They don’t call it “NashVegas” for nothing. In recent years, Nashville has absolutely exploded in terms of new buildings, re-vamped neighborhoods, trendy shops, new bars and restaurants, and more. It has become one of the top bachelorette party destinations in the country, making it an ideal girl’s weekend getaway city. Whether you’re here because he put a ring on it or you just wanna hit up Coyote Ugly and dance on the bar, this post will cover my top rec’s for you and your besties to have the best girls weekend in Nashville!
AUGUST 2024 UPDATE – This post now includes links to some of my other Nashville blog posts, new shops, and hotel recommendations
Website Disclaimer: Although everything is accurate as of the publication of this post, it is important to keep in mind that prices, attractions, and other things may change with time.
Nashville, Tennessee
The Graduate Hotel
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The Best Girl’s Weekend in Nashville
Table of Contents
Go Shopping
Go To Broadway…
…But Also, Go Off Broadway
Best Friend Photoshoots
Country Music Concerts/Festivals
Party Bike Around Town
Go Shopping
The Nashville shopping scene is one of my all-time favorites. Home to numerous boutiques, malls, and popular retail stores, you can find anything you’re looking for.
- 2024 Update: The city also boasts numerous shops that specifically fit the “Nashville vibe” – boot stores, cowboy hat stores, and more. My favorite boot store is Boot Barn on Broadway St, where I got the sparkly boots that I wore in my Gibson Garage photoshoot.
If you’re in Nashville on a weekend trip, I listed the following 2 shopping areas for you to check out below. Both The Gulch and 12South are popular areas with fantastic shopping, restaurants, coffee shops and more, all within walking distance in order to maximize your time. (Bonus: these areas are also home to a lot of those Instagram-worthy wall murals!)
Shops at the Gulch
- Kittenish – Jessie James Decker’s boutique is everything girls’ trip dreams are made of. I found the cutest leather jacket with fringe in here!
- Uncommon James – Kristin Cavallari’s jewelry boutique
- Winky Lux – cosmetics store
- Rustler Hat Company – you can create your own custom cowboy hat here! (The downside: it can get a little pricey)
- LINK x LOU – if you read my London blog post, you may recall me talking about a place in Nashville where I got my first welded, permanent bracelet. LINK x LOU offers permanent welded jewelry that you can get on your wrist, finger, neck, or ankle. They also have a variety of chains and charms to choose from.
- IMO, this is the perfect thing to do with your besties because you can essentially think of these as the “best/friends” jewelry you had as a kid. My best friend Claire and I got our first welded bracelets from here.
- The video below shows the final process of getting a welded bracelet after you pick out the charms, chain, etc. and they put it on your wrist. The quick flash of light is when the welding process occurs.
The Shops at 12South
12South was my favorite shopping center in Nashville. In addition to stores, it has lots of restaurants, bars, and coffee shops, making it easy to stay here for hours. We ate lunch at bartaco, a rustic taco place with outside seating (and great margs!)
My favorite shops at 12South:
- Vinnie Louise (hats, clothes, shoes, and accessories – this is one of my favorite Nashville boutiques!)
- Draper James (Reese Witherspoon’s boutique)
- LoveShackFancy (upscale bohemian chic)
- Emerson Grace (chic clothing and jewelry)
- Stoney Clover Lane (girly shop that offers customization of products/clothes/etc)
- Serendipity (clothes, shoes, accessories)
- Finnley’s (trendy clothing store)
Go to Broadway…
Ahhh Broadway. This section of town earned the city its nickname “NashVegas,” and for a good reason. Take a stroll down Broadway St. and you’ll be greeted with neon lights, live music, people in cowboy boots, and plenty of drinks to go around. Many of Nashville’s most famous honkey tonks are located here, and many of them are owned by celebrities! Top ones to check out include:
- Tootsies – Nashville’s most famous honkey tonk, and one that is a must-visit. This 3 story bar features live music on every floor, and has been where many singers got their start.
- At the time of this blog post, their website isn’t functional, so I did not link it.
- Nudies – named after Nudie Cohn, a tailor who created costumes for country music legends
- Casa Rosa (Miranda Lambert’s bar) – Tex-Mex cantina with pink decor and live music. (This one was my favorite!)
- Jason Aldean’s Kitchen and Rooftop Bar
- Bell Bottoms Up – Lainey Wilson’s bar (2024 update – this one is now my other favorite!)
- Chief’s – Eric Church’s bar (2024 update)
- The Twelve Thirty Club – Justin Timberlake’s bar
- Kid Rock’s Big Ass Honky-Tonk & Rock ‘n Roll Steakhouse
…But Also, Go Off Broadway
While Broadway is a blast, it can also get super crowded and touristy. Thankfully, Nashville has other areas close to downtown that are equally as fun.
- White Limozeen (Dolly Parton’s rooftop bar atop the Graduate Hotel)
- If you love all things pink and girly, this is your vibe. Naturally, I was a fan. We went to this bar at night and the photos I have don’t do the interior color scheme any justice, so I’m not posting them. But go. Seriously.
- There is a rooftop pool, and reservations are required – which can be made through Resy
- Check out my post, Step Inside Dolly Parton’s Photo-Worthy Bar in Nashville, for a more in-depth look inside White Limozeen.
- Winners & Losers
- Actually 2 separate bars (notice the 2 separate links!), with Loser’s being the more popular of the 2. This was (is?) reportedly Chris Young’s favorite bar!
- Coyote Ugly – located 1 block away from Broadway St.
- When I went here in 2015, you could dance on the bar like they do in the movie. I am not sure if it’s still allowed, but if you’re looking for that kinda night, it’s worth checking out!
- The bars in Printer’s Alley
- You’ll likely run into a more dive-bar vibe here. Notable places include Fleet Street Pub, Alley Taps, and The Whiskey Shot, but there are many more to choose from!
- Hit up a rooftop bar
- If you are looking for something fun yet chill, a rooftop bar is the perfect compromise. I visited L27 Rooftop – the bar on top of the Westin Hotel – a few years back, and can still remember the view. It was epic. It has since been remodeled and contains an indoor lounge, an open-air terrace, and a pool.
Take Advantage of All the Photo Ops
Nashville has SO many Instagram-worthy wall murals that you can pose in front of to document your trip. The best part? A lot of the most famous ones are located near the shops in the Gulch/12 South that were mentioned above.
In addition to outside mural paintings, there are plenty of shops and places that have photo-worthy wall art, neon signs, and other aesthetically-pleasing decor that serves as the perfect backdrop for photos. I have included some of my favorites in the pictures below, but they are EVERYWHERE. The photo-ops are endless, and you can get as creative as you want!
Ready to be overwhelmed (in a good way)? This website gives you an extensive list of where you can find the best Nashville wall murals.
**Girls Weekend Travel Tip**
AirBnB offers a service where you can book a photographer for a relatively cheap cost in many popular cities.
If you are in Nashville for a special event and you want your weekend professionally documented, this is a great way to do it! For more information, click this link to find Nashville photographers through AirBnB.
Country Music Concerts/Festivals
Plan Your Nashville Girls’ Weekend Around a Concert
There’s no shortage of concerts in Music City. The website www.visitmusiccity.com has a list of upcoming concerts, including the dates and where they are being held. There are SO. MANY. to choose from, and would make the perfect highlight to any girls’ weekend!
Plan Your Girls’ Weekend Around CMA Fest
I went to CMA Fest in 2015, and I’m convinced it’s something every country music fan needs to experience at least once in their lifetime. The festival lasts for 4 days, and there are concerts from up-and-coming singers all day long outside. You can also buy a stadium pass to go inside the Nissan Stadium and listen to live performances from many well-known artists.
Check out the official CMA Fest website, where you can find out everything you need to know about the festivities for the upcoming year.
In 2015, I ended up getting MAJORLY lucky, because CMA Fest and the CMT Awards were happening at the same time. You are able to stand on the street before the award show starts and watch as country music stars pull up in their limos to go inside and walk the red carpet. Both events do not occur at the same time every year, but when they do, it is a once-in-a-lifetime experience you don’t want to miss.
For me, it is more accurate to say I stumbled upon CMA Fest/the CMT awards, because I didn’t know either event was happening during the weekend that I chose to visit Nashville until I got there. In other words, I had NOTHING planned. It was one of the best “accidents” of my life.
Get a Party Bike
Disclaimer – I have never rented a party bike. But I want to. Therefore, I am putting it down in my best-girls-weekend post in order to live vicariously through you until I can go back to Nashville.
Party bikes are a popular bachelorette party activity, but why wait until your man takes a knee in order to give yourself an excuse to ride one? If you are unfamiliar with the concept, you + your friends sit on this trolley-bike hybrid and pedal your way along Nashville while the party bike employees serve as your DJs/bartenders. You see these EVERYWHERE throughout the city, and everybody always looks like they are having the time of their life.
Some popular Nashville party bike companies include Nashville Bar Bike, Sprocket Rocket Party Bike, and Nashville Pedal Tavern. All 3 of these have 4.7+ star reviews. If you have done this activity before and had a great experience with one of the party bike companies, comment it below! Some things to know:
- Most – if not all – of these companies are BYOB.
- A lot of them do not allow wine, champagne, or hard liquor.
- Read the FAQ section of the website(s) I listed above – they are super helpful in terms of what you can/can’t do.
- From what I’ve been told, you can get pretty drunk pretty quickly due to pedaling the bike, thus helping the alcohol circulate through your system faster. It’s science. Pace yourself. Or don’t. **shrug emoji**
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