Accolades & Honors

Last updated on January 30, 2026

Nashville's culturally diverse and friendly environment makes it a favorite place for conventioneers and tourists alike and a great place to work, live, and raise a family. The following honors and rankings are just a few of Music City's shining accolades.

Nashville's Recent Rankings & Recognition

Tripadvisor (January 2026):
Listed in the top 10 list of the Best Food Destinations in the U.S.
Condé Nast (January 2026):
Featured Nashville as one of the 21 Best Places to Visit in June
Tripadvisor (January 2026):
Ranked #4 among the Best of the Best Destinations in the U.S.
Daily Mail (January 2026):
Listed as one of the 20 Bucket List Holiday Destinations for 2026
Travel & Tour World (December 2025):
Nashville's New Year's Eve 2025 is named the Ultimate Party Destination for Music Lovers and Foodies
Go Banking Rates (December 2025):
Nashville ranked #8 out of 20 Budget-Friendly Places to Spend Your Holiday Vacation
U.S. News & World Report (December 2025):
Ranked in the top 10 out of 20 Best U.S. Cities to Visit in 2026
AFAR (November 2025):
Featured Nashville, TN as one of the 8 Cities with the Best Holiday Celebrations in the U.S.
Condé Nast Traveler (November 2025):
Ranked #4 among the 25 Best Cities to Spend Christmas in the U.S.
Lonely Planet (November 2025):
Named as one of The Best Places in the US to Celebrate New Year's Eve
Travel + Leisure (September 2025):
Nashville tied for the #1 spot as one of the Best Places to Live in the U.S.
J.D. Power (September 2025):
BNA ranked #3 on the list of the Best Large Airports for Customer Satisfaction in North America
New York Times (September 2025):
Featured Centennial Park among the 6 Best Autumn Strolls in 6 Vibrant Cities
Travel + Leisure (September 2025):
Travel Experts picked Tennessee as their Favorite Fall Foliage Destination in the U.S., and Nashville is listed in the #2 spot
YouGov (July 2025):
Nashville topped the list as Americans' Favorite City
Travel + Leisure (July 2025):
Ranked #13 among the 15 Best Cities in the U.S.
National Geographic (July 2025)
Featured in Here's why you should visit Nashville in 2025
British Airways High Life Magazine (July 2025):
Featured Nashville in The star-spangled planner: 50 awesome reasons to visit the USA in 2026
The Telegraph (UK) (July 2025):
Highlighted Nashville in Forget Route 66 and Highway, this is the greatest road trip in America
Holafly (July 2025):
Nashville ranked in three categories in The US Culture Index: America's Most Cultured Cities
- #3 Most Cultured Cities
- #2 Best Cities for Museums
- #3 Best Cities for Music Venues
Go Banking Rates (July 2025):
Featured Nashville in Happy 4th! Here are the Most Affordable Cities That Celebrate America's Independence Best
AFAR (July 2025):
Named as one of 52 Places to Travel in the U.S. This Year
Independent (June 2025)
Listed as one of the Twelve Most Walkable Cities in America
Rolling Stone Magazine (June 2025):
Ranked Nashville among the Best Music Cities in America
U.S. News & World Report (May 2025):
One of the 16 Best Places to Go for the Fourth of July
Conde Nast Traveler May 2025):
Named one of the 11 Best Places for Women to Travel Solo in the US
Afar (May 2025):
Featured as one of the 7 Great Places to Travel in the U.S. for July 4 Celebrations
Southern Living (March 2025):
Ranked #3 in The South's Best Cities 2024
Conde Nast Traveler (January 2025):
Ranked #22 in 27 Best Holiday Destinations in June
Tripadvisor's Traveler's Choice Awards (January 2025):
Nashville ranked in two categories on Best of the Best 2025
- #6 Top Destinations in the U.S.
- #7 Best Food Destinations in the U.S.
AAA Club Alliance (January 2025):
One of the 10 Destinations to Put on Your Travel Bucket List in 2025

Nashville Music Recent Rankings & Recognition

loveExploring (December 2026):
Hit Nashville's Honky Tonks made it on the Ultimate USA Bucket List
Wanderlust (December 2025):
Featured Music in Nashville on the USA Good to Go 2026 list
SeatPick (June 2025):
Ranked among the World's Top US Cities for Music Lovers
Refinery's 29 (April 2025):
CMA Fest is named in the 13 Must-See Festivals for Every Music Genre Lover
Southern Living (January 2025):
The Grand Ole Opry was listed in The 25 Best Places to Go in the South in 2025
TimeOut (January 2025):
The Grand Ole Opry was named in The 10 Best Things to Do in the U.S. in 2025 – Travel-Worthy Experiences

Nashville Hotels Recent Rankings & Recognition

Matador Network (January 2026):
Dolly Parton's SongTeller Hotel is featured as one of the 50 Most Exciting New Hotels of 2026
Sunday Times (January 2026):
Featured Dolly Parton's SongTeller Hotel on the list of 25 Exciting Holidays in the U.S. in 2026
Garden & Gun (December 2025):
Named as one of the Hot Southern Hotel Openings to Watch for in 2026 is Dolly Parton's SongTeller Hotel
The Sunday Times (December 2025):
Featured The Dive Motel in Nashville as an Upgraded Motel in America to Book
JustLuxe (October 2025):
Dolly Parton's SongTeller Hotel made the list of the 26 Most Anticipated Hotel Openings for 2026 in North America
Meetings TODAY (October 2025):
The Meetings TODAY Awards for the South's Best Hotels included:
- JW Marriott Nashville
- Omni Nashville Hotel
Michelin Guide (October 2025):
The MICHELIN Guide featured four Nashville hotels in the full list of the 2025 Key Hotels in the United States
- 2 Keys: Four Seasons Hotel Nashville, The Hermitage Hotel
- 1 Key: 1 Hotel Nashville, Soho House Nashville
Conde Nast Traveler (October 2025):
Four Nashville hotels are listed on The Best Hotels in the World: 2025 Readers' Choice Awards
- Thompson Nashville
- Bobby Hotel - Nashville
- The Westin Nashville
- The Joseph, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Nashville
Conde Nast Traveler (July 2025):
Featured in The Best Hotels in Nashville
Travel + Leisure (July 2025):
Readers named their 5 Favorite Hotels in Nashville of 2025:
- #1 - The Joseph
- #2 - Thompson Nashville
- #3 - Grand Hyatt Nashville
- #4 -1 Hotel Nashville
- #5 - Omni Nashville Hotel
Cvent (May 2025):
Listed four Nashville hotels in the Top 250 Meeting Hotels in North America
- #1 Renaissance Nashville Hotel
- #2 JW Marriott Nashville
- #3 Grand Hyatt Nashville
- #4 Omni Nashville Hotel
Conde Nast Traveler (April 2025):
Named The Printing House in The Most Exciting Hotel Openings of Spring 2025
Southern Living (March 2025):
Included The Hermitage Hotel in The South's 10 Best Classic Hotels 2025

Nashville Restaurant & Bar's Recent Rankings & Recognition

Yelp (January 2026):
Four Nashville restaurants are named in the Top 100 Restaurants in America for 2026
- Noko
- Degthai
- Monell's
- The Butter Milk Ranch
Tripadvisor (January 2026):
Featured Nashville on the Traveller's Choice Awards' Best of the Best Food Destinations list
Infatuation (November 2025):
Named Sho Pizza Bar as one of the top places for Best New Pizza in America
Robb Report (November 2025):
Two local restaurants made the list of 100 Greatest American Restaurants of the 21st Century
- The Catbird Seat
- Locust
OpenTable (November 2025):
Three Nashville restaurants are named in the Top 100 Restaurants in America for 2025
- Noko
- Locust
- Kase x Noko
USA Today 10 Best (October 2025):
Titans Press Box landed the #1 spot on the 10Best Airport Bars in the U.S. list
Food Network (October 2025):
Named Five Points Pizza as Tennessee's Best Pizza Slices by State
Yelp (October 2025):
Fonda on 12South made the list of Yelp’s Best New Restaurants of 2025
USA Today (October 2025):
Named L.A. Jackson on the 10Best Readers' Choice Awards Best Hotel Bars in the US
USA Today (October 2025):
Nelson's Green Brier Distillery ranked #3 in the Top 10 Craft Distillery Tours in the U.S.
50 Best (September 2025):
Locust is included on North America's 50 Best Restaurants 2025
Wine Spectator (September 2025):
Named Bad Idea as one of the 11 Favorite Wine Bars in the Southern and Central U.S.
Southern Living (September 2025):
Peg Leg Porker made the list of the Top 50 BBQ Joints in the South Now
The Resy 100 (September 2025):
Two Nashville restaurants featured on The Resy 100: Restaurants Around the Country That Define Dining Today:
- Fancypants
- Margot Cafe & Bar
Food & Wine (September 2025):
Named Bill's Sandwich Palace on their list of 13 Must-Visit Sandwich Shops in the U.S.
TimeOut (September 2025):
Local bakery, D'Andrews Bakery, made the #7 spot on TimeOut's list of the 15 Best Bakeries in America.
Tripadvisor (September 2025):
Two Nashville restaurants ranked in five categories on TripAdvisor's list for Best of the Best Restaurants 2025
- #1 - 1 Kitchen | Best of the Best Hidden Gem Restaurants in the US
- #2 - 1 Kitchen | Best of the Best Vegan Vegetarian restaurants in the US
- #4 - Bourbon Steak by Michael Mina Nashville | Best of the Best Fine Dining Restaurants in the US
- #5 - 1 Kitchen | Best of the Best Casual Dining in the US
- #8 - 1 Kitchen | Best of the Best Hidden Gem Restaurants in the World
Food & Wine (September 2025):
Executive Chef Colby Rasavong, from Bad Idea, was honored as one of the 2025 Best New Chefs
Forbes (August 2025):
Uncle Nearest is named as the World's Best Tennessee Whiskey, according to the Beverage Testing Institute
Food & Wine (August 2025):
Included Bar Audrey as #2 on their list of Top Burger Spots in the US
Time Out (United States) (August 2025):
Named two Nashville Restaurants in the 10 Best Sushi Restaurants in America
- #9 Kase x Noko
- #10 Sushi Bar
OpenTable (August 2025):
Yolan is listed in The 2025 Top Hotel Restaurants Guide
Garden & Gun (August 2025):
Kisser included in G&G's Hot List: 30 New Restaurants to Try Now
The Times (Ireland) (July 2025):
Featured in 72 Hours in Nashville: The best bars and bites in Music City
USA Today (July 2025):
Robert's Western World was recognized as one of the Best 29 Bars in America in 2025
Yelp (July 2025):
Named Monell's in the Top 50 Fried Chicken Spots
Chowhound (July 2025):
Included Barlines in The Most Famous Hotel Restaurant in Every State
OpenTable (April 2025):
Named Noko in the Top 100 Brunch Restaurants in the US
Bon Appétit's (April 2025):
Named Babychan as one of the Best New Restaurants to Try This Spring
Food & Wine (April 2025):
Named three Nashville Restaurants in the Best U.S. Restaurants for Ambiance
- #1 Yolan
- #4 Skull's Rainbow Room
- #10 The Catbird Seat
Food & Wine (April 2025):
Four Walls at the Joseph Hotel is named in the 10 Top Hotel Bars in the United States
James Beard Awards (April 2025):
The James Beard Awards 2025: Restaurant and Chef finalists include:
- Best Chef Southeast: Jake Howell | Peninsula

Nashville Meetings Recent Rankings & Recognition

GoGather (January 2026):
Nashville ranked #6 on the list of the Best Cities for Conferences in the U.S.
Meetings TODAY (October 2025):
Best of Meetings TODAY Awards listed the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp as one of the South's Best CVBs/DMOs
TimeOut (United States) (June 2025):
Nashville is named one of the Top Cities for Business Travel
Business Insider (May 2025):
Music City ranked #3 on the list of Top Emerging Business-Travel Destinations
Cvent (May 2025):
Nashville is named #4 in the Best Meeting Destinations in the Country

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