Downtown Nashville is one of the main reasons why Nashville is called the “Music City”. Many world class entertainment venues call this neighborhood home, and have made downtown what it is today.
On any given day, at any time, you can hear live music in this neighborhood. Broadway is full of bars that constantly have live music, cold drinks and always a good time, better known as a “Honky Tonk”. Places like Tootsie’s, Full Moon Saloon, Layla’s Bluegrass Inn and Legends Corner are all apart of what is called “Honky Tonk Highway”. For those who are of legal drinking age, these bars are some of the hottest places to kick back and relax after a long day of work. You never know who you may hear performing either! Country music superstars such as Dierks Bentley, Kenny Chesney and even Garth Brooks got their starts in these very bars.
Another music destination that calls Downtown home is the legendary Ryman Auditorium. Often called the “Mother Church of Country Music”, this beautiful former church and a home to the Grand Ole Opry, has hosted thousands of shows from Chris Stapleton, to John Legend all the way to James Brown. Artists are always longing to perform in one of the worlds most respected venues for its incredible acoustics and beautiful history.
Along with the Ryman, Downtown holds some of the best venues Nashville has to offer. Ascend Amphitheater, which opened in the summer of 2015, has held some of the largest and most exciting concerts Nashville has seen. Performers such as Eric Church, Jimmy Buffett and Alabama Shakes have all performed here, and Ascend is scheduled to host huge artists such as Duran Duran, Megan Trainor and Boyz II Men. Ascend has only been hosting events for 11 months and is becoming one of the hottest venues.
Bridgestone Arena is also a venue sought after by many huge artists. Since opening in 1996, this venue has seen some of the biggest performances in history. Artists like Justin Timberlake, Paul McCartney and Bruce Springsteen have all brought the house down at Bridgestone. This venue also hosts one of country music’s biggest nights – the Country Music Awards. From October to May, Bridgestone is also the home of the Nashville Predators, the professional hockey team. This past season, Bridgestone was the home of the 2016 NHL All Star Game, hosting thousands of hockey fans during one weekend, as well as hosting six playoff games. These venues have proven to be both desirable and worthy of the events they host.
With all of that, Downtown is also the home to many incredible museums. Places like the Johnny Cash Museum, the Tennessee State Museum and the Country Music Hall of Fame. These museums showcase many of the great things that happened throughout Nashville’s history along with the rich history and roots of country music, with exhibits that range from the Civil War to country music legend, Sam Phillips and everywhere in between.
After a long day of exploring the neighborhood, settle down with some dinner at one of the many restaurants Downtown has to offer. Right on broadway sits Merchants, a beautiful cafe that first opened in 1892. Sit down for dinner and then enjoy a little ice cream and coffee at Mike’s Ice Cream, just down the road. With so many great choices, you can not go wrong with anything you may choose.
Downtown is one of the hottest places in America, and it can entertain anyone at any time. It has the track record to prove it.