What Should You Do on Your First Night in Nashville?
- 5 sections
- 6 sources cited
On your first night, eat dinner a short walk or ride from Lower Broadway, spend an hour or two on Broadway in the early evening while the crowds are still manageable, and finish at a room built for listening, such as a songwriter show or a bluegrass set. That order gives you the Broadway experience everyone talks about and the quieter side of Nashville music in the same night.
1. Dinner Away From the Strip
Broadway’s honky-tonks are built around music and drinks, so give yourself a proper dinner first. The Gulch, just southwest of downtown, and the blocks around downtown’s hotels have plenty of options; Biscuit Love’s Gulch location at 316 11th Ave S is one well-known example (Biscuit Love), and the Gulch’s own dining is covered in what the Gulch is. If a specific restaurant matters to you, reserve it before you travel.
2. Broadway in the Early Evening
Head to Lower Broadway after dinner. Plan to move between a few bars rather than settle into one. Some honky-tonks keep long hours; Robert’s Western World at 416 Broadway, for example, lists its hours as 10 a.m. to 3 a.m. every day (Robert’s Western World). Going before the late-night peak gives you a better chance of finding room near a stage. Bring cash or be ready to tip the bands, and wear closed-toe shoes you can stand in for a while.
Choosing among the bars is covered in the best honky-tonks on Broadway.
3. Finish Somewhere Built for Listening
A good counterpoint to Broadway’s volume is a room where the audience listens:
- Songwriter shows. The Listening Room Cafe at 618 4th Ave South, open since 2006, presents hit songwriters and emerging writers; buy tickets ahead (Listening Room Cafe). The Bluebird Cafe is a widely known songwriter room, and its shows are ticketed in advance; its site warns about fraudulent resale tickets, so buy only through its official channel (Bluebird Cafe).
- Bluegrass and roots music. The Station Inn at 402 12th Avenue South in the Gulch says it has live music seven nights a week (Station Inn).
- A concert at the Ryman. If a show you like is on that night, the Ryman, known as the “Mother Church of Country Music” for its history, is a landmark room for a concert; its schedule is on ryman.com.
4. Getting Back
If you drove, leave the car parked and take a rideshare or taxi back after drinking. If you are staying downtown or in the Gulch, you may be able to walk; plan your route before the night starts so the end of the evening is simple.
If You Arrive Late
If you land after dinnertime, skip straight to step 2 or step 3. A late first night spent in one good room is better than a rushed tour of several. For more on planning the length of your stay, see how many days you need in Nashville.