This post and website may contain affiliate links, which means at no additional cost to you, if you make a purchase through them we may earn a commission and receive compensation. This also helps us run our blog, free for you to enjoy. Please read our Disclaimers page for more information.
We share free places in downtown Nashville that we explored during our recent vacation in August! It was great to be able to walk to so many places within the city and experience some enjoyable free attractions! Look at our list below for your own trip and have fun in Music City!
Free Places In Downtown Nashville: Broadway & Honky Tonks
Of course if you are visiting Nashville you already know about Broadway! This is the famous street in downtown Nashville that is lined with bars, or “honky tonks”, playing live music! Most of the places do not charge a cover fee to enter so you can explore different places in one night!
In August when we visited, many of the honky tonks had open-aired storefronts so you can hear the crowds of joyous people and loud, live, music as you walk by. Lower Broadway was even closed off to cars on Saturday night so that the street was for pedestrians only!
Did you know that Nashville is one of the top destinations for bachelorette parties? After this trip, I see why! There were several bachelorette parties, especially on Saturday night, in this fun city!
There were also many stores that were great to explore, window-shop, and pick up souvenirs. Restaurants, the Assembly Food Hall, Hard Rock Café, and more, are also on Broadway!
Free Places In Downtown Nashville: Murals
Nashville murals are located all around the city! Downtown murals include the Country Music Legends, John Lewis Mural, and more! The street art and murals are fun and interesting to see in person!
Since there are many murals around Nashville, we highly recommend the combo Nashville Golf Cart experience we took on our second day. It combined sightseeing, murals, and distilleries in one tour! Read our article here on our tour or click below to read hundreds of positive reviews:
Ultimately, although a car would certainly make it easier, we could not have found the amount of murals we did see on our tour, on our own. The murals were scattered, and some were hard to locate if you were not familiar with the districts.
Nonetheless, there are many murals in downtown Nashville, some you may just stumble upon as you explore the city!
One of Nashville’s most popular murals located in the Gulch at 302 11th Ave S, are the “What Lifts You” wings. We visited early on a Sunday morning and there were people already there waiting to take pictures and selfies!
Free Places In Downtown Nashville: Walk of Fame Park
As we explored downtown Nashville, we went by the Nashville Walk of Fame Park. It is steps from the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum and Bridgestone Arena.
The Music City Walk of Fame celebrates artists with a star-and-guitar embedded in the walkway. Inductees include Dolly Parton, Elvis Presley, Jimi Hendrix, Johnny Cash, Little Richard, and more!
Address: Located on Demonbreun Street between 4th and 5th Avenues South
Other parks in downtown Nashville free to visit where you can enjoy picnics, culture, kids play areas, and more include:
- Bicentennial Capital Mall State Park – state park
- Cumberland Park – along Nashville’s riverfront
Free Places In Downtown Nashville: Printer’s Alley
Historically, the area had several print shops, publishers, and the offices of a couple of Nashville’s large newspapers.
Today, the entertainment district has nightclubs, bars and other arts and entertainment, as well as nearby dining and shopping.
This historic district is a must-see as it is one of the most popular spots in Nashville! We drove by the area during our Nashville Golf Cart Tour during the day:
In the evening, the street is livelier and lit up with lights! We returned on our last night in Nashville to check out Bourbon Street Blues and Boogie Bar. There was no cover charge when we went on a Monday evening. Like most patrons, we did order drinks while there and enjoyed the amazing live music. We recommend checking out this bar for some great singers and musicians!
Other popular spots located in Printer’s Alley (unfortunately not free to experience though!) include:
- Skull’s Rainbow Room – famous for dining and entertainment including live music, and burlesque shows!
- Sinatra Bar and Lounge – celebrates Ol’ Blue Eyes, Frank Sinatra!
- Daddy’s Dogs – we had to try to famous hot dogs, which were also featured on Netflix’s food and travel TV series “Somebody Feed Phil”!
Free Places In Downtown Nashville: Civil Rights Room at the Nashville Public Library
In addition to music, Nashville is important for its civil rights history. Therefore, part of our itinerary definitely included visiting the Civil Rights Room & Collection!
Historically, Nashville played a large role in civil rights activism. Efforts focused on non-violent demonstrations which included peaceful protests and marches, sit-ins, bus boycotts and other efforts by students (e.g. Nashville Student Movement), ministers, activists, and other groups.
Free to explore, this is a must visit for those interested in learning about the movement!
We sat at the symbolic lunch counter that is in the center of the room. The exhibit includes the “Ten Rules of Conduct” and the historical timeline of important events as you go around the lunch counter.
The collection, located on the second floor of the library, includes photos, books, art, and more!
While we were at the Public Library, we also came across the Votes For Women Room that many people may also find interesting. It is a permanent exhibit also on the second floor.
The Votes For Women Room was created to celebrate the “100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment to The Constitution”. In 1920, this amendment granted women the right to vote throughout the United States after decades of struggle and protest.
Library Address: 615 Church Street, Nashville, TN 37219
Additional Info
Where to Stay in Downtown Nashville
During our vacation, we stayed at the stylish and relatively new Hyatt Centric Downtown Nashville! Be sure to read our review and article here – it is in a convenient area if attending a concert (steps from Ascend Amphitheater) and exploring downtown.
Additionally, explore the map below or click here for other Nashville hotels!
For availability and pricing, click here for the Hyatt Centric Downtown Nashville. Nearby hotels include:
- Four Seasons Hotel Nashville – 5-star hotel that is four-minute walk from Hyatt Centric Downtown Nashville
- Hilton Nashville Downtown – 4-star hotel
- Omni Nashville Hotel – 4-star hotel
- The Westin Nashville Hotel – 4-star hotel
Nashville Popular Tours
Be sure to explore this fun city! Our article here, describes the awesome combo Golf Cart Nashville tour we enjoyed and highly recommend. And click below to explore reviews and some popular tours in and around Nashville!
The views and opinions expressed in this article are from personal experience(s). Our content and this article is informational only, not facts, and cannot be construed as professional advice. We always give our honest opinions on topics, experiences or products, made in good faith. Any product or service claims, made by the product or service, should be verified with the manufacturer or provider in question. There may be potential errors on our website, for example due to changes and unintentional mistakes. Thank you.
For more articles, be sure to take a look at Nurture Happiness Today‘s other features on travel, food, and inspiration for happiness:
- Nurture Happiness Today TRAVEL and RESORTS & HOTELS
- Nurture Happiness Today FOODIE
- Nurture Happiness Today – inspiration for happiness such as quotes, speeches and lifestyle posts.
