undergone a massive revitalization in recent years, and it’s now one of the top places in Nashville, rivaling Sobro. So if you want somewhere to walk around and explore, we highly recommend starting in The Gulch.

Some highlights you can discover here include:

• Kayne Prime – Although you might want to indulge in Nashville barbecue or hot chicken, there are quite a few high-end steakhouses, including Kayne Prime. This place has been on many best-of lists, including the best places to eat in Nashville, best steakhouses in America, and best restaurants in Tennessee. As with most steakhouses, Kayne Prime is only open for dinner. The menu includes favorites like ribeye, filet mignon, and NY strip steaks. You can also get world-class Wagyu beef in all these cuts, including Wagyu tartare as an appetizer. If you’re not into beef, Kayne also offers salmon, pork, and chicken.
  
• Up! A Rooftop Bar – If you’re going to eat well in Nashville, you might as well have an excellent view as a side to your meal. Up! is a fantastic rooftop bar that offers stunning views of the city and its nightlife. This spot is perfect for a night on the town, either with your significant other or some friends. You’ll likely come to Up! for the cocktails, but you should stay for the meals. Some top dishes include truffle fries, hot chicken tacos, and jerk barbecue pork. The menu isn’t extensive, but each option is tastier than the last. We’ll drink to that.
  
• Rudy’s Jazz Room – As we’ve established, it’s not hard to find a music venue in Nashville. Every night, the city is bursting at the seams with live bands, so it’s hard to figure out where to go. You can’t throw a stick without hitting a honky tonk bar or live music restaurant. For jazz music fans, Rudy’s Jazz Room is an excellent spot. It hosts local musicians every night so that there’s always something to do. In addition to an extensive cocktail, beer, and wine list, you can grab some top-tier bar food. Some of our favorites include the popcorn shrimp, creole seafood pies, and the creole grilled cheese sandwich. You can also get dessert, including chocolate fudge pie or New Orleans-style beignets.
  
• Peg Leg Porker – So far, we haven’t featured too many Nashville barbecue joints. Fortunately, Peg Leg Porker is one of the best options in The Gulch, so you don’t need to sample tons of different spots to find the right blend of spices and sauce. Ranked as one of the top 50 barbecue restaurants in the country, Peg Leg offers tender, juicy, and succulent dishes. Most people come for the traditional barbecue plates, including pulled pork, brisket, and chicken. However, Peg Leg also offers unique dishes, such as Memphis Sushi (sausage and cheese), Kool-Aid pickles, and Soul Potato nachos, which use fries instead of tortilla chips.

East Nashville

East Nashville encompasses pretty much everything east of the Cumberland River. Because this area is so large, it has its own sections and communities within. It’s also home to the Nissan Stadium and many accommodation options. Plus, if you like riverfront parks and amenities, you can get river access without fighting the downtown crowds.

Also, just because it’s not part of downtown Nashville doesn’t mean you can’t find tons of amenities and attractions. The music scene spreads out from the heart of the city, beating into every bar and restaurant nearby.

While music is the main attraction for downtown and midtown, food is the primary draw for East Nashville. Be sure to come with an empty stomach since you’ll be feasting for every meal. Here is where you can find tons of high-quality barbecue restaurants, such as:

• Edley’s Barbecue – Established in 2011, this joint has quickly spread across the state and has won Best Barbecue four years in a row. Smoked meats are the main course, where you can find rib tips, brisket, and full racks of ribs.
  
• Toto’s Barbecue Express – While it’s nice to get your hands messy, sometimes it’s better to keep them clean. Toto’s specializes in delicious barbecue sandwiches, making them perfect for on-the-go meals. You can get fried chicken, sausage, pulled pork, and more between two slices of bread.
  
• Shotgun Willie’s Barbecue – The best barbecue comes from the best meat. Shotgun Willie’s starts by sourcing its meat from local farms so that it just falls off the bone. You can indulge in juicy Angus brisket, pulled pork shoulder, pork ribs, sausage, or fresh chicken.

As far as nightlife, you need to check out the Five Points area along 11th street. This section is full of bars and clubs, most with live music playing nightly. No matter your pleasure, you can find it here. Plus, it’s close to many Nashville hotels, so you can walk back to your hotel room after a night on the town.

Music Row

This small neighborhood is on the south end of midtown. It’s split into Music Square East and Music Square West. Most of the top spots are on 16th and 17th avenues, so we recommend walking down both streets and getting lost along the way.

Music Row’s name stems from the fact that there are many recording studios, including RCA, which helped build Nashville into the music epicenter it is today. Music Row is the central hotspot for recording, producing, and packaging country music.

If you’re not interested in touring the recording studio buildings, you can head over to Division Street, which has tons of bars, restaurants, and nightlife. Here is an excellent place to do a pub crawl if you want to avoid the crowds of downtown Nashville. Some highlights include:

• The Stillery – This hipster-chic bar has a distinct industrial atmosphere, but the menu and cocktail list are pretty modern. This is a place where you’ll drink your beverages out of a mason jar and get food in fun and quirky serving dishes.
  
• Winners and Losers Bar and Grill – These bars are actually across the street from each other, so you can decide which you want to visit. Both options are quintessential dive bars with unpretentious menus and tons of great beers on tap.
  
• The Slider House – Sliders are perfect bar food because they offer tons of flavor without filling you up too much. This restaurant has a daily happy hour from 2 to 6 pm, where you can get 1/2 off all appetizers. Sliders come in five varieties – beef, chicken, pork, fish, or vegetarian.
  
• Hopsmith – If you’re the type to drink beer from a growler, you should check out the Hopsmith. This no-frills pub is an excellent hangout spot that doesn’t draw tons of people, so it’s easy to find a place to sit. The menu also includes bar favorites like tacos, sliders, sandwiches, and wings.

Germantown

Once again, we’re back downtown. Germantown is named after the immigrants who settled and developed this historic district. This neighborhood runs from Hume St to Jefferson St on the north and south and Highway 12 to 2nd St from the east and west end.

Although this area is relatively small, there’s a lot packed into it. Plus, since most of the buildings are historical, you feel like you’re stepping back in time to Nashville’s early days. There’s nothing quite like drinking a pint in a post-Civil War building. Plus, you can stay in historic boutique hotels like the Germantown Inn. Fortunately, even though they’re old, they still offer free wi-fi.

Some top spots to visit in Germantown include:

• Brooklyn Bowl – Technically, this event venue is just outside the neighborhood, but we’ll count it because it borders Germantown. This venue is a bit different from others because it includes a bowling alley and some midway games inside. Every night there’s a stage show, so no matter when you visit, you’re sure to have a great time.
  
• Jack Brown’s Beer and Burger Joint – Although this place is a chain, we’re recommending it because it offers some of the best burgers on this side of the Mississippi. When you’re in the mood to chow down on some comfort food, Jack Brown has your back. Some specialty burgers include the Greg Brady with mac n’ cheese and potato chips on top or the shocker, which has jalapenos, habanero peppers, and spicy “shocker” sauce.
  
• Waldo’s Chicken – Nashville hot chicken is pretty tasty, but sometimes, it’s better to focus on the basics. It’s not hard to find excellent fried chicken in the city, but Waldo’s has a slight edge over other restaurants. The menu is pure and simple; you can get your chicken tenderized, fried, or in a sandwich.
  
• Monell’s – If you’re not a southern-bred person, you might be confused by a place like Monell’s. This century-old down-home country restaurant does things a bit differently. Instead of having an extensive menu, you’re served picnic-style based on the day of the week. Plus, each meal comes with a side of fried chicken, so it’s hard to go wrong. For example, on Tuesdays, you can feast on pot roast with pasta shells, while on Thursdays, you get roast beef, meatloaf, and scratch-made gravy. Home-cooked meals for the whole family

Hillsboro-Belmont

South of Nashville is this trendy college neighborhood centered around Belmont University. This area is excellent if you want to avoid the crowds and bustle of downtown or midtown but still want to explore some unique Nashville sights.

The crown jewel of Hillsboro-Belmont is the Belmont Mansion. This estate sits at the northern edge of the university, greeting students and visitors alike. The mansion was constructed before the Civil War, so it’s one of the few spots where you can experience what life was like back then. The estate acts as a museum celebrating both Tennessee history and the pre-war environment.

After exploring the mansion, you’ll likely get hungry. Fortunately, 12th Avenue has tons of restaurants. You can also cross over into the 12 South neighborhood, which is up-and-coming. Some eateries to explore include:

• Bottle Cap – This is a fantastic college hangout spot that offers killer burgers, appetizers, and chicken. As we’ve seen, brunch is a big thing in Nashville, and Bottle Cap has a pretty good brunch menu if you’re interested.
  
• Butter Milk Ranch – Baked goods can help you start your day on the right foot. At Butter Milk Ranch, you can sample some decadent pastries and pies, along with fresh brown butter beignets, pina colada pancakes, and biscuits and gravy.
  
• Martin’s Barbecue – This unassuming barbecue joint is a great place for meat plates or succulent sandwiches. No matter what you’re craving, you can find it here.

Music Valley

Finally, we have to mention Music Valley, which sits northeast of downtown Nashville. This area is primarily famous for housing the new Grand Ole Opry building. It’s also a tourist haven, complete with restaurants like Paula Deen’s Kitchen, the Rainforest Cafe, and Dave and Busters. You can also visit Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum and Cooter’s Nashville. Cooter’s celebrates the Dukes of Hazzard TV show, and you can see the General Lee car on display.

Finally, there’s a waterpark at the Gaylord Opryland Resort, so if you visit during the summer, you can get wet and wild before catching a show at the hallowed music venue.