Two Days in Nashville Tennessee Itinerary: A Weekend Getaway to the Music City
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Looking to spend a weekend in Nashville Tennessee? Here is a sample two days in Nashville itinerary!
Nashville, Tennessee is probably one of the popular cities on the East Coast of the United States to visit! Nashville is popular for people of all ages and interests including families, country-music fans, couples, birthday getaways, and interestingly bachelorette parties (they’re everywhere).
It’s an incredibly unique city because the tourist area is built around a culture of music. Whether you’re from the area or out of state, Nashville makes for a great weekend getaway. Thes best part is, you can easily experience the top things to do in Nashville over the course of two or three days, but you’ll want to keep going back for more music!
With its rich country music history, honky-tonks, live music, and museums, there are so many things to do in Nashville. A weekend in Nashville is great because Nashville makes you feel like there isn’t care or stress in the world! Here is your guide to planning two days in Nashville!
Getting around Nashville is quite easy by either driving or taking an Uber. However, parking can be expensive. A hop-on-hop-off trolley tour of Nashville can help with transportation in Nashville!
Weekend in Nashville Itinerary: Must-Have Experiences in Nashville
If you’re planning a weekend trip to Nashville and you’ve never been to the city before, you have to spend at least one day checking off the Nashville bucket list. In this weekend in Nashville itinerary, we have the “must-have experiences” planned for the first day so in case you don’t get to them all, you’ll have time on your second day for them!
For your first day in Nashville, start off in downtown Nashville (Broadway!) to explore some of the best sites and then continue onto the Grand Ole Opry to end your day! During the first day, you’ll get the top things to do in Nashville crossed off your list!
Walk Across the Pedestrian Bridge and View of the City
We love getting a beautiful view of the city skylines wherever we go! To see the skyline in Nashville, walk across the John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge that spans the Cumberland River. This bridge takes you right to the riverfront park and in front of the Tenessee Titan’s stadium. Here, you’ll get an amazing view of the city skyline!
Tour the Ryman Auditorium
After you get some beautiful views of the city, head back over to Broadway for more tourist shots of the famous street!
The Ryman Auditorium was the original home of the Grand Ole Opry, prior to the construction of the modernized Opry House. The Ryman was originally built as a place for people to preach and worship. When you look around the theater you can see the architectural influences that come from churches.
In 1892, the Union Gospel Tabernacle (The Ryman’s name at the time) opened as a place of worship. Over time, non-religious events like musicians and lectures were hosted at the auditorium thanks to Lula Naff, the second manager of the Ryman who kept it open and running. The Ryman then became home to the Grand Ole Opry for many years, before it was relocated to its present location outside of Nashville. Unfortunately, the Ryman’s grandeur started to fad as acts went elsewhere and changes in ownership. Thanks to the Nashville community, the Ryman was saved from years of natural decay and neglect. Today, the Ryman hosts shows and tours.
Personally, we enjoyed our visit to the Ryman more than the Grand Ole Opry House because of the interesting history associated with it! It truly was a one-of-a-kind performance venue!
Visit Grand Ole Opry House and do the Backstage Tour
As we said, the Grand Ole Opry as we know it today is located at the Grand Ole Opry House in Opryland, a short 20-minute drive from downtown Nashville. We recommend spending your morning in downtown Nashville and then the afternoon at Opryland because you will be driving out of downtown.
The Opryhouse is located next to the Gaylord Opryland and the mall Oprymills. The new Opryhouse was opened in 1974 and the Opry has been hosted there ever since. The only exception is during Christmastime and special events where the Opry is hosted at the Ryman!
At the Grand Ole Opry House, you can get a tour of backstage and see where your favorite artists get ready for a show. The tour was very fun and made you feel like you were part of the show. The Grand Ole Opry House offers packages for special occasions!
See an Opry Show
If you’re planning a trip to Nashville in general, you have to plan your trip around seeing a Grand Ole Opry Show. These famous shows are only hosted on certain days of the week, usually on Friday and Saturdays! If you want to see the show in action, you have to visit over a weekend.
On your second day in Nashville, consider spending the day learning about the world of country music. Start off slightly outside of downtown at Centennial Park, then visit Music Row to learn all about music recording. Then move to downtown where you can visit the Country Music Hall of Fame and listen to country music at the honky-tonks on Broadway.
Awe at the Parthenon in Centennial Park
Want to see a bit of Greek history without crossing the pond? Visit the Parthenon in Nashville! Located in Centennial Park, the Parthenon is a life-size replica of the original in Greece. The Nashville Parthenon was constructed in 1897 as part of the Centennial Celebration and rebuilt with more sturdy materials in 1920, as it was originally supposed to be temporary.
In addition to the Parthenon, Centennial Park features a small lake, trials, and memorial to the suffrage movement in Nashville.
Learn about Country Music Recording in Music Row
Contrary to what the name leads you to believe, Music Row is not where all the bars and honky-tonks are! That’s Broadway. Music Row is where many of the country music recording studios and radio shows are located in Nashville. This historic district is home to RCA’s famed Studio B and Studio A, where hundreds of notable and famous musicians have recorded.
Where to Eat in Nashville: Lunch at Hattie B’s Hot Chicken
Before heading downtown, grab some lunch near Music Row! Hattie B’s changed our lives. I don’t think we could ever get fried chicken from somewhere else ever again! Hattie B’s, a local hot fried chicken joint is one of the most popular places to eat. Here, you’ll experience true southern cooking. Be warned, the lines at Hattie B’s can be very long, but honestly, it’s totally worth the wait! And when the menu says the hot sauce is hot, it’s really hot!
The original Hattie B’s Hot Chicken opened in Midtown Nashville on August 9, 2012. Hattie B’s began as a restaurant owned by the Bishop family and is named after three women in the family with the name Hattie. Hence Hattie B’s! Today, it’s a small local chain.
During our visit to Hattie B’s, we got the fried chicken sandwich and the pimento mac n’ cheese. It was amazing!
Country Music Hall of Fame
Like the Rock n Roll Hall of Hame, The Country Music Hall of Fame is dedicated to the famous artists of its genre. At the Country Music Hall of Fame, you can learn all about the history of country music and its legends.
Listen to Music on Broadway
Of all of the things do in Nashville, you must listen to music at the bars on Broadway during your two days in Nashville. Broadway is the famous few blocks of Nashville with all the bars and live music! There is music live music pretty much all day and into the early hours of the morning.
Tootsies Orchid Longue with its purple exterior and photograph-covered walls is the most famous honky-tonk on Broadway, and certainly the busiest because of its fame. Requesting a song at Tootsies will cost you about $20, which is expensive compared to other bars on Broadway.
Quite honestly, anywhere you go along Broadway is going to have music, (a little overpriced) drinks, and a lively atmosphere. It’s a matter of taking your pick. Many famous artists and bands have their own bars, like the Jason Aldean Rooftop Bar.
Where to Stay in Nashville
Nashville is expensive. Let’s be honest. Finding a hotel is probably the hardest part if you’re looking for a deal. If you don’t care what you’re paying, you won’t have a problem. For us on our college student budget, we stayed at an Airbnb about a mile from Broadway. VRBO is also a great option! The apartment was located in one of the historic buildings near Music Row! The location was super convenient because it was a cheap Uber ride from all the bars.
Practical Information for Planning Your Weekend Getaway to Nashville
When we visited Nashville, we were on an East Coast road trip, so we drove to the city. Nashville was very driveable and easy to get around. Uber and Lyft were readily available. The one downside of driving in Nashville is paying for parking can be expensive.
Nashville also has a major airport just outside of the city so it’s easy to fly into if you’re not visiting by car! Many of the attractions and things to do mentioned in this post are centrally located around Broadway and Music Row, so walking is possible.
Who’s ready to plan their weekend in Nashville?! Happy planning!
