Discover Nashville: A Fun-Filled 3-Day Weekend

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Brush off your two-step, because we’re boot-scootin’ boogieing on into Nashville, Tennessee. Music City is a vibrant place full of history, and there is no shortage of music here. No matter how many times you visit, there is always something new to discover. On our latest trip we spent a long weekend with friends exploring three of Nashville’s most iconic neighborhoods, and each one gave us a completely different version of the city.

This is the 3 days in Nashville itinerary we actually followed, built around one neighborhood per day so you are never zigzagging across town. We did all the research and planning so you can kick back and party like a pro, stress-free.

At a Glance

Day 1: Hillsboro Village for coffee, vintage shopping, and murals.
Day 2: The Gulch for brunch, boutiques, and the Wings mural.
Day 3: Broadway for honky tonks, live music, and the tractor ride.
Best time to go: April to May or September to October, when the weather cooperates.
Don’t skip: The tractor ride down Broadway, which was the highlight of our trip.

Before You Go: What to Know About Nashville

The best time to visit Nashville

Spring and fall are the sweet spots, roughly April into May and September into October, because the weather is comfortable enough to walk between neighborhoods and sit on a rooftop without melting. Summer in Nashville is hot and humid, and it is also the busiest and most expensive stretch of the year thanks to CMA Fest in June. If you want lower hotel prices and thinner crowds, January and February will give you both, and the honky tonks are still going every single night.

Getting around Nashville

You do not need a rental car for this itinerary. Each neighborhood is walkable on its own, and rideshares between Hillsboro Village, The Gulch, and Broadway are short and inexpensive. If you do bring a car, look for a hotel that includes parking or be prepared to pay for it downtown, because parking near Broadway gets expensive quickly, especially on weekends and event nights.

Where to stay in Nashville

Where you stay really changes your trip here. Staying downtown near Broadway puts you in the middle of everything, which is perfect if you want to walk home from the honky tonks, though it is also the loudest and priciest option. The Gulch is our pick for a good balance, because it is walkable to Broadway but quieter at night, and it puts you next to the best brunch in the city. Midtown and Hillsboro Village are the calmer, more residential choice if you would rather retreat at the end of the day. [ADD ONE SENTENCE ABOUT WHERE YOU AND YOUR FRIENDS ACTUALLY STAYED AND WHETHER YOU WOULD BOOK IT AGAIN.]

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Day 1: Hillsboro Village

Hillsboro Village is a charming neighborhood near Belmont and Vanderbilt Universities, and it is known for its eateries, shops, cafes, and boutiques. It is home to the historic Belcourt Theatre, and it offers a perfect mixture of food, wellness salons, entertainment, and culture. We started here on purpose, because it is the gentlest possible introduction to a city that is about to get very loud.

Start your day by grabbing a coffee and some breakfast from Fido, a former pet store that is popular with locals. Then head down 21st Avenue South and pop into United Apparel Liquidators, which has a well-known mural on the side of the building for our art enthusiasts, or BookManBookWoman if you are after a new read. Today is all about relaxing, enjoying good company and art, and exploring your surroundings without a schedule.

Passport Partners Tip

Check what is showing at the Belcourt Theatre before you go. It is one of the oldest continually operating theaters in Nashville, and catching a film there is a genuinely local way to spend an evening when you want a break from live music.

Where to eat and drink in Hillsboro Village

These are the spots we would send you to, whether you want a long brunch or a proper cocktail.

Pancake Pantry is the neighborhood institution, and the line out the door is part of the experience.
Double Dogs is the casual, sports-on-the-TV option when nobody can agree on dinner.
Supper Club on Belcourt is the move for a nicer sit-down meal.
Jar Cocktail Club is where to go when you want a considered cocktail rather than a beer.
The Villager Tavern is the old-school dive, and it is cash-friendly and unpretentious.
The Patterson House is the speakeasy-style bar worth dressing up a little for.

Murals to find in Hillsboro Village

Nashville is a mural city, and Hillsboro Village is where we started collecting them. These four are all within an easy walk of each other.

Day 2: The Gulch

Important question for you. Do you like biscuits? Because you are not going to want to miss out on brunch at Biscuit Love. It is popular for its Southern-style biscuits and creative dishes, and it is a restaurant worth the wait time. It sits in The Gulch, which makes it the perfect place to start your second day.

The Gulch is the trendiest neighborhood in Nashville. You know the famous “Wings” mural by Kelsey Montague that you have seen all over social media? This is where you will find it. There are plenty of other murals in the area for fun photo ops, along with high-end boutiques and unique local shops you can wander into along the way.

Once you have eaten and shopped your way through the afternoon, here is how we would choose your evening. If you want a farm-to-table experience, The 404 Kitchen has great options with Southern and European influences. If you want to listen to some music, Station Inn is legendary, and the venue is known for its bluegrass and roots music. And if you want stellar views of the city before dinner, grab a cocktail at LA Jackson on top of the Thompson Nashville Hotel.

Passport Partners Tip

Get to the Wings mural early. By late morning on a weekend there is a real line of people waiting to stand in front of it, and the light is better before the crowd builds anyway.

Where to eat and drink in The Gulch

Biscuit Love is the brunch everyone tells you about, and it lives up to it.
Milk and Honey is the easier brunch alternative when the Biscuit Love line looks brutal.
The 404 Kitchen is the farm-to-table pick with Southern and European influences.
Proof is a solid choice for a relaxed dinner in the neighborhood.
The Mockingbird leans playful and modern if you want something a little different.
Station Inn is the legendary bluegrass and roots venue, and it is worth planning your night around.
Tin Cup Coffee and Prickly Pear Coffee are both good stops when you need caffeine between murals.

Murals in The Gulch

If you are doing a mural walk, this is the densest cluster in the city, and you can knock out most of it in an afternoon.

Day 3: Broadway

Life is more fun with a little honky-tonk, and you cannot go to Nashville without experiencing Broadway. We saved it for the last day on purpose, because it is the loudest, latest, and most memorable part of the weekend, and you will want the other two days behind you before you take it on.

What to know about Broadway before you go

Broadway is better known as the Honky Tonk Highway, and it is famous for talented musicians who perform every single day of the week. You can hear almost any genre here, from bluegrass and classic country to rock and pop. The energy of the performers and the visitors is electric, there is always a bustling crowd, and music pours out of every door you walk past.

It is also home to legendary venues like Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge, The Stage, Robert’s Western World, and Legends Corner, plus the landmarks that make this a music city in the first place. The Ryman Auditorium, known as the Mother Church of Country Music, the Johnny Cash Museum, and the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum are all right here. Most honky tonks have no cover charge, so you can wander in and out freely, but the musicians play for tips, so bring cash and use it.

Where to eat on Broadway

Merchants Restaurant sits in a historic building and is the most grown-up meal on the strip.
Acme Feed and Seed is a multi-level spot with a rooftop worth the climb.
Jack’s Bar-B-Que is the quick, no-fuss barbecue stop between bars.
Jason Aldean’s Kitchen and Rooftop Bar and Kid Rock’s Big Ass Honky Tonk are the celebrity-owned multi-story bars, and they are as big and loud as they sound.
Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge is the purple landmark, and it is as much a piece of history as it is a bar.

The honky tonks worth your time

Robert’s Western World is the traditional country pick, and it is the one locals point you to.
Legends Corner sits right by the Ryman and is covered wall to wall in album art.
The Stage on Broadway has one of the bigger dance floors on the strip.
Whiskey Bent Saloon is the smaller, rowdier option when the big bars feel like too much.

We have a whole post ranking these if you want the full breakdown, so read our top 5 honky tonks in Nashville before you decide where to spend your night.

The tractor ride down Broadway

Finish off your trip with the most unusual thing we did all weekend, which is a tractor ride down Broadway. If you are 21 or older, this moving party offers live music, interactive games, and the option to enjoy a drink while you take in the sights and sounds of Nashville. We had such a blast doing this with friends, and it is a memorable way to see the city from a completely different perspective.

From the moment we boarded, the staff created an exciting atmosphere. They were not just our transportation, because they also had DJs spinning a mix of classic hits and modern favorites, plus onboard bartenders for anyone participating in beverages of the alcoholic kind. We appreciated the interactive games they organized, which almost immediately turned our group into new friends. Highly recommended.

Book the tractor ride we did

Live music, onboard bartenders, and a rolling party down Broadway. Ages 21 and up, and it books out fast on weekends.

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If you want more to fill out your weekend, you can browse the rest of our favorite Nashville activities and tours.

Frequently Asked Questions About Visiting Nashville

Three days is the right amount of time for a first visit. It gives you one full day in each of the three neighborhoods that define the city, with enough breathing room for a long brunch and a late night on Broadway. If you want to add the Grand Ole Opry, a distillery tour, or a day trip out of town, you will want a fourth day.

Downtown near Broadway is the most convenient and the loudest, The Gulch is the best balance of walkable and quiet, and Midtown or Hillsboro Village suit travelers who want a calmer home base. All three work for this itinerary, since rideshares between them are quick.

You do not need one for this itinerary. Each neighborhood is walkable on its own, and rideshares cover the gaps cheaply. A car mostly becomes a parking problem downtown, so we would skip it unless you are adding day trips.

Spring and fall give you the most comfortable weather for walking the city. Summer is hot, humid, and the most expensive stretch of the year, while winter brings the lowest prices and the honky tonks still run every night.

Most of them do not, which is what makes bar-hopping down Broadway so easy. The musicians play for tips rather than a guaranteed fee, so bring cash and tip the band in every room you enjoy.

It works well for couples because the days and nights are so different from each other. You can spend the daytime on murals, coffee, and browsing shops, then decide each evening whether you want a rooftop cocktail or a loud night on Broadway. It also scales easily if you are traveling with another couple, which is how we did it.

Your Nashville Weekend, Sorted

Whether you are exploring the charming streets of Hillsboro Village, chasing murals in The Gulch, or partying your way down Broadway, Nashville has a little bit of everything to offer. Three days is enough to see the city properly without feeling like you rushed it, and one neighborhood per day is what keeps it from turning into a scramble.

Planning more short trips like this one? Read our guide to quick weekend getaways for couples, or see how we budgeted a Vegas weekend for two.

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Been to Nashville yourself? Tell us in the comments which honky tonk we need to try next time.