Can I first start by saying how the heck did it take us so long to visit Nashville in the first place?! This was our first time in the city and it was so much fun… I absolutely get the hype! So much charisma, talent, great eats, and more packed into one place. We had such a great time and I can’t wait to go back again some day!
One thing I love about Nashville is that it’s completely do-able to see a ton of the city in such a short amount of time. I mean we were only there for about 48 hours but we had a great time and felt like we got a good feel for the city while we visited.
I thought I would break down our stay for those also looking for a quick weekend getaway. Where we stayed, ate, played, and more! Obviously a trip to Nashville can look very different for different people. Some people go to Nash for Bachelorette parties, some go for a chill music-filled weekend, others go with a group of girls/ guys… so your trip might look slightly different than a trip with my husband did! I tried to include details about each spot that should help you determine if it’s right for you and your group!
Where we Stayed
We ended up staying at The Westin Nashville. It was a great stay! I recommend requesting an upper floor with a city view- we did not do this and felt like we missed out! The hotel has a great outdoor balcony area/ outdoor pool. The outdoor pool is currently closed but looks so nice for when it opens back up to the public again.
The only thing I will say about selecting a hotel in downtown Nashville is make sure you find a hotel that is extremely central so that you don’t have to spend too much on Ubers! The Westin was pretty central but I think if we re-visited we would choose something slightly closer to the action since we walked everywhere!
Other hotels in the area I would recommend:
- The J.W. Marriott (next to the Westin)- we stopped in here for a nightcap and loved the lobby area
- The Joseph (luxury hotel that looks incredible)
- The Omni- close to the action!
- The Virgin Hotel- always a safe bet!
Where we Ate
Friday:
Liberty Common (lunch): this was such a cute spot! I LOVED the aesthetic here- so cute, trendy, and great for a photo-op. We both ordered the Nashville hot chicken on a biscuit and it was incredible! Definitely recommend getting some hot chicken at least once while you’re visiting the city since that’s what they’re known for!
Note: they were not listed on open table so we didn’t make a reservation. Before we left the hotel Zach put our name on the list via their website and were told to arrive around 2pm. We got there slightly earlier thinking we might be able to get in but ended up waiting for a table for 45+ min. past our seating time. Definitely our fault for not checking their personal website. I recommend calling them first thing in the morning to get on the list. I also recommend ordering quickly upon sitting down because it took a LONG time to get our food.
Marsh House Restaurant (dinner): loved this little spot for dinner! This restaurant is located in the Thompson Hotel and it’s got such a fun vibe to it. The menu is slightly limited but the food was great. I ordered the garlic scallops and it was fab! I really loved the area this restaurant was located in “The Gulch.” It gave me uptown Dallas vibes and was just a neat area. If we go back I’d like to spend more time in this area over visiting the Broadway area.
Funny story: Zach and I arrived just before happy hour was ending (7pm) so we decided to grab a quick drink and decided on a glass of champagne… we didn’t read the description very well however and we were served champagne BONGS!! Too funny. Not exactly what we had in mind but we enjoyed the champagne and got a good laugh out of it so definitely worth it.
Saturday:
The Hampton Social (brunch): a must- stop spot for bachelorette parties and by far the cutest spot we dined all weekend! It’s a good thing that this place is HUGE (several stories of available tables) because it was jam-packed full of bride squads. My favorite thing about this spot were the drinks. They have an extensive drink menu and everything we tried was amazing! The food was great too- I ordered the lobster roll and it did not disappoint. The service was extremely quick which was also appreciated.
Merchants (dinner): we wanted a more casual dinner for night #2 so we dined in the bistro on the first floor of Merchants. This restaurant is a two-story located right in the center of Broadway: first story is cute/casual bistro and the second story is a nicer steakhouse. We ate our weight in tater tots (a must) and the drinks were pretty good. I’d recommend this spot if you love people-watching like we do. We sat next to the window and watched all the Broadway-action happening outside so it was entertaining. Food wise I ordered a salad and it was sub-par. Would probably grab an app and a drink here next time before dinner elsewhere.
Where we want to eat next time:
- Hattie B’s: apparently the #1 spot to grab some Nashville hot chicken! The line was consistently out the door so we definitely want to try this spot next time! Located right in the center of Broadway.
- Etch
- Pinewood Social
- Butchertown Hall
- Biscuit Love
- The Mockingbird
Things to Do
- Walk around Broadway St.- definitely a sight to see! Reminded us both of 6th Street in Austin, TX. Lots of Honkey Tonk bars with live music, people-watching, and flowing beer. Fun to sit back and listen to the talented musicians and watch the party buses/ tractors/ etc. drive back and forth.
- Visit the Music City Hall of Fame- we definitely want to come back to do this! The time slots were lacking when we wanted to visit + I believe things are different due to the pandemic (shorter tours perhaps? We didn’t confirm so I cannot confirm that). We regret not stopping in through and want to visit next time.
- Grab drinks + do a moonshine tasting at Ole Smokey Moonshine Distillery- such a fun little casual spot! Definitely put your name down as far in advance as possible for a moonshine tasting because it fills up quick! This would be the perfect spot for a group of friends to hang out, play some outdoor games, and drink some beer.
- Visit the Cheekwood gardens- this is a ways out of Nashville so we didn’t get to do this but it looks beautiful! Would be a great spot for professional photos!
- Grab drinks at a hotel bar- we grabbed drinks at the J.W. Marriott and loved the vibe there! Super moody and romantic and a great spot for a nightcap or a drink before dinner reservations
- Grab drinks at Oak Steakhouse- the food looked amazing here! Zach and I grabbed a drink before dinner one night and it was a great bar spot! I ordered an espresso martini and it was delish.
- Bachelorette/ bachelor parties- absolutely rent a party bus for a few hours! They had so many variations: some were tractors, some had full size hot tubs on them, some were literal tanks… so crazy but looked so fun! It’s a must-do if you’re in Nash.
All in all we had a great time visiting Nash and cannot wait to return! Did I miss any crucial Nashville spots in my post?! Let me know in the comments so I can add them to my to-do list for the next time I’m in town!
Xox, Lauryn