NASHVILLE
What locals actually do.
Full evenings designed as sequences — a meal paired with a show, drinks paired with a game, golden hour into late night. See all itineraries →
The polished version of a Nashville night out.
Sunset cocktails at L.A. Jackson on top of the Thompson, walk to Bourbon Steak at the JW Marriott for tomahawks and Woodford, cap it with a show at TPAC.
Sequence: L.A. Jackson → Bourbon Steak → TPAC
Neighborhood: The Gulch → Downtown
BBQ, a bourbon flight, and the legendary Sunday jam.
BBQ in The Gulch, bourbon flight next door, then walk to Station Inn for the legendary Sunday night bluegrass jam. Plan around it — Sundays only.
Sequence: Peg Leg Porker → Gertie's → Station Inn
Neighborhood: The Gulch
Globally-inspired dinner, then walk to Bridgestone.
Globally-inspired dinner from Deb Paquette in SoBro, then walk to Bridgestone Arena.
Sequence: Etch → Predators game
Neighborhood: SoBro → Downtown
Champagne, shareables, and a two-block walk to the park.
Champagne Garden cocktails and shareable plates at Geist, then walk two blocks to First Horizon Park for the Sounds.
Sequence: Geist → Sounds game
Neighborhood: Germantown
Brooklyn-Italian small plates, then walk the neighborhood.
Brooklyn-Italian small plates from the Scotto family, then walk the neighborhood. Germantown after dark is one of the prettiest residential pockets in town.
Sequence: Pelato → walk Germantown
Neighborhood: Germantown
High-tech mini-golf, then sushi or Italian.
High-tech mini-golf at Puttshack (downtown, Fifth + Broadway), then short ride or long walk to The Gulch for dinner at Virago (sushi) or Moto (Italian).
Sequence: Puttshack → Virago or Moto
Neighborhood: Downtown → The Gulch
Three arcade-bar options. Pick one or hop between two.
Three arcade-bar options. Pick one or hop between two. Low-pressure energy, especially good for groups.
Sequence: No Quarter / Pins Mechanical / Up-Down Nashville
Neighborhood: East Nash / Wedgewood-Houston
Glass-atrium sushi, then dance floor at a Nashville institution.
Sushi (and a glass-atrium room) at Stateside Kitchen in the Dream Hotel, then to Midtown for Play Dance Bar — drag shows, dance floor, a Nashville institution since 2005.
Sequence: Stateside Kitchen → Play Dance Bar
Neighborhood: Downtown → Midtown
One of the best dining rooms in town, then Printers Alley music.
One of the best dining rooms in town (Tony Mantuano's Italian inside The Joseph), then live music at the Printers Alley institution.
Sequence: Yolan → Skull's Rainbow Room
Neighborhood: Downtown
You actually look for the red phone booth. You actually need the password.
Dinner at Etch in SoBro, then find your way into Red Phonebooth. Yes, you actually look for the red phone booth. Yes, you need the password.
Sequence: Etch → Red Phonebooth
Neighborhood: SoBro
Sharing plates, then craft cocktails. Read the room at Attaboy.
Sharing-plates dinner at Butcher & Bee in East Nashville, craft cocktails at Attaboy after. Caveat: Attaboy skews young — read the room.
Sequence: Butcher & Bee → Attaboy
Neighborhood: East Nashville
The neighborhood mapped as one long evening. Take a Waymo.
The neighborhood mapped as one long evening. Start at Babo at golden hour, bounce through Noko (Japanese), Lockeland Table, Urban Cowboy's patio bar, wind down at Groceries Etc upstairs, end at Dino's for late-night fries. Best done with a Waymo so nobody has to drive.
Sequence: Babo → Noko → Lockeland Table → Urban Cowboy → Groceries Etc → Dino's
Neighborhood: East Nashville
JT's place. Coconut margaritas don't require membership.
Dinner at Eddie V's downtown, then walk to The Twelve Thirty Club at Fifth + Broadway for coconut margaritas. JT's place — the Honky Tonk and rooftop are walk-in; the Supper Club upstairs is members only.
Sequence: Eddie V's → The Twelve Thirty Club
Neighborhood: Downtown
Dinner + drinks then walk around the Rolf & Daughters neighborhood.
Eat anywhere in Germantown — Rolf & Daughters if you can get in — and walk the neighborhood after.
Sequence: Dinner anywhere in Germantown → walk
Neighborhood: Germantown
Walk East Park, then grab food at a walk-to restaurant.
Walk the East Park area in East Nashville, then grab food at one of the walk-to restaurants in the neighborhood. Unscripted-night energy.
Sequence: Walk East Park → walk-to dinner
Neighborhood: East Nashville
Hit a few bays, then walk next door for a show.
Start with target golf and drinks at Topgolf, then walk next door to The Cowan for live music. Both at 500 Cowan St — no driving between, ideal for a group.
Sequence: Topgolf → The Cowan
Neighborhood: East Bank
Tacos in WeHo, then MLS at GEODIS Park.
Tacos and a patio beer at Dos Santos, then a short walk to GEODIS Park for a Nashville SC match. All in Wedgewood-Houston.
Sequence: Dos Santos → Nashville SC at GEODIS Park
Neighborhood: Wedgewood-Houston
Standalone moves that don't need a partner activity. Just the move itself.
The sun spills across the bar. The whole point.
The way the sun spills across the bar at Babo is the whole point. Show up just for it and order snacks.
Doing all the bars in a single night is its own move. Pace yourself.
The Joseph hotel has multiple distinct drinking and dining rooms. Doing all of them in a single night is its own move — pace yourself.
The cheeseburger gets the press. The fries are the real move.
The cheeseburger gets the press. The fries are the real move. Late night, dive energy, no pretense.
L.A. Jackson, Bobby Hotel, Rare Bird, White Limozeen. Sunset wins.
Pick whichever is closest or has the view you want — L.A. Jackson, Bobby Hotel, Rare Bird, White Limozeen. The decision matters less than the time of day; sunset wins.
Pickleball, mini-golf, the Alligator Bar. Downtown without feeling touristy.
Tucked under the Broadway viaduct between Union Station Hotel and the Grand Hyatt at Nashville Yards. Opened late 2025 as Dinkville Under Broad / The Landing. Five covered pickleball courts (~$15/hour open play), 9-hole mini-golf course ($10/hour), the Alligator Bar, and rotating food and drink containers. Downtown without feeling touristy — it actually feels like a date.
The master index. Every venue named anywhere in the guide, with the actual story.
Phillip Krajeck. Handmade pastas. A cornerstone since 2012.
Phillip Krajeck's restaurant in Germantown (700 Taylor St). Italian-inflected, handmade pastas, communal tables. One of the cornerstones of Nashville's modern dining scene since 2012.
Deb Paquette's globally-inspired menu. A room that doesn't read like anywhere else.
Chef Deb Paquette's globally-inspired restaurant at 303 Demonbreun in SoBro. Roasted cauliflower, octopus, lamb — a menu that doesn't read like anywhere else in town. Closed Sundays.
1886 blacksmith shop. Champagne Garden out back, year-round.
Bar and restaurant in a restored 1886 blacksmith shop in Germantown (311 Jefferson St). Internationally-influenced American menu, sophisticated cocktails, and the Champagne Garden out back: a covered patio with a wood-burning oven, year-round.
Ribs, dry-rub, hot chicken. Order at the counter, eat at picnic tables.
Carey Bringle's BBQ in The Gulch. Ribs, dry-rub, hot chicken on the side. Order at the counter, eat at picnic tables. Closed Sundays.
Brooklyn-Italian from the Scotto family. Heated patio year-round.
Brooklyn-Italian small plates in Germantown (1300 3rd Ave N) from the Scotto family. Communal energy, shareable everything: potato croquettes, vodka pasta, cacio e pepe. Heated patio year-round.
Japanese. Reservations are notoriously hard. Absolutely worth it.
Japanese in East Nashville. Reservations are notoriously hard to get and absolutely worth it. Yakitori, raw bar, chef's-course menus.
Community Hour: $7 snacks, proceeds to local school PTOs.
New American restaurant in Lockeland Springs (East Nashville). Famous for Community Hour Monday–Saturday — $7 snacks, drinks, and a portion of proceeds goes to local school PTOs.
Tomahawks, deep bourbon list, expense-account energy.
Michael Mina's high-end steakhouse at the JW Marriott downtown. Tomahawks, deep bourbon list, expense-account energy. Polished, special-occasion.
Mediterranean-inflected sharing plates. Built for splitting.
Charleston import in East Nashville. Mediterranean-inflected sharing plates — hummus, charred carrots, whipped feta. Designed for splitting everything.
Longest-running dive in East Nash. The fries are the move.
411 Gallatin Ave, East Nashville. Longest-running dive in the neighborhood. Famous cheeseburger, famous fries. Late night, no pretense.
Live jazz, raw bar, martinis. A reliable polished dinner.
Upscale seafood and steakhouse with a downtown Nashville location. Live jazz, raw bar, martinis. Reliable for a polished dinner.
Tony Mantuano's Italian inside The Joseph. Among the top dining rooms in town.
Tony Mantuano's Italian inside The Joseph hotel downtown. Among the top dining rooms in town. Tasting menu and à la carte. Reservations essential.
Wood-fired pizzas and pasta in a high-energy room.
Italian in The Gulch. Wood-fired pizzas and pasta in a high-energy room. Reservations help on weekends.
Upscale sushi. High-energy, big-night-out feel.
Upscale sushi and Asian-inflected dining in The Gulch. High-energy, big-night-out feel.
Korean BBQ. Golden hour is the move.
Korean BBQ in East Nashville. The food is solid; the room itself is the move at golden hour — the sun cuts across the bar in a way that's hard to describe and worth photographing.
Glass-atrium room inside Dream Hotel. Sushi, steak, Saturday brunch.
American restaurant inside the Dream Hotel (210 4th Ave N), set under a glass atrium. Sushi, steak, burgers, Saturday brunch. Same hotel houses Dirty Little Secret (speakeasy), Sushi By Boū (omakase), and Parlour Bar (martinis).
Family-run Denver taqueria, now behind Diskin Cider in WeHo.
A family-owned Mexican taqueria in Wedgewood-Houston. Tacos, a big patio, and an easy pre-game spot directly behind Diskin Cider — minutes from GEODIS Park.
Upscale American in a converted warehouse. One of Germantown's anchors.
A polished New American restaurant in a converted warehouse at 1411 5th Ave N in Germantown. Exposed brick, warm lighting, strong cocktail program, and a menu that leans into seasonal American cooking with real technique. One of the neighborhood's long-standing anchors — the kind of room that works for a date, a business dinner, or a special occasion.
The best burger in Nashville. Casual Neuhoff Market bar, focused menu.
A neighborhood bar and eatery tucked inside the Neuhoff Market complex in Germantown. The burger is the move — widely regarded as the best in Nashville, with a tight, focused menu built around it. Staff say Sundays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays are the calm nights. Come the weekend, the barstools run four deep.
Cited as the best breakfast in Nashville.
A beloved Wedgewood-Houston bakery and café recognized for the "Best Breakfast" in town — pastries, great bread, simple excellent egg plates, strong coffee.
Art-deco post office turned world-class rotating gallery.
A stunning 1934 art-deco former post office downtown, now a non-collecting art museum with rotating national and international exhibitions. A genuinely great rainy-day or daytime date.
French bistro brunch — steak frites, eggs, the works.
A classic French bistro doing weekend brunch with the expected pleasures: omelettes, steak frites, a good croque. Polished but unfussy.
12South fish house with a serious weekend brunch.
A 12South fish house and smokehouse with an oyster bar and a big, social weekend brunch. Patio, cocktails, Southern-leaning plates.
The best pizza in Nashville. Neapolitan, wood-fired, worth the wait.
A serious Neapolitan pizza operation — wood-fired pies with proper char, high-quality ingredients, and the restraint of a kitchen that knows what it's doing. Widely regarded as the best pizza in Nashville.
The Michelin Guide American South put Music City on the global map — Stars, Bib Gourmands, and notable mentions.
Phillip Krajeck. Handmade pastas. A cornerstone since 2012.
Phillip Krajeck's restaurant in Germantown (700 Taylor St). Italian-inflected, handmade pastas, communal tables. One of the cornerstones of Nashville's modern dining scene since 2012.
Chef Josh Habiger's WeHo flagship. Tiny, technical, soulful.
Chef Josh Habiger's Wedgewood-Houston flagship — a tiny tasting-counter restaurant behind a buzzy bar, blending technical precision with a playful, contemporary edge.
Immersive chef's-counter tasting. The ultimate high-signal move.
An immersive, technical chef's-counter tasting experience in Midtown where the cooks plate right in front of you. Multi-course, beverage pairings, the hardest reservation in town and worth it.
12South precision — dumplings and kakigori, North America's 50 Best.
A 12South jewel box recognized among North America's 50 Best Restaurants, built on a tight menu of handmade dumplings and shaved-ice kakigori.
Japanese-inspired comfort. Bib Gourmand value.
A snug Japanese-inspired spot delivering comfort and craft at a value — handrolls, noodles, and small plates that punch far above the price. Michelin Bib Gourmand.
Chef Jake Howell — 2025 James Beard Best Chef: Southeast.
An East Nashville restaurant led by Chef Jake Howell, honored with the 2025 James Beard Award for Best Chef: Southeast. Iberian-leaning, deeply personal cooking with a great wine list. Michelin Bib Gourmand.
Local-favorite Tex-Mex. Bib Gourmand.
An East Nashville Tex-Mex counter beloved by locals — breakfast tacos, queso, and a tidy patio. Michelin Bib Gourmand for quality and value.
Sean Brock's Neapolitan pizza, vinyl next door at Anaconda.
Chef Sean Brock's East Nashville take on Neapolitan pizza, often paired with a record at neighboring vinyl bar Anaconda. Blistered pies, natural wine, easy hang. Michelin Bib Gourmand.
Thai street-style. A local favorite.
A Thai street-style spot flagged as a local favorite — bold, fragrant, fast-casual cooking. Michelin Bib Gourmand.
Elevated Sicilian street food.
A focacceria turning out elevated Sicilian street food — sfincione, arancini, focaccia sandwiches done with real care. Michelin Bib Gourmand.
Traditional Uzbek cuisine — global-map depth.
Traditional Uzbek cooking — plov, samsa, hand-pulled noodles — adding genuine global-map depth to the city's dining scene. Michelin Bib Gourmand.
A converted East Nashville church. Michelin Sommelier Award.
Housed in a converted East Nashville church, Bad Idea earned the Michelin Sommelier Award for its beverage program. Esoteric wine, ambitious plates, a one-of-a-kind room.
Sean Brock's Appalachian flagship. A "Country" essential.
Chef Sean Brock's Appalachian flagship in East Nashville — heirloom ingredients, live-fire cooking, and a deep Southern point of view. Notable Mention.
Michelin Green Star for zero-waste at Southall Farm & Inn.
The restaurant at Southall Farm and Inn in Franklin, awarded a Michelin Green Star for zero-waste sustainability — hyper-seasonal, farm-driven cooking about 40 minutes south of town.
Sean Brock's walk-in sister. $15 Audrey Burger. Everything else: $5.
Walk-in-only affordable sister concept from the Audrey team (809 Meridian St, McFerrin Park). Opens nightly at 5:00 PM — get there early to grab a spot. Features the acclaimed $15 Audrey Burger alongside a menu where every other drink and snack is exactly $5. Rotating affordable menu with huge value.
Esoteric, underground drinking — speakeasies, vinyl listening lounges, and a converted church.
Speakeasy. No menu. You tell the bartender what you like.
Speakeasy-style cocktail bar in East Nashville, sibling of the legendary Manhattan original. No menu — you tell the bartender what you like and they build something. Skews young (early-to-mid 20s), can be loud and dense on weekends.
You enter through an actual red phone booth. You need the password.
Speakeasy in SoBro. You enter through an actual red phone booth, you need the password (book through their site to get it). Cocktail-focused, dim, intimate.
Creative diner with a high-end "Punchin' Brunch."
A modern diner in the Gulch known for playful, elevated comfort food and its creative "Punchin' Brunch" running Friday through Sunday.
3rd-floor indoor/outdoor patio lounge with skyline views.
A high-end hotel lounge at the Conrad with an elevated 3rd-floor indoor/outdoor patio, skyline views, and a refined cocktail program. Works for brunch, golden hour, or a nightcap.
A converted East Nashville church. Michelin Sommelier Award.
Housed in a converted East Nashville church, Bad Idea earned the Michelin Sommelier Award for its beverage program. Esoteric wine, ambitious plates, a one-of-a-kind room.
Inglewood neighborhood cocktail club. A foundation move.
A warm, expertly run neighborhood cocktail club in Inglewood — serious drinks without the attitude. A foundational craft-cocktail stop on the East side.
Sleek, design-forward cocktails. A foundation move.
A sleek, design-forward cocktail bar with a tight, well-built menu and a stylish room. A foundational craft stop for a dressed-up night.
Cocktails in a former laundry boiler room. Soaring industrial space.
A cocktail bar built into a former industrial laundry boiler room in Edgehill — soaring ceilings, dramatic vertical space, and a strong drink program. Esoteric architecture, easy vibe.
Japanese-inspired vinyl listening lounge with a curated bar.
A high-signal locals' move: a Japanese-inspired vinyl listening lounge pairing a minimalist, sophisticated atmosphere with a curated cocktail program. Sit, listen, sip.
Pre-Prohibition craft in a classic speakeasy.
An essential destination for the art of the cocktail — refined, pre-Prohibition style drinks in a dim, classic speakeasy below The Catbird Seat. No standing, no shortcuts.
Sophisticated cocktail emporium, host to elite industry pop-ups.
An intimate, sophisticated cocktail emporium known for hosting elite industry pop-ups and a high-end, focused drinking environment. A bartender's bar.
Elevated tropical lounge — a coastal reset in East Nash.
An elevated tropical lounge in East Nashville with high-quality island-style craft cocktails and a coastal escape vibe. Tiki done with real technique.
José Andrés rooftop — coastal Mexican, panoramic views.
Another José Andrés concept atop the W Nashville in the Gulch: a rooftop lounge with panoramic skyline views and coastal Mexican-inspired fare and cocktails.
Sophisticated rooftop at the Noelle, off the Broadway strip.
The rooftop bar atop the Noelle hotel at 200 4th Ave N — a sophisticated downtown experience just off the main Broadway strip, with skyline views and a serious cocktail list.
Intimate Neuhoff cocktail bar. One of the best drinks programs in the neighborhood.
A focused cocktail bar and restaurant in the Neuhoff District of Germantown. Intimate space, serious drink program, and a small food menu that complements rather than competes. The kind of bar that rewards repeat visits — the cocktail list rotates and the staff knows what they're doing. Strong candidate for a first drink or a late-night cap in the Germantown crawl.
Chocolate shop by day. When the green light is on, it's an absinthe lounge.
Nashville's premier absinthe lounge, operating inside Tempered Fine Chocolates. During the day it's a chocolate shop; at night, when the green light is on, it transforms into an absinthe-focused cocktail lounge — the green light is the whole signal. Absinthe flights and cocktails paired with Tempered truffles. Intimate space that gets packed quickly.
Intimate East Nashville craft bar. Strong neighborhood pedigree.
An intimate neighborhood cocktail bar in East Nashville with a focused, well-curated menu. Strong local pedigree and a relaxed atmosphere that rewards regulars.
Natural wine and considered cocktails. Small, precise, East Nashville.
A tight, discerning bar in East Nashville focused on natural wine and considered cocktails — small list, high execution. The kind of place where the person behind the bar knows what they're doing and why.
Verified elevated experiences — the Broadway trinity and the neighborhood heights.
Luxury hotel. Multiple distinct rooms. Doing all of them is its own move.
Downtown luxury hotel with multiple F&B concepts including Yolan (Italian), a rooftop pool, and additional bars and lounges. Doing all the bars in one night is its own move.
Rooftop atop the Thompson. Best Rooftop seven years running.
Rooftop bar atop the Thompson Nashville in The Gulch. Voted Nashville Scene's Best Rooftop seven years running. Indoor lounge with floor-to-ceiling skyline views, open-air terrace, seasonal cocktails, DJs on weekends. 21+.
JT's place. Coconut margaritas don't require membership.
Fifth + Broadway, downtown. Justin Timberlake's place. The Honky Tonk on the lower levels and the rooftop bar are walk-in. The Supper Club upstairs is members only. Coconut margaritas don't require membership.
Coastal rooftop pool bar, happy hour all day.
An upscale rooftop pool-and-bar at Virgin Hotels in Midtown with a coastal aesthetic, weekend brunch, and an all-day happy hour.
3rd-floor indoor/outdoor patio lounge with skyline views.
A high-end hotel lounge at the Conrad with an elevated 3rd-floor indoor/outdoor patio, skyline views, and a refined cocktail program. Works for brunch, golden hour, or a nightcap.
25th-floor rooftop lounge over Broadway.
A high-end rooftop lounge on the 25th floor of the Grand Hyatt at 1000 Broadway — among the highest verified rooftop moves in the city, with sweeping skyline and river views.
"The Oasis" — a tropical open-air rooftop on Broadway.
Garth Brooks' Broadway bar, whose rooftop "The Oasis" is a tropical, open-air escape above the honky-tonk chaos — known for day parties like the Spring Sweat Series.
Poolside rooftop lounge by the José Andrés Group.
A newly opened poolside rooftop lounge by the José Andrés Group atop the W Nashville in the Gulch — the WET Deck pool scene with cocktails, DJs, and golden-hour energy.
José Andrés rooftop — coastal Mexican, panoramic views.
Another José Andrés concept atop the W Nashville in the Gulch: a rooftop lounge with panoramic skyline views and coastal Mexican-inspired fare and cocktails.
Sophisticated rooftop at the Noelle, off the Broadway strip.
The rooftop bar atop the Noelle hotel at 200 4th Ave N — a sophisticated downtown experience just off the main Broadway strip, with skyline views and a serious cocktail list.
The Ryman, TPAC, the symphony, comedy, and the rooms where the live music lives.
Live jazz, raw bar, martinis. A reliable polished dinner.
Upscale seafood and steakhouse with a downtown Nashville location. Live jazz, raw bar, martinis. Reliable for a polished dinner.
Printers Alley since 1948. Live music, burlesque, dinner in one room.
Printers Alley institution dating to 1948. Reopened in 2015. Live music, burlesque, dinner, and drinks in one room. Pair with Yolan around the corner.
Operating since 1974. Sunday Bluegrass Jam is the must-do.
The Gulch. One of the most important bluegrass venues in the United States, operating since 1974. Sunday Bluegrass Jam is the must-do night; ticketed touring shows the rest of the week.
JT's place. Coconut margaritas don't require membership.
Fifth + Broadway, downtown. Justin Timberlake's place. The Honky Tonk on the lower levels and the rooftop bar are walk-in. The Supper Club upstairs is members only. Coconut margaritas don't require membership.
600-cap live music room right next to Topgolf.
A two-story, 600-person live music venue on the East Bank, adjacent to Topgolf. Touring acts and local bills in an intimate, modern room.
The Mother Church of Country Music. Perfect acoustics, real history.
The 1892 hall that birthed the Grand Ole Opry and shaped American music. Pew seating, stained glass, and some of the best acoustics in the country. A show here is the high-signal Nashville music move.
East Nashville live music and a proper record shop. Small, real.
A combination record shop, bar, and live music venue in East Nashville — the kind of room where the show is close and the curation is good. A real neighborhood music spot.
Broadway tours, theater, ballet, Nashville Rep. Downtown.
Tennessee Performing Arts Center. Broadway tours, theater, ballet, the Nashville Repertory Theatre. Downtown.
Movies at the Symphony: feature films with the orchestra live.
The Schermerhorn (downtown) hosts the Nashville Symphony plus a "Movies at the Symphony" series — feature films screened with the symphony performing the score live. Star Wars, Harry Potter, Pixar.
Nashville's oldest nightlife district — a single alley, a dozen rooms.
The oldest nightlife district in Nashville, dating to the 1940s. A narrow alley between 3rd and 4th Avenues downtown, packed end-to-end with intimate music venues. Skull's Rainbow Room, Bourbon Street Blues, Lonnie's Western Room, Fleet Street Pub.
Mini-golf, duckpin, pinball, arcade tokens, Topgolf bays.
Duckpin bowling, pinball, beer-focused bar.
Duckpin bowling, pinball-heavy arcade, beer-focused bar. Wedgewood-Houston neighborhood, south of downtown. Good for groups.
Two levels of immersive games + a free rooftop bar near Broadway.
128 2nd Ave N, downtown. Opened 2025. Two-level venue: more than twenty hands-on games, oversized challenges, and bars running through it. The rooftop lounge is free and walk-in friendly: skyline views, golden-hour cocktails, Sunday brunch.
High-tech mini-golf. Tracks your score automatically.
High-tech mini-golf, full bar, full food menu. Nashville location at the Fifth + Broadway development downtown. Tracks your score automatically.
Microchip-tracked golf bays, full bar, games even non-golfers love.
Three climate-controlled levels of target-golf bays on the East Bank, plus a full food-and-drink menu and lawn games. Works for groups whether or not anyone can actually golf.
Nashville's iconic LGBTQ nightclub. Drag, DJs, dance floor till 3–4am.
Nashville's iconic LGBTQ nightclub in Midtown (1519 Church St). Drag shows nightly, world-class DJs, dance floor till 3-4am on weekends. Voted Nashville's best place to dance since 2005.
Ropes, vineyards, caves, mountain lodges. Half-day to full-weekend moves outside town.
Multi-level ropes course, ~25 min south.
Multi-level ropes course and adventure tower in Franklin, about 25 minutes south. Half-day commitment.
Zip lining ~30 min west.
Zip lining and outdoor courses, about 30 minutes west of town.
Kix Brooks's vineyard. Picnic. Lawn. Live music on weekends.
Kix Brooks's vineyard south of Franklin, about 40 minutes from downtown. Bring a picnic, sit on the lawn, listen to live music on weekends.
Underground caves, then dinner in Wilson County. Full day.
Underground caving operators near Smithville (about an hour east of Nashville), dinner somewhere in Wilson County on the drive back. Full-day commitment.
Brad's Smoky Mountain lodge — out of the way, worth the drive.
A mountain lodge tucked in the Great Smoky Mountains, owned and operated by Brad Hughes with 160+ five-star reviews. It's well out of the way from Nashville, but special enough to make the list.
True off-leash dog park + bar + cafe in The Nations. Humans enter free.
Nashville's dedicated off-leash dog park + bar + cafe combo. Full indoor and outdoor facility designed for dogs and their humans to socialize together. Weather-friendly spaces with heating and air-conditioning. Bar and cafe service on-site; humans enter free. Hosts events like trivia, live entertainment, and more. Strong emphasis on dogs as family in a supervised off-leash environment.
Bathhouses, recovery studios, luxury day spas, and full salon services.
Finnish-inspired bathhouse in a 100-year-old factory. Sauna, steam, cold plunge.
Finnish-inspired modern bathhouse and salon/spa in a 100-year-old factory setting. Offers sauna, steam room, hot tub, cold plunge shower, and locker rooms. Soak & sauna rooms available for solo use or couples/groups up to 10. Also provides hair, skin, and body services. Designed for relaxation, detox, celebration, or group experiences. Multiple therapy rooms; private or shared options; full salon services alongside bathhouse facilities.
Woman-owned luxury spa in Germantown. Facials, massage, restorative treatments.
Luxury day spa focused on facials, massage, and restorative wellness treatments in a soothing atmosphere. Woman-owned with high guest ratings. Part of a small multi-location brand. Personalized treatments designed to restore and indulge; strong emphasis on atmosphere and service.
Science-backed recovery: infrared sauna, float pods, cryo, IV drips, robotic massage.
Recovery and wellness studio offering science-backed therapies in a restorative environment. Focuses on contrast therapy, infrared sauna, float pods, cryotherapy, red light therapy, compression, IV vitamin drips, and advanced options like Aescape robotic massages. Wide range of modern recovery modalities; memberships and à la carte services available.
19+ years in Belle Meade — massages, facials, full salon in a luxury setting.
Established luxury day spa and salon (19+ years) emphasizing escape, restoration, and renewal. Offers massages, facials, and full salon services in a high-end environment. Long-standing reputation for exceptional service and luxury setting; full range of spa and beauty treatments.
Day passes to hotel pools. Pick a rooftop, post up.
ResortPass.com sells day passes to hotel pools and amenities. Pick a rooftop, post up for the day. Works for Margaritaville, the Omni, the Westin, and others.
Tourist-coded but the right call on a hot afternoon.
Day pass at the Margaritaville Resort Nashville rooftop pool. Tourist-coded but the right call on a hot afternoon when you want water and views without driving anywhere.
Nashville's best rooftop pool. Book a day pass — worth it.
The rooftop pool at the Omni Nashville Hotel, accessible via day pass through ResortPass. Downtown location, skyline views, full pool bar service. The most reliable rooftop pool experience in the city.
The city's best photo walls, mapped by neighborhood — wings, hearts, Dolly, and more.
Kelsey Montague's soaring white wings — the iconic Gulch photo op.
Kelsey Montague's massive interactive white wings on a stark black wall at 302 11th Ave S — the pinnacle photo op in town. Expect a line; go early.
Pastel conversation hearts on industrial brick.
Classic conversation hearts adorned with Nashville-centric phrases at 601 8th Ave S — a soft, playful pastel burst against the Gulch's industrial backdrop.
Geometric rainbow energy in Edgehill — a quieter wings alt.
The colorful, geometric "rainbow" expansion of the WhatLiftsYou series at 1010 Dr. M.L.K. Jr Blvd in Edgehill.
The definitive Music City pride emblem, 12South.
Adrien Saporiti's iconic tri-star design at 2702 12th Ave S, across from Draper James — the definitive emblem of Music City pride.
Bold black-and-white text behind Frothy Monkey.
A confident, minimalist black-and-white text mural behind the Frothy Monkey coffee shop at 2511 12th Ave S.
Oversized vivid blooms — the garden backdrop.
A lush floral wall at 2900 12th Ave S — oversized, vivid blooms spanning an entire building side.
Stylized lettering along the side of Madewell.
A massive stylized-lettering mural tucked along the side of Madewell at 2709 12th Ave S.
Retro TV test-pattern art in East Nash.
Another bold Adrien Saporiti creation at 625 Main St — a massive retro television test-pattern graphic celebrating analog media and music.
Whimsical art on a local East Side eatery.
The "Bear & Flowers" mural on the Boston Commons eatery at 1008 Woodland St, anchoring an eclectic cluster of large-scale alley art.
Bold typography, neighborhood resilience.
An emblem of East Nashville community pride at 1006 Woodland St — bold, straightforward typography.
Step inside the balloon basket — East Side wings cousin.
The hot-air-balloon version of WhatLiftsYou at 1032 W Eastland Ave — designed so subjects appear to stand inside the basket.
Vibrant Dolly Parton street art at a legendary hangout.
The iconic Dolly Parton mural outside The 5 Spot at 1006 Forest Ave — vibrant detail celebrating the queen of country.
Pop-art tomatoes — hyper-local East Side spirit.
Permanent pop-art tomato tributes around 1106 Woodland St celebrating East Nashville's beloved, quirky Tomato Art Fest.
The evolving country-legends wall on Broadway.
The massive, evolving country-music-legends mural on the side of Legends Corner honky-tonk at 428 Broadway.
High-impact NFL pride downtown.
A dynamic, large-scale mural honoring Nashville's NFL franchise at 421 Rep. John Lewis Way S.
A whole block of curated contemporary art on Charlotte.
A sprawling, continuous block of contemporary murals at 3020 Charlotte Ave — an open-air modern gallery away from the honky-tonks.
A soaring photorealistic portrait on an old grain silo.
A soaring, photorealistic portrait of an elderly neighborhood resident painted on an abandoned grain silo at 1499 51st Ave N.
Psychedelic Dolly near the Grand Ole Opry.
A psychedelic, electric-palette take on Dolly Parton at 2611 Music Valley Dr near the Grand Ole Opry.
Predators, Titans, Sounds, Nashville SC, the Steeplechase. The pair-with restaurant always matters.
Bridgestone Arena, downtown. Best paired with Etch.
Predators game at Bridgestone Arena downtown. Best paired with Etch in SoBro before the puck drops.
First Horizon Park, Germantown. April–September.
Sounds game at First Horizon Park in Germantown. April–September. Best paired with Geist two blocks away.
NFL Sundays on the East Bank, skyline across the river.
Tennessee Titans football at Nissan Stadium on the East Bank, with the downtown skyline as a backdrop across the Cumberland. Tailgate on the river, walk over the pedestrian bridge from Broadway.
MLS in the largest soccer-specific stadium in the U.S.
Nashville SC plays Major League Soccer at GEODIS Park in Wedgewood-Houston — the biggest soccer-specific stadium in the country. Loud, colorful supporters' section.
Tuesday-night kayak clinics in the indoor pool.
Vanderbilt's Recreation and Wellness Center runs adult skill clinics, including weekly Tuesday-night kayak clinics in the indoor pool — introductory whitewater technique, wet exits, the kayak roll. Open to the broader Nashville community.
Second Saturday in May at Percy Warner Park. Big hat, big day.
Annual horse race at Percy Warner Park, second Saturday in May. Running since 1941. Big hat, big day. Tickets sell out — buy in winter for spring.