Planning Your Nashville Girls’ Trip

Visit Music City on your next girls' getaway! With Southern hospitality & a lively country music scene, the whole gang will love a Nashville girls' trip!

It’s hip, it’s trendy, and it’s the country music capital of the world. It’s Nashville, Tennessee, and this hot spot makes for an excellent girls’ trip getaway.

Situated on the Cumberland River, Nashville is a diverse city known for its Southern hospitality and lively music scene — hence its nickname, “Music City.” To get there, fly into Nashville International Airport and drive less than 10 miles west to reach the city’s center.

What to See and Do


A Night Out

It’s not a proper trip to Nashville without a stop at the Grand Ole Opry, the weekly country music stage concert and America’s longest-running radio broadcast since 1925. Aside from the country music royalty who have graced its famed stage, it also showcases bluegrass, folk, gospel and comedic performances. The Opry is just 12 miles east of downtown and shares a parking lot with Opry Mills Mall. Take Exit 11 or 12 off Briley Parkway, park your car and get ready for a great show.

After that, head downtown to Honky Tonk Highway, a strip of bars and clubs in the Broadway Historic District, where you can kick up your boots and listen to some of country music’s rising stars. Check out the cornerstone Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge, where Willie Nelson was offered his first songwriting job after performing. For a true Nashville feel, visit the Second Fiddle Honky Tonk, where you and your crew can hear live music cover-free seven days a week.

Broadway Street Head to Lower Broadway when you’re ready for a night out in Nashville.


Explore Gardens and the Gulch

During the day, don’t miss the magic of Cheekwood Botanical Garden, 55 acres of exquisite gardens — including a state-of-the-art rain garden and an endangered stinking cedar — situated on the historic Cheek Estate. Built in 1929 for Leslie and Mabel Cheek, the estate’s 36-room mansion is one of the finest examples of an American Country Place Era estate. The mansion now houses an impressive art gallery with permanent and temporary fine art exhibitions. After a leisurely walk inside and through the outdoor sculpture trail, relax with a light bite at the Pineapple Room restaurant.

Cheekwood Botanical Garden Stroll through the gardens at the Cheekwood Botanical Garden estate.

Now that you’ve gotten your art and country music fixes, drive to the urban Gulch district in the heart of Nashville. Here you can explore unique retail shops, trendy restaurants and a variety of music venues featuring everything from live jazz to bluegrass. Stop by the upscale farm-to-table Flyte World Dining & Wine for some fine dining and wine tasting in a lively atmosphere with the ladies before catching live music at Party Fowl or Sambuca.

Head Outdoors

Take a break from the shops and head outside to Radnor Lake State Park. Just about 10 miles south of Nashville, you and the gals can spend the afternoon among wildflowers, diving ducks and a wide variety of other birds and wildlife. Rent a canoe to explore by water, or hike the easy 1.3-mile Lake Trail to enjoy the area by foot.

Radnor Lake State Park Wake up early and enjoy a sunny morning hike around the namesake lake in Radnor Lake State Park.

Alternatively, just 2 miles west of downtown and across from Vanderbilt University, you and the ladies can spend the afternoon in Centennial Park. In this 132-acre park, you’ll discover gardens, trails, volleyball courts and a life-size replica of the Parthenon from ancient Greece. The park also frequently hosts performances and events, such as craft fairs and Shakespeare in the Park, throughout the year.

Where to Sleep and Eat

There are plenty of options to lay your head in Music City. For a refined luxury experience, treat yourself to a stay at the landmark Hermitage Hotel, a 1910 beaux-arts-style building housing the swanky Capitol Grille and Rachel’s Boutique, which features a luxury line of products including body lotion, jewelry, artisan clothing, handcrafted candles and Nashville souvenirs. The in-house spa offers a variety of massage and body treatments including a deep sea mud wrap.

Hermitage Hotel Established in 1910, the beaux-arts-style Hermitage Hotel offers luxurious lodging for a girls getaway in Nashville. Photo by Ron Jones, Flickr.

The Hilton Nashville Downtown sits in the heart of the city, across from the Country Music Hall of Fame and Schermerhorn Symphony Center. Bunk with the gals in these chic suites, and you’ll be conveniently located for a night out on the town. Book the Breakfast and Wi-Fi package so you and your group can start the day energized and informed.

After a few hours of sight seeing, take the group down to Hattie B’s Hot Chicken, Nashville’s iconic spot for fried chicken at whatever temperature you can brave. Cool off your tongue with the banana pudding, a local favorite. Visit either of Hattie’s two locations — one in midtown and one in west Nashville. Be prepared for a wait, but one that’s well worth it.

For brunch, check out Biscuit Love, a food truck that became a brick-and-mortar restaurant as the demand for its buttery, warm, flaky biscuits grew. Now the eatery offers Southern fare with a twist seven days a week at its permanent location in the Gulch. Try the Bonuts, a hybrid biscuit-doughnut served up with lemon mascarpone and blueberry compote.

Finally, get all dolled up and head into the heart of the Gulch for an upscale dining experience at Prima, which serves contemporary American cuisine. The diverse menu features artfully prepared dishes by Executive Chef Salvador Avila. Enjoy the extraordinary fiber optic art sculpture created by artist Bruce Munro while savoring dishes like butter roasted Scottish salmon or barbecue duck breast.

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About the Author

Cynthia Beisiegel is a writer and editor based in Dallas. A native of New York, she lived half her life in San Diego and has planned multiple girls’ trips to Nashville over the past decade. Her love for travel has led her through five of the world’s seven continents.