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Nashville, Tennessee is becoming one of the most popular US cities to visit and move to. On my last visit to Nashville, aka Music City, it was clear why. If you love country music it is a no-brainer to visit. Even if you aren’t a fan of the music, there is so much to do and an amazing food scene that Nashville is still worth a trip. In this 2 day Nashville itinerary I will give you a recommended order of activities to help plan a weekend in Nashville and additional suggestions if you have more time.

2 Day Nashville Itinerary

Two days in Nashville is not nearly enough to experience all that Music City has to offer. But sometimes we just don’t have as much time as we would like. If you only have a weekend in Nashville, use this two day Nashville itinerary map to help you explore the best foodie spots, cultural sites and music venues in the city. Click the arrow in the upper left hand corner for more information about every place on the itinerary.

See the Nashville guide below for additional details on each stop on the itinerary and more things to do and places to eat in Nashville.

What to Do in Nashville

Listen to Music

Nashville is called Music City for a reason. Walk on Broadway street in downtown Nashville and you won’t be able to avoid the music blaring out of the Honky Tonks if you try! You can also get tickets to the Grand Ole Opry. Check out Postcards from Someplace for some more ideas on where to listen to live music in Nashville.

The Grand Ole Opry

If you can’t snag tickets to the Grand Ole Opry, you still have a chance to see inside this famous music venue on a backstage tour. Without a ticket to the Grand Ole Opry or a backstage tour you can’t go inside of the Opry. Don’t miss out on walking on the iconic stage, stepping inside the dressing rooms and getting a taste of what the country stars experience when they perform at the Opry. Buy a ticket to the backstage tour today!

Gaylord Opryland Resort

Within walking distance from the Grand Ole Opry, is Opryland. If you want to treat yourself, stay at the Opryland Resort. If $200+ a night is a little outside of your budget, like it was for me, you can still visit for free. Perhaps you are unfamiliar with Opryland and wondering why I am suggesting you visit a hotel. The hotel is enormous. I think I walked a couple miles just by wandering around the gorgeous atriums. Opryland feels more like a botanical garden than a hotel. You can even take a short boat ride inside! It’s beautiful by both night and day.

Visit the Museums 

Nashville isn’t just for late-night enthusiasts and country music fans. You don’t even need to step into a honky tonk to have a great time in Nashville. The city is full of history, sport and art museums. Check out my full post on the best museums in Nashville.

Take an Old Town Trolley Tour

The hop-on hop-off trolley tour is a great way to learn about Nashville and get around Nashville. You can get on and off at any of their 15 stops. What I liked about the trolley tour is that it covered a good amount of distance. If it is your first time in Nashville you will probably be spending most of your time at the main attractions downtown. While there aren’t as many touristy attractions around Music Row and the Gulch it is still nice to see more of the city. Also you are not only seeing the city, but learning about it. The trolley guides do a great job of sharing interesting tidbits about country singers and keeping the tour entertaining.

You can buy a one day or two day trolley ticket. With your trolley ticket you also have admission to the George Jones Museum. Old Town Trolleys also run a 2 hour night tour that makes stops at some of the music venues.

Tour the Tennessee State Capitol 

You can take free guided tours of the TN State Capitol at 9am, 10am, 11am, 1pm, 2pm or 3pm. You can also visit the capitol on your own during opening hours. From outside the capitol there is a great view of the Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park. The park has numerous plaques, tours and water fountains that tell the history of the state.

What to Eat in Nashville

If you are a foodie, Nashville is a great city to visit. Nashville has a huge food scene and is known for several different types of foods. Here’s what you need to eat in Nashville.

Meat & Three

Have you heard of a ‘meat and three restaurant’? If you are like me and from the north you probably haven’t! It’s a type of restaurant that is common in the south and especially in Nashville. You choose a meat from a small selection and then add on three side dishes. Sometimes cornbread also comes with your meal. Nashville is full of good meat and three restaurants.

Puckett’s Grocery & Restaurant – Downtown Nashville

I met fellow travel blogger Jess who I mentioned above at Puckett’s Grocery & Restaurant in Downtown Nashville. I loved her dining choice. The restaurant has an old general store feel and is conveniently located to many of Nashville’s best sights. During lunchtime they have meat and three options. For lighter eaters you can also do a meat and two or a meat and one.

Here are some other recommended Meat & Three restaurants to try: Arnold’s and Katie’s Meat & 3.

Hot Chicken

Hatti B’s Hot Chicken 

Hot chicken is a Nashville special. Each restaurant has their own blend of spices that they use to turn their fried chicken into hot chicken. At Hatti B’s you can choose from mild to ‘shut the cluck up’ spicy hot! I had the medium sauce, the 3rd spiciest out of 6 and it was plenty hot! At first I thought I could handle more and then it kicked in. I also had the southern greens. I’m a northern girl (as the cashier figured out pretty quickly) and I don’t know if southern greens are usually spicey, but the ones at Hatti B’s were!

I went on a weekday at about 3pm and there was a very short line. I would highly recommend you do the same!  My trolley bus driver said that people sometimes wait three or four hours in line!

Here are some other recommended Hot Chicken restaurants to try: Pepperfire Hot Chicken, Party Fowl, and Prince’s Hot Chicken.

BBQ

Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint 

Is it a visit to the south without some good old Bar-B-Que? Nashville is one of the best BBQ cities in America with a mix of regional BBQ styles. Martins’ serves whole-hog bar-b-que with made from scratch sides. My pulled pork sandwich was very tender and flavorful. This counter service place is conveniently located to many of the main attractions in Downtown Nashville.

Here are some other recommended BBQ restaurants to try: Edleys BBQ and Peg Leg Porker. 

International Food

Nashville Farmer’s Market 

Traveling with a group of people and can’t agree on where to eat? Or looking for a great place to eat as a solo traveler? The Nashville Farmer’s Market caters to everyone. In the market there are about 20 local restaurant stands with cuisine from around the world. You can get some southern fare at Nooley’s like I did, Indian at Swagruha or Neopolitian pizza at Bella Nashville….just to name a few! There is communal seating for all the restaurants in the middle of the market.

Here are some other recommended global restaurants to try: Chaatable (Indian Street Food Restaurant), Saint Anejo (Mexican), Mas Tacos Por Favor (Mexican), Deg Thais (Thai food truck), and Thai Esane (Thai). 

Where to Stay in Nashville

Country Inn & Suites – Nashville Airport East 

Overall I had a good stay at this hotel. To help you decide if you should book at the Country Inn & Suites, here are some of the things I liked and didn’t like.

Hotel Amenities: The hotel is modern and clean. The maids are great at respecting the ‘do not disturb’ signs and cleaning and replenishing supplies when the sign is not up. Microwaves and refrigerators are in each room. There is a desk and chair which offers a nice working space.

Breakfast: The breakfast hours are from 6 – 9:30am every morning. It’s a little early if you are planning on staying out late the night before. The morning breakfast attendant isn’t too happy about people turning up at the last minute either.

Staff: Other than the breakfast attendant, I found the staff to be friendly and helpful.

WiFi: There is high speed wifi, but it was very finicky and hard to connect to. There was a pop-up screen to enter the WiFI password, but it didn’t always pop up. Most of the time I used the wifi from the neighboring Comfort Suites.

Location: The hotel is about 10 minutes from the airport and about 15 minutes from downtown Nashville. Public transportation is not a viable method of transport. There is a bus that goes downtown about twice in the early morning and returns about twice in the early evening. The bus takes over an hour and half. The timings usually don’t work and the length is not worth the amount of time spent. Using my Lyft Pink Membership I received 15% off every taxi ride and each one came to between $10 – $20, including tips.

Cost: Almost all the downtown Nashville hotels of similar quality are double in price, if not more. Although you will need to pay for a taxi to and from downtown it still is less than the cost of the hotels downtown.

Book the Country Inn & Suites – East Nashville 

I hope this 2 days in Nashville itinerary and guide helps you plan your time in Nashville, however long you have to spend in Music City! 

More Posts About the South & Southeast

• Georgia: Atlanta Posts
• Louisiana: 3 Day New Orleans Itinerary
• North Carolina: Downtown Raleigh Guide
• South Carolina: 3 Day Charleston Itinerary
• Tennessee: Nashville Museums
• USA: The Best Places to Learn about Black History in the South, The Best BBQ Cities in America

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