9 Things to Do in Nashville at Night
Nashville is a fun city by day, but it’s really a night town. That’s when the music starts, and in Nashville the music never really stops. On any given night there are dozens of live shows across the city, from huge stages to tiny bars where the next big country star is playing to twelve people.
In this guide
- 1. Bar hop down Lower Broadway
- 2. See a show at the Ryman Auditorium
- 3. Go to the Grand Ole Opry
- 4. Hear the songwriters at the Bluebird Cafe
- 5. Catch some bluegrass at the Station Inn
- 6. Explore Printers Alley
- 7. Walk the Pedestrian Bridge at night
- 8. Have a drink on a rooftop
- 9. End with hot chicken
- Common questions
Here are nine things to do once the sun goes down, from the obvious to the places locals actually go.
1. Bar hop down Lower Broadway
Lower Broadway is the neon heart of Nashville, a few blocks of honky-tonks with live bands playing on every floor from late morning until well past midnight. Most have no cover charge. You just walk in, grab a drink and listen, then wander to the next one.
Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge, with its purple facade, is the most famous, and it’s been a hangout for country singers since the 1960s. Robert’s Western World is the other must, playing traditional country and serving a cheap fried bologna sandwich that’s become a local legend.
Honest take: Broadway is packed with bachelorette parties at the weekend and it can get rowdy. Go on a weeknight if you want to hear the music.
2. See a show at the Ryman Auditorium
The Ryman was built as a church in 1892, and it was home to the Grand Ole Opry for 31 years. It’s called the Mother Church of Country Music, and the acoustics are among the best in the world. Everybody from Johnny Cash to Elvis played here.
The wooden pews are still there, and seeing any concert in this room is special, whatever the genre. Check the schedule before your trip, because the good shows sell out.
3. Go to the Grand Ole Opry
The Grand Ole Opry is the longest-running radio broadcast in US history, on the air since 1925. Every show has a mix of artists, from legends to newcomers, each playing a couple of songs, and it’s broadcast live while you watch.
Most shows happen at the Opry House, out by the Opryland hotel and about 20 minutes from downtown. In the winter months some shows move back to the Ryman. Either way, it’s a real piece of American history and a fun night out.
4. Hear the songwriters at the Bluebird Cafe
The Bluebird is a tiny cafe in a strip mall, and it’s probably the most important music venue in Nashville. Songwriters sit in a circle in the middle of the room and take turns playing their songs, often the hits they wrote for big stars. Taylor Swift was discovered here.
It only seats about 90 people, and tickets are released online a week ahead and go in minutes. If you can’t get one, there’s sometimes a first-come line on Monday nights for the open mic. Rule number one at the Bluebird: no talking during the songs.
5. Catch some bluegrass at the Station Inn
The Station Inn is a small, low-slung building in the Gulch, surrounded by new high-rise apartments and looking completely out of place. It’s been the home of bluegrass in Nashville since 1974. Inside it’s dark, with long tables, cheap beer and pizza, and some of the best pickers in the world on stage.
The Sunday night bluegrass jam is free and open to all, and it’s a great Nashville night if you want something a bit less polished than Broadway.
6. Explore Printers Alley
Printers Alley is a narrow lane downtown that was once home to the city’s printing businesses, and later a strip of illegal bars and nightclubs. The neon signs are still there, and today it’s home to bars with blues and jazz on the stage.
It’s grittier than Broadway, and a nice change of pace. Bourbon Street Blues and Boogie Bar is the classic.
▶ Watch This Before You Go
7. Walk the Pedestrian Bridge at night
The John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge crosses the Cumberland River from downtown to the stadium on the east bank. It’s an old steel truss bridge, closed to cars, and at night it has the best view of the Nashville skyline, all lit up.
It’s a lovely break from the noise of Broadway, just a few minutes away. Walk to the middle, look back at the city, then cross back and dive in again.
8. Have a drink on a rooftop
Lots of the bars on Broadway have rooftops now, with live music and views over the street. Several of the newer ones are owned by country stars and named after them, which tells you what you need to know.
For something calmer, try a hotel rooftop bar in the Gulch or downtown. You’ll get the skyline without having to shout over a cover band.
9. End with hot chicken
No night out in Nashville is complete without hot chicken. It’s fried chicken soaked in a cayenne-heavy paste, served on white bread with pickles, and the heat levels range from mild to painful.
The story goes that it was invented as revenge. In the 1930s, a woman angry at her cheating boyfriend, Thornton Prince, loaded his fried chicken with pepper. He loved it so much that he opened a restaurant to sell it, and the family has been making it ever since.
Prince’s Hot Chicken is the original, and several of the big names stay open late on weekends, so you can finish your night with some. Start with medium. Seriously. Even the locals don’t order the hottest level for fun.
Common questions
Is Nashville safe at night?
Downtown and Broadway are busy and generally safe, with police around. Use the usual big-city sense, and take a rideshare back if you’ve been drinking.
Do Broadway bars charge a cover?
Most don’t. You pay for drinks and tip the band.
How do I get Bluebird Cafe tickets?
They’re released online about a week ahead, usually Monday mornings, and sell out in minutes. Be ready at your computer.
What’s the best night to go out in Nashville?
Every night has live music. Weekends are the busiest, and weeknights are much better for actually hearing it.
What should I wear?
Whatever you like. Cowboy boots are optional, but you’ll see plenty of them.
