Nashville Couples Trip Guide

It had been a while since my husband and I took a trip, with only adults. When my friend mentioned that her husband wanted to celebrate his birthday in Nashville, we basically invited ourselves on the trip! We had been to Nashville before, once I tagged along on a pharmacy conference my husband was attending there. But traveling as 1 couple versus traveling with 2 other couples is a whole different type of trip. Here are my suggestions for fun things to do while in Nashville, either with your significant other, with friends, or with couples. I did not experience the black-out bachelorette party drunkenness of Nashville that many people do, nor would I suggest bringing kids there, but here is what we loved while we visited Nash-Vegas.

To Eat:

If you are going to Nashville, be prepared to eat a lot of heavy, rich food. They don’t make biscuits quite like the South anywhere else in the states and the hot chicken is what Nashville is known for. You can also experience finer cuisine while traveling in Nashville. Here is what we loved.

Biscuit Love: Be prepared to wait in line, although it goes quick and is worth the wait. The system they have set up in this local favorite is exceptional and they have it down to a science. You order your food as you wait in line and by the time you are seated, your food is miraculously presented hot and ready to eat! Besides the great service, the food is what brings people to Biscuit Love. The fried chicken sandwich on a biscuit with sausage gravy is out of this world as are their cheesy grits and you must try their Bonuts, yes that is a biscuit donut- you will not regret it!

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Husk: If you wanted finer cuisine with farm-to-table offerings, Husk is your best option. The garden is right next door to the restaurant and you can peruse what they are growing before or after your meal. The menu changes based on what is in season and the food is exceptional. We went for lunch last time we were in Nashville and I had one of the best burgers of my life. This time, we went for dinner and the steak and chicken, as well as all of their vegetables and of course their biscuits, were amazing.

Hattie B’s Hot Chicken: We didn’t make it to Hattie-B’s this trip, but my husband and I did experience it last time we were in Nashville and it shouldn’t be missed. Be prepared to wait in line and do not expect any frills or thrills, but what you will get is down-South Nashville-styled hot chicken. When I say hot, I don’t mean just spicy- they have different heat levels from mild to shut the cluck up, which is ridiculously spicy. Even the mild was spicy to me, so be prepared! Worth the wait and the experience is even better. Try their mac and cheese also, you won’t regret it!

Martin’s BBQ: Besides fried chicken, if you are in Nashville, you must try their BBQ. We were told by several locals that Martins was the best and it was right around the corner from our hotel, win-win. Expect to wait in line but do not be intimidated because you will not regret waiting to eat here. We tried basically everything on the menu and nothing was disappointing, except maybe the Hoe-cake, which was basically a corn pancake that none of us really liked. The brisket, ribs, pulled pork and all the side dishes were amazing, we all wanted more! You can eat upstairs, outside, and listen to a live band while you are there. Martins is a must-do when in Nashville.

Frothy Monkey: If you are looking for someplace low-key, to get not only an exceptional Matcha Latte but also a great Bloody Mary, stop into Frothy Monkey. They have a few locations. We went on a whim one morning when we wanted something light to eat and our food was fresh and delicious. The huevos rancheros and avocado toast were fresh and delicious.

To Do:

Bars on Broadway: No trip to Nashville is complete without a walk down Broadway and a stop into a few of the Honky Tonk bars there. What’s great about Nashville is the live music, and it is not all country. You can walk into a bar and they are playing Nirvana or belting out “Shallow”. We loved hanging out at the bars with the open windows and just listening to the bands played, we did this while it rained one day, and it was the perfect afternoon activity. Broadway does get crazy on weekends and at night, so be prepared for crowds and lots of people having way too much fun, but it’s definitely an experience you don’t want to miss. Bars we enjoyed: Redneck Riviera, Legends, Acme, Tootsies.

Shopping: There are tons of cute areas to shop in Nashville where you will find one-of-a-kind shops or big brand name stores. There are a few celebrity shops in Nashville including Jesse James Decker’s Kittenish for fun clothes but also great Instagram-worthy backdrops, Reese Witherspoon’s Draper James for the quintessential Southern style, and Kristin Cavallari’s Uncommon James for beautiful and trendy jewelry. The Gulch is a fun area for shopping and eating, try out Milk and Honey for brunch if you are there. I loved the Hillsboro Village area for fun, eclectic, small boutique shopping like Posh, Revv, and The Impeccable Pig and East Nashville is great for vintage shopping. There are so many cute areas to shop but they are not all close to each other, so plan it out if you want to visit all of them.

Scooters: If you’ve seen pictures from people’s trips to Nashville, then you have probably seen many a grown man on a scooter. Like many major US cities, Nashville offers electric scooters all over the city to pick up and enjoy at your heart’s content. Let’s just say the husbands became a scooter crew and we won’t mention how many injuries they endured over the time we were there. But scooter travel is super fun and gets you places fast and is very convenient. Only thing I would recommend- make sure you press end when you are done with your ride or you will be paying for the next person’s ride and find a charge for over $100, like we did, whoops!

Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage: For History nerds (like me and my husband) this was a must-see for us on our first visit to Nashville. The Hermitage is about a 20-minute ride outside of downtown and it offers tours, interactive videos, access to the grounds of the plantation and so much historical info about this controversial American president. We loved it and it was a nice respite from the craziness of downtown Nashville.

To Stay:

We’ve been to Nashville twice and the first time we stayed at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel, which is a tourist attraction in itself. The hotel is huge with an indoor waterpark, many restaurants, and entertainment. It’s a great place to stay with kids and is across the street from the Grand Ole’ Oprey, a must-see when in Nashville. The only problem is, the hotel is about 20 minutes outside of downtown Nashville, so if you want to be able to walk to the bars and restaurants, you’re better off staying closer to Broadway. On this trip, we stayed at the Margaritaville Hotel in downtown Nashville and it was amazing! From the beachy decor to the rooftop pool, the hotel makes you feel like you are on a beach vacation, not in the heart of busy, downtown Nashville. The best part of this newly developed hotel is that it is less than a 10-minute walk to Broadway and also to the Gulch area, two very different neighborhoods that offer everyone something to do.

We have only been to Nashville in the summer. It does get hot but it wasn’t any hotter there than it has been in the Northeast, in fact, it was cooler in Tennessee when we were there! I am sure Nashville is beautiful in the Fall or Spring too. If you go, check out some of my suggestions and let me know what you think!

Have you been to Nashville? Any questions about our trip?