What Nashville Visitors Recommend After Broadway—The Spots That Actually Deliver

I asked Nashville visitors what they do after they've explored Broadway, and the responses were overwhelmingly helpful. Whether you're looking for shopping, unique experiences, or just a different side of Nashville, here's what actually works.

12 South: Shopping and Coffee Culture

12 South keeps coming up as a favorite neighborhood for visitors. You'll find Draper James (Reese Witherspoon's store) along with other boutiques and shops worth browsing.

Stop by 5 Daughters Bakery for donuts — they're apparently worth the hype. Frothy Monkey is the go-to spot for coffee in the area. It's a walkable neighborhood, which is a nice change of pace if you've been navigating the crowds downtown.

Opry Mills Mall and Music Valley

Opry Mills gets mentioned more than any other shopping destination. It's a solid mall with a Bass Pro Shop inside, plus there's a wax museum right in the mall if you're looking for an indoor activity.

But here's what makes the area interesting: you're right next to the Gaylord Opryland Resort, which is open to the public. Walk through the indoor gardens — there are two massive ones. The Delta Garden has a boat ride, and the Cascades has a waterfall. It's free to explore and genuinely impressive, especially if it's decorated for the season.

While you're in Music Valley, there's a whole strip of vintage and antique shops. Wicked Ollies Vintage specifically gets called out for western wear and collectibles at reasonable prices.

The Gulch

The Gulch works well for murals, bars, and restaurants. It's another walkable area where you can Uber in and explore on foot. You'll find some cool spots down there without the Broadway intensity.

Franklin

Franklin's downtown area gets consistent praise. It's about 30 minutes south of Nashville but feels worth the drive. Lots of independent shops and restaurants in a historic downtown setting.

If you head that direction, Leiper's Fork is nearby. There's a distillery there that gets good reviews for tours and tastings.

Cool Springs Galleria and Green Hills Mall

Here's an insider note: locals apparently shop at Cool Springs Galleria and Green Hills Mall more than Opry Mills. If you want less touristy shopping, those are your spots.

Green Hills is described as “super nice” and less chaotic than Opry Mills.

Museums and Attractions Beyond Downtown

The Musicians Hall of Fame gets called out as genuinely worth visiting. So does the National Museum of African American Music, which is actually on Broadway but easy to miss.

The Parthenon in Centennial Park is Nashville's full-scale replica of the Greek landmark. If you're into history, The Hermitage (Andrew Jackson's home) is an option.

The Frist Museum currently has exhibits worth checking out — there was a Paul McCartney photography exhibit recently that got positive feedback.

Music Valley Experiences

Beyond shopping, Music Valley offers several music-related options. You can tour the Grand Ole Opry, visit Cooter's Garage museum, or catch a show at Nashville Palace or the Grand Ole Opry itself.

Backstage Nashville gets mentioned multiple times as a great Saturday afternoon show.

The Listening Room and Bluebird Cafe

These venues come up as alternatives to Broadway's honky-tonks. They're actual listening rooms where the focus is on the music and songwriters rather than the party scene.

Midtown Options

Midtown has its own scene with places like Elliston Place Soda Shop (praised for food and service), plus several bars that aren't on Broadway.

Tours Beyond the Usual

The dive bar tour gets enthusiastic responses. It takes you to small neighborhoods and bars you wouldn't normally find on your own.

There's also something called the Redneck Tour that apparently delivers on being funny.

Nashville Farmers Market

This is an indoor market that works as a non-bar, non-music activity. It's a real farmers market, not a tourist trap.

Marathon Village

Marathon Motor Works and Marathon Village get mentioned several times. It's an old car factory turned into shops, galleries, and local businesses.

The Zoo

If you're there during Zoo Lights (typically winter months), the zoo lights up at 5pm. It gets strong recommendations as an evening activity.