Nashville Travel Guide – TRAVEL IN STYLE

Nashville—one of my favorite southern cities. I fell in love with it on my first visit a few years ago, and even more so now that I visited in the fall. There’s just something so special about the place: it reminds me of a southern version of my hometown, Austin, Texas. This is one of the only cities I would actually live in—I love Nashville that much. I’ve compiled all my Nashville favorites in this travel guide: where to stay, eat, things to do, what to pack, my favorite murals and more. I hope this guide inspires you to visit Nashville and to find some hidden gems you didn’t know about before. Now it’s time to head down south!

What to Wear

Cute outfits are a must for any trip to Nashville, whether you’re exploring Cheekwood, spending the day shopping on 12 South or heading for a night out on Broadway. Normally, I arrange my outfit picks by season. But since Nashville has so much variety in types of fashion and things to do, I thought it might be helpful to give my recs by style this time around. You can easily shop these looks by clicking on each image below or by following me in the Liketoknowit app.

Trendy

Western

Classic

Where to Stay

The Russell Nashville

I stayed at The Russell for the first leg of my trip and absolutely loved it! The hotel was converted from a church in East Nashville, and everything about is stunning. I was so excited to partner with such a unique hotel, and I highly recommend staying here. Even the showers are to die for!

Things to do in Nashville

12 South

12 South is one of Nashville’s trendiest neighborhoods for shopping and dining. For those of you who have visited Austin, it reminded me a lot of South Congress! This is the place to be for the best shopping in Nashville, and there are a lot of great restaurants, murals and dessert spots. Here are my must-see spots on 12 South (details are later in the guide!):

Bartaco
Five Daughters Bakery
Draper James
White’s Mercantile
Finnley’s Boutique
Sevier Park

Sevier Park

Located near the end of the 12 South neighborhood, Sevier Park is the perfect place for a sunny afternoon stroll. (Bonus points if you bring a popsicle from Las Paletas right across the street!) There’s plenty of history to enjoy here, and the park is so scenic. Highly recommend taking a break from shopping here!

The Gulch

Another great option for shopping and dining in Nashville. I love the murals here, and there are plenty of chic restaurants and hotels sprinkled throughout the district. Here are a few of my must-sees:

What Lifts You mural
Kittenish
e.Allen
Uncommon James
Adele’s
Biscuit Love
Whiskey Kitchen
Up

Broadway

Lower Broadway is the place to be for Nashville nightlife, live music and all things honky tonk. This is one of the most popular places in Nashville and a must-see if you like country music and the touristy side of vacations. Broadway is also home to several museums and notable venues, like the Johnny Cash museum. Here are my recs:

Ryman Auditorium
Johnny Cash Museum
Acme Feed & Seed
Honky Tonk Central
Robert’s Western World
Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge

Franklin, Tennessee Day Trip

If you have an extra day in Nashville, I highly recommend venturing south to the suburbs and exploring Franklin. This historic town has all the small-town charm you could ask for paired with incredibly detailed Civil War historical sites, delicious barbecue, and one of the best main streets in America. I enjoyed my time in Franklin so much that I’ll be creating an in-depth travel guide for this adorable little town soon. If you find yourself in Franklin, you must see:

Lotz House
Carter House
Main Street
Moe’s Original BBQ
Kilwin’s
Tin Cottage

Belmont Mansion + Belmont University

I always make a point of visiting historic homes on my trips, and the Belmont Mansion is one of my favorites. This estate eventually grew into present-day Belmont University, and there’s so much Civil War history and beautiful artwork to be seen here.

I highly recommend taking a walk through the Belmont campus after you see the mansion—the grounds are stunning. Guided tours are available daily for $15, and they are worth every penny. This is an excellent tour if you’re interested in antebellum homes or Civil War history. You can purchase tickets here.

Vanderbilt University

Vandy is one of the prettiest campuses I’ve ever been to and just oozes southern charm. It’s just a short walk away from the Country Music Hall of Fame, and is a great place to slow down and take it easy. There are also some delicious restaurants located right off campus (Taco Mama is one of my faves!).

Best Nashville Neighborhoods

East Nashville

The hip, artsy corner of Nashville. Sleep in at The Russell, wander through Centennial Park and see a replica of the Parthenon, check out the Nashville Farmer’s Markt, dine on world-famous fried chicken at Hattie B’s. East Nashville is a must-see!

Hillsboro Village

Located just off of Belmont’s campus, Hillsboro has lots of cute restaurants, cafes, and boutiques.

Brentwood

My favorite suburb of Nashville! Lots of cute southern-style mansions and great shopping. This is also a great area to stay in Nashville if you want to be away from the hustle of downtown but close enough to plenty of things to do.

Nashville Dining Guide

Biscuit Love

My #1 for must-eats in Nash. The chicken biscuits are unreal! Try the Princess biscuit for authentic Nashville Hot Chicken.

Bartaco

These tacos live up to the hype. I recommend coming here for lunch since it’s a lot cheaper than dinner. This is the perfect lunch spot to take a break from shopping on 12 South. Order the fish tacos and salsa verde!

Hattie B’s Hot Chicken

Noted as the best fried chicken in Nashville. The line is always out the door, so get there early! I didn’t get a chance to try it on my last trip, but those reviews don’t lie!

Las Paletas

These Mexican ice pops are the best mid-afternoon sweet treat on 12 South. You can easily get an ice pop to-go for a walk through Sevier Park or while you shop the boutiques down the street.

Five Daughters Bakery

These are the best doughnuts I’ve ever had. Hands down. So fresh, so many incredible flavors, family-owned. There’s a reason Five Daughters gets so much hype. The s’mores flavor is 10/10, pictured below 🙂

Shopping in Nashville

Draper James

I’ve dreamed about coming here for years—it’s a true southern dream. Draper James is Reese Witherspoon’s southern flagship with cute clothes, home goods, accessories and more. They even hand out complimentary sweet tea while you shop! Don’t miss the famous mural on the side of the building as you make your way down 12 South.

White’s Mercantile

This fashionable take on a general store is a must-shop in Nashville. Prices are steep here, so it’s best for window shopping and getting a little western inspiration. Pro tip: you can still find some cute Nashville tees under $40 on the racks outside!

Finnley’s

Finnley’s is a perfect southern boutique and has some of the cutest styles. This was my favorite affordable boutique I shopped at in Nashville. It reminds me a lot of my favorite boutique in Alabama, Ellie Clothing. Make sure to check it out when you shop 12 South!

Goop MRKT

Gwyneth Paltrow’s concept store on 12 South offers major window shopping inspiration. I give it points for being super Instagrammable, but the prices here are pretty wild.

Marine Layer

A clothing store where everything is designed to be soft? Sign me up. This reminded me a lot of an upscale version of PacSun with major Southern California vibes.

Madewell Denim Edit

Absolute jean-shopping heaven. Enough said.

Kittenish

Located in The Gulch, this boutique serves up some major 90s inspiration. It’s so trendy, chic and pink. Interior design goals, seriously.

Tin Cottage

This was my favorite store in downtown Franklin. Tin Cottage has lots of cute gift ideas, cards, and even a bath bomb bar. What more do you need?

Best Nashville Murals

What Lifts You

The famous angel wings in The Gulch create the iconic Nashville photo. There’s usually a line to take a photo here unless you come super early in the morning. The line moves quickly though—it’s worth the wait!

I Believe in Nashville

The other iconic Nashville wall mural is I Believe in Nashville. You can find this one on 12 South right next to Draper James!

Draper James

This blue + white striped wall and gingham mural at Draper James is so cute. If you don’t want shadows on the wall, make sure you get your photos early in the morning.

Rivive!

Another great mural on 12 South. This one features a lot of animal artwork and promotes local river resource awareness in Nashville. Rivive! may not come up on a lot of Nashville wall lists, but it’s one of my absolute favorites.