The Ultimate Nashville Bucket List

Experience the best of Music City with our ultimate Nashville bucket list. From legendary music venues and historical sites to trendy neighborhoods and outdoor activities, we cover all that makes Nashville a top destination for travelers. Don’t miss a beat; let us guide you through the heart and soul of Nashville.

  • Live on the Green music festival – weekly free concerts on Thursdays at the end of each summer that culminates in a weekend long festival in front of the Nashville courthouse
  • Arrington Vineyards – 20 minutes outside of downtown is the most romantic vineyard perfect for dates or weekend family outings. Bring your own food and purchase a bottle or flight of wine and lounge with one of the best sights in Nashville.
  • Franklin, TN – only a 30 minute drive from downtown is the historic town of Franklin. Stroll Main Street or participate in one of the town’s many festivals throughout the year. You will feel like you have gone back in time, and you’ll love every second.
  • Musician’s Corner – every Saturday in the summer in Centennial Park enjoy free music from up and coming musicians while lounging in the grass and noshing of food truck fare
  • Shakespeare in the Park – various schedule each summer. Enjoy some of your favorite plays under twinkling lights and the stars on a breezy summer night.
  • Art crawl – the first Saturday of every month brings the downtown art crawl. Enjoy free drinks and a myriad of masterpieces all while enjoying the nightlife downtown
  • Farmers market – spend a weekend morning trying artisanal snacks and goods while enjoying the fresh air
  • Predators hockey game – we were Stanley Cup finalists in 2017 so a hockey game is sure to excite
  • Many coffee shops – looking for a caffeine high or to get some work done? Nashville has the hippest, coziest coffee shops in the country
  • Tennessee Titans football game at Nissan Park. Need I say more?
  • Cummins Falls – just a few hours from downtown, enjoy a day full of hiking, sunbathing, and swimming at this beautiful waterfall
  • Jack Daniels distillery – tour the historic distillery and revel in those free samples
  • Yazoo Brewery – my favorite brewery in Nashville. The tour guides are hilarious and you can see that the company is growing faster than expected.
  • Spot a celebrity – but remember the Nashville rules… we do NOT harass artists!
  • Cheer on the Nashville Sounds at one of their baseball games and grab a drink at any of the local Germantown neighborhood pubs before or after
  • Sing your heart out for karaoke at Wannabees or Lonnie’s
  • Visit the Frist Center for the Visual Arts on a first Friday when admission is free and includes concerts
  • Spend a warm summer evening listening to your favorite bands at Ascend Amphitheater with the best view of the Nashville skyline
  • Ryman Auditorium – the “Mother Church” of music. Enjoy one of your bands in the most acoustically pleasing venue in the world while sitting in historical pew.
  • Brave the honky tonks on Broadway
  • Bluebird Cafe – one of the most famous music venues in Nashville. Get in line early for a surprise lineup of singers and songwriters. You never know what celebrities just might crash the session.
  • Grand Ole Opry – be a part of music history and jam to some good ol country music featuring surprise guests
  • Exit/In – see up and coming acts in this small venue that has been threatened to be torn down multiple times do to gentrification. Long live Exit/In!
  • Marathon Village – learn about the history of Nashville’s automobile industry and do some light shopping at this industrial indoor mall
  • Cheekwood Botanical Gardens – go during the winter holidays for an amazing display of lights or during Fall for the harvest decorations
  • Oktoberfest – yearly festival in Germantown with food, rides, music, and plenty of beer
  • Attend the Country Music Awards to see your favorite artists in one place in person
  • Visit Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage – if your lucky and go on a Saturday you can witness vintage baseball
  • Belle Meade Plantation – Learn about the important history of the grounds and the people who built this city and sustained these great homes
  • Pedal Tavern – grab nine other friends and hop on a pedal tavern to traverse the city while drinking and listening to music
  • See a show at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center downtown to make sure you stay up to date with all other performances other than honky tonk sets
  • Listen to masterful pieces of music at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center, and if you can, get tickets to their special Valentine’s Day date night or movie specials
  • Experience a live Rocky Horror Picture Show at the Belcourt Theater on Halloween
  • Adventure Science Center – go during adult nights to enjoy the science like a kid but drink like an adult
  • See an Inebriated Shakespeare show in Centennial Park – yes, the actors are inebriated, and you should be too!