Nashville seems to have new neighborhoods popping up all the time as transplants move in seeking access to the urban core. While some of the new enclaves feel sort of artificially invented by real estate companies that have discovered Chat GPT (North Gulch? Sylvan Summit? Gulch View?), locals and intelligent travelers know that the long-standing neighborhoods are where it’s at. Whether you’re looking to stay for a night or a week or do a little ‘hood-hopping as part of a visit to Nashville, here’s a handy guide to where to go, where to stay, and what to do.
For a neighborhood that feels like locals actually live there: The Nations
Not too long ago, this West Nashville neighborhood (where the streets are curiously named after states, not countries) wasn’t on many tourists’ itineraries as a place to visit during their trips to Music City. A decade of development has turned the area around into a magnet for locals and visitors alike who are seeking out fun bars, great food and maybe even a little beer and spirits tasting.
Don’t Miss: Three breweries and a distillery
Visitors can sample beers at three breweries, a lot for a small neighborhood. Fat Bottom, Southern Grist, and Czanns are all unique in their own way, but similar in that they make great craft beers. Pennington Distilling Co. also welcomes visitors for tours and tastings of their excellent vodka and whiskey offerings.
Where to eat in The Nations:
When the weather is nice, the expansive outdoor space at Bringle’s Smoking Oasis is the place to hang in the Nations. In addition to great Texas-style barbecue and boozy drinks, there’s plenty of space in the pet-friendly and kid-friendly turf backyard to stretch out in the plentiful seating options or play some yard games while watching sports on outdoor televisions with screens you can probably see from space. Nicky’s Coal Fired was one of the first restaurants to mark the Nations as a dining destination with its coal-powered pizza oven pumping out pie after pie along with house-made pastas and classic co*cktails. Nations Bar & Grill is a spot to sit stool-by-stool with locals who know where to find the coldest beer and best burger in the Nations.
Where to stay in the Nations:
Short-term rental housing is the way to go in this still largely residential neighborhood, as the closest hotels are on the other side of the interstate and not very interesting. Instead, check out your options like a dream home that comfortably sleeps 10 or this tres chic Paris-inspired apartment with a killer rooftop deck.
For Nashville’s version of Brooklyn: Five Points
The heart and soul of Nashville’s more bohemian side of the river in East Nashville, Five Points is an easily walkable neighborhood filled with bars, restaurants, shops, and galleries. For live music that stretches beyond the twang of downtown, the clubs surrounding Five Points are the places to hang.
Don’t miss: Top-notch music venues
While country is certainly king in many Nashville music clubs, no neighborhood showcases the variety of the city’s rock, Americana, and jazz scene better than Five Points. The Basem*nt East (known affectionately as “The Beast” by locals) features live performances by many different genres of bands in one of the coolest showrooms in town, including an outdoor deck with fantastic views of the downtown skyline across the Cumberland River. There’s nothing fancy about The 5 Spot, but it’s where you might find yourself standing shoulder-to-shoulder with well-known musicians checking out the next big thing in Nashville music. Jane’s Hideaway leans more acoustic with old-school country, bluegrass, and Americana acts on the schedule nightly.
Where to eat in Five Points:
Chef Margot McCormack could run for mayor of East Nashville if such an office existed, and her Five Points restaurant Margot Cafe & Bar represents the soul of the community. It’s the prime nighttime stop for French-inspired dishes artfully crafted using fresh seasonal local ingredients. Five Points Pizza has saved many a partier’s life thanks to their walk-up slice window that serves up much-needed sustenance until late at night. To see where the locals gather, visit Lockeland Table during their “Community Hour” when proceeds from the special menu of drinks and snacks go to benefit neighborhood charities.
Where to stay in Five Points:
Outside of AirBNBs, the lodging options of Five Points are limited, but those that exist nearby are excellent. Waymore’s Guest House and Casual Club is an easy walk from Five Points, and the boho boutique hotel offers guest rooms, suites and bunkrooms to handle almost any size party. A Victorian mansion has been reimagined as a boutique hotel named Urban Cowboy. There’s a ratio of eight guest rooms to two bars, and the former carriage house is now a local watering hole with fantastic co*cktails. The crew from beloved Brooklyn pizzeria Roberta’s has pretty much popped-up permanently seven nights a week in the Urban Cowboy’s backyard serving up delectable pies.
For a chance to experience the hotness: Wedgewood-Houston
This formerly industrial neighborhood has become a hotbed of art, culture, food, drink, and good times but without losing its slightly gritty character. Gone are the days of dimly-lit gravel parking lots that discouraged nighttime pedestrian visits, replaced by hip new condos, restaurants, bars, breweries and distilleries popping up all over. Of course, that means that a lot of available parking spaces have also disappeared.
Don’t miss: Nashville's soccer club
Geodis Park is the home of the Nashville SC soccer club, and a game there is an experience that is not to be missed. Come ready to cheer, dance and sing all game long. Or you can go on a gallery crawl to the more than a dozen retail art studios that are within an easy walk of the neighborhood. Let WeHo Arts be your guide. If a different kind of crawl is your idea of a good time, sample the beer, wine and spirits at Jackalope Brewing Co., Fait la Force Brewing, Diskin Cider, Corsair Artisan Distilling and Nashville Craft Distillery.
Where to eat in Wedgewood-Houston:
Wedgewood-Houston is blessed with some really great restaurants ranging from the innovative small plate dining at Bastion to the artisan wood-fired pizzas at Il Forno and the slightly less fancy pub-style pizzas at Dicey’s. Gabby’s has long been revered for serving some of the best burgers in town, but you’ll have to go at lunch, because they’re only open until 2:30 am. For a splurge, make reservations for the multi-course omakase experience at Present Tense for personal attention at the chef’s bar and expert guidance from the sommelier to lead you through the city’s longest sake list.
Where to stay in Wedgewood-Houston:
Placemkr Wedgewood-Houston features apartment-style rooms as part of an urban lodging experiment to maximize amenities within a minimized footprint. They even feature an automated parking garage that stacks cars in a huge rack system to take advantage of the limited space. SoHo House Nashville has converted a former sock factory into a members’ club that also rents out bedrooms that include access to amenities such as restaurants, bars, coffee shops, pool access, and a well-equipped gym.
For easy access to the Neon Neighborhood without all the noise of Lower Broad: SoBro
This former warehouse district SOuth of BROadway wouldn’t have drawn any visitor’s attention twenty years ago unless they were looking to store some hardware products or needed some repair work done on their lawnmower. But once the Bridgestone Arena was constructed, followed by the gigantic convention center and accompanying hotels and restaurants, SoBro property was too valuable to support single-story buildings anymore. Take a visit to Nashville’s urban forest just blocks away from the frolicking frenzy of the honky tonk row along Lower Broad.
Don’t miss: Music history museums
Whether you’re a fan of country music or not, the Country Music Hall of Fame is a mandatory destination if you really want to understand what makes the city tick. With displays ranging from the birth of mountain music to modern stars (there’s a Taylor Swift wing), the museum explains how integral the story of country and Americana is to the fabric of the US. Just around the corner are two smaller museums honoring icons of country, the Johnny Cash Museum and the Patsy Cline Museum, upstairs from the shrine to the Man in Black. The Cash Museum is filled with artifacts that come directly from his family, so you know they’re legit.
Where to eat in SoBro:
Two fantastic restaurants are located right next door to each other on the ground floor of the Encore condo building, the first residential complex in SoBro that made it cool to live downtown. Etch was the first restaurant to move into the Encore, and chef Deb Paquette is beloved by local diners for her deeply layered and flavorful international cuisine. Her roasted cauliflower with pea puree and feta crema is a must-order appetizer. Next door to Etch is The Farm House, an amiable farm-to-table restaurant serving creative Southern food with the occasional Italianate influence. Even most locals don’t know about Bar Sovereign, a quirky little co*cktail spot marked only by a tiny sign by the front door of the building in an unremarkable industrial strip. Once you find it, you’ll be amused by the playful drinks and riotous decor featuring mod art and what appear to be parts from an exploded piano hanging on the wall behind the bar. For a more traditional drinking experience, the massive 6th & Peabody complex is home to sister companies Ole Smoky Mountain and Yee Haw Brewing. Both entities actually have manufacturing facilities on-site and offer the opportunity to taste through their product lines.
Where to stay in SoBro:
SoBro is now the site of some massive hotel construction with national chains growing new properties out of the ground like steel stalagmites reaching for the sky. You can earn or use your hotel points at multiple Marriott, Hilton, Omni, Hyatt Centric, and Westin locations or party with the Parrotheads at the Margaritaville Hotel. 1 Hotel Nashville positions itself as the city’s most sustainable property, right down to their fleet of all-electric courtesy vehicles, ivy-covered living wall face on the front of the building, and wooden room keys. Even more importantly for most visitors, 1 Hotel also positions itself right in the middle of the action steps from the attractions of SoBro and Lower Broad.
For foodies and history lovers: Germantown
When Nashville became the state capitol in 1843, laborers were immediately needed to construct the new government buildings that came along with that designation. Many of the builders were German immigrants imported from the area around Cincinnati, and they immediately started building their own houses in this first suburb of Nashville, just a short walk north of downtown. Some of the original cottages are still there alongside larger brick buildings that were the homes of the city’s first suburban elites.
Don’t miss: The farmers' market
Tennessee boasts a rich variety of produce, and walking the stalls of the Nashville Farmers’ Market is a great way to discover what’s in season so you can order it off the menu at the restaurant you visit later. The Market Hall also features a food hall filled with impressive local eateries and vendors of arts, crafts, and other local products. Sharing a parking lot with the NFM is the Tennessee State Museum, a free attraction that tells the story of the state culturally, geologically, musically, and politically. Rotating exhibits accompany the permanent collection, so there’s always something new to learn.
Where to eat in Germantown:
For a neighborhood with only a couple thousand residents, Germantown boasts some of Nashville's best restaurants. From the ingenious rustic European dishes at Rolf & Daughters and City House to the sleek modern seafood emporium Henrietta Red, the dining is exceedingly fine. More casual options also draw visitors from around the city and across the country to fun spots like Butchertown Hall, Tailor Nashville, 5th & Taylor, and Von Elrod’s Beer Hall & Kitchen. For some authentic soulful breakfast and lunch food, check out hidden gems Big Al’s Deli or Silver Sands Cafe. Recent New Orleans transplant Barrel Proof brings a taste of the Big Easy to Music City thanks to a list of creative co*cktails, a remarkable selection of whiskeys, and a damned fine cheeseburger.
Where to stay in Germantown:
Germantown has managed to maintain its residential character with walkable sidewalks connecting commercial strips of restaurants, boutiques and salons. For an authentic experience, short-term rentals are the way to go, whether you choose a stylish loft or an apartment with a sweeping view of the city’s ever-changing skyline from the rooftop deck. The Germantown Inn offers slightly more conventional lodging options with ten suites in a boutique hotel created from a renovated historic antebellum Federal-style home.
For convenient access to downtown: Midtown
This commercial district along the northern edge of Vanderbilt’s campus is often overlooked by tourists, but its proximity to downtown and multitude of lodging and entertainment options make it worth considering. Easy ride share and public transportation access encourages visitors to leave their vehicles at home.
Don’t miss: Centennial Park
The large and bucolic Centennial Park is home to a full-scale model of the Parthenon, an homage to Nashville’s reputation as a center of education, hence its nickname as “The Athens of the South.” A mile-long walking trail rings the park with plenty of benches to stop and sit a spell.
Where to eat in Midtown:
The original location of Hattie B’s is where many folks were first introduced to Nashville hot chicken. The queue to get in for fiery fowl is almost always long, but here’s a tip: order by phone or online and walk straight up to the counter for your order. We promise it tastes the same in your hotel room, and you’ll be closer to the facilities if the need arises. Of all the popular locations of Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joints around town, the one in Midtown offers the best parking situation and most manageable crowds. Midtown Cafe is a smart bet for a power lunch or an intimate dinner. As a bonus, Midtown Cafe offers shuttle service to and from events at many entertainment venues downtown.
Where to stay in Midtown:
Loews Vanderbilt has been a neighborhood mainstay for decades, but it still feels modern and updated with high-end amenities and a real focus on local products in its drinking and dining options. The happy hour at Mason Bar features local craft beers and co*cktails made using spirits from Nashville distilleries, and it runs every night of the week, so that’s a real bonus. Loews is an extremely pet-friendly hotel and even offers a special room service menu for your pooch. The Graduate Hotel is intentionally quirky with decor meant to be reminiscent of a Southern grandma’s house, plus a crazy karaoke bar complete with an animatronic backup band called “The Cross-eyed Critters.” It’s like Chuck E. Cheese on a serious moonshine buzz. Even more popular is the Graduate’s rooftop bar, White Limozeen, a precious pink indoor/outdoor space that hosts bevies of bachelorettes every weekend.
For bites and boutiques: 12 South
This mile-long strip of restaurants, bars, and shops has become ground zero for daytime field trips away from Lower Broad for hordes of bubbly bachelorettes and tippling tourists, but that’s fine. They’re generally better behaved outside of the debaucherous downtown. Stroll the sidewalks and enjoy this compact entertainment and shopping district.
Don’t miss: Music City's best shopping
12 South has a dense collection of fun boutiques. Nashville native Reese Witherspoon opened her Draper James Southern lifestyle store in 2015, and it’s been the site of thousands of selfies since then. White’s Mercantile is a fun little upscale general store filled with health and beauty items, clothing, home goods, and gift ideas. Buck Mason offers upscale men’s clothing and furnishings, and the garage door entrance actually has a car in the middle of the showroom. Imogene + Willie has been the local destination for high-end custom denim for more than 15 years.
Where to eat in 12 South:
Casual drinking and dining options include Frothy Monkey, and the typographically challenged bartaco and MAFIAoZA’s Pizzeria. Named the nation’s best restaurant for 2022 by Food & Wine magazine, Locust serves some of the best elevated dumplings you’ll taste outside of Canton. Edley’s Bar-B-Q and Burger Up serve more-than-respectable barbecue and burgers, respectively. There’s usually a line waiting to get into The Buttermilk Ranch, but the selection of perfect pastries and crafted croissants are worth the wait. If you’ve ever dunked french fries in your milkshake, Fryce Cream will be right up your alley with a chef-driven menu of artisan housemade soft serve and crispy fries dusted with creative spices like brown sugar bourbon pepper and dips such as the “umami tsunami.”
Where to stay in 12 South:
Outside of the actual 12th Avenue corridor, 12 South is almost entirely residential, so Airbnb is the way to go if you want to stay here. Available accommodations range from lovely guesthouses to attractive little lofts to entire houses. Just remember to be kind to the neighbors living next door and watch that you don’t block their driveways with your car.
Chris Chamberlain is a contributor for Thrillist.
