Exploring Nashville: Hidden Gems North of Broadway
When it comes to finding a great time in downtown Nashville, Broadway and SoBro are the usual tourist hotspots. However, the blocks north of honky-tonk-filled Nashville, between 8th and 3rd Aves N, hold hidden treasures for visitors. This area features secret bars, historic pockets, outdoor concerts, and much more.
The best way to explore the area is on foot; nonetheless, you can also hop aboard the free Music City Circuit Bus. Here’s what you need to know.
Bedding Down North of Broadway
After decades of having an accommodation shortage, Nashville now has hotels popping up regularly. Better yet, they are stylish and inviting. If you’re eager to sleep in an art gallery, the 21c Museum Hotel offers over 10,500 square feet of exhibition space that regularly rotates through contemporary art and installations.
Just one block west, Noelle captures the glamour of 1930s Nashville through a modern lens. Its grand bar, Trade Room, is adorned with original brass detailing, Tennessee pink marble, terrazzo, and travertine limestone. On 4th Ave N, Fairlane finds its design sweet spot in retro-modern interiors reminiscent of the 60s and 70s.
Long the city’s grand dame of lodgings, the Hermitage Hotel, built in 1910, is steeped in history, having served as a pied-à-terre for governors, cowboys, movie stars, and music luminaries. If staying there isn’t in your budget, you can still appreciate the elegant architecture, featuring a painted-glass skylight in the lobby and an art deco-style men’s bathroom in the basement. For bourbon aficionados, a visit to the majestic Oak Room Bar is a must.
A Caloric Adventure to Satisfy Your Belly
For anyone visiting Nashville with plans to eat healthily, it’s likely that you might be easily tempted. Calorie-laden Southern fare is abundant in the Tennessee capital, especially north of Broadway. New hotels such as 21c host the popular restaurant Gray and Dudley, while Noelle’s rooftop bar, Rare Bird, restaurant Makeready L&L, and a secret bar invite you to indulge. At the Fairlane, Mile End Delicatessen offers a relaxed all-day dining experience, and for a more upscale occasion, the Capitol Grille at the Hermitage impresses with its culinary offerings.
Puckett’s Grocery & Restaurant on 5th Ave N is an outpost of the original, a beloved 50s-era grocery in nearby Leiper’s Fork. Offering greasy Southern classics like hot chicken sandwiches, fried catfish, and fried green tomato BLT, it also features live music regularly. Nearby, Woolworth on 5th, located in the former F.W. Woolworth department store, pays homage to the lunch-counter sit-ins of the 1960s Civil Rights movement with an updated design that preserves much of the original space.
If you’re looking for fresh produce, the Nashville Farmers’ Market next to the Bicentennial Mall offers various farm-grown items and locally made souvenirs. Plan your visit for the third Friday night of the month to enjoy the Night Market or check their Facebook page for events like cooking classes and workshops.
Catch Some Tunes Away from the Honky-Tonks
If food wasn’t the reason for your visit to Nashville, music surely was. North of Broadway is home to the music scene’s beating heart, the Ryman Auditorium. Fondly known as the ‘Mother Church of Country Music,’ this venue is sacred ground for any music enthusiast. In winter, it hosts the Grand Ole Opry shows on weekends, but also features intimate gigs from various artists passing through. Even if you cannot snag concert tickets, you can take a self-guided tour of the building that includes multimedia exhibits.
A few blocks north of the Ryman, Printers Alley offers a local-approved live music alternative to the lively honky-tonks of Broadway. Once the city’s printing and publishing hub, this two-block strip now features late-night venues like the speakeasy-style Skull’s Rainbow Room and the New Orleans-inspired Bourbon Street Blues & Boogie Bar.
Nashville enjoys relatively mild weather throughout much of the year, resulting in numerous outdoor concerts and festivals. Many of these events are held in Public Square, the green space in front of the Davidson County Courthouse. Among them is the free outdoor music festival Live on the Green, which occurs every August and attracts national acts like Sheryl Crow, Portugal the Man, and Passion Pit.
Delve into Nashville’s History and Culture
While exploring the blocks north of Broadway, you’ll find ample opportunities to learn about Nashville’s rich history. The Tennessee State Museum hosts regular traveling exhibitions and offers permanent exhibits about the first Tennesseans, Andrew Jackson, and Antebellum history, among others.
If you’re in town on the first Saturday of the month, the Fifth Avenue of the Arts hosts an art crawl throughout the galleries in the area, including several in the Italian-inspired Arcade built in 1902, one of the region’s first enclosed shopping spaces. Admission is free, and many venues offer refreshments.
The Greek Doric-style War Memorial, dedicated to Tennesseans who died in World War I, is a peaceful stop for reflection. In the evenings, however, the War Memorial Auditorium hosts various performances with big-name acts and weekly Nashville House Concerts.
The classical architecture of the light-filled Nashville Public Library is worth a visit. Check out its events calendar, as the Salon@615 series frequently features renowned authors for little or no cost in the library’s auditorium. Additionally, enjoy lunchtime music in the Robinson courtyard during summer and fall weekdays. With puppet shows and story times in the children’s area, it also makes a great family destination.
Updated June 2019.
