Nashville, Tennessee — country music & Deep South energy
After the history of the East Coast and the scenery of the Blue Ridge and Great Smoky Mountains, Nashville brought a completely different rhythm to our road trip. This was the point where the musical heart of the Deep South really began to take over.
Want to get a feel for Nashville before you go — or revisit Broadway afterwards? With our friends at Drive From Home, you can explore Nashville virtually and jump straight into a drive around the city.
After the Blue Ridge Parkway, Gatlinburg and the Great Smoky Mountains, Nashville changed the mood of the trip completely. Suddenly it was neon signs, live bands, honky-tonks and a night out where you could wander from one music venue to the next.
We threw ourselves into Broadway, including some of the big celebrity venues associated with Jon Bon Jovi, Justin Timberlake and Garth Brooks. That mix of famous names and old-school Nashville honky-tonks was part of the fun.
Nashville was the beginning of a brilliant run of music cities for us — Nashville, Memphis and then New Orleans, each with a completely different sound and personality.
⭐ Highlights From Our Nashville Stop
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1. Lower Broadway
Neon, live music and bar after bar — this was the Nashville atmosphere we'd come for.
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2. Celebrity Bars
We had drinks in venues linked with Jon Bon Jovi, Justin Timberlake and Garth Brooks.
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3. Robert's Western World
Our useful Broadway tip: this was where we found the cheapest beer during our night out.
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4. The Music-City Run
Nashville led straight into Memphis and New Orleans — three iconic music cities back-to-back.
One of the best parts of Nashville was simply heading onto Lower Broadway and trying different bars. Many of the newer venues have major music names attached to them, so we made a point of sampling a few alongside the more traditional honky-tonks.
🎸 JBJ's NashvilleJon Bon Jovi's Broadway venue was one of the celebrity-name stops we tried.
🥃 The Twelve Thirty ClubJustin Timberlake is behind this more polished venue at Fifth + Broadway, with multiple spaces including a rooftop.
🎤 Friends in Low PlacesGarth Brooks' four-storey honky-tonk on Broadway — another of our celebrity-bar stops.
🤠 Robert's Western WorldThe old-school honky-tonk winner for us on price: this is where we found our cheapest beer on Broadway.
Two for the Row'd tip: If you're bar-hopping Broadway and watching the budget, check Robert's Western World. Prices can change, of course, but on our visit this was where we found the cheapest beer.
📸 Nashville Through Our Lens
Our Nashville photos
Our own photos from Nashville, Tennessee.
🎬 Watch Our Nashville Guide
Nashville in our own footage
For a quick feel for our Nashville experience, watch our short guide from the trip.
🚶 Getting Around Nashville
Broadway is made for bar-hopping on foot
👟 Lower BroadwayOnce you're downtown, the main run of honky-tonks and celebrity bars is easy to explore on foot.
🎶 Follow the musicPart of the fun is not over-planning every stop — walk Broadway, listen from outside and go into whichever venue takes your fancy.
💵 Watch drink pricesPrices vary considerably between venues. Robert's Western World was our best-value beer stop when we visited.
🚕 After a night outIf you're staying away from the Broadway area, plan your transport back rather than relying on driving after a night in the bars.
🎟️ Nashville Tours & Activities
Find Nashville experiences
From music-history tours to city sightseeing and evening experiences, you can compare current Nashville activities for your dates below.
Disclosure: Affiliate links — we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
🎒 What We'd Bring
👟Comfortable shoes For a Broadway bar crawl
🔋Power bank Long day into late night
🪪Photo ID For bars and nightlife
📱Phone Photos, maps and transport
🗺️ Where Nashville Fits in the Journey
Smokies → Nashville → Memphis
We reached Nashville after travelling through Virginia, the Blue Ridge Parkway, Gatlinburg and the Great Smoky Mountains. From there we continued west to Memphis.
And one important correction for the guide: Sun Studio is in Memphis, not Nashville. We visited it as part of the next stage of our road trip. That's where Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and others recorded, so we'll keep that experience on the Memphis page where it belongs.
The live-music atmosphere around Lower Broadway and being able to wander between very different honky-tonks and celebrity bars.
Which celebrity bars did we visit in Nashville?
Our Broadway stops included venues associated with Jon Bon Jovi, Justin Timberlake and Garth Brooks.
Where did we find the cheapest beer in Nashville?
On our visit, Robert's Western World was the best-value place we found for beer on Broadway. Prices can change, so treat that as our first-hand tip rather than a permanent price guarantee.
Did we visit Sun Studio in Nashville?
We visited Sun Studio on this road trip, but it is actually in Memphis at 706 Union Avenue. We've therefore included it with our Memphis experience rather than presenting it as a Nashville attraction.
Can you watch our Nashville guide?
Yes. Our Nashville YouTube Short is embedded on this page so you can see the city through our own footage.
Can you explore Nashville virtually?
Yes. We've linked this guide with Drive From Home, where you can explore Nashville virtually and start a virtual drive through the city.
