My husband and I went to Nashville alone about 7 years ago and always wondered whether or not it would be a good place to share with our music and travel loving teens. We were passing through this past summer with my 16yr old and her friend en route to Space Camp in Alabama, so we decided to test it out. While we could have just gone the route of the Nashville Shores Water Park or the Nashville Zoo we wanted them to appreciate the city for what made it famous – its MUSIC!
Obviously bars are not the ideal spot for the underage set (drinking age in US is 21), but we were surprised that we managed to have a very entertaining and musical 72 hours in Music City. Here’s how we conquered Nashville with two teens in tow.
Timing
Avoid the drunk and rowdy bachelor/bachelorette partying crowd that shouts out of every moving vehicle in the city with a drink in hand, by not going on the weekends. A visit to Nashville with teens during the week is lovely.
Transportation
Downtown Nashville is the home of honky tonk row and many of the greatest music venues. It is very pedestrian friendly and if you are staying downtown, there is no need for a car. The rest of the interesting sites however, are a bit spread out. You still don’t need a car, in my opinion, there are lots of great ways to get around. One way is to take the hop on and hop off Old Town Trolley Tour and disembark in the areas that pique your interest. While it seems like the ultimate tourist trap, this bus tour takes you to all of the city highlights with live and entertaining banter along the way. The teens enjoyed it and so did the adults.
We recommend disembarking at stop #7 to explore the Bicentennial Park, the new and free Tennessee museum, and the farmers market. Also stop #8 is a lot of fun for the Marathon Motor Works and cool buildings with unique shopping.
Pro tip:
If the tour guide is not keeping your or your teens attention, get off at the first available stop and wait for the next bus. Most of the guides are really engaging and funny so its not worth staying on for someone who isn’t.
BCycle Nashville is a great way to explore the town for very little money. For $5 for a 24 hour period, a bicycle can be rented from one of the many kiosks around the city. As long as the bike is checked back into a station within one hour, they can be ridden anywhere in the city. Minors (under 18) can ride as long as they are 5′ tall and are accompanied by an adult. We recommend a ride to two Nashville neighborhoods with great character as well as unique shops and restaurants. The Gulch is an upscale neighborhood known for chic hotels and high end restaurants and is not too far from downtown. Five Points is a newly revitalized hipster neighborhood known for eco friendly retailers and eclectic bars and restaurants.
Another way to get around the city is by one of the seven dockless electric scooter companies. A word of caution, however. While teens may prefer this mode of transport, the city is grappling with how to handle the sometimes raucous scooter drivers. Therefore, watch for changing availability in the near future. In addition, we witnessed a fair amount of “scootering while intoxicated”, creating unsafe conditions.
Music
To really get the point of Nashville, a little time in the belly of the beast is crucial. Head on down to Honky Tonk Row for music for miles. Most adults prefer hopping from bar to bar and sampling a drink at each location. Obviously, this proved to be pretty boring for the underage teens. Pro tip: The under 21 set is allowed in many bars before 9pm – confirm at the front door to be sure. There are strict rules in the evening, so start your music tour early.
Alternatively, we recommend lunch or dinner at the Wild Horse Saloon for a combo of live music and entertainment. The bar/restaurant is set up around a stage and a dance floor. Line dancing lessons are given periodically and the two step is frequently demonstrated by the staff. Even if the teens don’t want to participate in the line dancing, they may enjoy watching and laughing at everyone else .
Our favorite night in Nashville was at the Listening Room Cafe. A singer songwriter cafe with food and cocktails, the Listening Room Cafe is open to all ages. Songwriters sit on the stage and tell the stories of how their songs came to be before they play them. Frequently their stories end with something like, “then I sold my song to [insert famous country singer here]”. It’s a great mix of music and conversation and offers an opportunity to really appreciate the work of songwriters who often don’t get the credit they deserve.
Activities
The Country Music Hall of Fame is an obvious choice in Nashville but if the kids aren’t into country music it might be a bit boring. A tour of Ryman Auditorium is an entertaining 90 minutes to two hours. While the entrance fee is a bit steep ($25pp), I think the self guided tour provides something interesting for all ages. The Auditorium itself is an amazing layout, and certainly the main attraction. A great way to experience the Ryman is to time the visit with an evening show.
Food and Shopping
A few of our other favorites for conquering Nashville with teens include:
- Goo Goo Shop for classic Goo Goo candy and ice cream (in downtown)
- Two Old Hippies is a very cool shop in the Gulch the kids will enjoy wandering.
- Woolworth on 5th – classic diner experience and the site of the famous lunch counter sit-in in 1960
- Hattie B’s Hot Chicken – super famous near Music Row – expect long lines here.
- Tour Vanderbilt University – because its never too early to start thinking about college tours!
Want more teen tips? Try:
I want to go!