Nashville · Tennessee, USA
Things to Do in Nashville: Tours, Tickets & Day Trips
The best things to do in Nashville, ranked by real traveller reviews: hear free live music in the honky-tonks of Lower Broadway, see a Grand Ole Opry show, tour the Ryman and the Country Music Hall of Fame, eat hot chicken on a food tour, ride a party tractor, and take a day trip to the Jack Daniel’s distillery in Lynchburg. Compare 400+ tours, tickets and day trips side by side — most with free cancellation.
430 experiences Free cancellation Top-rated tours Instant booking
Sunset tours in Nashville
Departures that are under way when the sun sets in the coming weeks — start times checked against the local sunset.
Good for families in Nashville
Children can join from a young age and pay less than adults — taken from each operator’s price list.
Browse
Explore Nashville by interest
Whatever brings you to Nashville — world-class museums, the river, or a long lunch — start with the experiences travellers love most.
What to see
Top attractions in Nashville
The landmarks that define the city — and the tickets and tours that get you in, often skipping the line.
Broadway
Honky-tonk strip.
90+ toursView tours
Grand Ole Opry
Country stage.
60 toursView tours
Hall of Fame
Country museum.
50 toursView tours
Ryman
Mother Church.
50 toursView tours
Jack Daniel’s
Whiskey country.
50 toursView tours
Hot Chicken
Spicy Southern.
40 toursView tours
Party Tours
Buses & taverns.
70 toursView tours
Cumberland River
Skyline cruises.
40 toursView tours
3 days
Nashville in 3 days
- 1Day 1: music & Broadway
- 2Day 2: Grand Ole Opry
- 3Day 3: whiskey
- 4River cruise
Theme day
Nashville whiskey trail
- 1In-city distillery tour & tasting
- 2Day trip to Jack Daniel's, Lynchburg
- 3Uncle Nearest & Tennessee whiskey
- 4Barrel-strength tasting flight
Evening
Nashville food & honky-tonk night
- 1Hot chicken & local-eats food tour
- 2Honky-tonk pub crawl on Broadway
- 3Party tractor or pedal tavern ride
- 4Late-night bar crawl with shots
~90 min awayJack Daniel’s, Lynchburg
Distillery tour, tastings & lunch.
from $123View trips
~1 hr awayUncle Nearest, Shelbyville
Nearest Green’s whiskey legacy.
from $127View trips
~3 hrs awayMemphis & Graceland
Elvis’s home & Sun Studio.
from $332View trips
15 min from downtown awayGrand Ole Opry
Show or backstage tour.
from $50View trips
In the city awayNashville distilleries
Craft whiskey tours & flights.
from $13View trips
Downtown riverfront awayCumberland River
Showboat lunch & dinner cruises.
from $40View trips
Practical guide
Know before you go
Short, straight answers to the questions every Nashville visitor asks before booking.
Spring (Apr–May)
Warm, blooming and pleasant — one of the best times to visit.
Summer (Jun–Aug)
Hot and humid, buzzing with festivals like CMA Fest.
Autumn (Sep–Oct)
Warm days, cooler nights and fewer crowds — ideal for touring.
Winter (Nov–Feb)
Mild and quieter, with festive lights and indoor music.
CMA Fest
June brings the huge CMA Music Festival to downtown.
Best overall
April to May and September to October are ideal.
One day
Museums and Broadway.
Three days
Add the Opry and whiskey.
Five days
Add Memphis and more music.
For music
Opry and Hall of Fame.
For whiskey
Distillery day trips.
With kids
Cruises and museums.
On foot
Downtown, Broadway and the museums are easily walkable.
Tours & transfers
Guided tours with pickup are easiest for the Opry, whiskey and Memphis.
Ride-hailing
Apps and taxis are handy for the Opry and outlying areas.
Getting there
Nashville International Airport (BNA) is a short drive from downtown.
Where to stay
Downtown and The Gulch put you near Broadway.
By river
Cruises depart from the downtown riverfront.
US dollar
Nashville uses the US dollar; cards are accepted everywhere.
Book ahead
Opry shows, whiskey tours and Memphis trips fill up — reserve in advance.
Broadway is free
Live music on Broadway is free — tip the bands.
Try hot chicken
Don’t miss Nashville hot chicken and Southern barbecue.
CMA Fest
Visit in June for the CMA Music Festival — book early.
Dress for heat
Summers are hot and humid — bring light clothes and water.
Opry shows
Grand Ole Opry tickets sell out — book ahead.
Whiskey tours
Jack Daniel’s day tours fill up — reserve early.
Memphis trips
Graceland day trips book out — reserve ahead.
Party buses
Weekend party buses sell out — book early.
Dinner cruises
Showboat cruises fill up — reserve ahead.
CMA Fest
June is busiest — reserve everything well ahead.
Music tour
Around $30–60 for a city music sightseeing tour.
Opry show
About $50–110 for a Grand Ole Opry ticket.
Whiskey tour
Roughly $130–180 for a Jack Daniel’s day trip.
Party bus
Around $35–70 for a Broadway party bus or bar crawl.
River cruise
About $40–90 for a Cumberland River cruise.
How to save
Enjoy free Broadway music and join group tours.
When to visit
Nashville through the seasons
What's best, how busy it gets, and one booking tip for each time of year.
Spring (Apr–May)
Apr–May
- Best for
- Mild, blooming.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Great time.
Summer (Jun–Aug)
Jun–Aug
- Best for
- Festivals.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Hot, humid.
Autumn (Sep–Oct)
Sep–Oct
- Best for
- Warm, quieter.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Ideal.
Winter (Nov–Feb)
Nov–Feb
- Best for
- Quiet, festive.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Mild.
People also ask
Nashville travel FAQ
What are the top 10 things to do in Nashville?
Ranked by traveller reviews: 1) live music in the Lower Broadway honky-tonks, 2) a Grand Ole Opry show, 3) the Country Music Hall of Fame with RCA Studio B, 4) a Ryman Auditorium backstage tour, 5) a Jack Daniel’s distillery day trip, 6) a hot-chicken food tour, 7) a party tractor, pedal tavern or bar crawl, 8) the General Jackson Showboat, 9) the Johnny Cash Museum and the Patsy Cline Museum, 10) the Parthenon in Centennial Park.
How many days do you need in Nashville?
Two days for the music: downtown museums and the Ryman, Broadway at night, and an Opry show. Three days adds a whiskey day trip to Lynchburg or Shelbyville. Four days lets you reach Memphis and Graceland or spend a slow day in 12South, The Gulch and East Nashville.
What to do in Nashville for free?
Every honky-tonk on Broadway has free live music from late morning to 3 a.m. — tip the band. Also free: the Tennessee State Capitol tour and Bicentennial Mall, the Tennessee State Museum, the skyline view from the John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge, the Gulch and 12South murals, Centennial Park and the Parthenon exterior, Radnor Lake trails and the Nashville Farmers’ Market.
What are the best day trips from Nashville?
The Jack Daniel’s distillery in Lynchburg (90 minutes, bus tours with tastings and lunch), Uncle Nearest in Shelbyville (one hour), historic Franklin and its Civil War sites (30 minutes), Leiper’s Fork for Natchez Trace scenery, Mammoth Cave National Park (90 minutes) and Memphis with Graceland and Sun Studio (three hours each way, a long full day).
What to do in Nashville at night?
Broadway is the obvious answer — Tootsie’s, Robert’s Western World and the multi-storey honky-tonks all have free live bands. Beyond it: an Opry show, the Bluebird Café for songwriters (book weeks ahead), a Printers Alley speakeasy, a ghost tour of downtown, a dinner cruise on the General Jackson, or a party tractor and bar crawl with a group.
What is there to do in Nashville in winter?
The music never stops, so Broadway, the Opry and the museums are all indoor and quieter from January to March. Distillery tours run year-round, the Gaylord Opryland resort puts on ICE! and Christmas lights from mid-November, and hotel prices drop. Days are mild (40s–50s °F) with occasional snow.
What are the best things to do in Nashville with kids?
The Country Music Hall of Fame, the Adventure Science Center, the Nashville Zoo, the Parthenon, a General Jackson lunch cruise, the Grand Ole Opry (family-friendly and early enough), the Wildhorse Saloon for line-dancing lessons, and the Broadway honky-tonks in the afternoon — most admit under-21s until around 6 p.m.
When is the best time to visit Nashville?
April to May and September to October: warm days, cool nights and outdoor patios open. June is CMA Fest week, huge and fully booked. July and August are hot and humid. Winter is quiet and cheap, with Opryland’s Christmas from mid-November.
Is the Grand Ole Opry worth it?
Yes — it is the longest-running radio show in the world (since 1925) and every show mixes a dozen acts from legends to newcomers over two hours. Tickets start around $50; go for a backstage tour beforehand, and see the Ryman downtown for the Opry’s original home (it hosts the show in winter).
430 Nashville experiencesfrom $30 · free cancellation
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