Nashville, TN

Nashville travel guide

Honky-tonks, hot chicken and the Ryman

Find flights to Nashville See fares from $50

Airports: BNA Nashville International Airport
Region: US Southeast
Best time to visit: April–May and September–October are warm, green and full of festivals (CMA Fest is in June).
Shortest flight: 1h 5m from Atlanta
Round trips from: $50 (live)
Time zone: America/Chicago

About Nashville

Lower Broadway is the neon strip of honky-tonks with free live music from noon to 3am. A few blocks away are the Ryman Auditorium, the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Johnny Cash Museum; across the river, East Nashville has the indie restaurants and bars; 12South and The Gulch have the boutiques and brunch lines.

Getting in: BNA is 8 miles from downtown. Rideshares cost $20–$30; the WeGo route 18 bus runs downtown for $2. The airport's massive expansion added a new international arrivals facility and more gates. A car is useful for the Grand Ole Opry (Music Valley, 20 minutes east) and day trips to Franklin or Lynchburg.

Stay downtown or in SoBro for the music, The Gulch or Midtown for newer hotels, or East Nashville for the local scene. Hot chicken ($12–$16), meat-and-three plates and biscuits define lunch; dinner in The Gulch runs $35–$60 per person. Bachelorette parties pack Broadway on weekends — go on weeknights for elbow room and lower hotel rates.

Best time to visit

April–May and September–October are warm, green and full of festivals (CMA Fest is in June). Winter is quiet and cheap; summer is hot and humid.

Where to stay

Neighborhoods our travelers like: Downtown / SoBro, The Gulch, East Nashville, 12South, Germantown.

Flights to Nashville: typical round-trip fares

What economy round trips to BNA usually cost from major US cities, alongside the lowest live fare we can see in the next 90 days. Prices are per traveler and include taxes.

From	Flight time	Typical fare	Lowest live fare	Actions
New York (JFK)	2h 45m	$118	$83 · Tue, Dec 1	Search dates →
Chicago (ORD)	1h 40m	$108	$50 · Wed, Nov 4	Search dates →
Dallas (DFW)	2h	$118	$79 · Wed, Oct 7	Search dates →
Atlanta (ATL)	1h 5m	$88	$64 · Tue, Nov 3	Search dates →
Los Angeles (LAX)	4h	$168	$162 · Wed, Oct 7	Search dates →
Denver (DEN)	2h 45m	$138	$91 · Tue, Oct 13	Search dates →

Typical fares are editorial estimates for economy round trips booked 3–8 weeks out. Live fares refresh several times a day and are shown for the cheapest departure date we found.

Airports in Nashville

Nashville International Airport (BNA)Nashville · Large hubBNA

What to do in Nashville

The places our editors send first-time visitors.

1
Ryman Auditorium
The 'Mother Church of Country Music' — daytime tours and near-nightly shows with the best acoustics in the South.
2
Lower Broadway honky-tonks
Tootsie's, Robert's Western World and dozens more with live bands all day and no cover charge (tip the band).
3
Country Music Hall of Fame and Hatch Show Print
Guitars, gold records and a working letterpress shop in the same building.
4
The Bluebird Cafe
Intimate songwriter rounds where hits were written; tickets release online a week ahead and go in minutes.
5
Grand Ole Opry
The 100-year-old radio show, live on stage several nights a week with a mix of legends and newcomers.

Nashville weather by season

Average highs and lows in °F, with what each season means for fares and crowds.

Winter

49° / 30°

Cool, occasionally icy; quiet and cheap.

Spring

71° / 50°

Warm and green, festival season.

Summer

90° / 70°

Hot and humid; CMA Fest in June.

Fall

72° / 50°

Pleasant; football and fall color.

Travel tips for Nashville

Weeknight trips are dramatically cheaper and calmer than weekends, when hotel rates double.
Bluebird Cafe reservations open at 8am Central a week ahead; the walk-up line starts hours before showtime.
Tip the bands on Broadway — that's how they're paid.
The Nashville Convention and Visitors Bureau's Total Access Pass bundles the main museums at a discount.
Hot chicken 'medium' is hotter than it sounds; start mild.

Nashville flights: frequently asked questions

How do I get from Nashville airport to downtown?

It's about 15 minutes by rideshare ($20–$30). The WeGo route 18 bus runs to downtown every 30–40 minutes for $2.

Do I need a car in Nashville?

Not for downtown, The Gulch and East Nashville — rideshares are cheap and distances short. Rent a car for the Opry, Franklin or the Jack Daniel's distillery.

Is Nashville expensive?

Downtown hotels average $250–$350 on weekends and far less midweek. Live music is free on Broadway; museum tickets run $25–$30. Food is reasonable outside the tourist core.