Nashville, Tenn. – Nashville is a destination for visitors looking to enjoy a vacation while staying within their budget. Music City offers several free attractions and affordable activities whether you are traveling with the family, with a group or solo. Special Ticket packages, discounts and deals available here.
There’s no truer Nashville experience than live music. Free live music is available every day of the week on Lower Broadway on Honky Tonk Highway where there is never a cover charge. Come early or stay late, the music starts at 10 a.m. and doesn’t stop until 3 a.m.
Musicians Corner is Nashville’s free outdoor concert series that returns on May 16 and features over 79 acts across 11 dates at Centennial Park.
This summer, be sure to take advantage of the free stages at CMA Fest. The four-day music festival in Downtown Nashville from June 5-8, offers four-free music stages each day, all within walking distance.
The music doesn’t stop there; Nashville is home to more music venues than anywhere in the world with over 250 to choose from, with most shows ranging from just $10-$20 to enter.
The Listening Room Cafe provides free music entertainment during the day with “Lunch Time Tunes” and “Happy Hour” sessions with musical performers. The venue also provides nightly songwriter sessions where artists connect with the audience and share the stories behind the songs. Tickets for those shows are as little as $15.
Located in Midtown near Vanderbilt University, Centennial Park, is a 132-acre park which hosts a one-mile walking trail, Lake Watauga, and home to the iconic Parthenon. The world’s only exact-size replica of the original Parthenon is just $10 to visit inside and is home to the Athena, the largest indoor statue in the Western Hemisphere at 42 feet and is celebrating its 35th anniversary this year.
Celebrate Independence Day at Nashville’s biggest free family-friendly event of the year. Fourth of July in Nashville features one of the largest fireworks shows in the country along with live concerts throughout the night that are free to attend. This year, country music star Dierks Bentley will be headlining Nashville’s free 4th of July concert along with Russell Dickerson, Niko Moon, and guitar virtuoso Grace Bowers & the Hodge Podge. The event all starts with free family entertainment starting in the afternoon.
For the instrument enthusiast, be sure to visit Gibson Garage and Carter Vintage Guitars. These shops provide the ultimate guitar and music experience. At the Gibson Garage, fans can try all of our guitars from across brands and collections. Carter Vintage Guitars is the ultimate destination for vintage and preowned guitars that allow anyone to walk in and check out the entire gallery.
America’s favorite pastime has never been more affordable Music City with the Nashville Sounds. Gate prices for Nashville’s baseball club start as low as $10 on the berm with seated chairback seats available for as low as $15 with advanced purchase.
Next door to the ballfields in the neighborhood of Germantown is Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park which is home to the Nashville Farmer’s Market, housing eateries and shops as well as the Tennessee State Museum, both of which are free to enter.
If you’re bringing your family to Nashville this summer, don’t miss out on the Frist Art Museum which allows free entrance to guests 18 and younger at all times. The Frist Art Museum is an architectural gem occupying Nashville’s former main post office building and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984.
Beat the Summer heat at Lane Motor Museum which features 150 unique cars and motorcycles. Home to the largest European automotive collection in the U.S., this museum is just $15 for entry.
Nashville’s Adventure Science Center is a great place for the kids with year-round programs that open minds to the wonders of science and technology with an entry fee of just $22 with children 12 and under at just $18.
Nashville is home to America’s oldest working letterpress print shops at Hatch Show Print. Located adjacent to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, Hatch Show Print has played a significant role in Music City since 1879, handling the production and design of posters for historic and current musical icons. Visit the storefront and see the letterpress process for free in real-time in the viewing gallery.
Get your fill of the outdoors with Tennessee’s premier free vineyard Arrington Vineyards. Bring a picnic lunch or enjoy dinner. The vineyard hosts Music in the Vines during the weekends from April until October.
Nashville has several parks to experience that span over thousands of acres. Edwin and Percy Warner Parks are one of the largest municipally administered parks in Tennessee. Together, they span more than 3,100 acres of forest and field that include picnic shelters, dog park, scenic roadways and overlooks, hiking trails, and mountain bike trails.
Radnor Lake State Park is a 1,368-acre park offering an abundance of wildlife viewing opportunities, environmental education programs, and hiking opportunities. The park is perfect for nature enthusiasts who want to observe owls, herons, and waterfowl, as well as many species of amphibians, reptiles, and mammals.
Affordable food is well within reach in Nashville, if you’re staying downtown be sure to check out the Assembly Food Hall located at Fifth and Broadway. AFH has over 30 eateries, spanning 14 different types of cuisine. It wouldn’t be a trip to Nashville without a whiskey tasting, Ole Smoky Moonshine at 6th and Peabody in Downtown Nashville offers $10 moonshine and whiskey tastings which in return you will receive $10 off merchandise coupon. Head over to Marathon Village and visit Tennessee Legend Distillery where you can sample a variety of whiskey, moonshine and cream liqueurs for free with a valid ID.
Make a day in Nashville by sightseeing the collection of murals across town. Created by local and internationally known artists, Nashville murals can be found in each of its distinct neighborhoods. Keep your eyes open, they can be found on the side of restaurants, shops, garage doors, water tanks, and even old silos.
If shopping is on your list, Nashville’s neighborhoods have you covered. The neighborhood of 12 South provides a half mile stretch that is filled with local makers, boutiques and vintage shops. The Gulch provides several shopping options, along with Marathon Village which has over 10 stores including a Jack Daniel’s General Store. Before the shopping ends, don’t forget to grab a record in East Nashville at Grimey's New & Preloved Music.
Before you wrap up your visit, be sure to take a walk on the Pedestrian Bridge and take photos of the Nashville skyline. Nashville’s major pedestrian bridge offers scenic views and connects from downtown to the East Bank. Access to the bridge from the downtown side starts on 3rd Ave S.
Nashville has a package for everyone, whether you're looking for accommodations, attractions, free activities or the best discounts and deals in Nashville, Visit Music City is your number one resource.
The Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp and Visit Music City
The mission of the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp and Visit Music City is to maximize the economic contribution of the convention and tourism industry to the community by developing and marketing Nashville as a premier destination. Visit the NCVC’s website at visitmusiccity.com and follow us on social media @VisitMusicCity.
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