20 of the Best Things To Do in Nashville Bucket List
This Nashville bucket list has 20 of the best museums, parks, shopping districts, performance venues, and more in Music City.
Toe-tapping honky-tonks, colorful murals, music-themed museums, hot chicken sandwiches — they’re all on this Nashville bucket list.
If you’re planning a trip to Music City, this guide has 20 of the best things to do in Nashville, Tennessee, from shopping to backstage tours.
Whether it’s your first visit or you return over and over for the live shows and festive atmosphere, you’ll find something on this checklist that you’ll want to add to your Nashville itinerary.
Nashville Bucket List
Use this Nashville bucket list to find the best things to do in Music City, Tennessee!
Tennessee State Capitol & Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park
Completed in 1859, the Tennessee State Capitol is one of the oldest still in use in the U.S. The downtown building is open for guided tours on weekdays, but check the schedule ahead of time before you go. Larger grounds can make reservations in advance.
Ryman Auditorium
While there are tons of legendary music venues in Nashville, on a short Nashville itinerary you’ll want to head straight for the “Mother Church of Country Music.” The Ryman Auditorium hosted the Grand Ole Opry for decades in the mid-1900s and is a bucket-list performance space to this day.
You can buy tickets to go behind the scenes and see the famous stage.
Honky Tonk Highway
You can’t spend two days in Nashville without carving out some time for Lower Broadway, Music City’s entertainment district that is full of live shows, dance halls, tourist shops and more. Country tunes ring out from the honky-tonks here day and night and the sidewalks around popular venues like the Wildhorse Saloon and Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge will often be abuzz.
Downtown Trolley Tour
Since downtown is typically crowded, one of the best ways to get around and see the sites in Nashville is by bus or trolley tour. Guides will share behind-the-scenes scoop about Music City and the famous venues and performers as you make your way to see the Ryman Auditorium, Music Row, RCA Studio B and other big-hitters.
Grand Ole Opry
Built in 1974, the Grand Ole Opry House hosts the famous 95-year-old country music broadcast and other performances. Catching a show on your visit to Nashville or going backstage on tours of the venue are a big Nashville bucket list check.
RCA Studio B
One of the most famous recording spaces in the country, Nashville’s RCA Studio B has hosted huge names like Elvis Presley, Dolly Parton and Willie Nelson since 1957. You can tour the historic studio through the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Bluebird Cafe
The intimate but popular Bluebird Cafe is known for its stage where songwriters and composers come to perform their tunes. Some are established pros, but the venue also holds a weekly open mic night.
The cafe was featured extensively on the primetime drama “Nashville.” Since it’s a small space, you do need to make a reservation to visit.
Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
Located near the CMA Theater and Broadway in downtown Nashville, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum is known as the “Smithsonian of Country Music.” Here you’ll see old photos and vintage instruments accompanied by records and videos of famous performers.
The museum also runs a schedule of creative programs and workshops. Just outside, you can stroll through the Walk of Fame Park to see stars in the pavement honoring music legends.
Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum
Stretching beyond the country scene Nashville is known for, the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum honors all genres, inducting both famous faces and the behind-the-scenes musicians that accompanied them. Plus, there’s a wealth of memorabilia, like instruments used by Jimi Hendrix, Garth Brooks and Elton John.
Tennessee State Museum
The Tennessee State Museum holds exhibits telling the story of the state, from the first peoples and early settlers through the civil war and to the present. There are also natural history displays where you can learn about the flora and fauna of Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Frist Art Museum
Nashville’s old Art Deco post office now holds the Frist Art Museum, a visual arts hall with changing exhibitions. The museum also has an interactive gallery for creating art where you can join in drawing, digital painting, weaving and more. The Broadway building is on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Gulch
The Gulch is just south of Broadway, easy to access from downtown hotels and in walking distance to the live music zone. It has a sleek and modern feel and you’ll find lots of global flavors in the dining scene.
Parthenon and Centennial Park
Designed as an exact replica of the hilltop temple in Athens, Greece, the Nashville Parthenon was built in the 1890s and later reconstructed as a permanent feature in the city’s Centennial Park. Inside, an art museum holds a collection of 19th and 20th-century paintings by American artists and a 42-foot-tall statue of Athena replica.
The 132-acre Centennial Park is the perfect escape from the downtown buzz, though it’s only a couple of miles from the Honky Tonk Highway. The urban green space by Vanderbilt University has walking paths, a lake, and a live music stage.
While you have to pay to enter the museum, walking around the Parthenon and exploring Centennial Park is one of the best free things to do in Nashville and a must for your Nashville bucket list.
Hillsboro Village
Hillsboro Village on 21st Avenue is another walkable shopping destination, conveniently tucked between Belmont and Vanderbilt Universities. Clothing and accessory stores along brick rows here mingle with cute cafes for grabbing coffee or brunch.
12 South
Want to squeeze in a short shopping spree in Nashville? 12 South is a great spot. It spans just a few blocks along 12th Avenue South in the Belmont University zone and is easily walkable, with a selection of cafes and chic shops, including a Draper James store with fun murals on the exterior.
There are actually several Nashville murals scattered in this zone — look for the “I believe in Nashville” sign, the “looking pretty Music City” mural, and a wall full of flowers.
Murals
If you’re on the hunt for Nashville bucket list street art, you’ll find it around every corner downtown. Some staples like the “what lifts you” wings in the Gulch neighborhood and the “I believe in Nashville” wall on 12 South have become famous on social media, but new and less-photographed gems are easy to stumble upon.
Cheekwood Estate and Gardens
Built in 1929, Cheekwood is a 55-acre estate southwest of downtown Nashville with botanical gardens and art displays. It’s the perfect easy escape from the city where you can wander through flower displays, admire the historic architecture, and grab lunch from the on-site cafe. This is one of the best outdoorsy things to do in Nashville.
Nashville Farmers Market
To get your hands on some local goodies and souvenirs, head over to the Nashville Farmers’ Market near the Tennessee State Capitol and Tennessee State Museum downtown. Walking the stalls you’ll see everything from fresh produce and flowers to artisan products.
The adjacent Market House is full of locally-owned shops and restaurants dishing up sushi, gyros, crepes, tacos and so much more.
Nashville Predators
The Nashville Predators are the professional ice hockey team for the city and play in the NHL. If you visit between October and April, you might be able to catch a home game at the Bridgestone Arena.
Tennessee Titans
Sports fans — add this one to your Nashville bucket list. If you visit Nashville during football season, you may be able to score tickets for a Tennessee Titans game. The NFL team plays at Nissan Stadium downtown, just across the river from Lower Broadway.
Hot Chicken
Devouring some hot chicken is a must for your foodie Nashville bucket list. Several places serve it but Hattie B’s is perfect for your first time, with a few levels of heat available on their sandwiches and meat plates. Add in some Southern sides like mac and cheese and cobbler to really indulge.
