The Ultimate Nashville Travel Guide Summer 2021 What To See, Eat, Do, and Wear In Nashville
If you’ve been keeping up with my YouTube videos and life updates, then you’d know I’m really trying to break my way into the travel industry. I’m set to study abroad in Florence, Italy the fall of 2022 and am eager to get some more travel experience and adventure time beforehand. Plus, I’m doing the whole content creation thing full time this summer, so why not take advantage and create in places I’ve never been before?!
Last week my sweet YouTube friend, Devon and I headed to Nashville, Tennessee for my first trip of the summer. I loved it so much that I’ve already booked a trip back! It’s safe to say we made the most of our time. Between an incredible sponsored stay at the new Gallatin Hotel, to thousands of photos, to seeing the sights I couldn’t have asked for a better trip.
We definitely didn’t get to see everything I’d hoped to—lucky me, I’ll be back soon and will share a Part 2 when the time comes. In the meantime, I’m breaking down everything we did over our short four day stay in Music City. For reference, we visited in mid-May, and no I am not 21 so bar hopping was unfortunately not a part of the itinerary.
Where To Stay
I was lucky enough to parter with The Gallatin Hotel for the duration of my stay and my gosh is the property incredible. Located in East Nashville, The Gallatin has an eclectic vibe with photo opps at every corner. The creative energy I felt here was unmatched. Plus, The Gallatin participates in Rooms for Rooms, remaining one of the few hotels that donates a generous portion of each night’s stay to supporting the homeless of Nashville.
Interaction with others was very limited at this property. There is no front desk here, just an incredibly photogenic lobby equipped with a coffee bar, luggage storage, and photo booth. Everything here operates by personalized key code to keep you safe + socially distant during these Covid times. Speaking of, I forgot to mention Devon and I are both fully vaccinated, giving us some peace of mind throughout our travels.
The Gallatin specializes in large group stays with an entire floor of suites. With bunk rooms, cozy nooks, and wide living space this is the perfect destination for your next bachelorette, bridal shower, or 21st birthday. Their largest suite has eight full beds. I’m giving a full walkthrough tour in this highlight. Along this floor, they also have an entirely open space that’s perfect for getting ready. With acrylic chairs and full mirrored walls, this is the ultimate space to pamper in.
Of course, if you can’t get the whole gang together, or are interested in staying at a much smaller scale, you can stay in one of their other rooms. Devon and I stayed in a King Economy and it was the cutest space! A cozy room for two with the most adorable shower was just what we needed for our mini girls trip. They also have twin and bunk rooms available. Make a reservation for your next trip to Nashville here!
They are also working on opening an event hall by August 2021. If you’re a bride to be or looking to host an event, keep an eye out for the official opening. The hall is attached to the Gallatin and has incredible columns along the front, and a Santorini-esque vibe along the side.
How To Get Around
The only downfall to staying at The Gallatin is that it was a bit further from downtown than we’d expected. It’s located in East Nashville which is just a few miles outside of all the action. There are still tons of things to do in this area, but a majority of the things we wanted to see where a 10-15 minute drive away. We were also about a 15-20 minute ride from the airport.
I don’t have much city experience besides NYC so I was shocked to learn that this wasn’t the most walkable area. Typically, I’d just walk, but these 2-3 mile trips weren’t the most doable by foot, lol. Don’t get me wrong you definitely can walk within The Gulch, 12 South, Broadway, etc. but you’ll likely be driving from one “center” to the next.
Luckily, Nashville is fully equipped with tons of Ubers and Lyfts making it super easy and safe to get around. Prices ranged from $7-$25 depending on the day and time. We went downtown at least once a day + made two trips to the airport, bringing our total transportation cost to $132 for the four days.
What To Wear
Believe me, I don’t expect anyone to pack twelve outfits in their suitcase for a four-day stay anywhere, LOL; although I definitely did. And yes, it did all fit into one checked suitcase. Keep in mind the purpose of my trip was to shoot content + share looks with you hence all the outfit changes. Plus, why not have fun with it?!
Lucky for you, I created an entire outfit guide for Nashville. Check it out here for outfit details and links to all of these looks plus directions to each location I took photos at! Just a heads up—I will be splitting the outfit + travel guides up for all of my future trips.
Places To Eat
Although I definitely appreciate a home-cooked meal, eating out is one of my favorite pastimes. My vlogs have become known for ten scale ratings and brutally honest reviews, lol. I asked for restaurant recommendations via my Instagram stories and my followers definitely pulled through. There were so many places we didn’t have time to check out: Hattie B’s Chicken, Stoney River Steakhouse, White Limozeen and more. Thankfully, I’ll be back in June and can hit the rest of them!
food rating 6/10, atmosphere 10/10, price $
Barista Parlor was our first stop on the trip. I have to start off by saying, I don’t drink coffee or tea so I can’t speak on that spectrum! I absolutely loved the vibe of this place. Located in The Gulch, this place had the cutest decor with tons of table space to work at and a large outdoor seating area.
I got a bacon egg and cheese on an everything bagel and it was average to say the least. Definitely should have gotten cream cheese on it but that was definitely on me.
food rating 8/10, atmosphere 7/10, price $
Another coffee shop we stopped by was Frothy Monkey. This seems to be a local favorite by many! Unfortunately, the wait here was really long, even for a Thursday morning so we ended up ordering at the counter and finding a nearby picnic table to eat.
Again, I just got ice water to drink but this time around I tried a tomato, basil, feta, egg, and cheese bagel sandwich. It was definitely different but still super yummy.
food rating 6/10, atmosphere 10/10, price $$$
Hampton Social was the number one recommendation we got. I will give it kudos for being the cutest restaurant I’ve ever been in. They have incredible floor to ceiling windows with the most amazing natural light + view of the city. There are also tons of different photo opps within this place with large floral walls and backdrops everywhere.
The service was amazing and we had the sweetest waitress ever. This was definitely the priciest place we went, but the atmosphere makes it so worth it. I got the shrimp tacos among recommendation and them being one of my favorite foods. I have to say, I was a little disappointed with $18. The shrimp was great but I learned I’m not a huge corn tortilla girl plus they were super spicy. Stilly yummy but I prefer a more tropical taco.
food rating 10/10, atmosphere 8/10, price $$
It’s going to seem like we didn’t do a whole lot, but I swear eating is the most fun part of the day anyway, haha! We stopped by Jeni’s ice cream for a mid-day treat and I had the yummiest waffle cone I’ve ever had. Their cones are cooked fresh and are so crisp yet airy. I got a mixture of mint and salted caramel. I wouldn’t usually pay this much for ice cream but admittedly, this was worth every penny. Unfortunately due to Covid, they are not allowing indoor seating so I popped a squat on the ground this time around.
food rating 10/10, atmosphere 10/10, price $
I’ve had few burgers in my life as good as the one from The Pharmacy. Devon had eaten here on her previous trip to Nashville and knew I would love it. This restaurant has a huge outdoor + indoor seating area or you can snag a seat along the bar. With good music and amazing fairy lights, this is definitely a hidden gem!
They are a build your own burger + sandwich place and they did not disappoint. I got a bacon cheddar burger with tater tots and was stuffed for just $11. The service was awesome and they gave me a free birthday milkshake a couple weeks early which was the sweetest gesture. I will 100% be coming back here.
food rating 9/10, atmosphere 9/10, price $
I found this cute deli in East Nashville while flipping through the Guide Book in our hotel room. My gosh was it good! I got my usual bagel sandwich order and it was delicious + the most reasonably priced of them all. They had lots of seating available so I was able to get some work done too.
This Boars Head deli must be another town-y fav because dozens of people were coming in and out for their usuals. In addition to breakfast sandwiches they had plenty of lunch options, deli meat, and a “convenience store” area.
food rating 8.5/10, atmosphere 10/10, price $$
Devon and I walked along Broadway Friday afternoon and were dying for a bite to eat. Most places along this strip will not let you in if you’re under 21 but luckily, Jason Aldean’s place did! The waiter recommended the cheeseburger so of course I had to get it. I’ll admit, it was pretty darn good and so were their fries.
However, nothing beat the atmosphere of this place. The most amazing live music by Shannon Scott kept us entertained for hours. There are several floors to this place and while we sat at a lower level for a more relaxed vibe, there is a huge rooftop bar with hundreds of people + even more live music. Will definitely be coming back here when I’m of age!
food rating 10/10, atmosphere 5/10, price $$
Part of me wants to cry for spending $3 a cookie at this place but hey, anything to ~support small businesses~ and get my sweets fix, right?! Christie Cookie is right in the middle of the 12 South shops and was the perfect mid-afternoon treat. These cookies really were worth every penny. The white chocolate macadamia was my favorite.
food rating: 4/10 atmosphere: 5/10 price: $
Devon and I had high hopes for this little corner taco place and although I hate to say it, I was disappointed. They also have indoor dining closed. We ordered at the window and ate outside where they have a small outdoor seating area.
Their tacos were incredibly anticlimactic but thankfully, only $3 apiece. They lacked flavor and were also served on corn tortillas. Plus, they don’t have chips and salsa which automatically causes me to dock points, haha! Two of these apiece were more like an appetizer so we ended up going somewhere else to split a meal afterwards.
Things To Do
★ Walk The Pedestrian Bridge
I was dying to stroll along the Pedestrian Bridge after seeing a few friends take photos on it. There is an incredible view of the city + water from up here. It’s very relaxing and a fun place to just sit and rest for a bit. I do recommend planning for this venture unlike us. I was stuck in heels and I wouldn’t recommend it, lol!
★ Shop Along 12 South
12 South was definitely my favorite area of Nashville. It’s city in the best way. There are local shops, big-name stores like Madewell, a few restaurants, and a handful of cute cafes. The whole area is just a couple of miles big and incredibly clean. Not to mention the people here were so friendly. We also found a few vintage stores that were chock full of hidden gems.
★ Shop Along The Gulch
The Gulch is another fun area that reminds me a lot of Georgetown. Similar to 12 South, this area is full of shopping, places to eat, and cool murals. It’s much smaller and located right across from the financial district.
★ Visit The Murals
There are murals along the side of practically every building in Nashville and you bet your bottom dollar I stopped at every single one. I linked directions to tons of these in my outfit guide, but here are a few ~never before seen~ photos. I know this isn’t necessarily an activity but it brought me so much joy to scout new ones out, especially for the sake of the gram!
★ Bar Hop Along Broadway
If you’re of age, I totally recommend bar hopping along Broadway. The vibe here was unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. Like I said, you don’t need to be 21 to get into Jason Aldean’s and a few other places along the strip. I highly suggest heading up to one of the rooftops to grab some bar food + listen to live music.
This strip is absolutely electric! I can’t wait to be back here when I’m 21 to experience it at night. Oh, and did I mention Morgan Wallen performed here the day after we left?! To say I was sad is an understatement!
★ Amelias Flower Truck
Agh if only we were in town longer I would have purchased some fresh blooms from Amelia’s flower truck! This cute little VW moves around but was on the corner of 12 South while we were in town. Such an aesthetic photo opportunity too.
★ The Listening Room
This was another super popular recommendation amongst you all! The Listening Room hosts emerging artists for a one-of-a-kind live music experience. You do have to get tickets in advance, although ours were only $5 and available the day before the show. It’s definitely a much different vibe than listening to live music on Broadway.
It’s pretty much silent as they perform with small chatter in between songs. They also come around and serve you throughout the show. A minimum $15 tab is required. We had the sweetest waitress in the world and the chicken tenders were super yummy. Their fries were terrible though, lol. I will definitely be coming back here with my mom as I think she’d love it. More of a family spot during the day rather than a 21st spot, if that makes sense.
I was really hoping we’d make it to the Grand Ole Opry but sadly we just couldn’t fit it in. Good thing I’ll be back in just a few weeks! If you’ve traveled to Nashville before, feel free to leave any and all recommendations in the comments below. I’d love to add some more things to my must-see list!
Watch The Vlog
Want to see our trip to Nashville + get the inside scoop of all these photos? Check out this vlog and hit the subscribe button so you don’t miss out on more travel content coming your way soon.
Phew, that was a lot! We were able to pack so much into our short stay. I couldn’t have asked for a better first trip to Nashville and cannot wait to be back soon. I truly hope you’ve enjoyed all of the travel content this week. Back to outfit ideas next week, I promise! Until then…
With love, McKenz
Latest Post: Weekly Wrap Up #20 2021
Related Post: What To Wear In Nashville Summer 2021
Instagram: styledbymckenz // YouTube: McKenzie Morgan // Pinterest: mckenzmorgan
