Looking for a Nashville itinerary to help you maximize your time in the city? Welcome to the right spot! When you think of Nashville, the following comes to mind: country music, cowboy boots, and bachelorette parties. We participated in none of those, so stick around if those don’t interest you. Before sharing the itinerary though, let’s talk about how I, a non country music lover, even ended up in Nashville in the first place.
How Did We End Up in Nashville?
Fun Fact 1: My birthday falls on Valentine’s Day.
Fun Fact 2: Starting in 2020 (unbeknownst the pandemic would have an impact that it currently does), I decided to intentionally take a birthday trip every year on my actual birthday.
Enter the questions feature on Instagram Stories. Last year, I asked my audience where they recommended to go for my birthday trip. I received so many great options. My top pick – Napa Valley. My cousin lives out in California and her birthday is exactly one week after mine. Why not just do a combined birthday trip, celebrating in wine country? Sounds like a dream, right?! Well, the dream still lives on (or does it??) as you probably guessed – we didn’t make it to Napa.
Napa to Nashville??
Long story short: my cousin was on the East Coast visiting family and then had a wedding to attend in March. It didn’t make sense for her to take so many flights between the two coasts. So we decided to choose another location from the options that wouldn’t be too far for either of us.
Enter Nashville. Multiple people suggested the city, and honestly, I would have never even thought of it as an option. Unimpressed, my cousin told me no, she wouldn’t be joining the trip. She ultimately changed her mind and decided to come to see what the city offered. Skeptical that we would enjoy the city; however, we went with open minds and excited to travel together.
Nashville Itinerary
Only a 3.5 hour drive from Atlanta, Nashville proves to be a perfect weekend getaway option for some fun. From interactive museums, to creating our own candy “bar”, to learning Black history, and so much more, this trip turned into one for the books. If you’re like me and thought Nashville was only about country music, let me set you straight. The city may be the capital of country, but the history embedded into the fabric of Nashville weaves a dynamic and powerful story. We packed A LOT into this Nashville itinerary.
Day 1
Taking a half day from work, I drove the 3.5 hours from Atlanta straight to the airport to pick up my cousin. From there, we hit the ground running! We knew we wanted to maximize our time in the city and we were thankful that we thought to plan out our Nashville itinerary ahead of time.
Parthenon
Did you know the city has a life-size replica of the Parthenon? Prior to this trip, I knew one existed in Greece, but not in Tennessee! With a $10 entrance fee, I think the museum is worth checking out. Not only does it feature the history of the building, it also houses an art exhibit. The exhibit at the time, Kindred Links by Omari Booker and Henry L. Jones, highlighted the injustices experienced by Black and Brown people in the city. With pieces being constructed on doors, windows, and even drawers, the creativity shown throughout. On the top level, it’s all about the Greeks with a 40-foot statue of Athena immediately capturing the attention of visitors.
Nashville Witness Walls
A free public art installment, these Walls remind us of the sacrifices of leaders before us. They showcase moments of history, with the intention that we bear witness to those who had the incredible courage for sit-ins and marches to speak against racial inequality. Such a powerful piece in the city.
Slim & Husky’s
A Black-owned, Nashville-based pizzeria, this joint is definitely worth a stop. With orders placed at the counter “subway style”, it’s easy to create a unique pizza or choose from one of their popular options. They come in two sizes, slim (12′) or husky (16′), and they have a variety of drizzling sauces to top the pizza. I say skip the cinnamon rolls they also offer, and savor the pizza instead!
Day 2
Our first full day warranted a downtown Nashville type of vibe! Although we didn’t only venture downtown, our itinerary found us exploring various parts of the city and we had a blast doing so.
Big Bad Breakfast
An assuming building filled with deliciousness. Park at the Burger King across the street if no spots are available in the small lot in front. We ordered the Creole Omelette, the Redneck Benny, and the French Toast. The only thing we probably wouldn’t order again were the lattes. Everything else was delicious!
National Museum of African American Music
If I had to name the best museum I’ve ever visited, this might be number one. Interactive throughout, the museum showcases the evolution of music throughout different time periods in the United States. It was so cool to learn how music played such an instrumental role in our history and to see it evolve from room to room. The interactive aspects were so much fun, and we could save them and send them to our email. Highly recommend checking this out on your next trip to Nashville.
John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge
Parking in the R lot of the Nissan Stadium is free, unless an event is taking place at the stadium. This is one of the longest pedestrian bridges in the world.
Frothy Monkey
To warm ourselves up, we headed to a super cute coffee shop with fun drink flavor options. We got there just as they were getting ready for their dinner service, so we had to get our coffees to go, but we really enjoyed the vibe.
I Believe in Nashville Mural
On the same strip as Frothy Monkey and dinner, we stumbled upon the ‘I Believe in Nashville’ mural, so of course we had to grab a shot! This iconic art piece is situated in an obscure location, and there wasn’t anyone there when we passed by. As we were there in the evening, I’m not sure how many people are waiting to snap their picture there during the daytime.
Edley’s BBQ
Within walking distance of the coffeehouse, Edley’s was a good choice for dinner. We ordered the brisket platter with collard greens, potato salad, and macaroni & cheese. As neither of us were that hungry, we decided to split the meal and it was the perfect amount of us. They have indoor seating and screened in patio seating, and it’s a dog-friendly restaurant.
Illusionist at Dirty Little Secret
To end the night, we headed to Printers Alley. There’s a parking garage, but phew – take it from me and just Uber there. I was so nervous driving through that garage that my car wasn’t going to be able to squeeze around some of the turns, and I had to do like a 8.5 transition, just to get my car into a tiny spot. Aside from that, we were glad we found this show to attend! We were mind blown with the various magic performed, and it was a fun and unique experience. Printers Alley also has a plethora of food, drink, and experience options throughout the area, so if this particular thing is not for you, there are other things to check out!
Day 3
Although we started our day off in the city, our Nashville itinerary found us exploring the surrounding area and learning about rich history most do not know.
Breakfast at La Grange
Located in the Hyatt, this breakfast spot was the perfect way to kick off our day. It’s close to downtown and they offer free valet parking for up to two hours, as long as they ticket is validated by the restaurant. We opted for the breakfast buffet and got to sample so much!
Goo Goo Cluster Factory
The place to create the first combination candy bar is located downtown. We chose the chocolate class experience, creating our own uniquely designed chocolate cluster and learning the history of the factory. It was such a new experience that I had never done before, and I was nervous it was going to be too thick and too sweet. When I finally did eat it, it was so good! I want to go back and make another.
Uncle Nearest Distillery
About an hour drive away from downtown Nashville, the iconic Uncle Nearest Green Distillery can be found. History is rarely shared accurately, but this distillery is helping the truth come to light. Join a tour to not only sample whiskey, but also learn about Nathan “Nearest” Green, his contributions to the whiskey world, his influence on Jack Daniel’s, and so much more!
Arrington Vineyards
On the way back to Nashville from the distillery, we had to stop by this winery. The grounds are a lot bigger than we originally realized, and it’s a great place to come and relax with friends. Bring your own picnic though, as the prices for snacks are pretty hefty.
PennePazze
A recommendation from our new friend, Austin, this spot is owned and ran by two brothers from Italy. Simple, fresh ingredients always make for a delicious meal! Located in the L & L Market, PennePazze is just one of many options in this food hall. From lunch and dinner spots, to bakery and shopping stores, this marketplace is bound to have something for everyone in the group!
Day 4
Our last day, which was my birthday, was spent mostly exploring The Gulch and what it had to offer. The only thing we had planned on our Nashville itinerary was the photographer; everything else came to be by being open-minded and flexible with our plans.
Biscuit Love
We started off the day with the best biscuits possibly known to man. How to make them soft and buttery, with just a little crunch – I don’t know. A big shoutout to our Nashville friend, Austin for pointing us in this direction. Make sure you check them out next time you’re in Nashville!
PhotoWalk Nashville
We explored The Gulch with a photoshoot by PhotoWalk Nashville, ran by Christy. She captured out pictures against several iconic Nashville murals and landmarks, including the world renowned Nashville wings! The group we were with was super fun and we all shared recommendations in the area to check out. Make sure to hit up Christy during your next trip to Nashville. You can book the photoshoot via Airbnb Experiences, or directly on her site.
Kittenish
We stopped by this store to grab a few pictures because they have great photo ops in there. We left the store with more bags than when we walked in haha. The shop is super cute, and the employees are super nice and helpful. There are clothes, accessories, and trinkets to buy. I left with sunglasses, a jacket, and perfume.
Mural Hunting
We spent time checking out more murals in the area (there are A LOT). It’s fun to see the artistic talent people have and for it be displayed publicly for all to enjoy.
Hawkers
We ate dinner here, ordering a variety of options for the table. Everything we had was delicious, including the drinks. And of course the only thing I remembered to take a picture of was the drinks. Hahaha the food was so good, I couldn’t wait to dig in!
Fairlane Pop Up Bar
We ended the night checking out the Alice & Wonderland themed bar. It as so cutely decorated. From the moment you stepped off the elevator, to the ‘Drink Me’ shots, to the decor covering every inch of the space, we definitely felt transported to the fairytale. It’s not always Alice & Wonderland themed though – it depends on when you go there, what kind of décor you will see.
The End of the Nashville Itinerary
Nashville is a vibe! We had a complete plan of action to tackle the city, but we were also open to recommendations from the people we encountered along the way. Research is so important when visiting a destination, but so is flexibility! Being open to deviating from the plan allowed us to hit up spots we didn’t originally find. I’ll definitely be back to visit the city sometime. Although we did a lot, I feel there is still more to be discovered. And for those who don’t like country music – don’t worry. With plenty to see, do, and experience that has absolutely nothing to do with the music genre, an amazing time awaits.
As always, thank you for taking the time to read. Hopefully you find this Nashville itinerary to be useful in planning your own trip to the city. Let me know if you have any questions; always happy to help where I can!