Nashville 3-Day Cheat Sheet

Read this on the plane.

BroadwayThe strip with the honky tonks. Touristy and loud. Walk it once, then leave for better neighborhoods.
NeighborhoodsThe Gulch is upscale. East Nashville is indie. 12 South is shopping. Germantown is food. Midtown is between downtown and Vanderbilt.
BYOB TennesseeYou bring your own drinks on pedal taverns and party buses.
Hot ChickenA local thing, not a chain thing. Eat it here, not at home.
RidesUber, Lyft, and Waymo all run downtown. Waymo is cheapest at peak hours.

Day 1

Arrival and Broadway

Morning: Biscuits

Biscuit Love (The Gulch) for the famous bonuts. Get there before 10am.

Or Loveless Cafe (Bellevue) if you have a car. Iconic biscuits and country ham.

Lunch: Hot Chicken

Hattie B's on Charlotte Pike. Mild is hotter than you think. Try medium.

Or Prince's Hot Chicken (East Nashville). The original. Walk-in.

Afternoon: Museum or Music Row

Country Music Hall of Fame for the legend stuff.

Or RCA Studio B tour for where Elvis and Dolly recorded.

Dinner: Broadway

Husk for upscale Southern in a historic mansion.

Or Pinewood Social if you want food plus bowling.

Night: Honky Tonk Crawl

Tootsie's, Robert's Western World, Legends Corner. All on Lower Broadway, all free music.

End at Acme Feed and Seed rooftop for skyline views.

Day 2

Local Nashville

Morning: Brunch in 12 South

Burger Up, Frothy Monkey, or Edley's BBQ for breakfast tacos.

Walk 12 South: Draper James, Imogene + Willie, the I Believe in Nashville mural.

Afternoon: Distillery Tour

Nelson's Green Brier (downtown). Whiskey tour and tasting.

Or Corsair Distillery (Marathon Village). Smaller, weirder spirits.

Evening: Dinner in East Nashville

Folk for wood-fired pizza. Margot Cafe for refined French. Two Ten Jack for ramen.

Night: Live Music Outside Broadway

Bluebird Cafe (Green Hills) for songwriter rounds. Reservations required, book ahead.

The Ryman Auditorium for whoever is touring. The Mother Church.

Station Inn (The Gulch) for bluegrass. Cash only, tiny, magical.

Day 3

Deep Cuts and Departure

Morning: Photo Spots

The What Lifts You wings mural (The Gulch). Painted angel wings, Insta-famous.

Pedestrian Bridge over the Cumberland for skyline shots. Sunrise is best.

Patsy Cline mural in Berry Hill. Stunning portrait of the country legend.

Lunch: Meat-and-Three

Arnold's Country Kitchen (Mon-Fri lunch only). Cafeteria-style Southern classic.

Or Monell's (Germantown) for shared-table family-style.

Afternoon: Depending on Time

Belle Meade Plantation tour. Or Andrew Jackson's Hermitage.

Short on time? Rooftop drink at L.A. Jackson (The Gulch) or White Limozeen (Midtown, pink Dolly bar).

BNA Flight Tips

Allow 90 minutes for security on weekends.

Live music inside the airport. Multiple stages.

Uber and Lyft pickup is in the basement parking garage at BNA, not curbside. Follow the signs for "Rideshare" once you exit baggage claim.

Need More?

Live music tonight, hot chicken near you, group location sharing, AI concierge.

Open Howdy Nash

Related Nashville Guides

3-Day Itinerary · Things to Do in Nashville · Hot Chicken Guide · Best Honky Tonks · Getting Around Nashville