Back in 2018, my friends and I took a weekend trip to Nashville for a wedding. As graduate students with little spending money, we spent the trip finding free things to do and enjoying as much food as we could. Here’s some neighborhoods to see in Nashville for restaurants, bars, boutiques, views of the city, and some tourist attractions.

Downtown/Broadway St

We stayed in a hostel on a street along the Cumberland River, just off Lower Broadway. Broadway is lined with bars and is a very active nightlife scene particularly on the weekend. We were visiting the weekend before Halloween, so the nightlife was extra busy with people dressed up in costumes. The bars are all filled with live music, although we were more interested in finding one that was playing the World Series. The area is also full of restaurants, hotels, and some tourist attractions. There’s a pedestrian bridge over the river to get a great view of the city.

12South

This half mile stretch along 12 ave in South Nashville is lined with boutiques, vintage stores, and restaurants. If you are visiting without a car like we did, take an Uber, taxi, or other service to visit. We walked from downtown. The walk was much longer and hotter than we expected. Along 12South is Howell’s Alley which is where the “I believe in Nashville” wall painting is located.

Midtown

The Parthenon is located at midtown, as well as Vanderbilt University, which is worth a walk around campus. Similar to the other neighborhoods, it’s easy to find restaurants in the area. We walked between midtown and downtown a few times during the trip as the wedding was also located in midtown.

Check out my post 10 Free Things to do in Nashville to learn more about live music, the Parthenon, and other free things to do in the city.