Top 8 Best Nashville Attractions

Cityscape of Nashville, TN at sunset; picture by Anieka Travels

At the end of March, I spent a 4 day weekend in Nashville, TN, where I had the pleasure of exploring a southern city of the United States for the first time. Before my trip, I asked various people who had been to Nashville before for recommendations. I wanted to explore the entirety of Nashville to build an understanding of the culture, history, and cuisine of the Tennessean urban life. Most of the people I asked said that I just needed to stay along Broadway to experience Nashville, but I had an inkling that wasn't true. My friend and I researched museums, neighborhoods, famous restaurants, and lounges to discover where in Nashville we wanted to visit outside of Broadway.

Keep reading for our weekend itinerary and to learn more about the best attractions in Nashville. If you're wanting to read about Broadway, check out my previous blog where I detail my experiences walking through the Honky Tonks.

The Johnny Cash Museum

Display inside the Johnny Cash Museum Nashville, TN; picture by Anieka Travels

Our first day in Nashville, we stopped into the Johnny Cash Museum, which is located not even a block off from Broadway in Downtown. At the museum, I got to learn more about his inspiration for his music, his life before he became a musician, his life during, and the activism he was involved in. After walking through the museum, I felt like I had a stronger understanding of who he was and I found myself admiring him and his influence even more.

If you're wanting to learn more about Johnny Cash or just learn more about the history of country music in general, give this museum a visit.

Printer's Alley

Printer's Alley Sign Nashville, TN; picture by Anieka Travels

This attraction is exactly what it's called. Printer's Alley is an alley located only a few blocks away from the main drag of Broadway, where there are more lounges, bars, restaurants, and live music being performed. Stretching along two blocks, Printer's Alley is aesthetic, bustling, and perfect for a quick stroll through a different area of downtown. We visited this spot on our way back to our hotel, Dream by Hyatt, after a long day on Broadway when we needed a break from the crowds and noise. Check out this spot if you're also in need of a secluded place away from the main drag but still want to be around the Honky Tonks.

Centennial Park & The Parthenon

View of the Parthenon in Centennial Park Nashville, TN; picture by Anieka Travels

Our second day in the city, we took a bus across town to Centennial Park, where the replica of the Greek Parthenon is. The Parthenon is home of the statue of Athena, which was started in 1987 and completed in 2002. The Parthenon also houses casts of various Greek ruins and holds rotating galleries from contemporary artists. The park is a massive grassy area with trails, a small lake, and beautiful flora, where one can lay out and read, tan, or draw, bring some friends and play a game of volleyball, or go on a therapeutic stroll or jog. It's the Tennessean version of Central Park. If you're in Nashville and the weather graces you with some sun, take the opportunity to visit the Parthenon, and end the outing with relaxing outside in Centennial Park. For the Swifties out there, there is a bench located in Centennial Park dedicated to Taylor Swift. Find it if you can!

12 South

Flower Mural in 12 South Nashville, TN; picture by Anieka Travels

This neighborhood is known for its artsy murals, aesthetic and fashionable boutiques, and trendy restaurants, bars, and cafes. We took an uber from Centennial Park to 12 South after a failed attempt to catch a bus and had a wonderful chat with our driver, who ended the ride by inviting us to Shaquille O'Neil's afterparty at Barstool that night. He recommended a taco joint in the neighborhood to us, so after finding all the murals, window shopping at the boutiques, and drinking more coffee we stopped into Bartaco, which had the best margaritas and delicious tacos.

When in Nashville, find a day to walk through this beautiful neighborhood. You won't run out of things to do. 

The Gulch

This neighborhood is very similar to 12 South in the sense that it is also known for boutiques, restaurants, and trendy spots. We did not have enough time to visit this area of Nashville, but after my trip a relative told me that it was a young bustling and cool neighborhood, which made me wish I had put more effort into seeing it. If you're not already tired from exploring 12 South, make a stop at the Gulch, which is only a short drive from 12 South.

The White Limozeen

White Limozeen Sign at the Graduate Hotel Nashville, TN; picture by Anieka Travels

This Dolly Parton inspired restaurant and lounge can be found on the rooftop of the Graduate Hotel in Music Row. From the rooftop, you have a stunning cityscape view of Nashville, which can be admired during sunset, on a breezy sunny day, or on a warm summer night. When you visit this iconic lounge, make sure to adhere to the dress code matching the restaurant's aesthetic. At the White Limozeen we wear pink. Get creative with your fashion style, dress up, and with a cocktail in hand take fun artsy pictures atop the Graduate. If not for the Instagram feed, go for the rich ambiance. If you reserve a table at the lounge, you can have a snack or meal inside the White Limozeen, which is decorated top to bottom in pink, unique art, and flashy decor. You won't feel more fabulous anywhere else.

German Town

This neighborhood is north from downtown along the river. German town is known for its food scene and cute shops; another area that can be explored by foot. I didn't get the opportunity to visit this area of Nashville, but when I'm back in the city I'll make time for this cute neighborhood. 

Country Music Hall of Fame

Display inside of the Country Music Hall of Fame Nashville, TN; picture by Anieka Travels

Both my friend and I desperately wanted to visit this attraction during our trip, so we pre ordered our tickets online which reserved us a spot. We went to the museum on our third day about an hour after they opened, and had the luxury of not needing to wait in line. I would highly recommend this option, because the museum is one of the most popular attractions in Nashville and the lines can get quite long. We spent at least two hours strolling through the galleries, and by the time we left we had gained so much more knowledge about the evolution of American music. I would sincerely recommend that you visit this museum at some point during your stay in Nashville. It's only a few blocks away from Broadway and easily accessible by foot. Ensure a spot for yourself by buying your ticket through the museum's website or stand in line at the ticket booth inside the museum.

Transportation

The public transportation system in Nashville isn't up to the standards of New York City, but the options are definitely much better than other cities I've been to. We mainly ubered to reach farther neighborhoods and typically walked to places that were less than 30 minutes away, but occasionally we used the bus. 

The first time using the bus, we thought we would just walk to the stop and use cash for every bus we'd take, thinking it would be only a dollar per ride. An elderly woman sitting at the bus stop overheard us talking and gave us directions to the central bus station, where we could buy day passes. The station is walking distance from downtown and was actually closer to our hotel than the bus stop we had walked to. After finding the station and talking to the woman at the information desk, we discovered that we would have paid $2 per ride and a day pass was only $4. If we hadn't listened to the elderly woman at the stop, we would have paid a lot more money than we needed to. If you're thinking you're going to use the bus system for most of your trip, I would highly recommend visiting the station and buying a pass to save money on your rides. 

There are also public bikes that you can use to get around spontaneously through the city. I didn't use the method of transportation, but it's another fun way of getting around town and discovering more of the city. 

How Safe is Nashville?

I've visited quite a few American cities in my lifetime, and I can wholeheartedly say that Nashville is at the top of my list as the safest city I've traveled to. I've been to New York, Los Angeles, Seattle, Portland, Honolulu, and many more; Nashville was the safest out of all of them. The locals are friendly and always offering their help to tourists, no one ever made me feel unsafe or threatened, and there was authority present in areas where there was a lot of tourist traffic and nightlife. Because of this, I would recommend Nashville as a city for solo travel.

Broadway is a different story though. For information about that area in particular, read my article detailing Broadway to learn more about the largest party street in America and its safety. 

Portrait in Centennial Park Nashville, TN

I absolutely loved Nashville and will be back there again to explore the neighborhoods I didn't get a chance to see last time, and also to have more fun on Broadway. I will be publishing one more article about my stay in Nashville, which will detail the traditional Tennessean cuisine, options for vegetarians/vegans, and reviews about the restaurants I went to.

As always, thank you for reading. I hope this article gave you inspiration for your travels and taught you more about Nashville outside of Broadway. If you haven't already, give my previous article a read, which is about the street of Broadway and my experiences there. 

Now go out and explore!

Love,

Anieka ♡