What Is the Best Time to Visit Broadway?
- 3 sections
- 1 table
- 4 sources cited
It depends on what you want from the visit. For hearing the music, go in the afternoon, after the bands start and before the evening crowd. For the party atmosphere, go at night. For gospel music in a honky-tonk, go on Sunday morning. The timing anchors come from the bars themselves. Some open as early as 10 a.m., but Notes on Nashville says most do not have live music until 2 p.m. And some, such as Robert’s Western World, become 21 and up at 6 p.m. (Robert’s FAQ).
Pick a Time by What You Want
| You want | When to go | Why |
|---|---|---|
| live music during the day | afternoon, from about 2 p.m. | most bars have live music by then, according to Notes on Nashville |
| to bring children | before 6 p.m. | Robert's welcomes all ages until 6 p.m.; Notes on Nashville says Hank Williams, Jr. Boogie Bar goes 21 and up at 6 p.m. |
| the full night-out scene | evening and late night | Robert's is open until 3 a.m. every day; a travel writer at Traveling Canucks found the night crowds "too crowded and loud" and suggests going "in the evening before the night crowds and bachelorette parties take over" |
| gospel music | Sunday morning | Notes on Nashville says Robert's hosts the district's only Sunday Morning Gospel fellowship |
| a festival week | CMA Fest, four days in June | the next one is June 10 to 13, 2027 (CMA Fest) |
Sources: Traveling Canucks on Broadway and CMA Fest.
Weekday or Weekend
- Weekdays keep the same opening hours at bars that post daily hours; Robert’s lists 10 a.m. to 3 a.m. every day.
- Game and concert nights matter as much as the day of the week: the Traveling Canucks writer visited on a night with a Predators playoff game at Bridgestone Arena and called it a busy night.
- Event days change the picture at any time of day: a game or concert at Bridgestone Arena, a show at Ascend Amphitheater, or CMA Fest. Check the calendars before you choose.
A Simple Plan for a First Visit
- Arrive in the early afternoon and start at a traditional honky-tonk such as Robert’s or Tootsie’s.
- Walk to the Country Music Hall of Fame or the Ryman in between, outside the Hall of Fame’s 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. peak.
- Come back after dark if you want to see the night version, and decide then how long to stay.
Whether the strip suits you at all is in whether Broadway is worth visiting, and planning with children is in whether downtown Nashville is good for families.