5 Fun and Free Things to Do in Nashville

Being in a large city, even one that’s home to country music royalty, doesn’t have to be a budget buster. Nashville travel guides highlight a vibrant music scene, much of which can be enjoyed for free, along with a dynamic arts culture, pristine parks and walkable neighborhoods that are easy to get to from many conveniently located hotels. So, put on your best boots and get ready to experience Music City like a rock star—without a rock star budget. Here are five fun, free things to do in Nashville.

Listen to live music all day

The neon-lit stretch of lower Broadway known as “Honky Tonk Alley” lives up to its name with dozens of bars and hundreds of stages hosting live music from morning until late at night, all week long. It’s also a great place to start when looking for free things to do in Nashville. With no cover charges, you can plan an all-day live music crawl for free—or for as much as you’re inspired to leave in the musicians’ tip jars. Famous establishments like Honky Tonk Central and Legends Corner keep it classic with all-country music lineups, while raucous Robert’s Western World and Layla’s Honky Tonk will occasionally mix up the styles and acts. All guarantee world-class bands and an invitation to hit the dance floor. For a quick-bite dinner and views across the city, Acme Feed & Seed delivers a classic bar menu, a merch counter and three levels of live music.

Beyond Broadway, navigate the city’s endless free music concerts with the Nashville Live Music Guide app, which can be downloaded for free.

Take a downtown art crawl

To add a dash of culture to your list of free things to do in Nashville, join the downtown art crawl on the first Saturday of each month from 6 to 9 p.m. Participating galleries have included contemporary works at The Arts Company, Blend Studio, The Rymer Gallery, the UltraViolet Gallery and The Studio 208. Or head to hip East Nashville’s monthly East Side Art Stumble on the second Saturday of the month from 6 to 9 p.m. Past venues have included The Idea Hatchery, DADU: Pop Up Gallery, and Art & Invention Gallery. And don’t miss out on famed letterpress poster printers, Hatch Show Print (inside the Country Music Hall of Fame). Tours are $18, but you can browse the gift store and peek at the vintage printing presses in the workshop for free.

Tour Germantown on foot

Discover fresh flowers and produce at the Nashville Farmers’ Market.

If you’ve got sunny skies, strolling through the restaurant- and shop-lined Germantown neighborhood is one of the most camera-friendly free things to do in Nashville. With a mix of stand-alone Victorian houses and old industrial buildings reimagined as hip cafes and breweries, it’s a photogenic region that invites relaxed wandering and lots of window shopping. Just know that it may be hard to resist the gorgeous gifts and clothing in Alexis + Bolt and the budget-busting home wares in Wilder. If you’re visiting in the fall, plan your trip around Germantown's annual Oktoberfest celebrations, and round out your walking tour among the produce-stacked tables of the nearby Nashville Farmers’ Market, open 362 days a year.

Enjoy free events in the park

Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park is Nashville’s sprawling backyard. It includes more than 19 acres of green space, a 2,000-seat amphitheater, a great view of the State Capitol Building and a World War II memorial. There are public events throughout the year, from bike safety courses to free park tours led by local rangers. Grab lunch supplies from the nearby Nashville Farmers’ Market and make for the picnic pavilion to enjoy some of these free things to do in Nashville. Or rent a bike and take the mile-long Bicentennial Mall Trail past the Tennessee Amphitheater and Bell Carillon—a 95-bell spectacle that plays the “Tennessee Waltz” at the top of every hour. From April to October, you can cool off beside the 31 river fountains.

Visit the Nashville Flea

A favorite among free things to do in Nashville, and a monthly spectacle since 1969, the Nashville Flea at the Fairgrounds is open on the fourth weekend of every month (with some changes around the holidays) and welcomes up to 2,000 vendors who sell everything from prized vintage furniture to kitsch keepsakes. Go early on Friday to miss the crowds or on Sunday afternoon to snag the best bargains. There’s a $5 parking fee, but general admission is free, and picnics are welcome, so pack a lunch and make a full day of it—just remember your comfy shoes!