Nashville has never been particularly subtle. Its music is loud, its personalities are larger than life, and its most famous street seems to operate on the belief that there’s no such thing as too much neon. But spend a little time looking beyond the spectacle, and you’ll discover a city with a fascinating past, an unmistakable creative spirit, and plenty of stories worth hearing.
Whatever it is, Nashville has a way of pulling you in.
My husband and I arrived on a Friday morning in October, ready for a weekend away from Minnesota and our usual routines (while also celebrating our five-year wedding anniversary). We had a full itinerary ahead of us, with everything from recording studios and rooftop bars to custom cowboy hats and historic alleys. What I was most looking forward to, though, was something considerably simpler: a few days to explore somewhere new together, without worrying about what needed to get done back home. As it turns out, Nashville was exactly the kind of place for that. (And thanks to an unexpected twist in our travel plans, we ended up getting a little more Music City than we bargained for.)
Courtesy of Big Plan Holdings
A Front-Row Seat to a Changing City
Our home base for the weekend was La Quinta Inn & Suites Nashville Downtown/Stadium, just across the Cumberland River from the heart of downtown. The location came with an unexpected attraction of its own: the massive new Nissan Stadium taking shape practically outside our door. To say we were close to the construction would be an understatement. At times, it felt like our hotel was practically on top of the project, with the scale of the new Tennessee Titans stadium impossible to ignore.
It was a fascinating first impression of a city in the middle of reinventing itself. Here was Nashville, a place synonymous with musical traditions stretching back generations, quite literally building its next chapter before our eyes. And just across the river, the historic buildings and neon signs of Broadway offered a reminder of everything that had come before.
That contrast between old and new would become one of my favorite things about Nashville.
A Different Side of Music City
Our first afternoon took us to 12 South, a neighborhood that feels like Nashville’s effortlessly cool younger sibling. The walkable stretch is lined with colorful storefronts, inviting restaurants, and locally owned boutiques, making it easy to spend an entire afternoon wandering in and out of shops. Among the highlights are Draper James, Reese Witherspoon’s Southern-inspired lifestyle boutique, and Bottle Cap, a casual, sports-themed bar that’s perfect for catching a game or grabbing a drink. Add in the coffee shops, bakeries, and seemingly endless places to pop into, and it’s the kind of neighborhood that makes you want to abandon your schedule and see where the afternoon takes you.
It’s a different energy from downtown’s famous honky-tonks, but no less distinctly Nashville. We started at Playdate, a lively, adults-welcome playground where good food, drinks, and a healthy dose of nostalgia come together. We shared delicious meatballs and pepperoni pizza, washed down with locally made Diskin Cider—a new favorite. And the fun doesn’t stop at the table. Out back, an adult-size slide offers a playful reminder that you’re never too old to embrace your inner kid.
There’s something wonderfully refreshing about a place that doesn’t take itself too seriously. As adults, we spend so much time following schedules, meeting deadlines, and checking things off lists that we sometimes forget how much fun it can be to just play. Nashville, we quickly discovered, hasn’t forgotten.
Nearby, we traded the playful atmosphere for a different kind of creativity with a behind-the-scenes tour of Edgehill Music Publishing, a boutique-style music publishing, songwriting, and recording space tucked into a residential neighborhood. Its location alone is worth noting: The studio sits directly across the street from one of Dolly Parton’s homes. How’s that for a Nashville neighbor?
Inside, the space serves as both a working office and a creative hub where songwriters, producers, and artists collaborate, develop ideas, and bring music to life. Its network of talent includes professionals whose credits span work with artists and bands such as Nickelback, Morgan Wallen, and The Fray, attracting creative talent from across the globe.
Unlike the sprawling recording complexes you might imagine when you think of Music City, Edgehill offers a more intimate, collaborative environment. It’s a reminder that some of Nashville’s biggest musical connections begin in surprisingly unassuming places. For a city known around the world for its music, there’s something particularly special about stepping inside a space where that music begins. Long before the sold-out shows, radio hits, and crowds singing every word, there’s often just a songwriter, an idea, and a room. And as someone who has spent much of my career telling stories, I couldn’t help but appreciate the connection. Whether you’re writing an article or a country song, the goal is ultimately the same: to make someone feel something.
Where the Neon Meets the Nostalgia
By Friday evening, we were ready to experience the Nashville most people picture when they think of Music City. Broadway doesn’t exactly ease you into the nightlife. It announces itself. Music pours out of seemingly every doorway. Rooftop bars glow against the night sky. People in cowboy boots weave through crowds, and every few steps bring a different soundtrack. One minute it’s a country classic, the next it’s an ’80s rock anthem that somehow everyone knows.
But beneath the neon and celebrity-branded bars is a street with a much longer story to tell. Long before Broadway became the entertainment destination it is today, it was a bustling commercial corridor lined with merchants selling everything from furniture and hardware to feed and grain. Its transformation into a country music destination accelerated after the Grand Ole Opry moved into nearby Ryman Auditorium in 1941, drawing musicians, performers, and fans into the surrounding streets. Over the decades, those storefronts gradually gave way to record shops, music venues, and the honky-tonks that would help define Nashville’s identity.
Courtesy of Big Plan Holdings
Today, Broadway is a fascinating blend of preservation and reinvention. Historic brick buildings stand shoulder to shoulder with elaborate entertainment complexes, and the music that once drew aspiring performers to small stages now fills multi-level venues owned by some of the biggest names in the business.
Our Friday night destination was JBJ’s Nashville, Jon Bon Jovi’s larger-than-life entertainment venue in the heart of Lower Broadway. And larger than life might actually be an understatement. Developed by Nashville-based Big Plan Holdings in partnership with the rock legend, the nearly 37,000-square-foot venue is a massive undertaking, spanning five floors with eight bars, three stages, and two rooftop spaces, including what the venue bills as Broadway’s highest rooftop bar. Opened in 2024, the sprawling entertainment complex was built from the ground up on a former parking lot, tucked between historic downtown buildings.
Inside, it’s part honky-tonk, part rock-and-roll playground. Bon Jovi memorabilia fills the walls, live music keeps the energy high, and the main stage can be viewed from multiple floors. There’s even a mechanical bull on the second floor and a working tattoo parlor on the third, because apparently five floors of bars and entertainment weren’t quite enough. The rooftop spaces offer sweeping views of Broadway’s neon-lit chaos below, while the venue’s music, food, and atmosphere bring a little New Jersey rock-and-roll attitude to a city better known for country.
For two people who grew up with Bon Jovi on the radio, the connection alone was enough to make us excited. But what makes JBJ’s memorable isn’t simply the famous name attached to it. It’s the sheer scale of the experience and the contagious energy that makes it nearly impossible to sit still when a favorite song comes on. The venue is also part of a larger Nashville hospitality venture. Through its BPH Hospitality division, Big Plan Holdings is behind three of the dining destinations on our weekend itinerary: JBJ’s, Hank Williams Jr.’s Boogie Bar, and Playdate. Each has a distinctly different personality, but all share an emphasis on bringing people together through food, music, and entertainment.
Courtesy of Big Plan Holdings
Somewhere between dinner, the music, and watching the crowd, I was reminded of something I love about traveling with my husband. We don’t necessarily need a grand adventure to have a great time. Sometimes all it takes is a new place, a familiar song, and the freedom to enjoy a night without watching the clock. And Nashville is very, very good at providing all three.
A Little History With Our Honky-Tonk
Saturday brought us back to Broadway, this time for lunch at Hank Williams Jr.’s Boogie Bar, a three-level tribute to the country music legend that combines live entertainment, Southern-inspired food, and a whole lot of family history. The venue is practically a museum of Hank Williams Jr.’s life and career, thanks in part to his family, who reportedly delivered an entire U-Haul full of personal memorabilia to help bring the space to life. Vintage concert posters, photographs, guitars, plaques, awards, and other keepsakes line the walls, offering a fascinating look at the musician’s decades-long career. It’s the kind of place where you could easily spend an afternoon studying the displays between songs.
We settled in for lunch, sharing a giant soft pretzel and a generous plate of chicken nachos—exactly the kind of satisfying, shareable bar food that pairs well with an afternoon on Broadway. But one of our favorite features was the overlook above the bustling street, where we could take in the colorful crowds, glowing signs, and seemingly endless parade of people below. There’s something entertaining about watching Broadway do its thing from a few stories up, especially with live music playing in the background.
And while the venue itself is relatively new, the building has a story that reaches back more than 160 years. The structure at 419 Broadway was built during the Civil War, part of a row of adjoining commercial buildings that have witnessed Nashville’s transformation from a 19th-century trading center to the entertainment capital it is today.
Think about that for a moment.
Long before anyone was ordering a cocktail or singing along to a Hank Williams Jr. song, those walls were standing during one of the most turbulent periods in American history. In the decades that followed, the surrounding block housed an eclectic collection of businesses, including grocers, barbers, pawnbrokers, hotels, and shops. Today, that same historic building celebrates one of country music’s most recognizable personalities, blending its nineteenth-century roots with the larger-than-life energy of modern Broadway.
I love places like this, where you can walk in expecting a fun afternoon and walk away having learned something about the city itself. Nashville’s history isn’t confined to museums or historical markers. So much of it is hiding in plain sight, tucked behind neon signs and modern facades.
Later that afternoon, we traded the honky-tonks for a little hands-on creativity at American Paint Hat Company. Now, I’ll admit that designing a custom cowboy hat wasn’t necessarily something I had on my bucket list. But that’s one of the best parts of traveling, isn’t it? Discovering something you didn’t know you’d enjoy until you’re doing it. Unlike a typical souvenir shop, American Paint Hat Company offers an intimate, hands-on experience where guests can create a one-of-a-kind hat that reflects their personal style. From choosing the hat itself to selecting coordinating colors, decorative accents, and finishing touches, nearly every detail is up to you.
Courtesy of Big Plan Holdings
Thankfully, we weren’t left to figure it all out on our own. Our artist was incredibly patient and helpful, walking us through the process, explaining the different techniques, and offering suggestions without taking over the creative process. We could experiment with colors, swap out adornments, change our minds (more than once), and really make the designs our own. There was no pressure to rush or get everything right the first time, which made the experience feel less like a structured workshop and more like an afternoon creating something alongside a friend. One of my favorite details came at the very end, when we burned our initials into our finished hats, adding a final, personal touch to something we’d designed from start to finish.
Photo by Alesha Taylor
What surprised me most was how intimate and enjoyable the entire experience felt. Rather than being shuffled through a tourist attraction, we had the time and attention to get creative, ask questions, and appreciate the artistry behind the process. And doing it together made it that much more memorable. It’s part creative workshop, part personalized souvenir shopping, and entirely more meaningful than grabbing another magnet at the airport. I loved the idea of bringing home something that wasn’t just purchased in Nashville, but actually created there. Something that would remind us of an afternoon spent trying something new, laughing, and embracing a little of the city’s personality. After all, not every souvenir needs to fit on the refrigerator.
Football, Live Music, and a Sea of Orange and Crimson
With our custom cowboy hats in hand, we spent the rest of Saturday exploring more of Nashville’s seemingly endless collection of shops, restaurants, and bars. One thing quickly became clear: You could spend an entire weekend on Broadway alone and still not experience everything it has to offer. We made our way to Uncommon James (fan-girl moment), the stylish jewelry and lifestyle boutique founded by reality television personality Kristin Cavallari, and checked out Peg Leg Porker, a Nashville barbecue institution known for its Tennessee-style smoked meats and laid-back atmosphere.
But Saturday also happened to be a big day for college football, with Tennessee and Alabama facing off in one of the South’s most heated rivalries. And if there’s one thing we learned, it’s that Nashville takes its football almost as seriously as its music. The streets and bars were packed with fans sporting Tennessee orange and Alabama crimson, creating a sea of color and an atmosphere that felt like one giant tailgate party. Televisions throughout the city carried the game, with cheers and groans erupting from different corners depending on which team had the upper hand. Even as visitors with no particular allegiance to either side, we couldn’t help but get caught up in the excitement.
We stopped by Losers and Riley Green’s Duck Blind, soaking up the lively, sports-loving atmosphere and enjoying the people-watching that makes Nashville so entertaining. Between the football fans, live music, and nonstop activity, the entire city seemed to be buzzing. Later, we found ourselves at John Daly’s bar, where we caught a local band that absolutely blew us away. And that’s another thing I came to appreciate about Nashville: You don’t necessarily need tickets to a big-name concert to hear incredible music. Some of the most talented performers you’ll encounter are playing in bars just steps away from one another, often without the fanfare they deserve. We stayed to listen, impressed by the musicianship and reminded that in a city filled with aspiring artists, even an unplanned stop can turn into a memorable performance.
What I loved most about the evening was how effortlessly everything came together. We didn’t have a strict schedule or a list of places we needed to check off. We simply followed the crowds, wandered into places that caught our attention, and enjoyed the energy of a city that always seems to have something happening. Between the football rivalry, the music, and the people, Nashville felt less like a tourist destination and more like one big celebration. And we were happy to be part of it.
The Best-Laid Plans (and a 10-Hour Flight Delay)
By Sunday morning, we’d packed our bags, checked out of our hotel, and mentally shifted back into reality. Our Nashville weekend had been everything we’d hoped for, and we were ready to head home. Apparently, Nashville wasn’t quite ready to let us go. Our flight was delayed. And delayed again. What started as a minor inconvenience eventually turned into an unexpected 10-hour extension of our trip. Now, I won’t pretend that a 10-hour flight delay is anyone’s idea of a good time. There was definitely a moment of frustration as we watched our plans for getting home slowly unravel.
But on a positive note, Sun Country Airlines offers nonstop flights between Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) and Nashville International Airport (BNA), making Music City an easy getaway for Twin Cities travelers—even if our return trip didn’t go quite as planned.
Eventually, we realized something. We were in Nashville. We had time to kill. And we could either spend it staring at a departure board or make the most of the city we’d come to enjoy. So, naturally, we went back to Broadway. And in a funny way, that unplanned Sunday turned into one of my favorite parts of the entire trip. Without reservations, scheduled tours, or anywhere we absolutely needed to be, we simply wandered.
Photo by Alesha Taylor
We walked across the John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge, taking in sweeping views of the Cumberland River and the downtown skyline. The bridge, originally built in the early twentieth century, once carried vehicles across the river before being transformed into a pedestrian walkway. Today, it’s one of the best vantage points for appreciating the city’s skyline. From the middle of the bridge, Nashville seemed to tell its story in a single panoramic view. Historic downtown on one side, the stadium district on the other, and the Cumberland River winding between them. It was a welcome change of pace, and one of those simple experiences that doesn’t cost a thing but ends up being worth remembering.
Then, of course, we headed back toward the music. We stopped at Barstool Nashville, soaked up more of Broadway’s lively atmosphere, and checked out Morgan Wallen’s This Bar & Tennessee Kitchen, another celebrity-backed destination adding to the city’s ever-growing entertainment scene. There’s something almost comical about how many famous names now have their own establishments along Broadway. But part of the fun is seeing how each one puts its own spin on the Nashville experience. As we continued exploring, we found ourselves drawn toward a different side of downtown.
And that’s how we ended up in Printers Alley.
Photo by Alesha Taylor
Where Nashville’s Stories Run a Little Deeper
Just a few blocks from Broadway’s towering honky-tonks, Printers Alley feels like stepping into another era. The narrow passageway, lined with historic brick buildings, glowing signs, and tucked-away clubs, has a slightly mysterious quality to it. There’s a sense that these walls have seen a few things—and as it turns out, they have.
Long before Nashville became synonymous with country music, Printers Alley was the center of the city’s publishing industry. By the early 20th century, the surrounding district was home to two major newspapers, The Tennessean and The Nashville Banner, along with 10 printing shops and 13 publishers. It’s easy to imagine the bustle of reporters, printers, and publishers working late into the night, producing the news that kept the city informed.
As someone who has spent much of my professional life in publishing, I found that history especially fascinating. Here was a place where stories had quite literally been the business of the neighborhood for generations.
But Printers Alley has another, decidedly more colorful chapter. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the surrounding area earned the nickname the “Men’s Quarter,” thanks to its collection of saloons, gambling establishments, and other less-than-respectable businesses. When Tennessee enacted statewide Prohibition in 1909, the area’s nightlife didn’t disappear. Instead, many establishments simply moved their drinking behind closed doors, giving rise to speakeasies that continued operating despite the law. By the 1940s, Printers Alley had evolved into a thriving entertainment district, with nightclubs showcasing musicians who would eventually become household names. Chet Atkins, Waylon Jennings, Hank Williams, and even Jimi Hendrix were among the performers associated with the alley’s legendary nightlife.
One of its most enduring establishments is Skull’s Rainbow Room, originally opened in 1948 by colorful Nashville personality David “Skull” Schulman. Known for its jazz, sophisticated supper-club atmosphere, and burlesque entertainment, Skull’s has become a symbol of the alley’s fascinating past. The low lighting and brick-lined walls are so charming.
Just down the alley, we discovered another favorite: Bourbon Street Blues & Boogie Bar, a wonderfully gritty, low-ceilinged dive that felt like we’d been transported straight to New Orleans. With its intimate quarters, colorful decor, and unmistakable blues-club atmosphere, it was a refreshing departure from the sprawling, multi-story honky-tonks we’d spent much of the weekend exploring. There’s nothing particularly polished or flashy about it, and that’s exactly what we loved. It’s the kind of place where the music takes center stage, the atmosphere feels lived-in, and you can almost forget you’re just a few blocks from the chaos of Broadway. As fans of New Orleans and its legendary music scene, we felt right at home.
Photo by Alesha Taylor
Where Broadway is loud, bright, and unapologetically larger than life, this historic little stretch feels more intimate, a little rebellious, and wonderfully authentic. It’s the kind of place that invites you to slow down, look around, and wonder about all the people who came before you. That’s what we loved most about discovering it. We hadn’t planned to visit Printers Alley. Without the flight delay, we might have missed it altogether. Instead, it became one of the most interesting parts of our weekend—a reminder that sometimes the best discoveries happen when you stop following the itinerary.
