Travel
32 Reasons Why Nashville Should Be Next on Your Travel List
From Germantown to Midtown, East Nashville to The Gulch, an electric energy buzzes throughout the streets of Nashville and offers visitors plenty to do, see, eat, drink, and experience. There’s a museum hotel downtown that’s...
From Germantown to Midtown, East Nashville to The Gulch, an electric energy buzzes throughout the streets of Nashville and offers visitors plenty to do, see, eat, drink, and experience. There’s a museum hotel downtown that’s filled with art. There’s a restaurant that offers a 12-course tasting menu by chefs that once worked at Noma. There’s a place serving a hemp hangover patch. There’s even a Brooklyn-founded pizzeria serving Detroit-style pizza. Looking for a boutique hotel with a penthouse? We found it. Want to stay in a revamped old Victorian mansion? We found that too. In short, we think you’re going to love this place.
Chosen by many for bachelor(ette) parties, friendcations and even family vacations, Nashville has something for every type of group getaway.
Reporter: Alyssa Brown
Nashville’s a city that’s chock-full of high-rise hotels, but we’ve taken the guesswork out of finding the best spots for a group getaway by listing our faves right here. Looking for a tiny boutique hotel that feels like home? We’ve got you covered. Prefer something spacious, glamorous and in the heart of the action? We’ve got that too.
Fairlane Hotel is just the right mix of vibrant mid-century style suites and gorgeous gathering spaces, including Ellington’s Mid Way Bar & Grill, Mile End Delicatessen and Union Teller Coffee Counter. This Arts District boutique hotel also has one of the best penthouses in town--a 4,000-square-foot party pad with a wraparound terrace of its own.
With full kitchens, private living rooms, and up to 4-rooms suites, Bode Nashville is designed to host your entire group. Whether you're planning a bachelorette weekend or a family reunion, this chic and stylish downtown hotel has amenities that will delight your whole crew- everything ranging from cozy fire pits to lively concert stages to amazing views of the city.
This luxury boutique hotel in The Gulch offers beautiful, comfortable suites with a mid-century vibe and a rooftop cocktail spot that’s a total hit. For those traveling with friends, be sure to book the penthouse so you’ll have a fabulous place to sip cocktails and hang out before going out in the evenings.
The suites at Noelle look like bedrooms you’d find in some posh catalog, and we mean that in a very good, comfort-optimized way. The rooftop cocktail bar makes an excellent hangout spot for sunset’s golden hour, while the restaurant downstairs offers solid tavern fare.
A total charmer, Germantown Inn is a 10-room boutique hotel that’s set inside a two-story Federal-style home that dates back to 1865. The setting includes a carriage house, a cozy courtyard and a private rooftop terrace overlooking the cityscape.
Eight boldly designed suites make up this small-but-mighty boutique hotel. For groups, the whiskey room sleeps up to six guests and has two bathrooms, a private terrace and a connecting door to another suite. What we love about this spot is that it feels like home, if home was decorated by Carrie Bradshaw and had a gorgeous, full-service bar right downstairs.
This art-filled hotel is equal parts museum, crash pad and hangout spot. The 21C galleries are free and open to the public, the restaurant is known for its comfort food and the spa offers a great massage menu. Oh, and the two-bedroom terrace suite is perfect for a girls’ getaway weekend!
If you’re planning a bachelorette party in the Music City, a stay at Nashville Riverfront Lofts is sure to have your group feeling right at home. The combination of loft apartments and penthouse suites are prime territory for a slumber party vibe, and the location in the heart of downtown makes this spot super convenient for going out and enjoying the city.
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This old Victorian manse in East Nashville has been renovated and decked out to the nines in what the owners lovingly refer to as Southwestern Deco style. The modern B&B is bold, vibrant and it has exactly the kind of buzzing energy you’ll want during a weekend getaway with your closest friends.
Midtown’s Loews Vanderbilt Hotel is a chic spot to stay, complete with a modern Southern public house bar and restaurant. If you’re traveling with a squad, you’ll definitely want to check out the club level suites, with their private concierge lounge, and take advantage of the house car.
Contemporary and calm, the Kimpton Aertson Hotel in Midtown offers a place to relax between your busy Music City tour schedule. If you’re rolling deep with a crew, check out the Queen Queen deluxe suites so you can get all the slumber party feels with your BFFs in one room.
Nashville may be best known for its music scene, but the food is right up there as one of the best culinary cities of the South. We’re sharing our favorite place to cozy up to the bar and order a CBD cocktail, and the best spot to grab a wood-fired pizza too. There are plenty of places that take group reservations, and a few that are best enjoyed during a couples’ weekend or special occasion with a smaller crew.
The raw bar at Henrietta Red includes various types of oysters and clams served alongside a couple of crudo options. Look for more seafood offerings--like a jumbo lump crab salad and seared sea scallops--on the dinner menu along with pork sausage, beef tartare, and vegetarian options too. If you’re dining with a group, there are a couple of options here for private events, including an outdoor garden area and an enclosed patio.
Liberty Common is the place to go for French food all day, every day. Think wild mushroom quiche, fresh oysters, steak frites, and beautiful charcuterie spreads with comté, chicken liver mousse and country pâté. For group dining, the bright, colorful space is perfect for private events, bachelorette parties and the like.
Here’s a hot tip for your next girls’ night out: go bowling! At Pinewood Social, you can reserve a couple of bowling lanes and book a dinner reservation at the same place. Large-format cocktails here are made for sharing, and include heavy hitters like the Macho Matcha Man – a grapefruit, elderflower, matcha and lime sipper with the clear spirit of your girl gang’s choice.
In the mood to enjoy wood-fired brisket and sausage by the pound? Head to Germantown to grab a seat in the beer garden at Butchertown Hall and indulge in a feast of Argentinian-style barbecue.
Photo by Marcus Baney
With its old world style and posh patrons, The Patterson House is as much a craft cocktail bar as it is a mood. This spot takes cocktail orders via text, but otherwise expects its guests to be screen-free and focused on the flavors, tinctures and elixirs in their glasses.
Only a year into business and this pizzeria has garnered its share of best restaurant awards and local fanatics. Folk plays with fermented foods, slings wood-fired pizzas and includes lots of veggies, meats and seafood on its menu. To top off the glory, the wine list is all natural and includes skin-contact wines, pét nats and plenty of rosé.
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Head to Green Hills if you’re craving Detroit-style pizzas, waffle fries or chicken parm. Emmy Squared started in NYC in 2016, and opened the Green Hills outpost just this year. The beautiful black-and-white space is happy to host your private party.
This minimal, modern all-day café in East Nashville serves avocado toast and lots of health-conscious salads and bowls by day, as well as a comforting dinner menu with dishes like steak frites and miso cauliflower. Notably, the cocktail list includes fan-favorites, like The Gateway, a concoction of gin, hemp juice, lemon, egg white, and Yuyo Botanics CBD oil.
All 24 seats at Bastion are front-row to the kitchen action. The menu here is constantly changing, and you and your guests will have the option to select five courses from a “choose your own adventure” a la carte menu.
Dinner at Adele’s in The Gulch might include sipping rosé sangria and noshing on crispy shrimp, meatballs and polenta, or rack of lamb with mint chimichurri, roasted garlic hummus and fregola. The 200-seat industrial, open-plan restaurant is always open for dinner, and serves lunch on Fridays and Saturdays, and a brunch buffet on Sundays.
Donut holes, savory waffles and double-stacked cheeseburgers are just a few of the comfort foods on the menu at Stay Golden. The coffee program here is outstanding, and the atmosphere is bright, friendly and approachable.
Whether you consider it the best wine bar or the best place for Italian food in Nashville, chances are Moto will make it onto your “best of” list. The menu here has a bright, modern approach and the enoteca space is lovely for dining with a group or simply as a duo.
This cool East Nashville hangout offers 36 taps, a spacious patio and a chill environment that’s perfect for nursing that post-bachelorette hangover. Chat with your bartender about hooking you up with the hemp extract hangover patch, and order up a round of breakfast tacos so you and your crew can continue enjoying your weekend.
The brunch menu at this gastropub includes fun, interactive items, like a maple fondue with waffles, pain perdu and sausage centered around warm maple syrup and fresh fruit. If you’re planning something with a crew, there’s a gorgeous little library space at Tavern that works well for dinner, and a patio that can be privatized for your special event.
When chefs Will Aghajanian and Liz Johnson first met, it was during a stage at Noma. Fast forward five years and the pair recently took the helm at The Catbird Seat in Midtown, a fine dining countertop experience restaurant with just 23 seats. Go with a group of four, spring for the 12-course tasting menu with wine pairings, and be prepared to enter a new level of sensory high.
Local farms drive the daily menu offerings at Margot, where you might dine on shaved summer squash with cantaloupe, hazelnuts and green goddess dressing one night or grilled trout with grits, gumbo and crispy shallots another night. The ambience here is warm and welcoming with a notable French influence both in the atmosphere and on the menu.
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Between the Grand Ole Opry, Music Row and the local art scene, you’ll be plenty busy when you’re not indulging in good food and craft cocktails in Nashville. Here are a few of our top picks for a weekend filled with activities, both day and night.
At Belle Meade Plantation, you can combine your interest in history with an enjoyable wine tasting experience. Take a tour of the Greek Revival mansion, the plantation grounds and historic buildings before heading to the on-site winery.
Photo by Natasha Lee
Tucked between towering trees, this historic estate and its botanical gardens and art museum make a great daytime activity for any group of travelers. Cheekwood offers plenty of private event options too, perfect for those planning a fête.
Modern art fills the walls of this stunning Art Deco museum. Many of the exhibitions at the Frist Art Museum fall into the “can’t miss” category, including the current Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera and Mexican Modernism show that’s on through September.
Music Row is home to Nashville’s famous record labels, music venues and bars. It’s a major hub for nightlife, and one of the best spots to bar hop while listening to live music.
For all the artists, designers and crafts people out there, a visit to Hatch Show Print is like walking through a museum of block print design. Here, you can take a tour of the country’s oldest wood-block print shop, and maybe snag a rad souvenir while you’re at it.
The Grand Ole Opry is one of Nashville’s most famous attractions, and boy is it a sight to behold. Check out the calendar to see who’s taking the stage while you’re in town, and plan to make a night of your visit to this entertainment hub.
