Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and home to the legendary country music venue, the Grand Ole Opry House— earning it the moniker of “Music City.” The Downtown District is lined with honky-tonks playing live music and the Johnny Cash Museum, celebrating the singer's life.

STAY

HUTTON HOTEL An eco-friendly hotel featuring the Analog Music Venue bar with a regular calendar of live music and entertainment, the Mane & Rye Dinerant offering all-day dining, and the fully-equipped Writers Studios for music professionals.

HERMITAGE HOTEL Our favorite part about this charming Old World hotel happens to be the Art Deco men’s bathroom (which women are allowed to peek into) and the Oak Bar, which features an extensive whiskey collection.

404 HOTEL Located in a former mechanic’s garage in the Gulch, this boutique five-room gem is more like a guest house than a hotel. The rooms have spiral staircases leading to lofts, and are well-appointed with Sferra linens, Malin + Goetz toiletries, and Turkish towels. The James Beard award-winning 404 Kitchen restaurant is across the street.

MOONSHINE HILL 30 minutes outside of Nashville proper lies the Moonshine Hill Inn, located in Leiper's Fork. The quaint log cabin offers privacy and an escape as guests have access to twenty-two acres of lush grounds, a pond, and a working fire pit. We especially love the Toile de Jouy linens throughout.

HOTEL NOELLE A 1930s Art Deco gem located steps away from Printers Alley with an in-house café, Drug Store Coffee. We also love Keep Shop, the boutique inside the hotel for gifts.

FAIRLANE HOTEL In the heart of downtown Nashville’s arts district, this mid-century-inspired hotel includes floor-to-ceiling windows that look over the cityscape. Stop by Mile End, an offshoot of the Brooklyn-based deli or Union Teller for a cup of Stumptown coffee and an almond croissant.

GERMANTOWN INN This 1865 Federal-style brick townhouse (formerly the home of 19th-century elite shoemaker H.H. Wallman) is now a ten-suite boutique hotel featuring contemporary art.

21C MUSEUM HOTEL Part hotel, part contemporary art gallery— the Deborah Berke designed 21c Museum Hotel occupies a massive Gray & Dudley warehouse from 1900 with over 10,500 square feet of exhibition space. Three of the suites were designed by creatives including actor Adrian Grenier, another by painter Sebastiaan Bremer and musician-composer Josephine Wiggs, and a third by artist Yung Jake. The on-site restaurant is led by Chef Levon Wallace

URBAN COWBOY The second location after Lyon Porter’s success with the original Brooklyn concept. Housed in a historic Victorian mansion in East Nashville with eight guest suites complete with clawfoot tubs. Visit the Public House bar for craft cocktails and small bites.

DINE | DRINK

LOVELESS CAFE A Nashville motel-turned-restaurant and institution since the 1950s. Famous for the supper platters (grilled catfish or fried chicken) served with hot biscuits.

HUSK Chef Sean Brock’s homage to Southern cuisine (country ham with cheddar biscuits, shrimp and grits, hearth-fired cornbread; oyster stew with celery root) housed in an 1870’s Victorian home.

HENRIETTA RED A seasonal seafood restaurant and oyster bar by Chef Julia Sullivan (previously at Blue Hill at Stone Barns and Per Se) in a sprawling Kathryn Lager–designed interior in Germantown.

BISCUIT LOVE Who doesn’t love biscuits? This is the place to indulge in the deliciously doughy treat. Karl and Sarah Worley started Biscuit Love in a vintage Airstream, which has now expanded to multiple brick and mortar locations.

PINEWOOD SOCIAL An all-day restaurant, bar, coffee shop, and bowling alley in one. Complete with bocce courts, pools, and an airstream trailer serving snacks including fried chicken and lobster rolls.

ROLF & DAUGHTER’S This Germantown restaurant by chef and owner Philip Krajeck is set in an exposed brick space offering Mediterranean-inspired comfort food from octopus to handmade pasta, including ditalini with maitake mushrooms and rigatoni with lamb. Chef Krajeck also opened Folk, serving woodfired pizzas in an interior featuring custom artwork from local artists Alex Lockwood and Paul Collins, surrounded by exposed brick walls and potted plants.

ARNOLD’S COUNTRY KITCHEN Opened in 1982 and still family-owned, this James Beard award-winning restaurant is the place for lunch. Order the Fried Chicken and ‘Meat & Three options. Don’t miss the daily pie for dessert (if you saved room).

HATTIE B’S You can’t visit Nashville without trying Hot Chicken, served with varying heat levels from mild to medium to hot to damn-hot, and finally shut-the-cluck-up. You’ve been warned!

PRINCE’S HOT CHICKEN Our pick for Hot Chicken (but it comes with a wait). The chicken comes with four levels of hotness from mild to extra-hot and is made fresh straight from the tiny kitchen in the back.

404 KITCHEN Located across from the 404 Hotel, this James Beard award-winning restaurant by Chef Matt Bolus serves up a locally-sourced menu with herbs from the rooftop garden.

ADELE’S Named after Chef Jonathan Waxman’s mother whom he credits with turning him onto cooking. Once an auto repair shop, the industrial space is filled with recycled wood tables, large garage doors, and an open kitchen serving up the famous potatoes.

LOCKELAND TABLE Chef Hal Holden-Bache’s homage to Nashville cuisine— fresh produce sourced from local farms and whiskey from Tennessee.

CITY HOUSE A red-brick house serving rustic Italian fare with an outdoor patio and firepits.

WHISKEY KITCHEN A bustling restaurant serving family-style Southern fare (sweet potato fries, fried chicken sliders, biscuits, and oysters on the half shell).

THE PATTERSON HOUSE An old-fashioned speakeasy complete with bow-tie-wearing mixologists. The Catbird Seat upstairs serves an intimate tasting menu.

BASTION A sliding door separates the bar from the 5-course tasting menu restaurant helmed by chef Josh Habiger.

BARISTA PARLOR A chain of coffee shops in industrial spaces.

SOUTHERNAIRE MARKET An elevated grocery store stocked with artisanal delicacies as well as a butcher counter, seafood case, and fresh, locally-sourced produce, and a to-go menu.

OLIVE & SINCLAIRE CHOCOLATE An artisanal chocolaterie by Scott Witherow with machines, cacao beans, and parts from all over the world.

DREW’S BREWS COFFEE A Nashville favorite for both coffee connoisseurs and casual coffee drinkers alike— all beans are hand-roasted by the owner, Drew. Crema Coffee also hand roasts their beans in the back of their lovely cafe.

DINO’S A dive bar in Five Points with a delicious burger. Head to 3 Crow Bar after to try the famous bushwacker.

THE PHARMACY Home to burgers and bratwursts along with an old-time soda fountain and outdoor seating. Burger Up also serves creative options at does the Burger Republic when craving a good old-fashioned hamburger and milkshake.

PANCAKE PANTRY As you can imagine, pancakes are the specialty, and the lines out the door prove it.

ART | CULTURE | ACTIVITIES

HONKY TONK A honky-tonk is a bar that plays live country music for its line-dancing patrons. Our favorite places to listen and dance include Tootsies and Robert’s Western World. The orchid-hued Tootsies was rated #1 honky-tonk bar in the world (fun fact: artists performing at the Grand Ole Opry used to sneak to Tootsie’s through the alley connecting it to the Ryman Auditorium). Robert’s Western World is right on the main strip, and offers nightly live music, dancing, and you can even buy cowboy boots here.

GRAND OLE OPRY A world-famous American country music stage originally founded in 1925 by George D. Hay as a one-hour radio "barn dance" on WSM. It is the longest-running radio broadcast in US history.

RYMAN AUDITORIUM Originally founded as a church in 1892, which explains the pew seating. In the mid-twentieth century it came to house the legendary Johnny Cash television show and the weekly Grand Ole Opry concert and radio show, which was broadcast on WSM-AM. The television show is no more, and the Opry has moved to a new home at the Grand Ole Opry House, but the Ryman remains a must-experience concert venue for its spectacular acoustics.

BLUEBIRD CAFE This low-key spot hosts an open mic where you can hear up-and-coming (as well as established) singer-songwriters. Country music legends have performed here, including Trisha Yearwood, Garth Brooks, Taylor Swift, and Keith Urban.

STATION INN The best venue for bluegrass on a first-come, first-serve basis.

THIRD MAN RECORDS Jack White of The White Stripes fame owns this complex, which includes a record store, a distribution center, and a photo studio.

ANDREW JACKSON’S HERMITAGE A historical plantation and museum, home of the “People’s President” in Nashville, TN.

JOHNNY CASH MUSEUM A museum and cafe with pictures and memorabilia dedicated to the life of music icon Johnny Cash.

FRIST ART MUSEUM The Frist Art Museum is an art exhibition hall housed in the city's historic U.S. Post Office building, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

RCA STUDIO The historic RCA Studio B was once the recording home of popular music titans such as Elvis Presley, Chet Atkins, Eddy Arnold, and the Everly Brothers. Tickets and tours are available.

SCHERMERHORN SYMPHONY CENTER Home to the Nashville Symphony as well as movie nights, which are accompanied by a live orchestra.

THE CARL VON VECHTEN GALLERY AT FISK UNIVERSITY Every two years, this University Gallery exhibits photographer Alfred Stieglitz’s personal collection, which includes works by Cézanne, Toulouse-Lautrec, and Picassa, as well as a permanent collection with the likes of Alexander Calder, Diego Rivera, and Georgia O’Keeffe.

COUNTRY MUSIC HALL OF FAME One of the world's largest museums and research centers dedicated to the preservation and interpretation of American vernacular music.

CENTENNIAL PARK This green space includes a full-scale replica of the Greek Parthenon (seriously).

SHOP

HATCH SHOW PRINT A working print studio and Nashville institution since 1879, now in the hands of the Country Music Hall of Fame, where you can buy reissued posters of old-fashioned advertisements and concerts.

ERNEST TUBB RECORD SHOP Opened in 1947 by honky-tonk singer-songwriter, movie actor, Grand Ole Opry star, and member of the Country Music Hall of Fame, Ernest Dale Tubb.

GRUHN GUITARS The store to buy a guitar, banjo, mandolin, or any “fretted” instrument, specializing in vintage models. Clients have included Eric Clapton, Johnny Cash, Bruce Springsteen, Elvis Costello, and Neil Young.

WILDER  A gallery slash design shop with ceramic planters by Isaac Nichols, minimalist lighting fixtures by Fort Makers, indigo-dyed pillows from Eskayel, and a selection of framed prints by photographer Kava Gorna.

IMOGEN + WILLIE Couple Matt and Carrie Eddmenson developed denim collections for brands like Seven and J.Brand before opening their own store in Nashville.

MANUEL COUTURE You might recognize Manuel’s designs from Elvis’s gold lamé suit as he is the costumer par excellence for all the big-time entertainers from John Lennon to Bob Dylan. He moved to the United States from Mexico, and after years spent in Hollywood, moved to Nashville and started his own establishment.

ANTIQUES & GARDEN SHOW Every February the vast space is packed with quality pieces benefitting charity.

WHITE’S MERCANTILE An apothecary shop that also sells groceries, home goods, and beauty products.

CERI HOOVER Ceri Hoover’s eponymous label sells leather handbags, shoes, and unique jewelry from independent labels.

SARAH BARTHOLOMEW Local Nashville interior designer Sarah Bartholomew opened SB selling handmade and artisan textiles, tableware, antiques, and home accessories.

Text: Veronica H. Speck Photo: © Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp.