10 Best Tours in Nashville: What to Do in Nashville (2024)

I probably say this about a ton of places, but Nashville is honestly one of my favorite places I’ve traveled. I recently visited with my mom to celebrate my college graduation and was wowed by all the fun things to do! Keep reading for all the best tours in Nashville.

Some of the fun things to do in Nashville center around drinking and partying, while others are geared towards celebrating the culture of the city. For the best trip, plan to balance both types of activities.

In addition to this list of tours in Nashville, be sure to spend time exploring Broadway and the fantastic food scene. For more details on that, check out my complete guide to Nashville.

Some links on this blog are affiliate links, meaning I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you if you make a purchase through them. All opinions are my own, and I only recommend products and services I personally use and believe in. Thanks for your support!

Types of Tours in Nashville

As mentioned above, the types of tours in Nashville can be split into two buckets: party and culture. While these two buckets may not capture every single activity in Nashville, it summarizes it pretty well.

To plan a balanced trip, I recommended alternating between the two types of tour.

While some of the party activities may seem geared toward bachelorette parties or rowdier crowds, they truly are for everyone. Nashville is a super welcoming city and people of all ages and groups will be included in the party!

Nashville has a reputation for being “music city” and “Nashvegas.” Many people visit to party and hit the bars. However, you will be missing out on so much of the city if you skip the more cultural side of tours.

In summary, do a variety of tours and I guarantee you will be impressed!

Top 3 Tours in Nashville

Best Tours in Nashville for Country Music and Culture

1. Grand Ole Opry Backstage Tour

If you are planning to visit the Opry, the backstage tour is one of the absolute best tours in Nashville. It covers the history of the show, artists that have performed in it and includes a backstage tour of the facility, dressing rooms, and stage.

The tour begins in a small room where videos and holographs will tell the story of the show and share clips from top performances. This first portion gave me goosebumps as I learned the significance of the show to country music.

From there, the tour moves around the facility with a few short clips talking about Opry membership and debut performances. Then, visit the dressing rooms and stage for the complete experience.

As mentioned above, if you are visiting the Opry, this backstage tour is an absolute MUST. Trust me!

2. Golf Cart Tour

If you are wondering what to do in downtown Nashville Tennesee, start here. One of the best ways to see the city and learn about the history is through this golf cart tour.

They have four tour options: city tour, mural tour, brewery tour, and managers special. I highly recommend the special and it is a combination of the first three.

In only three hours, you will visit the major neighborhoods of Nashville, taste beer or Whiskey at local distilleries, take fun photos with Nashville’s iconic murals, and learn a ton about the history of the city and its music.

Since golf carts are small, the tour feels private with your party and the guide. No need to book the private option!

The guides are super fun and informative and ours could answer any question we threw at him. One the tour, be sure to let the guide know your interests so they can tailor the time to what you want.

3. 3-Hour Secret Food Tour

The food in Nashville is so good. I’m drooling just thinking about it. Some of the most popular dishes are fried chicken, mac and cheese, and doughnuts.

This food tour is a great way to sample local foods, learn more about the city, and find some hidden gems. It includes stops at 5+ restaurants with a variety of food and beverage tastings.

In addition to trying a lot of great food, this tour is a great way to learn about the city from a local.

4. Country Music Hall of Fame

If you visit one museum in Nashville, it must be the Country Music Hall of Fame. This museum showcases the history of “Music City” in its entirety.

In the museum, find a stunning wall of records as remembrance of all the great artists and songs to come out of the city. See the glitzy stage costumes from the best performers and memorabilia from their lives.

In addition to the main museum tour, you can add on a hatch print tour or studio B tour, both of which are fantastic and informative.

5. Johnny Cash Museum

The Johnny Cash Museum is a great stop to learn about his history and how it relates to Nashville. I have not personally taken this tour but have heard wonderful things.

If you are a Johnny Cash fan or a museum lover, this is for you.

If you have visited the Johnny Cash Museum, comment below with your review!

6. Belle Mead Plantation

If you have some extra time, head outside the city to tour the Belle Mead Plantation. Honestly, it is not the best tour in Nashville but offers relevant history of the dark history of the American south, making it worth a stop if you have time.

What I like about the tour is that it is informative and pays respective to the slaves that were kept at plantations in the past.

I think it is important to recognize this unfortunate history as much as it is important to celebrate the rich culture of the city now.

The downside of the tour is that it is a bit limited, and every add-on costs a lot more money. It felt a bit like they were trying to make as much money as possible, versus provide a great experience.  

7. Grand Ole Opry

Although not a traditional tour, if you only do one thing in Nashville, you need to visit the Grand Ole Opry.

The Grand Ole Opry is a historic music venue located around 30 minutes from the city. The show originated at the Ryman Auditorium downtown in 1892 then moved to the Opry House in 1972.

The Grand Ole Opry has shows multiple days a week where a lineup of country music performers will have short sets in front of a live audience. The Saturday night show is also broadcast on the radio.

When booking a show at the Grand Ole Opry, follow the lineup to see your favorite artists. Be aware the lineup may be updated very last minute to accommodate star’s busy schedules.

When selecting seats in the Grand Ole Opry, there is not a bad spot in the house. Opt for a mid-range ticket for the best value.

Best Drinking Tours in Nashville

8. Monster Truck

Nashville is one of the few cities in the United States where the party extends beyond the bars and onto the roads. While drinking and driving do not match, they do when you are in the back of a monster truck!

The Nashville monster truck tours use modified monster trucks with cages in the back for dancing, large speakers for blasting music and coolers for flowing alcohol. These tours run all day and are always a party.

In addition to drinking and dancing, the monster truck tour offers the ability to see the city. Be sure to spend time looking around and appreciating the beauty and history of Nashville.

9. Downtown Tractor Tour

Like the monster truck tour, Nashville tractor tours involve a cage for dancing while you drive around the city. In this case, the dance floor is pulled behind a giant tractor. What is more Nashville than that!

If you are trying to decide between this tractor tour and the above monster truck tour, you cannot go wrong.

This tour is a bit slower than the monster truck tour due to the speed of the vehicle. Based on that, go with the tractor tour for a slightly calmer experience than the monster truck.

10. Jack Daniels Distillery Tour

Nashville is known for many things, one of which is Tennessee whiskey. If you are a whiskey fan, this Jack Daniels distillery tour is for you.

Since the distillery is around 40 minutes away from the city, plan to uber or drive a rental car.

Another option is taking a tour like this one that includes round trip transportation, a tour and tasting at the distillery, a visit to Jack Daniels’ grave, and lunch.

Why Take a Tour in Nashville

I used to think the best way to be a “traveler” versus a “tourist” was to avoid popular tours and try to explore on my own. And boy was I wrong.

The best way to see a new city is through the eyes and explanation of a local. The best way to experience this is by taking a tour.

While some of these tours are a bit gimmicky and likely full of out-of-towners, they are truly the best way to get a feel for the city in a short period of time.

This list of the best tours in Nashville will help you experience the bars, music, and history of Nashville in the simplest and most comprehensive way.

To take advantage of your Nashville tours, be sure to interact with your guides and ask a ton of questions. They have a wealth of knowledge, great stories and will be happy to provide you some local secrets if you are nice.

Summary of Best Tours in Nashville

Overall, if you are visiting Nashville, you need to take at least of a couple tours from this list of the best tours in Nashville. These activities will make your experience more fun, memorable, and educational.

Nashville is a fantastic city and there is never a shortage of fun things to do, so start planning your trip today!

Related Posts:

• Complete Guide To The Perfect Nashville Weekend Trip
• What To Wear In Nashville – Ultimate Nashville Packing List For Women
• 11 Best Restaurants In Nashville On Broadway For Visitors
• 13 Best Country Bars In Nashville – Broadway Honky Tonks And More
• The 17 Best Murals In Nashville & Nashville Mural Tours
• Guide To Visiting The Grand Ole Opry – Must-Do Activity In Nashville

Pin for Later: