The Nashville riverfront runs along the east bank of the Cumberland River, directly at the end of Lower Broadway where the street meets First Avenue. It is one of the most improved areas of downtown Nashville over the past decade, though “improved” is context-dependent. The practical experience of the riverfront varies significantly based on the time of day and how recently it has been through a renovation cycle.
Riverfront Park
Riverfront Park, which runs along the Cumberland between the Broadway waterfront and the Shelby Street pedestrian bridge, is the city’s primary public green space on the water. It hosts outdoor events including concerts and festivals during spring and summer. The park has been through multiple redesigns over the years and as of recent years includes open lawns, walking paths, and river views that are genuinely pleasant. During CMA Fest and other major events, the park becomes a concert venue extension. On a random Tuesday afternoon, it is a quiet stretch of green with a few joggers and tourists taking photos of the river.
The Pedestrian Bridge
The John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge, which crosses the Cumberland and connects downtown to the East Nashville riverfront, is one of the most photographed views in the city. It is visible from multiple rooftop bars on Broadway and from the east end of Lower Broadway. Walking across it gives the best river-level views of the downtown skyline. The bridge is also the most efficient pedestrian route from downtown to East Nashville’s walkable core near Five Points, though the walk is long enough that most people take rideshare for anything other than an intentional stroll.
The East End of Broadway
The hotels and bars at the eastern end of Broadway, where the street meets First Avenue and the river, represent the most dramatic physical end of the entertainment district. Nashville Underground at 100 Broadway and the George Jones Museum at 128 Broadway are both at this intersection. The visual terminus of the honky-tonk strip at the river is striking from a bird’s-eye view but less legible at street level because the transition from bar district to riverfront park happens abruptly.
What Is Missing
The Nashville riverfront lacks the continuous activation and development density that characterizes successful urban riverfronts in comparable American cities. There is no equivalent to the riverwalk infrastructure of San Antonio or the continuous development of Pittsburgh’s rivers. The park is good. The pedestrian bridge is excellent. But the riverfront between Broadway and the neighborhoods to the north is still somewhat underdeveloped, with large surface parking lots and industrial holdovers that interrupt the continuity between the entertainment district and the water.
Sources
- Wikipedia, Broadway (Nashville, Tennessee): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broadway(Nashville,Tennessee)
- Nashville Guru, Best Rooftop Bars: https://nashvilleguru.com/54030/rooftop-bars-nashville