5 Days in Nashville–The Best of the Best!

Have you heard Nashville referred to as the NEW Vegas? Or maybe the term ‘Nash-Vegas?’ Well…it’s true! Nashville is definitely climbing the ladder as the new trendy hot-spot for a long weekend vacation! It has even become one of the top getaways for bachelor & bachelorette parties as well as just a quick & easy getaway! Read on for the perfect guide to 5 Days in Nashville!

 

Nashville has everything a long weekend-4-5 days-needs! Nashville has a blazing hot foodie scene, inexpensive entertainment that will captivate you all hours of the day and night, as well as loads of Southern charm and historical venues that you won’t want to miss!

Honky Tonk Row

What & Where exactly is this, you may ask? Well, it consists of several blocks on lower Broadway Street housing dozens of honky-tonks (read: bars with live entertainment all day long, every day) cranking out tunes from 10 a.m. to 3 a.m.–and the best part–they’re all FREE! This is where all of the big names in music got their start. Take a walk any time~day or night~and find one (or several) that suits your taste! (And, if you have 5 days in Nashville like we did, you may find yourself visiting the same ones several times!)

Our favorites included: Tootsies Orchid Lounge, Jason Aldean’s Kitchen & Rooftop Bar (the very best jalapeno corn bread in Nashville served right here, too!), The Stage on Broadway, Rippy’s, Dierks Bentley’s Whiskey Row and Legend’s Corner. Live music as well as DJ’s play their tunes, so be sure to find one where the music is hoppin’ and the drinks are a flowin’!

 

 

Belle Meade Plantation

One of the most amazing historical available is located just minutes outside of Nashville, Tennessee. Guests are warmly invited to dive right into rich Southern history of this lovely estate by taking in both enjoyable and educational activities.

This site is dedicated to the preservation of Tennessee’s Victorian architecture, history, and equestrian legacy.  Visitors can enjoy educational outreach programs and tours, shopping, wine & food pairings and weddings on the grounds their newest Southern Bourbon Tour. Tourism and patronage of this beautiful estate supports the educational mission of Belle Meade Plantation.

 

Click here to purchase tickets in advance. There are many tour options available as well as wine/food pairings conducted by one the best sommeliers in the business!

 

Tip: Do note that the most popular ‘Mansion Tour’ comes with a complimentary wine tasting inside the tour package. This is a simple wine tasting of the Belle Meade’s most popular wines. If you are a wine connoisseur or foodie such as myself, do spend the extra time & money to enjoy the ‘Food & Wine Pairing’ tour—it is worth it! I’ve taken many wine tours–from California, to France, to Italy–and this was one of the BEST wine/food pairings I’ve done. Ever. The sommellier was top-notch and the presentation was exquisite!

The Gulch

Nashville’s premier urban neighborhood, located right between Music Row and downtown, is another trend-setting area not to be missed!

Drop in for an amazing cup of coffee & a pastry at Milk & Honey. Then, Boot-Scoot-Boogie over to Biscuit Love for brunch and as your day winds down, line-dance your way on down to Peg Leg Porker for dinner. Seriously, if you want to spend a day enjoying some awesome boutique shopping and the best eats in Nashville, then don’t miss The Gulch!

 

And…before you leave the Gulch, don’t forget to grab your obligatory photo op with the WhatLiftsYou wings mural.

 

Country Music Hall of Fame

Of course you came to Nashville to see where country music’s most famous got their starts, right?

A trip to Nashville isn’t complete without a visit to the Country Music Hall of Fame! It is one of the world’s largest museums solely dedicated to American music & its artists. There are special exhibits & events happening daily which may not be included in a regular tour ticket so it’s best to visit the website ahead of your visit to see if one of those ‘extras’ interests you!

Tip: Pick a day during your stay when the weather is inclement and show up right away when the doors open! You’ll easily spend several hours, if not an entire day, inside the museum ooohing & ahhhing at all the costumes, historical information & so much more! We arrived right when the museum opened on a rainy day and by the time we left in the early afternoon, there was a line out the door wrapped around the building outside! If you know ahead of time which day you’ll go to the museum, it’s wise to purchase your tickets ahead of time. I was surprised at how long the line was just to enter into the building!

 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Grand Ole Opry & Ryan Auditorium

The Grand Ole Opry is like no other concert or variety show I’ve ever seen!
What started out as a small radio broadcast in 1925 has now become Nashville’s number-one attraction and country music’s most famous stage! The Grand Ole Opry offers nightly live entertainment of country legends and modern artists! It has something for everyone!

We chose to visit the Grand Ole Opry the night that Little Big Town was headlining! It was an awesome show filled with many interesting musicians from all walks of country music!

 

Tip: Booking a ticket in advance is a must, especially if you are traveling as a larger group and you would like to sit together, if you’re visiting Nashville during a high tourist season, or if there is a particularly famous must-see artist headlining the show while you visit.

Food Scene

The Nashville food scene is on FIRE! I am a serious foodie and when I travel, I love to check out the current hottest restaurants and food markets. I want to know where the locals eat! And, if you have 5 Days in Nashville, you can certainly take down each of the restaurants I’ve highlighted below!

Here are my ‘BEST of Nashville Food Scene’ winners:

Best Ribs: HANDS-DOWN, this award goes to Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint.

Y’all. May I just have a moment here? Oh my heavenly stars…the ribs were unlike any ribs I’ve ever had. Nashville ribs are mostly dry-rub, sauce on the side, and Martin’s knows what they are doing! The most tender, best dry rub and best sauces go to these guys!

If I could only pick one meal to eat for the rest of my life, it would be this, people. Do not skip Martin’s.

 

• 

• 

 

BEST Hot Chicken: Hattie B’s

If it’s any indication that Hattie B’s has the best hot chicken in Nashville, let me explain this: there was a line out the door and down the street here, friends. I waited outside in the rain for 1 hour to get into Hattie B’s, then another 20 minutes to order. I was there on a Thursday in the mid-afternoon in October, people!

Just go. Eat their ridiculously amazing fried hot chicken (with whatever level of ‘hot’ suits you), baby red potato salad (which was to-die-for, btw) and their cole slaw. Just go. Get all hot-chickened up and enjoy.

 

• 

• 

 

BEST Sides: Peg Leg Porker

If you don’t mind the feeling that you’re in a military mess hall (and I don’t mind!), then this is your place!

ALL of the food is incredible here: order it up cafeteria-style, find a table, they call your number & VOILA! I ordered ribs everywhere I went and their ribs were outstanding here as well. But, what I really loved were the side dishes! I ordered the baby red potato salad & green beans with ham. Oh. My. Gosh. The green beans with ham. I can’t even here, folks. I could’ve eaten a gallon. In fact, I probably did. Just order them.

 

• 

 

Best Brunch: GimmeSome…Biscuit Love.

You will hear this from others who have visited Nashville that Biscuit Love is where brunch and love happen. And no one is lying here, friends.

I ordered the traditional biscuits & gravy with sauteed spinach along side one of the.very.best cappuccinos I’ve had in my entire life. My friend ordered the biscuit french toast with blueberries. We split our meals so we could both enjoy some sweet n’ savory during the brunch that my dreams are made of.

 

 

Best Coffee & Pastries: Milk & Honey

Need a quick morning cup or an afternoon pick-me-up? Travel no further than The Gulch’s Milk & Honey for the best lattes & pastries in Nashville. The restaurant is beautiful, service is spectacular and their product is insanely delicious!

 

Other Historical Tours:

The Belmont Mansion

If you enjoy learning about American Southern history, women’s history, or Civil War history, a visit to the Belmont Mansion is a great way to spend your time!

 

• 

• 

 

The Belmont Mansion was built as a summer home to one of the wealthiest women in the South during the 1800’s. This architectural marvel is the largest antebellum house in Tennesee and is richly steeped in history.

A tour of the Belmont mansion includes a one hour narrated tour with a historical interpreter. Afterwards, if time allows, you can enjoy a self-guided tour of the grounds around the mansion.

My personal opinion: the Belmont Mansion tour was one of the most interesting tours we took while in Nashville. Our tour interpreter was top-notch! The tour interpretation was detailed and highly enjoyable! Definitely take this in if you have time!

The Carter House

Located just 30 minutes drive time outside of Nashville in Franklin, TN, lies the Carter House. This is where the Battle of Franklin took place.

If you enjoy Civil War history–or even if you think that you don’t–I HIGHLY recommend taking the time to drive out to Franklin (or take an Uber or taxi) to visit the Carter House and take the tour. The Carter House resides on the grounds where the Battle of Franklin occurred. The Battle of Franklin was the deadliest battle of the American Civil War. I don’t consider myself a history buff of any sorts, but I found this tour to be fascinating!

The Classic House Tour at the Carter House is a 60 minute guided house tour with access to the grounds narrated by a highly-qualified historical interpreter. Our tour guide was absolutely phenomenal! From her interpretations of the events that took place on the grounds to her energy during the tour…IT WAS AWESOME and absolutely worth it!

 

• 

• 

‘Junkin’ & ‘Pickin’

Are you an avid DYI’er? Do you enjoy finding other people’s treasures and fixing them up to make them your own? Do you like to go ‘junkin?’

If you answered YES to any of these questions, then do not miss an opportunity to visit the Antique Archaeology store or the Nashville Flea Market, held in October each year.

Antique Archaeology & The American Pickers Store

Do you ever watch the tv show, American Pickers? Well, if you’re a fan of Mike & Frank like my friend and I are, then a visit to the Antique Archaeology Nashville location is just for you! The Nashville location is home to vintage items, collectibles and unique home decor, picked exclusively by Mike from the show! It’s located just a few blocks from downtown, an easy walk from the Honky Tonk Row area.

• 

• 

 

Nashville Flea Market

My friend, Amy, who I traveled to Nashville with, is an avid junker. She can see the beauty in the really ugly! Amy will find a treasure, bring it home & turn it into something that looks like Joanna Gaines created! Since we were in Nashville the weekend of the Nashville Flea Market in October, we had a free morning and Amy told me it would be worth our while to go. She was right! I didn’t purchase anything, but it certainly was entertaining to visit all the booths and see what was for sale! And as for Amy…she bought a vintage minnow bucket and some gardening tools. And no doubt, she will make them look fabulous & find the perfect spot in her country home for them!

Johnny Cash Museum

I think the only way my husband even agreed to let me go on this vacation to Nashville was if I was willing to visit the Johnny Cash Museum for him. Bless him.

Ahahaha, ok, just kidding. But…I did visit the Johnny Cash Museum and buy him a ‘Best of Johnny Cash’ cd and a t-shirt to commemorate my visit there. If you’re into Johnny Cash, and really who doesn’t love an American country music legend like him, then a visit to the museum is most definitely worth it!

Here’s my end advice: If you have 5 days in Nashville, the above mentioned attractions are definitely things you can pack in if you’re an on-the-go-and-avid traveler. If you are a slow traveler, good for you! You may just have to adjust your schedule and pick from the above mentioned attractions for the ones that suit your tastes.

Just remember to pack good walking shoes & your cowboy boots–you’ll definitely get good use out of both!

Hopefully this post about 5 Days in Nashville inspires you to get out and see one of America’s greatest cities! For more travel inspo, check out my other travel posts! From Iceland to Tuscany & beyond…there will surely be a destination that strikes you just right!

Travel Advisor Services

I offer a full service global travel agency in addition to my blog. I would be honored to help you curate the vacation of your dreams! For more information, please contact me:

218-259-7090 or tarahallie@hotmail.com

Until next time…Eat Well. Travel Often. Love Much.

xoxo