Accolades & Honors
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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
- Travel + Leisure (September 2025):
Nashville, along with another southern city, is 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 J.D. Power's 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)
Featured 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)
Named 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 - AAA Club Alliance (January 2025):
One of the 10 Destinations to Put on Your Travel Bucket List in 2025 - Daily Mail (December 2024):
Named in the Top 25 Travel Destinations of 2025 - Conde Nast Traveler (December 2024):
Featured in 28 Cities That Go All Out for Christmas in America - Traveling Lifestyle (December 2024):
Named one of the Best Places in the U.S. to Celebrate New Year's Eve 2024 - Frommer's (December 2024):
Ranked in the Best Places to Go in 2025 - World's Best Cities (December 2024):
Ranked #64 in the World's 100 Best Cities - U.S. News (November 2024):
Recognized as #41 of the Best Places to Retire in the U.S. in 2025 - The Points Guy (November 2024):
Named one of the 6 Best Places to Spend New Year's Eve in the U.S. - USA Today (October 2024):
Represented four categories in 10 Best Readers' Choice Awards winners:- #1 Best Airport Grab-And-Go Food: 400 Degrees Hot Chicken
- #1 Best Airport for Shopping: Nashville International Airport (BNA)
- #2 Best Large Airport: Nashville International Airport (BNA)
- #3 Best Airport Bar: Tootsies Orchid Lounge
Nashville Music Recent Rankings & Recognition
- 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 - President of the United States (October 2024):
The Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum received the National Medal of Arts
Nashville Hotels Recent Rankings & Recognition
- JustLuxe (October 2025):
Coming soon, Dolly Parton's Songteller Hotel made the JustLuxe 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 - Tripadvisor (December 2024):
Named The Joseph, a Luxury Collection Hotel in Travelers' Choice Awards: Best of the Best
Nashville Restaurant & Bar's Recent Rankings & Recognition
- 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 are 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
- Tripadvisor (December 2024):
Two Nashville restaurants were named in Travelers' Choice Awards: Best of the Best:- #3 - Bourbon Steak by Michael Mina
- #18 - Etch
- Yelp (December 2024):
Two Nashville restaurants ranked among the Best New Restaurants of 2024:- #2 - Noko
- #12 - Gannons Nashville
- Esquire (December 2024):
St. Vito Focacceria was named in America's Best New Restaurants 2024 - Esquire (October 2024):
Audrey landed on The 7 Best Tavern-Style Burgers in America
Nashville Meetings Recent Rankings & Recognition
- 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 - Convention South (November 2024):
Seven Nashville Hotels and Businesses landed on the Readers' Choice Awards:- Fairlane Hotel Nashville, by Oliver
- Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center
- Grand Hyatt Nashville
- Nashville Convention & Visitors Corporation
- Omni Nashville Hotel
- Renaissance Nashville Hotel
- Union Station Nashville Yards, Autograph Collection
- Smart Meetings Magazine (November 2024):
Five Nashville Hotels and Businesses were named as 2024 Platinum Choice Award Winners:- Conrad Hotel
- Grand Hyatt Nashville
- JW Marriott
- Nashville Convention & Visitors Corporation
- Southall Farm & Inn
- Convention South (October 2024):
Nashville was named #5 in the Top MICE destinations
Developments & Renovations
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