Nashville
1 hostel · dorms from $29
Music City, with live bands everywhere.
Points of interest
- Lower Broadway
- Ryman Auditorium
- Grand Ole Opry
- Country Music Hall of Fame
State guide
Things to do in Tennessee
Nashville's honky-tonks and the Grand Ole Opry, Memphis blues, barbecue and Graceland, Chattanooga's mountains and the misty ridges of the Great Smoky Mountains, the most visited national park in the USA.
3
Hostels across its 3 main cities
8.1
Average, from 485 reviews
1925
The Grand Ole Opry's first broadcast
Music, mountains and barbecue
Tennessee is the home of American music. Nashville is Music City, the capital of country music, where live bands play on Broadway from morning to late at night and the Grand Ole Opry has broadcast since 1925. Memphis, on the Mississippi, gave the world the blues of Beale Street, the rock and roll of Sun Studio and Elvis, and the soul of Stax Records.
Memphis is also home to the National Civil Rights Museum, built around the motel where Martin Luther King Jr was killed, and to some of the best barbecue in the country. Chattanooga, in the south-east, is an outdoor city of climbing, hiking and river paddling, with Lookout Mountain above it.
In the east, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, shared with North Carolina, is the most visited national park in the USA, with forested ridges, waterfalls and black bears. Give Tennessee a week to cover the three cities and the Smokies. Spring and autumn are best.
Where to base yourself
Nashville for music, Memphis for blues and history, and Chattanooga for the outdoors.
Memphis
1 hostel · dorms from $50
Home of the blues, soul and rock and roll.
Points of interest
- National Civil Rights Museum
- Graceland
- Sun Studio
- Beale Street
Chattanooga
1 hostel · dorms from $29
An outdoor city below Lookout Mountain.
Points of interest
- Incline Railway
- Rock City
- Ruby Falls
- Tennessee Aquarium
Regions of Tennessee
Memphis in the west, Nashville in the centre, and Chattanooga and the Smoky Mountains in the east.
Nashville
Country music, nightlifeMusic City and its neighbourhoods.
Memphis
Blues, soul, civil rightsBeale Street, Graceland and the Mississippi.
Chattanooga
Outdoors, mountainsLookout Mountain and the Tennessee River.
Great Smoky Mountains
Hiking, waterfalls, bearsGatlinburg, Pigeon Forge and the national park.
Things to do
Things to do in Tennessee
In Nashville, hear live music in the honky-tonks of Lower Broadway, see a show at the Ryman Auditorium or the Grand Ole Opry, and visit the Country Music Hall of Fame. Explore the neighbourhoods of East Nashville and 12 South, and catch songwriters at the Bluebird Cafe.
In Memphis, visit the National Civil Rights Museum, tour Graceland, Elvis Presley's home, and see where rock and roll was recorded at Sun Studio. Spend an evening on Beale Street, and visit the Stax Museum of American Soul Music.
In Chattanooga, ride the Incline Railway up Lookout Mountain, visit Rock City and Ruby Falls, and see the Tennessee Aquarium. In the Smokies, drive Newfound Gap Road, hike to Alum Cave or Laurel Falls, and see the historic buildings of Cades Cove. Dollywood, Dolly Parton's theme park, is in Pigeon Forge.
Free things
And what it costs nothing to do
Many of Nashville's Broadway honky-tonks have free live music all day, with no cover charge, though bands play for tips. Beale Street in Memphis is free to walk most nights.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park has no entry fee, but you need a parking tag ($5 a day, $15 a week or $40 a year) to park for more than 15 minutes.
Nashville's Centennial Park and its Parthenon replica are free to see from outside.
Food and drink
Eating and drinking
Nashville hot chicken is fried chicken coated in a fiery cayenne paste, served on white bread with pickles; Prince's and Hattie B's are famous. Meat-and-three restaurants serve a meat with three Southern sides.
Memphis barbecue is known for pork ribs, either dry with a spice rub or wet with sauce, and pulled pork sandwiches.
Tennessee whiskey is made in Lynchburg, home of Jack Daniel's, and there are distilleries across the state. Tip 18 to 22 per cent in restaurants.
Nightlife
Going out
Nashville's Lower Broadway is one of the liveliest nightlife strips in the USA, with live music in every bar. It is very popular with hen and stag parties. East Nashville has a more local scene.
In Memphis, Beale Street has blues clubs, and the Cooper-Young neighbourhood has bars.
Bars can stay open until 3am.
Getting around
Getting around
Nashville International Airport is the main gateway, and Memphis and Chattanooga have smaller airports. Nashville and Memphis have buses, and central Nashville is walkable.
There are almost no passenger trains, apart from Amtrak's City of New Orleans through Memphis.
A car is the easiest way to travel between the cities and to the Smokies. The drive from Memphis to Nashville is around three hours.
Costs
What Tennessee costs
Nashville has become expensive, especially at weekends and during big events. Memphis and Chattanooga are better value.
Tennessee has one of the highest sales taxes in the USA: 7 per cent statewide, plus local taxes, reaching 9.25 per cent in Nashville and 9.75 per cent in Memphis. Tip 18 to 22 per cent in restaurants, and tip the bands.
The Smokies have no entry fee, but parking tags cost extra.
Safety
Safety and scams
Downtown Nashville is busy and generally safe. Memphis has a high crime rate: stay in busy areas such as downtown and Beale Street, and use rideshares at night.
In the Smokies, keep your distance from black bears, never feed them, and store food properly. Trails can be steep and slippery.
Spring brings severe storms and tornadoes, and summers are hot and humid. In an emergency, call 911.
What's on
What is on while you are there
Music festivals, Elvis Week and autumn in the Smokies.
Staff pick
6 Nov – 2 Jan
A Country Christmas at Gaylord Opryland
Nashville
A Country Christmas at Gaylord Opryland invites visitors to experience the magic of the season with dazzling decorations, festive shows, and seasonal activities. Artists…
Staff pick
18 Sep – 1 Nov
Nashville Fall Festival
Nashville
The Nashville Fall Festival welcomes autumn with a celebration of the season's bounty, featuring artisan vendors, seasonal treats, and live performances. With family-friendly activities…
Staff pick
16 Oct – 1 Nov
Boo at the Zoo
Nashville
Boo at the Zoo at the Nashville Zoo combines family-friendly Halloween fun with the chance to explore one of the region’s most dynamic animal…
Staff pick
16–18 October
Tennessee State Pow-Wow
Nashville
Get ready to learn about another culture at the Tennessee State Pow-wow in Nashville, where people from numerous Native American cultures provide you with…
Staff pick
17–18 October
Southern Festival of Books
Nashville
Walk into new literary worlds at one of the oldest literary festivals in the country: the Southern Festival of Books in Nashville, Tennessee. If…
Staff pick
17–18 October
Chattanooga Oktoberfest
Chattanooga
A two-day celebration of German culture brings live oompah music, traditional food, and an expanded beer selection to Chattanooga Market for the 25th year…
Staff pick
20 October
Dave Chappelle
Nashville
Dave Chappelle is a stand-up comedian and actor from Washington who has won five Emmy Awards, three Grammy Awards and the Mark Twain Prize…
Staff pick
20–21 October
Billy Strings
Chattanooga
Aptly named young guitarist, Billy Strings, reached the #1 spot on both Bluegrass and Heatseekers charts with his 2019 album, “Home,” which later won…
Hostels
Where to stay
The highest-rated hostels in Tennessee, straight from Hostelworld. Prices and availability are live on each property page.
When to go
April to June and September to October are the best times. October brings autumn colour to the Smokies. Summers are hot and humid, and winters mild but grey.
Jan
Mild, grey
Feb
Cool
Mar
Spring
Apr
Wildflowers
May
Memphis in May
Jun
CMA Fest
Jul
Hot, humid
Aug
Elvis Week
Sep
Pleasant
Oct
Smokies autumn colour
Nov
Cool
Dec
Festive lights
Bar height is temperature. Colour is how busy it gets:
quiet
busy
peak
Average highs for Nashville, rounded. The mountains are cooler.
What your trip will cost
Per night, for one person, based on Nashville prices.
Treat these as a guide. Weekends and festivals cost more.
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- Beds—
- Food and drink—
- Getting around—
- Doing things—
Tennessee questions
The ones we get asked most.
Is the Great Smoky Mountains National Park free?
There is no entry fee, but you need a parking tag ($5 a day, $15 a week or $40 a year) to park for more than 15 minutes.
How many days do you need in Nashville?
Three days for the music, museums and neighbourhoods.
Nashville or Memphis?
Nashville for country music and nightlife, Memphis for blues, soul, Elvis and civil rights history. Both if you can.
Is Memphis safe?
Stay in busy areas such as downtown and Beale Street, and use rideshares at night.
Do I need a car in Tennessee?
Yes, to travel between the cities and to the Smokies.
When is the best time to visit Tennessee?
Spring and autumn, with autumn colour in October.
Are Nashville's honky-tonks free?
Most have no cover charge. Tip the bands.
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