WHERE TO STAY IN NASHVILLE

If you are interested in where to stay in Nashville, you may also be interested in where to stay in Memphis, where to stay in New Orleans, where to stay in Atlanta and where to stay in Pittsburgh.

Downtown area, the best area to stay in Nashville

The downtown area is by far and away the most happening district in the city and is the hub of the entertainment, which gives the city its identity. This area is one of the closest to the Nashville International Airport and there are shuttle buses that can be arranged with the majority of hotels and there is also airport/downtown bus, which runs every hour and is incredibly inexpensive. Nashville is one of the more dangerous cities in the USA but this area is heavily policed and only petty crimes happen like stealing happen, so it is best to just use some common sense when out and about. The district is well served by public transport too, which means you can easily reach other parts of Nashville without much hassle.

There are a whole host of things to do in the downtown area, which appeal to a wide audience, whether you like music, history, modern architecture, general museums, night time entertainment, bars and restaurants. Probably the first thing you will notice is the tallest building in the state, which is the AT&T Building or more commonly known as “The Batman Building due to the 2 tall spires that sit on top of it. Another structure that is very noticeable is the Shelby Street Pedestrian Bridge, which was built in the early 20th century and is vehicle free, so that you can enjoy the fantastic views of the riverfront and downtown.

Another excellent man made structure is the Tennessee State Capitol, which is neoclassical masterpiece of architecture and was created in the mid 19th century and holds various exhibits. There are hundreds of brilliant museums and galleries to check out and some of our favourites include the First Centre for Visual Arts, which has artists art work that come from the city as well as ones that are internationally known, The State Museum, which has permanent exhibitions to do with the history of the state and the Musicians Hall of Fame has many interesting displays of musicians that have come from the city.

The majority of the shops can be found along Broadway and 5^th Avenue with both having great ranges of shops and malls that sell about everything you could think of. You are spoilt for options in terms of nightlife entertainment with famous plays at the Performing Arts Centre, international music acts at the Bridgestone Arena and the legendary Ryman Auditorium, which hosts famous country acts. The best streets for hotels, restaurants, bars and nightclubs are US Highway 70 or Printer’s Alley as there are plenty of hotels, restaurants, bars and nightclubs to pick from.

Hotels in Downtown Nashville

Other neighbourhoods to stay in Nashville

Opryland Area

This area consists of Opryland and Music Valley, which are well known for their outstanding entertainment, activities and shopping, which are only a stone throws away from downtown. The fact that it is easily accessible by public transport as well as safe means that the area is a great place to stay in and there are a number of things to see and do.

The Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Centre have numerous attractions like dancing shows, an indoor river, cinema, music shows and dining options. You will also find the Grand Ole Opry, which is the oldest continuous radio program with the Opry Mills mall just across from it, which has lots of restaurants. For some of the best dining and drinking experiences, the best area is Music Valley Drive as there are plenty of places to pick from with many of them hosting live music acts.

Hotels in Opryland Area

Music Row

This is the centre of the country music recording industry and is arguably one of the most famous areas in the state, which is where you will find various tree-lined boulevards that teem with recording studios and businesses that are related to music. It is just to the south west of downtown and is easily reachable from downtown, which is another safe area and makes it a good area to stay in. There are also various music halls, parks, shops, malls, upscale restaurants, clubs and pubs to see with the majority of them found along Demonbreun Street.

Hotels in Music Row

East Nashville

Hop across the Cumberland River to East Nashville and enjoy the vibes of this bustling part of ‘Music City’. East Nashville is a great area to stay in as it has the best restaurants, shops and cafés plus a vibrant night scene. Whatever time you arrive, head for the Nashville Biscuit House which serves some of the best pastries in town plus the traditional biscuit sandwich! Once your batteries have been charged, you can explore Shelby Bottoms Park which stretches for three miles along the river and has five miles of paved walkways, that are perfect for walking, jogging or cycling. There is an interesting Nature Centre to pop into while you are there.

The Five Points area is fun to visit as it has colourful street art, music and trendy restaurants. As the day moves on, it’s cocktail time and the Treehouse with its wood panelling and creative lighting is a trendy place to order a handcrafted cocktail and yes, you can sip it up in the tree house in the garden! If you want to enjoy some good live music, head for The Family Wash/Garage Coffee which hosts a live show every night - including some exciting newcomers. There is a full coffee bar and an all day menu available.

Hotels in East Nashville

West End

West End welcomes everyone and is the perfect area to stay if you enjoy a lively nightlife and it is a real hub for the music scene. There are reasonably priced hotels and some great restaurants including traditional ones like Jimmy Kelly’s, legendary steakhouses and new upscale restaurants serving world cuisines. In the heart of this district is Centennial Park which is vast and well worth a visit. It has a large lake and sunken garden plus a full-scale replica of the Parthenon – the only one in the world! The Charity Wine Auction is fun to visit, but if you are a rock fan, THE place to visit is the ’Elliston Place Rock Block’ where all the iconic rock clubs are located.

Hotels in West End