Let’s go, girls, come on! Man, I feel like a woman! – is this you? Then get your friends together and head for a girls’ trip to Nashville, Tennesse. No inhibitions, make no conditions get a little outta line! You will find plenty of fun things to do in Nashville with your gang. It does not matter if you are young or just young at heart, Oh, oh, oh, get in the action, feel the attraction. Popular activities include bar hopping, shopping, dancing, and eating your way around Nashville’s restaurants. In this post, you will learn step by step how to make your girls’ trip to Nashville a success.
STEP BY STEP GUIDE TO GIRLS TRIP TO NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE
When my friends came up with an idea of a girls trip to Nashville, I immediately said, yes! Sometimes what you need is just a fun time with your besties with no set itinerary, and everything else will play by itself.
As a chronic leader of many of my trips, I decided to be a follower on this one, but I was taking notes! I put them all together in this post to guide you through your own memorable girls getaway to Nashville. We had a blast and I am sure you will too.
How to get to Nashville Tennessee
Arriving by car
If you live within a driving distance from Nashville, the best way to reach the city is by driving. For a large group, you may consider renting a van and park it for the duration of your stay. City parking is expensive, and traffic can get heavy.
You will not need a car in the city. Since there is no public transportation, the best way to get around is by Uber. Uber service is just fantastic in Nashville. We never waited more than 5 minutes.
Here are the best hotels in Nashville that offer free parking.
Arriving by plane
It is easy to fly to Nashville almost from anywhere in the USA. We flew from Allentown, Pennsylvania directly with a discount airline Allegiant Air. The flight was a little under two hours, so we survived without peanuts or a glass of water.
Nashville International Airport (BNA)
The Nashville International Airport is located at One Terminal Drive, Nashville, TN 37214 – 8 miles east of downtown Nashville. BNA is home to 14 airlines, including major carriers and their regional partners, with more than 530 daily flights.
Nonstop service is provided to 75 markets, including Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, London, Los Angeles, New York, Orlando, Philadelphia, Salt Lake City, San Francisco, Seattle, Toronto, and Washington D.C.
Metro bus service, ride-share, shuttles, taxis, rental cars, and limousine service are available from the airport. Visit flynashville.com for details and contact information.
Where to stay during your girls trip to Nashville
Hotels in Nashville
Nashville is famous as a bachelorette destination. If this is your reason for a girls trip to Music City, I suggest staying closer to action. Here are 8 Top Hotels for a Bachelorette Party in Nashville. For more mature girls who are looking for high-quality accommodation, this is a list of top hotels in Nashville.
Airbnb Nashville
We decided that for our needs, a house would work better. We all preferred to have our own bedrooms, but at the same time have space where we can sit comfortably together. It was also important to have a kitchen for our morning coffee.
We booked, Elegant 4 Bedroom East Nashville Home. It did not look as elegant as we expected, but it did the job. It was large, clean, and very functional. We used Uber to get to downtown Nashville.
Things to Do in Nashville
1. Listen to live music
The best thing about Music City is that you can play there by the ear, literally! You can just walk around and pick what sounds good to you. The music scene in Nashville is as diverse as the songwriters and musicians who make up the community.
You can find free live music 365 days a year at the honky-tonks, but you can also find Americana, rock, pop, hip hop, and just about any other genre of music at a variety of venues around town.
Nashville’s Honky Tonk Highway
No visit to Nashville would be complete without a trip to Nashville’s Honky Tonk Highway located on Lower Broadway, where bars are pumping live country music into the streets from 10 am to 3 am every day!
I recommend visiting The Stage, a top-class honky-tonk, which requires artists to work their way up through other venues before they can play there. We knew we were getting the highest quality act when we visited. We danced our night away there!
Printers Alley
For a change of pace, step out of Nashville’s honky-tonk scene into this historic district. Visit Bourbon Street Blues and Boogie Bar to experience some true blues.
If karaoke is your thing, choose from one of many karaoke bars. Make sure to check out their invitational coupons handed out on the street. At Ms. Kelli’s Kareoke Bar, we had a round of beer for $1 each, any beer from the menu!
Enjoy music from a rooftop bar
The skyline of Nashville is not overly impressive, but if you combine it with the sounds of music, you will love the experience. Visit at least one and take it all in. The party atmosphere, the fresh breeze, and of course a touch of booze will make you feel happy, if only for a while.
2. Take a party bus around Nashville (or another party on-the-go vehicle)
There are many different ways to party on-the-go around Nashville. One of the most unique ways is riding a party bike that lets you can pedal, drink, and listen to music. We even gave it a thought, but quickly decided it required too much effort. Plus, it was too hot for a workout.
We went with Ultimate Party Bus instead and loved it. Our DJ, energetic Alexa, kept us entertained with great music and laughter. We had a floor for dancing just to ourselves. Definitely, a better choice than pedaling. We brought our own alcohol and put it in a cooler provided.
What do you do on a party bus? You drink, of course, and then you dance! Even the shyest of us ( I ain’t one of them!) got on the floor. It was not always easy when the bus was moving, but that only added to our dance moves.
If you need a bathroom, no problem. The bus has a scheduled stop at one of the bars along the way for a shot of Lemon Drops (limoncello I believe), where you can use the facilities.
3. Eat your way around Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee is widely associated with country music, but there is much more to The Music City than the music alone. Nashville’s dining scene stands on its own thanks to a combination of chef-driven restaurants and classic dining spots offering famous Hot Chicken, barbecue, and Meat & Three fares. For more details, check An Eater’s Guide to Nashville.
Nashville Hot Chicken
Hot Chicken is a Nashville original fried chicken dish doused in fiery spices and served on a bed of white bread with a pickle. Here are The Best Hot Chicken Nashville restaurants.
Nashville’s Meat & Three
What is Meat & Three? First, you pick one meat from a daily selection of three to six choices such as fried chicken, country ham, beef, fried steak, meatloaf, or pork chop. Then you choose three side dishes from a list that may include vegetables, potatoes, corn, green or lima beans, or more. And here is your Meat & Three meal!
Check out Best Meat & Three Nashville restaurants.
4. Have fun shopping
Nashville is a great shopping destination, especially if the country and western is your style. You will find there good quality clothing and an incredible variety of cowboy boots. I have to say, my friends did an excellent job lowering the inventory. Learn here about 10 Best Places for Shopping in Nashville.
5. Look for murals around the city
Nashville murals created by local and internationally known artists can be seen on sides of restaurants, shops, garage doors, water tanks, and even old silos. Here is where to find them: The Best Murals in Nashville.
6. Take a line dancing lesson at The Wildhorse Saloon
Learning line dancing steps should be high on the list of things to do during your girls’ trip to Nashville. The Wildhorse Saloon turned a three-level historic warehouse into a restaurant, bar, concert site, and dance venue.
Complimentary dance lessons are thought daily there. We liked the lesson, but we were hoping to actually dance for a while to practice our steps. Unfortunately, by the time we warmed up, the experience was over. Try to schedule your lesson right before music performances to polish your new skills.
7. Visit the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
The Country Music Hall of Fame is one of the most visited attractions in Nashville. It will really impress with two expansive floors of exhibits. The museum features various artists from all years of the country music. It also offers interactive touch screen displays, live performances, historic country video clips, photos, and artifacts.
Membership in the Country Music Hall of Fame, the highest honor a country music professional can receive, is extended to performers, songwriters, broadcasters, musicians, and executives in recognition of their contributions to the development of country music.
8. Take a stroll along The Music Walk of Fame
The Music City Walk of Fame on Nashville’s Music Mile, across the street from Country Music Hall of Fame, is a landmark tribute to those from all genres of music who have contributed to the world through song or other industry collaboration and made a significant contribution to the music industry.
9. Visit Johnny Cash Museum
The Johnny Cash Museum, featuring the world’s most extensive collection of Johnny Cash artifacts and memorabilia in the world, is definitely worth a visit if you are a big fan of the artist. It will take about an hour to thoroughly enjoy all of the exhibits in the museum. For us, $25 to enter felt too high for the size of the museum.
10. Venture out to other neighborhoods of Nashville
If time allows, make sure to explore other neighborhoods of Nashville. They all offer their distinct flavor of architecture, music, and cuisine. This is where you will get to meet the locals! Check out the list of neighborhoods here.
Nashville Weather
When planning your girls’ trip to Nashville, decide what kind of weather suits you the most. We visited in September, and the weather was perfect for outdoor dining and bar hopping.
I imagine May would be equally pleasant. All bars had the doors and windows open, rooftop terraces looked inviting, and streets were bustling with party buses and pedal bars. Learn more about Nashville weather here.
Hangover in Nashville?
Let’s face it, it could happen to the best of us. Fortunately, from what I heard, Nashville has it covered. Intravenous hangover treatment is a well-known service in the city and supposedly works. You can even receive a group discount!
you made Nashville sound so inviting!
It is actually not my kind of vacation, but I was plesently surprised how much fun it was.
Nashville looks like a great city to visit! My wife and I are planning a trip there in 2020. Thanks for the great writeup.
Thank you! I am sure you will have a lot of fun.