Hi there! Today I will be sharing my itinerary and guide for how to spend 36 hours in Nashville, Tennessee. Nashville is such a fun place to visit, and one that I think should be on everyone’s bucket list. In addition to the amazing music and bar scene, Nashville also has great food, interesting museums and lots of street art! Nashville really has something for everyone, and in this post I will be sharing fun things that most travelers will enjoy! For a first trip to Nashville, a weekend is a great amount of time to see the city and experience some of its most popular attractions. Keep reading for my guide for how to spend 36 hours in Nashville!
Sleep
There are many great neighborhoods to stay in when visiting Nashville. I stayed in The Gulch, part of downtown, and I really enjoyed it! There were many restaurants and coffee shops in the area, and I really liked that it was removed from the craziness of Broadway.
If you’re only in Nashville for the weekend, I do recommend staying somewhere in the downtown area. That way, you’ll be able to walk to Broadway and be close to many museums and popular restaurants. I really liked my AirBnb in The Gulch – you can check out the listing here.
We specifically picked an AirBnb so it would be comfortable to work from home, but there are also a bunch of wonderful hotels in the area. Check out the map below or click here for some great options!
Booking.comDay 1
Brunch at Biscuit Love
Start your day with brunch at Biscuit Love in The Gulch! The line will likely be very long, especially on weekends, so get there early! Another option, which I definitely recommend, is to order for takeout and enjoy your food back in your hotel/AirBnb. If you want to order for takeout, order about an hour before you want to pick up your food!
I recommend the cinnamon rolls, and of course, anything with their delicious biscuits.
Line at 10am on a Saturday 
Check out the WhatLiftsYou Wings Mural
Also located in The Gulch, close to Biscuit Love, is the super famous Nashville Wings mural! This is another place where there will likely be a long line, but you might get lucky and be able to snap a quick photo. The exact address of the mural is 302 11th Ave S, Nashville, TN 37203.
Visit the Country Music Hall of Fame
After brunch and visiting the wing mural, head over the Country Music Hall of Fame. The walk from The Gulch is only about 20 minutes, but you can also take a scooter or Uber. The Country Music Hall of Fame is such a cool museum, and one that I definitely recommend visiting! I like country music, but I’m not a super-fan, and I still found the museum to be very interesting. There is so much information about country music stars, and my favorite part is that they have tons of outfits that were worn by these singers for award shows and other events! I spent about an hour in the museum, but if you love country music, you can easily spend 2 hours exploring.
Tickets to the museum are $26 for adults and $16 for kids.
Visit the Ryman Auditorium
After visiting the Country Music Hall of Fame, take a five minute walk to the Ryman Auditorium. This is another tour that I really recommend. The Ryman, a performance venue, is such an important piece of Nashville’s history and culture, and learning about the building and its past was very interesting. You’ll start off your tour with a short video about the Ryman and its unique history, and then you’ll walk through the venue itself.
So many famous people have performed at the Ryman, including Ed Sheeran, Aretha Franklin and Tim McGraw, just to name a few. The Grand Ole Opry also called the Ryman home for many years!
Tickets for self guided tours are $26 for adults and $17 for children.
Have a late lunch at Hattie B’s Hot Chicken
Hattie B’s is famous in Nashville, and for good reason, their food is really good! There are four locations in Nashville, and I visited the Broadway restaurant, close by to the Ryman Auditorium. There will likely be a line, as it is a very popular spot, but it’s worth the wait and the line usually moves pretty quickly. In addition to the delicious fried chicken, I also really enjoyed the pimento mac and cheese and the crinkle fries.
Hattie B’s also makes a great late night stop after visiting the bars on Broadway!
Take an Evening Trolly Tour
If you have a short time in Nashville, the evening trolly tour is a great way to see the city and learn about its history in about 2 hours. The tour picks up at River Front Park in downtown Nashville at 7:30pm, and takes you all around the city, stopping at major locations like the Parthenon and the Capitol building. It was so interesting to see and learn about all of these places outside of the city center that I wouldn’t have visited otherwise.
Our tour guide was amazing, and he provided us with so much interesting information throughout the tour. Although two hours was a little long for me, I still definitely recommend this tour. I loved riding the little trolly, and it was a fun evening activity.
Tickets for the evening trolly tour are $39 for adults and $19.50 for kids!
The Trolly + Capitol Building 
The Parthenon
Dinner at Merchants
After your trolly tour, head over to Merchants on Broadway for dinner. Unlike most of the other bars and restaurants in the area, Merchants has a quiet(er) and relaxed atmosphere. Merchants has two restaurants, a more casual first floor bistro as well as a more formal dining room. We ate at the bistro, and we really enjoyed the fish tacos and the pulled pork sandwich. Definitely make reservations in advance, they get very busy!
Fish Tacos
Check out the Bars on Broadway
After dinner at Merchants, there will be no shortage of bar options on Broadway. Many of these bars will have live music, so you can pick whichever one(s) look fun to you! Many famous country musicians have bars on Broadway, including Jason Aldean, Florida Georgia Line and Dierks Bentley – and these are definitely a fun time!
Day 2
Visit 12 South
The 12 South neighborhood of Nashville is one of my favorites! It’s much calmer than downtown, but there’s still lots to do. I recommend starting your day at The Frothy Monkey for breakfast and coffee. They have great outdoor seating!
After The Frothy Monkey, check out the cute boutiques in the area, including Reese Witherspoon’s store, Draper James! The outside of Draper James also makes a great photo spot with its blue and white striped walls – and right across the street in the alleyway you’ll find an I Believe in Nashville mural. Both of these are definitely Insta-worthy spots.
End your time in 12 South by visiting the delicious Five Daughter’s Bakery! They have the most delicious donuts, and you definitely need to try a few flavors. Even if you’re too full from breakfast, take them with you to-go, they are worth it!
Check out the Loveless Cafe
I had heard so much about Loveless Cafe that I knew I had to check it out! It’s located about 30 minutes from Nashville, so you will need a car to visit. You could Uber, but honestly, I personally don’t think it’s worth it. Loveless Cafe is an old motel that has been converted into a restaurant and gift shop! It’s very cute, and definitely a fun place to visit if you have time.
We visited on a Sunday morning, and the wait for a table for two was over an hour and a half. We decided to order take out, which only took 20 minutes, and ate in our car instead! I definitely recommend doing this, especially if you are short on time. Personally, I thought the food at the Loveless Cafe was only okay – but I get that people are coming more for the experience and not just the food.
Overall, if you have a car and time to spare, this is a cool place to visit, and a nice way to end your time in Nashville!
Main Restaurant 
Country Store 
Thanks so much for reading my itinerary for how to spend 36 hours in Nashville, Tennessee! There is so much to do in Nashville that 36 hours is just enough time to get a feel for the city and see some of the major attractions and neighborhoods. I can’t wait to return to Nashville in the future, and to see even more of the amazing city!
If you enjoyed this post and found it helpful, we appreciate you sharing it with others!
♡Kate
Note: I partnered with Visit Music City and was provided with free admission into many museums in Nashville. That being said, all opinions are always, and of course, completely my own. This post also includes affiliate links. Read our disclosure here.
Nashville has been one of my favorite places in the United States since I was really young! I love the country music history and southern charm. You managed to squeeze in a lot of awesome activities in just 36 hours! Great guide! 🙂
That wings mural is everything! Can’t wait to visit and get my own pic of it. Thanks for some good food options too.
Looks like you had a fabulous time. The wings mural photos are adorable.
I would love to take a selfie at the WhatLiftsYou Wings Mural! That breakfast at FrothyMonkey looks totally healthy and yummy. Can’t wait to visit Nashville and check out this beautiful city!
looks like a such a historic, colorful & fun town! i am intrigued by anywhere that has a crazy line by 10am…. but i’d probably just head to Loveless Cafe instead of Biscuit Love lol
What a detailed itinerary. Thank you! I’d definitely love to visit one day. I love all the murals and the cafe looks delicious!
Those wall murals are TOO CUTE! Would love to get one with that tiny donut one at Five Daughter’s Bakery!
I haven’t been to Nashville in over a decade thank you for such an in-depth travel guide!
I love a good graffiti insta option. Those wings are amazing!
I lived in Nashville for 3 years, and this post made me miss it! You really hit many of the things that make Nashville awesome. Perfect way to spend 36 hours there.
I live in Chattanooga and visit Nashville a few times a year. Love BISCUIT LOVE. Have done most of these except Loveless Cafe, always say I’m goin to, and the trolley tour. So many great murals around town.