Alive with a constant pulse of live music, Nashville beats to the rhythm of its own drum. Thinking of heading to Music City? Make the hip, regentrified neighborhood of South of Broadway, or SoBro as it’s fondly called by locals, your first stop!
Home to buzzing bars, trendy boutiques, award-winning restaurants, and an energetic, vibrant music scene, SoBro is packed with things to do. Once derelict, SoBro is now one of Nashville’s coolest neighborhoods. Big-name country and rock bands belt out tunes at performance venues like the Ascend Amphitheater and Bridgestone Arena. The Johnny Cash Museum celebrates the famous crooner’s life and music.
South of Broadway is Nashville’s most pedestrian-friendly neighborhood, so don your comfy shoes and start exploring with this complete guide of what to see & do and where to eat, drink & stay!
Looking for more ideas for your trip? Check out our Nashville Travel Guide for more recommendations on when to visit, where to go & what to do!
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What to see & do in SoBro, Nashville
Bridgestone Arena
Join loyal hockey fans and get into the true spirit of Nashville by watching the Nashville Predators play on their home ground at the Bridgestone Arena. This huge multi-purpose venue in Downtown Nashville hosts major sporting events and large-scale musical productions.
Explore the history of the arena at the Nashville Convention & Visitors Bureau. Formerly known as the Nashville Arena, the Bridgestone Arena has four levels of seating for over 20,000 people.
If you aren’t a hockey fan, catch an NCAA, SEC, or OVC basketball game. Keep an eye on the arena’s events calendar and see your favorite superstar in action.
Country Music Hall of Fame
Country music is to Nashville what cheese is to pizza. And there’s no better place to delve into the genre, history, and traditions of country music than the Country Music Hall of Fame. Located a block away from the celebrated honky-tonks of Lower Broadway, the CMHF has an unrivaled collection of country music memorabilia.
Immerse yourself in the history and sounds of country music through the museum’s core exhibition, Sing Me Back Home: A Journey Through Country Music. Wander around the state-of-the-art galleries and explore the origins and traditions of the genre. Discover the many faces of country music legends in the famous Rotunda and learn about the instruments, lyrics, and fashion that shaped country music.
Pay a visit to the country’s oldest letterpress print shop, Hatch Show Print, and browse the gift store for some special souvenirs.
No matter when you go to Nashville, if you have the time, take a stroll to Music Row to see the recording studios where country music masters like Dolly Parton and Elvis Presley sang their way into the history books.
Schermerhorn Symphony Center
Take a break from country music and enjoy a classical music concert at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center. Home to the Grammy Award-winning Nashville Symphony, this SoBro performance venue has some of the best acoustics in the world.
The award-winning design of the Schermerhorn Symphony Center is something to marvel at. Boasting a ‘shoebox’ design inspired by great European symphony halls, the center features natural lighting throughout. It’s built in a Neoclassical style to echo the city’s grand civic buildings.
Pay attention to the iconography throughout the building. You’ll see musical instruments, references to Nashville’s architectural heritage, and Tennessee’s state flowers—the iris and passionflower.
Inside, the wondrous design continues. The entire building is naturally lit, and the concert hall has a range of acoustical flexibility that’s nothing less than extraordinary. Whether it’s classic, jazz, or pop, the sound in the main venue, the Laura Turner Concert Hall, is unparalleled.
Walk of Fame Park
Take a walk along the star-studded pavement of the Walk of Fame and pay tribute to Nashville’s honky-tonk legends. Set on the Music Mile, the Walk of Fame Park is Nashville’s Broadway, with in-laid granite stars honoring legendary musical figures.
From Roy Orbison and Jimi Hendrix to Dolly Parton and Little Richard, see how many stars you recognize as you wander through Walk of Fame Park. Head into the adjacent Nashville Music Garden, where hundreds of roses are named for country music performers or songs.
Pack a picnic lunch and spend a few hours in this lovely green space surrounded by the fragrance of roses!
Ascend Amphitheater
Another one of SoBro’s top performance venues is the Ascend Amphitheater in the Metro Riverfront Park. Set on the banks of the Cumberland River, this open-air event venue has a lovely lawn and seating for 6,800 people.
Check the Ascend Amphitheater calendar of events and get some tickets to a show. It’s a wonderful place for enjoying a picnic on the lawns while you listen to live music or watch a theater production!
Johnny Cash Museum
If you’re a Johnny Cash fan, then visiting the Johnny Cash Museum is a must! The award-winning museum celebrates the life of one of music’s greatest legends: the late Man in Black.
Trace the compelling story of Cash’s life through a fantastic display of memorabilia, photographs, documents, and personal items. Explore his lengthy career via state-of-the-art multimedia, artifacts, and incredible graphics.
Take a three-dimensional journey through his life through exhibits of artwork, personal letters, instruments, handwritten lyrics, and stage costumes used by Cash. Interactive technology presents a recording with Elvis and music icon Nick Cave.
Visit the museum store to pick up some apparel, rare collectibles, and unique Johnny Cash souvenirs.
Where to eat & drink
You’ll find plenty of great spots to eat and drink in SoBro, Nashville, from whole hog barbecue to freshly shucked oysters.
When you feel like a meat feast, head to Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint for some of the tastiest smoked pork in Nashville. A spice-smothered hog is roasted over hickory wood for 24 hours to create “the perfect bite of pork.” Enjoy your pork with fresh broccoli salad or as a slider or sandwich.
The go-to place for SoBro’s best brunch is Liberty Common. The cool café has gorgeous outdoor seating and a range of handcrafted fare on the menu, from house-made brioche buns to locally farmed Bucksnort Rainbow Trout. Make it a boozy brunch and order a frozen cocktail or a cold beer.
Relish Nashville’s roots with delicious country cooking with a twist at the Southern Steak & Oyster. This hip but casual eatery is a great place for dinner or brunch with superb seafood, prime steak, and notoriously stiff cocktails.
Microbrews, draughts, and specialty cocktails are the order of the day at City Tap House Nashville. Pair the bar’s extensive selection of unique craft beers and brews with gourmet pizza and contemporary American regional cuisine. Soak up the fantastic views from the rooftop bar at sunset.
Art, cocktails, and good tunes come together at the sleek Bar Sovereign on 5th Avenue. Kick back in the sleek reclaimed wood lounge next to the fireplace. Sip signature cocktails from the constantly rotating list and snack on tapas-style eats.
Don your coolest threads and head to the super-cool and super-stylish The Hampton Social. Start with drinks in the Rosé All Day lounge before tucking into exceptional coastal-inspired food in the private dining space. End the evening with post-dinner cocktails on the rooftop terrace.
Where to stay
SpringHill Suites by Marriott Nashville Downtown/Convention Center
A hop, skip and jump from the Nashville Music City Center, the SpringHill Suites by Marriott Nashville Downtown/Convention Center offers a comfortable base to explore SoBro. Relax in your deluxe suite, where you can prep meals in the kitchenette. Top-notch facilities include an outdoor swimming pool and bar, and fitness room.
Drury Plaza Hotel Nashville Downtown
The Drury Plaza Hotel Nashville Downtown is a great spot to stay if you’re in town to watch a game at the Bridgestone Arena. Conveniently located a few minutes’ walk from the arena, the sleek hotel has modern rooms with coffeemakers, microwaves, and mini-fridges. Enjoy complimentary breakfast and evening snacks in the restaurant and relax in the hot tub after the show.
Hilton Nashville Downtown
Home to the Walk of Fame Park, the Hilton Nashville Downtown offers an upscale spot in the heart of Music City. Polished suites are comfortable and stylish, with custom-designed beds and great amenities. Relax over handmade pasta and pizza at Il Mulino Trattoria, or tuck into a rare steak and fresh lobster and a great bottle of red wine at The Palm.
