What to eat, where to go and things to do in Nashville. Check out my complete guide for a weekend in Nashville!
Nashville’s one of those cities that I knew I’d like before I’d ever even been. But I finally went for the first time back in October—my college friends and I (casually 17 in total) planned a weekend girl’s trip and had the BEST time exploring and eating and drinking our way through the city.
We found an amazing, massive Airbnb that somehow fit all of us, booked a pedal tavern, packed our cowboy boots and had a full-on bachelorette party weekend minus the bachelorette.
A few tips for big groups: Since there was a shortage of restaurants who could take a reservation that large, we did dinner on Friday night at The Stillery. It was perfect for a bigger group, had great food and cocktails, plus they had live music during dinner! We booked a private chef to come to the Airbnb on Saturday night to cook dinner for everyone. Highly recommend! It ended up being super affordable split between several people and there were leftovers for DAYS. It was also great because people could get ready at their own pace (key when there are three bathrooms for 17 girls) and hang out and eat before going out (plus, we saved on drinks by picking up wine and stuff for cocktails at the grocery store beforehand.)
I’ve been back to Nashville a few times since then and these are a few of my favorite places to go and things to do!
Where to Eat
Proper Bagel: Grab a vanilla bean latte and an order of avocado toast at this Instagram-worthy bagel shop near Belmont’s campus. You’ll also find bagel sandwiches, salads and plenty of vegan and gluten-free breakfast and lunch options here.
Pancake Pantry: There’s always a line, but it’s so worth the wait. The pancakes are obviously amazing (go for the sweet potato or banana bread ‘cakes), but the hashbrowns are everything. Do yourself a favor and get both.
Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint: If you’re not trying to wait in line at Hattie B’s, try Martin’s for ribs, mac & cheese and a drink in the beer garden, where you can play ping pong, darts and shuffleboard.
Photo courtesy of Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint
Tavern: Always a good spot for a #BachelorNation sighting, Tavern is a must-visit for a fun boozy brunch or dinner before a night out at the bars in Midtown (head across the street to Red Door or walk down to Winners or Losers).
Photos courtesy of Tavern
Fenwick’s 300: Check out this diner for a quick bite on your way out of town. Sunday brunch is served all day (grab a Bongo Java coffee or latte from the coffee bar, and you can’t go wrong with the blueberry pancakes or breakfast tacos).
What to Do
Walk Radnor Lake State Park: Hike the 3-mile Lake Trail or run the Otter Creek Road Trail—plenty of turtle sightings and photo ops here. It can get super busy on the weekends and parking is limited, so save this for a weekday if you’re in town on a Friday or Monday.
Photo courtesy of Tennessee State Parks
Rooftop drinks at Acme Feed & Seed: Whether you’re on a pedal tavern break or day drinking on Broadway, order a round of moonshine slushies up on the rooftop.
Photo courtesy of Acme Feed & Seed (also pictured above)
Check out Pinewood Social: Go for a swim, play bocce ball or bowl a few games, grab a drink and stay for dinner at Pinewood Social. Think Nashville’s version of Soho House but you don’t need to be a member.
Pop into The Impeccable Pig: This is my FAVORITE boutique to stop into when I’m in Nashville! It’s a great place to pick up a cute dress or romper for the weekend, big floppy hat or cute new accessories. You can also find little gift-y items like Volcano candles and clutches.
Tour the Corsair Brewstillery: Whether you’re a beer or a whiskey drinker, you’ll find both at this Nashville brewstillery. For $10 you’ll get the tour, a glass to take home and plenty of barrel-aged beer and malt-based whiskey samples. (PSA: The cocktails look amazing and you can find recipes on their Facebook page.)
Photo courtesy of Corsair Distillery
Shop American Threads: Stop by this Edgehill boutique for cool graphic tees, easy-to-throw-on dresses and rompers, denim and more. Stock up on Amuse Society, Show Me Your Mumu and For Love & Lemons here.
Walk the John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge: So the bridge is actually super short and only takes like 10 minutes to walk across, but this is something fun to do near Broadway and has a great view of the river and the Nashville skyline!
And don’t forget to stop by the I Believe in Nashville mural for a picture on your way out!
What are your Nashville favorites? Comment below and let me know!
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