Things to Do in Nashville?

If you haven’t visited Nashville, you are missing out on one of the most fun and interesting places in the US. You owe it to yourself to experience Nashville (go to: Nashville, TN Tourism and Visitors Guide | Visit Nashville, TN - Music City | visitmusiccity.com) at least once. I’ve been a few times because I have family there. It is not an expensive city to fly into nor is it expensive for hotel rooms.

I recommend finding a place like an AirBnB (see: Find homes in Nashville on Airbnb) in one of the neighborhoods close to the downtown area. You could even stay in a neighboring town like Franklin.

Now... Things to do in Nashville

Anyway, this post, though being written in an AirBnB south of downtown Nashville, near the Vanderbilt campus, is about one of the more interesting places in the Nashville area – the Marathon Automobile Factory (see the photos below and on the Portfolio page), also go to Marathon Village.

Marathon Automobile Museum Nashville Tennessee

A fascinating bit of history (as I have mentioned I am into history stuff) turned into a museum for those interested in how things were made early in the last century. The old factory buildings have been renovated and the old machines, like the metal lathes and sheet metal bending machines have been restored and are on display.

You can imagine the noise and hectic pace of work when this factory was in full operation. Wooden grease and oil slick floors; voices shouting over the din of the machines, metal shavings and scraps everywhere; men running materials from machine to machine; and the constant slamming of the metal cutting and whirring of the lathes.

A dangerous, pre-OSHA factory floor. Yeah, the government is good for a very selected number of things, and regulating dangerous environments to protect the population is one of these. That said, we, the people must be vigilant that government doesn’t continue to extend this protection, as they will do.

Jericho Rose Duet Performance

Back to Nashville, Bachelorette Party central. You can’t walk down Broadway (the main “fun” street in downtown Nashville), check out 10 Best Nashville Bars on Broadway (We’ve Tried Them All!) - 2023 (nashvilletodo.com) without passing multiple groups of ladies, one of which is a bride to be. The numerous bars and music venues, with live music from 10:00AM to the following morning, provide the backdrop for these sometimes-wild pre-wedding parties. From country-western bars to one named after the late Jimmy Buffet (see Restaurants in Nashville, TN | Nashville, TN | Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville (margaritavillenashville.com), a wildly eclectic choice of where you spend your party dollars. And fun times will be had by all, I promise. Cheers! Plan your trip starting with Downtown Nashville | Visit Nashville TN (visitmusiccity.com).

One more thing, it is HOT in the summer in Nashville – good thing for air-conditioned bars. Avoid the heat and stay in the bars. Better yet, and less expensive, go to Nashville in the early spring and late fall. Temps are much more reasonable, yeah with a chance of rain, but you won’t fry while walking from bar to bar. For you photographers and nature lovers, fall is nice in the Nashville area with all the trees changing color. Beautiful reds, oranges, and yellows just like you will see in the trees of the Northeastern US.

Also... Things to do in Nashville, Outside of the City

Beautiful J Percy Priest Lake southeast of Downtown Nashville Tennessee

In addition to the downtown partying and the Marathon factory/museum, Nashville has much more to entice you to come for a visit. One place I really like spending time is Percy Priest Lake, beautiful for boating and swimming, especially during the heat of the summer months. There’s several recreation areas and marinas to rent boats, kayaks, paddleboards, well you get the idea. Think about renting a houseboat and spending a day or even a half day on the water exploring all the coves and inlets along the shoreline. You may find a new favorite swimming hole. Go to Percy Priest Lake | Online Guide (percy-priest-lake.com), for more information.

Parthenon Centennial Park Nashville Tennessee

One iconic Nashville building you must see is the Nashville Parthenon, located in Nashville’s Centennial Park (2500 West End Avenue, Nashville, TN 37203, info@parthenon.org). Created for the celebration of 100 years of Tennessee statehood, it is the only full-sized replica of the Parthenon, in Athens, Greece.

For more information, checkout Mission & History — The Parthenon (nashvilleparthenon.com).

Enjoy Nashville!

Examples of Nashville tours and activities you will find on Viator: