Where to Shop, Eat & Listen to Live Music

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If you’re a music lover, there’s no better city to explore than Nashville. Blending historic charm, Southern hospitality, a booming urban life and endless amounts of live music, Music City is a perfect weekend getaway for all types of travelers. Brush up on your country-music history with both old and new interactive museums, venture into the heart of Lower Broadway for a fun bar crawl or take things slow at an old-school restaurant and many emerging, chic cocktail bars popping up around the city.

A weekend is hardly enough time to fully take in everything Nashville has to offer, but we’ve created a fun 48-hour itinerary that will give you a great slice of culture that Music City has to offer.

Checking In: Graduate by Hilton Nashville

If you want to immerse yourself in local history, Southern charm and stunning, vibrant interiors, the Graduate by Hilton Nashville is the perfect stay for you. With colorful, creative French flare decor, each room, hallway and lobby is an Instagrammable moment waiting to happen. But this hotel isn’t just a looker. The Graduate is jam-packed with must-see dining options and amenities for a one-of-a-kind stay.

Guests can cool off at the Governor’s rooftop pool, where you can relax under bright pink umbrellas, sip poolside cocktails and enjoy stunning skyline views. Hungry? Check out Dolly Parton’s photo-worthy White Limozeen rooftop restaurant, which features 360 views of Nashville. For music lovers, head to Cross-Eyed Critter bar for a unique karaoke experience with an animatronic backup band.

When you’re ready to step out and explore the city, the Graduate hotel is steps away from the best of Nashville and Vanderbilt University. All the sights and sounds of Lower Broadway’s famous live music strip is nearby, too.

DAY 1: Museums & Downtown/Rolling Mill Exploring

The best way to start your day is to head over to Crema downtown. Grab a cup of its popular house-roasted coffee and sit out on the front deck, which has great views of the Cumberland River. After taking in the scenery, go brush up on your music history at the National Museum of African American Music. The more recent museum opened in 2021 and covers 400 years of African American music and its impact. Inside, you can find more than 2,500 artifacts, including the smashed guitar by Jimi Hendrix during a Memphis concert and many interactive exhibits for legendary artists such as the “mother of the blues” Ma Rainey.

Another must-see option is the Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum. Step inside the world of country music, exploring galleries such as the Night Train to Nashville: Music City Rhythm & Blues, an acclaimed 2004–2005 exhibit exploring the often-overlooked rhythm and blues scene of Nashville from the 1940s through the 1960s. Celebrate country’s best with the Dolly Parton: Journey of Seeker exhibit, exploring the turning points in Parton’s life and career through the decades.

From there, a quick walk will bring you to Pinewood, an industrial-chic restaurant serving up great cocktails with an attached bowling alley and two outdoor pools to escape the Nashville heat. Inside, eat delicious Southern-comfort food including fried chicken, shrimp po’ boys and the chile brisket, or opt for a casual menu of queso, tacos and margaritas served at the outdoor bar in an old Airstream trailer.

Now, it’s time to head on over to Lower Broadway, Nashville’s famous music strip where bars and honky tonk music venues are pushing out drinks and live music all day and night. There’s a vast lineup of bars to hit here including popular spots such as Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge, Robert’s Western World and the Stage. All these venues are located in the same five-block area and are typically packed with people most nights dolled up in their best Southern-style outfits. It can be a lot, but trust me, it’s worth the experience.

DAY 2: 12 South Shopping & Fancy Cocktails in East Nashville

For your last day, shopping in the 12 South Neighborhood is a must. It’s grown to become one of the more popular areas to shop, eat, drink and listen to live music. The neighborhood is extremely walkable and has great outdoor seating, especially Sevier Park, a 20-acre urban green space anchoring the southern end of the neighborhood and offers a relaxing, dog-friendly open field to lay out in, picnic shelters, a playground and a community center.

There are plenty of great shops nearby to grab gifts for loved ones, friends or just for treating yourself. Make sure to head over to White’s Mercantile, a fun, modern version of an old-time general store curated by singer-songwriter Holly Williams. You’ll find tasteful, handcrafted gifts, books, custom dog collars, candlewick trimmers and many more. Also, dive into unique vintage goods over at Savant, and stop by Draper James, a brick-and-mortar store by actress Reese Witherspoon offering chic, American-style clothing with Southern charm.

After a fun-filled Lower Broadway bar crawl from night one, let’s keep things a little more chill for night two. For drinks, head over to Attaboy, a speakeasy-style cocktail bar in trendy East Nashville that surprisingly doesn’t have a drink menu. Instead, tell the bartender the type of liquor and flavors you prefer and they will whip something up for you. Every cocktail here costs $17, no matter the concoction you have made. Then, grab dinner at Jane’s Hideway, serving up re-invented Southern classics with local ingredients, paired with a relaxing listening experience of live music. Standouts included the hot honey BLT, jambalaya and the whiskey and chocolate pairing, which includes liquor from local distilleries and delicious chocolate from Nashville’s Olive and Sinclair.

If you’re in the mood for even more live music, end your night at Dee’s Country Cocktail Lounge, a small dive bar offering affordable drinks, pool tables, darts and a variety of local bands and singers performing blues, country, Americana and bluegrass music. Chill out on the porch with an $8 margarita and enjoy your remaining hours left in Nashville.