Broadway Nashville: the heart of Music City
Nowhere else is quite like Broadway Nashville. Lower Broadway, the four-block stretch between First and Fifth Avenue in downtown Nashville, is lined with honky tonks, rooftop bars, and neon signs, and nearly every one has a live band. Live music starts as early as 10 a.m. and runs past midnight, usually with no cover charge. It’s loud, it’s crowded, and it’s the reason a lot of people come to Music City in the first place.
A short history of Honky Tonk Row
Long before the neon, Lower Broadway was the main road into the city from the riverboat docks on the Cumberland River. From the 1870s through the 1930s, it was Nashville’s furniture district. As those stores closed, bars and small stages took over their ground floors, and the street became known as Honky Tonk Row.
Its golden age came with the Grand Ole Opry, which broadcast from the Ryman Auditorium just around the corner from 1943 to 1974. Opry stars would slip out between sets for a drink at the honky tonks across the alley. The Broadway Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980, so look up as you walk. Many storefronts still show their original construction dates. Thanks to that National Register listing, the old brick buildings have stayed standing as the city has grown up around them.
The best bars on Broadway
The classics are the place to start. Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge, with its purple walls, has launched country music careers since 1960. Robert’s Western World keeps the traditional honky tonk sound alive, and The Stage on Broadway is known for strong house bands and a big dance floor. Newer multi-level venues from stars like Jason Aldean and Blake Shelton, whose Ole Red has a rooftop overlooking the street, fill out the rest of the strip.
Bands rotate every few hours, so the lineup changes all day. Bring some cash to tip the band; it’s how most of these musicians get paid. Many venues welcome families during the day and switch to 21 and over in the evening.
Museums and landmarks nearby
Broadway Nashville TN is more than bars. The Ryman Auditorium sits a block off the strip. The Johnny Cash Museum, the National Museum of African American Music and the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum are all within a few minutes’ walk. Bridgestone Arena anchors the top of Lower Broadway, across from the Music City Center. A few blocks north, the Tennessee Performing Arts Center hosts Broadway tours, ballet, and opera.
Getting around
Lower Broadway is best explored on foot. Start near the river, work your way up past the honky tonks, and finish near Fifth Avenue. If you’d rather sit back and see more of Nashville, TN, the Old Town Trolley stops near Broadway on its hop-on, hop-off loop of the city’s landmarks. It’s an easy way to reach Music Row and other sights beyond downtown, and the Old Town Trolley guides narrate the history as you ride.
Noelle’s guide to Nashville Broadway
Afternoons are easier for grabbing a seat and hearing the music. Evenings, especially on weekends, bring bachelorette parties, pedal taverns, and peak energy. If you want the full experience, do both.
Noelle sits about five minutes from Lower Broadway in Nashville, TN, close enough to head out, come back to your suite to rest, and go again. When you’re ready for something quieter, Printers Alley’s cocktail bars are right outside our door, in the heart of Nashville, Tennessee.