Summer weekend in Nashville
How locals do summer in Nashville — patios, beaches, festivals and the long-evening rituals that only happen in July and August.
Top spots in Nashville
Centennial Park
OutdoorsWest End
Full-scale Parthenon replica and skyline-backed lake walks.
Radnor Lake State Park
OutdoorsOak Hill
Quiet trails and wildlife 10 minutes from downtown.
12 South
Food & Drink12 South
Walkable strip with murals, pastries and the Reese Witherspoon shop.
Broadway Honky-Tonks
NightlifeDowntown
Three floors of free live country music in every bar.
Where to eat
Arnold's Country Kitchen
$$Meat-and-three · Eighth Avenue
Cafeteria-line lunch with roast beef and chess pie — closed weekends.
Hattie B's Hot Chicken
$$Hot chicken · Midtown
Nashville's gateway hot chicken — order shut-the-cluck-up if you dare.
Husk Nashville
$$$$Southern · Rutledge Hill
Sean Brock's local-only Southern tasting in a Victorian house.
Rolf and Daughters
$$$Italian · Germantown
Hand-cut pasta in a converted warehouse — dimly lit and very loud.
The Catbird Seat
$$$$Tasting menu · Midtown
U-shaped counter, chef-as-theater — Nashville's most ambitious meal.
Live & on stage
Bonnaroo Day Trip
Manchester, TN · Jun 11–14 · Festival
CMA Fest
Nissan Stadium / Downtown · Jun 4–7 · Country / Festival
Grand Ole Opry Live
Opry House · Year-round · Country
Frequently asked
- Standouts right now: Broadway Honky-Tonks, Centennial Park, 12 South. The shortlist is curated by people who live in Nashville and refreshed regularly so it reflects what's actually open and worth your time.