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Nashville Attractions From Locals!

We Suggest Checking With Each Venue for Operating Days and Hours

Nashville is full of fun for sure! Broadway is what most folks think about when they think about Nashville. It’s certainly something you’ll want to do, but it is quite chaotic in the evenings, especially Friday/Saturday, I would avoid. Better a Monday evening and early is better. The venues open and the music gets started around 10 or 11am, depending on the venue.

Here are some alternatives to Broadway that are in my opinion some of the best places in Nashville for live music:

Midtown – this part of town is a couple of miles west of downtown around Broadway at 20th Ave S. Great venues here are Winners and Losers (next door to each other) You never know who you may see here – big names in Country Music and our pro sports teams are known to wander in unannounced.

Whiskey Jam at Winners on Thursday nights is a great place to see up and coming local talent. Kung-Fu saloon is just up the street – they have all kinds of retro pinball and other similar games, outdoor ping-pong tables, outdoor Jenga, all of which which are free. It’s kind of a college crowd, but still lots of fun. No live music, but they have a DJ some nights and there is always music of some kind playing. Going a little further west, maybe a mile or so on the right is The Local. Another great smaller venue with live music.

You may have heard of the Bluebird Cafe which is a famous venue in Green Hills, many of the big names in country music launched their careers here. However getting tickets is next to impossible, it’s basically a lottery. A great alternative is The Listening Room near downtown just south of Lower Broadway.

Very near Heidtke House is the Music Valley Drive area, which is maybe 8 minutes from Heidtke House. There are lots of venues over there with great food and live music. A few that come to mind are Scoreboard, Caney Fork, John A’s and Cock of the Walk.

Opryland Hotel is magnificent and has many venues, some with live music but be forewarned, the parking is expensive. You are also very near Opry Mills Mall which is a popular local shopping venue.

There are also numerous locally-owned pubs and restaurants within a half-mile of Heidtke House, some of which are walkable.

Here are our favorites:

  • Party Fowl – great Nashville Hot Chicken and right across the Street.
  • Edley’s Bar-B-Que – Find Out Why it is Nashville’s Hands-Down Best BBQ!
  • Phat Bites – funky eclectic deli, all fresh, all good and featured on Food Network
  • McNamara’s – excellent Irish Pub
  • Wine Down – great wine bar, owned by musicians
  • Aranda Taqueria – awesome tacos!
  • Nectar Urban Cantina – Coffee shop, juice bar, full-service wine/spirits bar and excellent food!
  • Darfons – a little more upscale but not in any way pretentious. Excellent locally owned restaurant/bar
  • Papa Turney’s BBQ – Nashville has many BBQ restaurants, but this one is the most authentic with an absolutely lovely couple that own and operate it. Mike (Pappa) Turney and his lovely wife are also music lovers and they have live music some evenings. 

Many of the venues listed above have live music also, but not necessarily every night. Best to check their web sites and social media when you are planning your evening.