🏖️ What to Do · Nashville, TN Attractions
Things to Do in Nashville, TN
61 real, currently-operating attractions across every category — music museums, historic honky-tonks, tours, parks, and day trips — so you can plan around what you actually want to see instead of scrolling a generic list.
🎧 The Ryman & The Opry
✅ Verified Open
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Nashville earns “Music City” honestly — the Country Music Hall of Fame, the Ryman Auditorium, and the Grand Ole Opry anchor a downtown packed with honky-tonks, songwriter venues, and live music on nearly every corner of Broadway. Beyond the music, Centennial Park’s full-scale Parthenon replica, Cheekwood’s gardens, and the Warner Parks trail system give the city genuine green space, while The Hermitage and a day trip to the Jack Daniel’s Distillery in Lynchburg round out the history side. We checked each attraction directly against its own official site and current open status rather than a generic aggregator list.
Country Music History
Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
The Smithsonian-affiliated flagship museum chronicling country music history.
Historic RCA Studio B
Legendary 1957 recording studio, toured as an add-on through the Hall of Fame.
Johnny Cash Museum
Museum dedicated to the life and career of Johnny Cash, downtown.
Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum
Honors the session musicians behind famous recordings across genres.
National Museum of African American Music
Interactive museum on the influence of Black music genres on American music.
Music City Walk of Fame Park
Outdoor plaza with stars honoring music legends with Nashville ties.
Where the Music Happens
Ryman Auditorium
The “Mother Church of Country Music,” former home of the Grand Ole Opry.
Grand Ole Opry
World-famous country music show and venue, broadcasting since 1925.
The Bluebird Cafe
Intimate songwriter’s-round venue that launched countless country careers.
Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge
Iconic Broadway honky-tonk, historically tied to the Ryman’s back door.
Legends Corner
Broadway honky-tonk with live music and classic country memorabilia.
Honky Tonk Central
Multi-level Broadway bar and venue with a rooftop and live music daily.
Category 10
Luke Combs’ multi-story bar and venue, opened in the former Wildhorse Saloon space.
Ole Red Nashville
Blake Shelton’s restaurant, bar, and live music venue on Broadway.
The Listening Room Cafe
Songwriter-focused live music venue and restaurant.
Printer’s Alley
Historic entertainment alley with bars, clubs, and nightlife.
Union Station Hotel
1900 Romanesque train-station-turned-landmark hotel, notable architecture.
See the City & Sip a Little
Old Town Trolley Tours Nashville
Hop-on/hop-off narrated sightseeing trolley tours.
General Jackson Showboat
Showboat cruises on the Cumberland River with entertainment and dining.
Gray Line “Homes of the Stars” Tour
Narrated bus tour past celebrity homes and estates.
Walk Eat Nashville Food Tours
Guided walking food tours through downtown Nashville neighborhoods.
US Ghost Adventures – Nashville Ghost Tour
Guided haunted-history walking tour of downtown.
Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery Tour
Historic Tennessee whiskey distillery tours and tastings.
Corsair Distillery Tour & Taproom
Craft distillery tours at the Marathon Village location, with tastings.
Yazoo Brewing Company Tour
Nashville craft brewery tours and taproom.
Green Space Around the City
Centennial Park
Downtown-adjacent park, home of the Parthenon replica and Lake Watauga.
The Parthenon
Full-scale replica of the Athens Parthenon, housing an art museum.
Cheekwood Estate & Gardens
Botanical garden, art museum, and historic mansion estate.
Percy Warner Park
Part of the 3,180-acre Warner Parks system, with trails, equestrian areas, and golf.
Radnor Lake State Natural Area
Tennessee’s first state natural area, for hiking and wildlife viewing.
Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park
19-acre park with monuments tracing Tennessee history, near the Capitol.
For Every Age
Adventure Science Center
Hands-on science museum with a planetarium.
Nashville Zoo at Grassmere
Zoo with a historic homestead, exhibits, and conservation programs.
Wave Country
Metro-run outdoor wave pool and water park, open summer season.
The Escape Game Nashville
Highly rated escape room experiences, multiple downtown locations.
Nashville Shores Lakeside Resort
Water park and lakeside resort on Percy Priest Lake, seasonal.
Lane Motor Museum
Museum of rare and unusual automobiles from around the world.
ICE! at Gaylord Opryland Resort
Seasonal (Nov-Jan) hand-carved ice sculpture holiday exhibit.
Game Day & Concert Nights
Bridgestone Arena
Downtown arena, home of the Nashville Predators (NHL).
Nissan Stadium
Riverfront stadium, home of the Tennessee Titans (NFL).
GEODIS Park
Soccer-specific stadium, home of Nashville SC (MLS).
First Horizon Park
Downtown ballpark, home of the Nashville Sounds (MiLB).
Ascend Amphitheater
Outdoor riverfront concert amphitheater downtown.
Schermerhorn Symphony Center
Home of the Nashville Symphony, with concerts and tours.
Gaylord Springs Golf Links
Scenic public golf course near Opryland.
Museums, Capitol & Landmarks
Frist Art Museum
Rotating fine-art exhibitions in a 1934 Art Deco former post office.
Tennessee State Museum
Free state history museum covering Tennessee from prehistory to today.
Tennessee State Capitol
1859 Greek Revival capitol building, with tours available.
Belcourt Theatre
Historic 1925 independent/arthouse cinema, a former Opry home.
Downtown Presbyterian Church
Egyptian Revival landmark church and National Historic Landmark.
Fort Nashborough
Reconstructed 1780s pioneer fort and interpretive site on the riverfront.
Where to Browse
The Gulch
Trendy district of boutiques, restaurants, and murals near downtown.
12 South
Walkable boutique and restaurant strip, home of the “I Believe in Nashville” mural.
Opry Mills
Large indoor outlet and entertainment mall near Opryland.
Worth the Drive
The Hermitage
Andrew Jackson’s plantation home and museum, about 15 minutes from downtown.
Belle Meade Historic Site & Winery
1853 Greek Revival mansion, former horse farm, with winery tastings.
Jack Daniel’s Distillery (Lynchburg)
Tours of the oldest registered U.S. distillery, about 75 miles south.
Belmont Mansion
1853 Italianate mansion on Belmont University’s campus.
Travellers Rest Historic House Museum
1799 historic home of Judge John Overton.
Two Rivers Mansion
1859 Italianate villa and historic Metro Parks event site.
Planning Tips for This Area
- Book Grand Ole Opry and Ryman shows well ahead. Both venues have limited seasonal schedules and popular shows sell out weeks in advance.
- Broadway’s honky-tonks are free to enter. Most don’t charge a cover — budget for drinks and tips for the bands instead.
- The Hermitage and Jack Daniel’s make good half/full-day trips. The Hermitage is about 15 minutes from downtown; Lynchburg is closer to a 90-minute drive each way, so plan a full day if you want to include it.
- Nashville’s live-music scene changes fast. Every venue above was checked for current operating status, but confirm show schedules directly before a special trip.
What’s the difference between the Ryman Auditorium and the Grand Ole Opry?
The Ryman is the historic 1892 building downtown that hosted the Opry radio show for decades; the Grand Ole Opry now performs at its own dedicated venue near Opryland, with occasional shows still held back at the Ryman.
Do I need to pay to walk into the Broadway honky-tonks?
No — most have no cover charge. Budget instead for drinks and tipping the house bands, who typically play for tips.
Is The Hermitage worth the trip?
Yes, if you have a few hours — it’s Andrew Jackson’s preserved plantation home and museum, about 15 minutes from downtown Nashville.
How does NME choose which attractions to feature?
We verify each attraction directly against its own official site and current open status rather than relying on aggregator lists, and we exclude anything we can’t confirm is still open. Read more on our methodology page.
Know an Attraction We Missed?
If you know a great thing to do in Nashville we’re missing, email us and we’ll take a look.
Heading to Nashville?
See the full trip guide — where to stay and where to eat, organized the same way, by category.
