Written and Photographed by Whitney O’Halek
Nashville is the one spot on seemingly everybody’s must-visit list. Home to the Grand Ole Opry and Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, visitors are often surprised that it’s also the place to find American history, art, and a full-scale Parthenon with a statue of Athena inside. Here are the top 10 things to do in Nashville. Some of them may surprise you.
Be sure to download your free PDF copy of Top 10 Things to do in Nashville, Tennessee by clicking here. Join in on the fun as Randy, Caly and Whitney talk about Nashville on the RVD Podcast by clicking here!
10. Get Your Picture With the “WhatLiftsYou” Mural – You’ll find this famous mural in the trendy Gulch neighborhood, at the front of the long line of people on 11th Avenue South. Go early to avoid the long line, especially on weekends. It’s arguably Nashville’s most famous mural, along with the tiny one next to it for furry friends.
9. See Two Forts From Two Different Centuries – Nashville’s history goes back to the late 1700s, and Fort Nashborough has been here since close to the beginning. Built in 1780 by James Robertson, it was strategically located on the banks of the Cumberland River, where its remnants still stand today. Visitors can explore the fort for free, just a few blocks off Broadway.
The second fort is far newer and just outside of downtown. Fort Negley dates to the Civil War, but you might be surprised to find that it was a Union fort. It was built after the Battle of Nashville, while Tennessee’s capital city was held by the Union Army. Visitors today can go inside the star-shaped fort to learn more and to catch one of the best views of downtown Nashville from a distance.
8. Stroll Through Bicentennial Mall State Park – Opened when Tennessee celebrated its 200th anniversary of statehood in 1996, this state park is one of the most popular outdoor spaces in the city. Visitors to the 11-acre park will find an intimate outdoor music venue, a World War II Memorial, a massive granite map of the state, and a greenspace to walk around. While at it, take a couple of hours to explore the Tennessee State Museum adjacent to the mall.
7. Tour Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage – Once the governor of Tennessee, seventh president Andrew Jackson made his home just east of Nashville at the Hermitage. He and his wife, Rachel, lived here before his presidency, and Jackson retired afterward, too. It’s now a house museum and National Historic Landmark, open for tours Thursday through Tuesday.
6. Explore the Frist Art Museum – Originally a grand, art deco-style post office in the 1930s, this building became the Frist Art Museum in 2001. This museum is unique because it’s not a collecting museum, meaning it has no permanent collections, only temporary ones. Their focus is on creating new exhibits and hosting traveling exhibitions. Fun fact: It’s also still a post office.
5. Visit the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum – When in Music City, you’ll have to embrace the music. While Nashville is more than just country music, it is what made the city world famous. The Music City Hall of Fame and Museum is one of the largest museums in the world, but it goes beyond the inductees. You can also visit several in-depth exhibits, attend live events, and sign up for music workshops. Located right downtown and designed to look like a piano, you can’t miss it.
4. Tour the Ryman Auditorium – The Ryman Auditorium has a history going back to the 1890s. Since then, the venue has been home to graduation ceremonies, plays, religious conventions, lectures, weddings, debates, church services, veterans’ reunions, and more. Some of the most notable performers through Ryman’s history include John Philip Sousa, Teddy Roosevelt, the Imperial Russian Ballet, and—believe it or not—Harry Houdini.
Visitors today can take a self-guided tour any day of the week or pay a little extra for one of their specialty tours. Want to attend a show? Check out their website to see who’s performing while you’re in town.
3. Go Inside the Parthenon in Centennial Park – What is now Centennial Park was the site of the Tennessee Centennial Exposition in 1897. Many elaborate structures were built for the celebration, but the Parthenon and its larger-than-life Athena statue were preserved. The land around the Parthenon became Centennial Park, and its creation prompted a movement for more green spaces in Nashville, which people still enjoy every day.
Today, you’ll find a museum inside that showcases local art and artifacts from the 1897 International Exposition. Locals and tourists both like to enjoy the park and visit the Parthenon.
2. Experience the Music on Broadway – Music is why so many people come to Music City. The Wild Horse Saloon, Tootsies, Kid Rock’s Honky Tonk, and more bars on Broadway are all fun, famous places to see and listen to local talent. However, just walking up or down Broadway can be music to your ears. Not only can you hear it coming from every bar and restaurant, but you’ll also hear it on every street corner and beyond from local hopefuls trying to get a record deal. You never know when you might listen to the next prominent artist just before being discovered.
1. Take in the Views from the Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge – One of the most pleasant and peaceful things to do in Nashville is just steps from downtown, with a riverside view. Initially opened in 1909 to connect downtown and East Nashville, the bridge was closed to vehicular traffic in 1998 and then re-opened as a pedestrian bridge at the same time it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. In 2014, the bridge was renamed for John Siegenthaler, a Nashville journalist and author. Why? While reporting for The Tennessean, he once talked a man out of jumping from the bridge in the 1950s.
Are you ready to make Nashville your next destination? These top 10 things are the best starting point for you.
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