The distance from Broadway to the heart of 12 South (12th Avenue South around Sevier Park) is approximately 2.3 miles. That is a 45-55 minute walk on a flat surface, almost entirely on sidewalks. The Uber costs $10-16 and takes 8-12 minutes in normal traffic.
The honest answer: it depends on one thing more than anything else, which is the weather and what you are wearing.
When to Walk
If it is October through April, the temperature is under 80°F, and you are in comfortable shoes, walk it. The route through the Gulch and up 12th Avenue is straightforward. You move south on 12th Avenue through Wedgewood-Houston and into 12 South. You get to see how the city transitions from downtown density to the mid-century residential fabric around Sevier Park. The walk takes less than an hour and you will not feel like you need to justify the Uber to yourself.
Nashville’s terrain is not flat everywhere, but the downtown-to-12 South route has minimal elevation change. It is a genuinely pleasant walk when the weather cooperates.
When to Uber
Summer (June through August): Nashville heat is the main reason to skip the walk. When it is 93°F and humid at 1 PM, arriving at 12 South soaked in sweat is not how you want to start a brunch at Biscuit Love. Take the Uber.
Night: After 9 PM, the walk through some stretches of 8th and 12th Avenue is fine but not particularly vibrant. If you have been drinking on Broadway, Uber back.
Heels or dress shoes: 12 South’s crowded sidewalks and the uneven stretches between downtown and there are not shoe-friendly. Take the Uber.
Groups: Once you are three or more people, the combined Uber cost is relatively low per person and the logistics of keeping a group together on a 50-minute walk make the ride the better call.
The Middle Option Nobody Uses Enough
WeGo bus Route 7 (Hillsboro Pike/Green Hills) has stops along 12th Avenue South. The fare is $2 and the ride from downtown takes about 15-20 minutes. It is not convenient enough to be the obvious answer, but if you are trying to save money and it is not a blazing hot day, it is worth knowing the option exists.
The Return Trip
Going back to downtown after a long 12 South afternoon is almost always an Uber. You have probably eaten a large brunch, possibly had a few drinks, and the walk back covers the same 2.3 miles. At that point, the $12 Uber is worth every cent.
Bottom Line
Walk there in good weather, Uber back regardless. If it is summer, Uber both directions. The 12 South strip itself is fully walkable once you arrive. Everything is within a quarter mile along 12th Avenue South. Getting there is the question, not getting around once you are there.
Sources
- Google Maps: Broadway Nashville to 12th Ave S / Sevier Park (2.3 miles, 46 min walk, 8-12 min drive)
- Expedia 12 South guide: “stretches along a half-mile (0.8 km)” commercial strip
- Orlaghclaire.com 12 South guide: “about a 10-minute ride from downtown Nashville”
- WeGo Transit Route 7: Hillsboro Pike/Green Hills line, wego.nashville.gov