Nashville, also termed as “Nash-Vegas” has become one of the biggest party cities & a popular bachelor/bachelorette party destination in the United States. For 30+ year olds (or those who may not want to spend the full weekend based solely around drinking), I’m sharing some of my favorite spots, & ways to balance your weekend in Nashville between experiencing the amazing culture of the city with all the fun Honkey Tonks & events. It’s hard to see everything in a weekend trip, so be sure to plan ahead for the things that are a “must-do” for you, and things you wouldn’t mind missing out on in your first trip.
Day 1: (Wednesday – half day)
Our flight landed in Nashville around Noon on a Wednesday, which is one of the quieter days in the city, so this is the day of the week that’s best to do the “touristy” things that you don’t want to fight the crowds the rest of the weekend doing.
We used this half day to scope out Broadway, try on cowboy boots, & go to the Country Music Hall of Fame. We opted out of the RCA studio tour (which is where Elvis Presley recorded), I don’t regret skipping it, but maybe I’d do it on my next trip.
Night 1 we had pre-ordered tickets to the Famous Grande Old Opry. I ordered them a few weeks in advance to assure we would be able to get a good seat. We purchased the package that included a tour of the Opry after the show, and tickets to tour the Ryman the next day. If you want to do these 3 things, you save money by purchasing the bundle from Opry.com .
Pro tip: The Grand Ole Opry is NOT CLOSE to downtown, so plan for a 20 minute uber ride to get there. Also, be sure to book your Opry tour right before or right after the show to avoid having to take that ride twice.
Day 2: Thursday
Thursday morning we HAD to head over to the Gulch & get brunch at Biscuit Love. The wait was only about a half hour (the next day the line was over 100 people long). Brunch was 100% worth the wait, & on another trip I would probably wait longer to get inside if I had to.
Biscuit Love Must try menu item: Hummingbird Family Reserve & of course, the biscuits with fresh jam
The Gulch is a really fun part of town to walk around & is full of instagram worthy photo spots like: The Nashville Wings & Amelia’s Flower Truck.
We fit in our Ryman Auditorium Tour after brunch since we were too full to start drinking at a honky tonk. This tour was totally worth it. There was a 10 minute interactive movie that went through the history of the Ryman and was so fun & entertaining. The tour included a free photo of us on stage at the Ryman which was also a great perk.
Pro Tip (from our Uber Driver): Tootsies Orchid Lounge shares an alley way with the Ryman. This is the entrance singers like Johnny Cash used to take to sneak into the Honkey Tonk between sets at the Ryman. Just for fun we walked in through that entrance to channel our inner Johnny Cash. Tootsies was 100% my favorite Honky Tonk because of the small dive bar feel and the history behind all the autographed photos on the walls… also, the band playing that day was AMAZING.
Thursday evening I booked a photo tour with a local photographer to get some shots in front of all the unique murals in the 12 South area of Nashville. This is where you’ll find the “I Believe in Nashville” mural, as well as Draper James infamous blue & white striped walls, and many others. I fully recommend booking a shoot with a local photographer at 12 South at some point in your trip (Bachelorette parties especially can have a blast with this !)
Thursday Night we stopped by a great speakeasy called the Patterson House on our way back to our Air B&B. This place has a total 1920’s prohibition vibe with one of the most amazing cocktail menus I’ve ever seen. The bartenders only serve patrons that have a seat, (so it never gets overcrowded) and they spend their time to make the drinks perfect. We were lucky to get there on a night that wasn’t busy so we were seated immediately. This was a low-key night but it was one of my most memorable spots in Nashville. I loved my maple bacon old fashioned, and the bartender made my second drink based on some questions he asked me about my favorite flavors and liquors (it was delicious!).
Day 3: Friday
Friday morning Nashville becomes a whole different beast, lines for brunch at the hottest spots are around the block, the pedal taverns & honky Tonks on wheels are packed with bachelor & bachelorette parties & Broadway is packed. This is when the party begins.
We started Friday with Brunch at Milk and Honey in The Gulch. The wait was about an hour, but they text you on your cellphone so you’re able to window shop in the area (or take your Nashville wings photo only about a block away) while you wait, which made it not too terrible. Again, the food was worth the wait.
Milk & Honey Must try menu item:
Shakshuka (no, I cannot pronounce it). Basically it was eggs poached in marinara sauce that arrived to the table on a steaming skillet. it is still one of the most delicious breakfasts I’ve ever eaten (& one of the more healthy options I ate during the weekend).
Friday Night was probably my favorite of all at the Skulls Rainbow Room Burlesque show. Skulls is a speakeasy type restaurant & bar with such a cool vibe. My husband claimed his strip steak was the best he’s had in his entire life; & my pork chop was life-changing. In addition to the delicious dinner, the Burlesque show was so much fun. This is a great spot for a formal dinner for a Bachelor or Bachelorette party. It’s located on a very fun street called Printers Alley which is also a must see spot in Nashville.
Pro Tip: If you want to get into Skulls for Dinner & the Burlesque show (Friday & Saturday nights) you MUST make your reservation a month or more in advance.
We spent Friday & Saturday afternoon Honky Tonk Hopping on Broadway, my top spots were (in order):
- Tootsies Orchid Lounge
- Kid Rock’s Big Ass Honky Tonk (this was a surprise to me but it was by far the most fun spot)
- Jason Aldean’s Kitchen & Rooftop Bar
- Dierks Bentley Whiskey Row
- Ole Red (The rooftop had the best view of Broadway during the day, & at night, the downstairs stage has some amazing acts.
Day 4: Saturday
After we had our fair share of Honkey Tonk Hopping we took advantage of the rental Scooters that are all over Nashville and took a joy ride to Hattie B’s for their famous Nashville Hot Chicken. This was another spot with another long line that was worth the wait.
Pro Tip: Order a Large plate for 2 people to split to save money. It’s the same amount of chicken per person as the 1/2 bird platter and even if you add an extra side you’ll save about $10. I PROMISE you’ll have more than enough food.
Saturday night Hootie & The Blowfish and The Barenaked Ladies had a concert at the Bridgestone arena (just one block from our Air B&B). We got tickets last minute online (literally 30 minutes before the show started). It was an amazing show, especially for those of us in our 30’s… so moral of this is to make sure to check to see if one of your favorite artists are playing at one of the concert venues while you’re in Nashville.
Overall, Nashville stole my heart and I definitely plan to be back again soon!
Is there any spots I didn’t include in my trip that are a MUST ADD for next time?
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