Free Things To Do in Nashville (2024)

Art | Attractions | Kid-Friendly Activities | Music | Parks

You already know we’re home to free music 365 days a year, but music isn’t the only free attraction in Nashville. Read on to find out which parks, attractions, and venues are free to visit in Music City.

Free Live Music in Nashville

Nashville is nicknamed Music City for good reason. It’s home to historic venues, a major arena, and numerous music artists and industry professionals. If you want to hear live music in Nashville, just pick where to go! Our Live Music Venue Guide can help you plan the perfect visit.

Pro Tip: Most places don’t charge a cover fee, but remember to tip the band!

Free Nashville Parks

If you want free things to do in Nashville for families, visit one of the city’s many parks. Enjoy hiking, fishing, picnicking, and more. Use the interactive Parks Finder from Metro Parks Nashville to search for parks by activity, location, or name.

  • Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park
    Tour Tennessee via a 200-foot granite map of the state, a walkway featuring the state’s 95 counties, 31 geyser-like spray fountains representing lakes, rivers, and tributaries of Tennessee, and an extraordinary wall depicting the state’s history.
  • Centennial Park
    Centennial Park is Nashville's premier park. Located at West End and 25th Avenue North, the 132-acre park features the iconic Parthenon, a 1-mile walking trail, Lake Watauga, the Centennial Art Center, historical monuments, an arts activity center, a beautiful sunken garden, a bandshell, an events shelter, sand volleyball courts, a dog park, and an exercise trail.
  • Cumberland Park
    Cumberland Park, nestled against the scenic backdrop of Nashville's riverfront, offers an innovative play space for families. It features interactive water features, an outdoor amphitheater, and lush green spaces for picnics and relaxation. It's a perfect spot to enjoy the outdoors and discover Nashville's beauty and vibrancy.
  • Music City Walk of Fame Park
    The Music City Walk of Fame Park on Nashville's Music Mile is a landmark tribute to those with a connection to Music City from all genres of music who have contributed to the world through song or other industry collaboration and made a significant contribution to the music industry.

Free Nashville Attractions

Nashville is home to interesting landmarks, educational museums, and free attractions. Visit these unique places for a guided tour, enjoy free offers, and learn more about the city’s history.

  • Arrington Vineyards
    Visiting Tennessee’s premier vineyard is free. Bring a picnic lunch or enjoy dinner year-round. On Saturdays and Sundays, April through October, Arrington Vineyards hosts Music in the Vines. Each concert is free and the perfect opportunity to taste amazing wine.
  • Cooter's Place
    "Cooter," Ben Jones himself, operates this "Dukes of Hazzard" museum, which features pictures, props, costumes, memorabilia, and classic Dukes cars, including Cooter's two trucks, Daisy's Jeep, Rosco's Patrol Car, and a General Lee. Admission is always free.
  • Nashville Flea Market
    On the fourth weekend of each month, the Tennessee State Fairgrounds hosts the Nashville Flea Market, where dealers and vendors from 30 states offer their wares to the buying public. Visitors will find a variety of gifts, antiques, collectibles, jewelry, arts and crafts, tools, housewares, handmade clothing, and more.
  • Downtown Presbyterian Church
    This Presbyterian Church is a national landmark. Guests in Nashville have marveled at its Egyptian revival interior and organ. Tours are available on Tuesday and Thursday at 2pm.
  • Fort Donelson National Battlefield
    Discover the history behind Fort Donelson and the Union victory, which elated the North and stunned the South during the American Civil War. Within days of the Confederate surrender at Fort Donelson, Clarksville, and Nashville would fall into Union hands. General Ulysses S. Grant and his troops created a pathway to victory for the Union after this great victory.
  • Fort Nashborough Interpretive Center
    Nashville was founded when James Robertson led his group of pioneers across the frozen Cumberland River to a place called The Cedar Bluffs. It was here that these men built a fort called Nashborough, which would be the shelter for the first families of the city. Today, a replica of the fort is located at the end of Lower Broadway and is open for self-guided tours. The site also holds a Native American Plaza that honors the tribes and people who populated the area before the arrival of James Robertson.
  • Fort Negley
    Explore the largest inland masonry fort built during the Civil War. Fort Negley offers interactive exhibits and educational videos on Nashville's surrender in 1862 and the fort's construction. Self-guided walking tours are available year-round from dawn until dusk.

  • Take a walk around the resort's nine acres, complete with indoor gardens, pathways, and waterfalls, any day of the week.
  • Nashville Public Library
    The Nashville Public Library offers free year-round fun, events, and classes, including weekly Story Time on Tuesdays at 9:30am, 10:30am, and 11:30am, puppet shows on Fridays and Saturdays from 10:30am to 11:30am, music in the courtyard, book clubs, craft days, and more.
  • Musician’s Corner
    Musician’s Corner is a summer and fall music series in Centennial Park. It features Nashville’s diverse musical landscape and artists from all genres. Admission is free.
  • Tennessee Agricultural Museum
    The Tennessee Agricultural Museum features an extensive collection of home and farm artifacts from the 19th and early 20th centuries. The property also includes a log cabin community with a wooded trail and heirloom gardens.
  • Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame
    The Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame, located at Bridgestone Arena, honors the athletes, coaches, sportswriters, and sports administrators who have made an impact on the history of sports in Tennessee.
  • Tennessee State Capitol
    The Tennessee State Capitol is one of the oldest operating capitols in the country. Guided tours of the Capitol are provided free of charge by the staff of the Tennessee State Museum.
  • Tennessee State Museum
    The Tennessee State Museum tells the entire story of Tennessee's rich history, including Music City, from its early beginnings to the present day. Self-guided tours are available Tuesday-Saturday 10am-5pm, and Sunday 1-5pm. Free highlight tours are offered on Friday and Saturday at 2pm.

Free Kid-Friendly Things to Do in Nashville

Nashville is family-friendly, and many museums, attractions, and destinations in the city offer free admission for kids of certain ages. No matter what your family likes doing together, there are plenty of kid-friendly activities in Nashville to enjoy.

  • Adventure Science Center
    Free for Toddlers Under 2
    From the biggest celestial bodies to the tiniest molecules on Earth, Adventure Science Center showcases innovative, dynamic learning experiences that open minds of all ages to the wonders of science and technology.

  • Free for Ages 5 and Under
    The Belle Meade Plantation is a 30-acre historic site 6 miles west of Nashville where guests can enjoy history, horses, and hospitality. The mansion, built in 1853, is the estate’s centerpiece. The plantation grounds feature an art gallery, guided tours, and rotating Living History activities, such as storytelling, period dance, and demonstrations.
  • Belmont Mansion
    Free for Ages 5 and Under
    Completed in 1853 by Adelicia Acklen, Belmont was recognized as one of the most elaborate and unusual homes in the South. Adelicia secretly conspired with both the Confederate and Union forces to emerge from the Civil War with her fortune intact.
  • Carnton
    Free for Ages 5 and Under
    Carnton, home of Carrie and John McGavock, served as the largest Confederate field hospital following the Battle of Franklin, fought in 1864. The McGavock Confederate Cemetery is on the site, as well as a fully restored garden and slave quarters.

  • Free for Ages 2 and Under
    Experience Cheekwood, the 55-acre estate built by the Maxwell House Coffee fortune in Nashville, Tennessee, and one of the finest examples of an American Country Place Era estate in the United States. The Botanical Garden is a spectacular showcase of color and horticultural diversity with 11 specialty display gardens and a stunning natural landscape.
  • Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
    Free for Ages 5 and Under
    The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville is home to priceless artifacts, photographs, recorded sound clips, dynamic exhibitions, Nashville’s legendary recording studio, and more. Its permanent exhibition, “Sing Me Back Home: A Journey Through Country Music,” reveals the origins, traditions, and honored architects of the country music genre.
  • Frist Art Museum
    Free for Ages 18 and Under
    The Frist Art Museum presents rotating exhibitions throughout the year. The award-winning Martin ArtQuest Gallery hosts events, such as Free Family Days and Family Mondays, for kids to discover, explore, and create art. The Frist is always free for ages 18 and younger.
  • Historic Travellers Rest
    Free for Ages 5and Under
    Historic Travellers Rest is dedicated to preserving and interpreting the Overton home and serving as a gateway for learners of all ages to explore and experience Nashville's historic past. Built by Judge John Overton in 1799, Travellers Rest is the oldest historic home in Nashville open to the public.
  • Johnny Cash Museum
    Free for Ages 5 and Under
    With state-of-the-art exhibits, personal letters, stage costumes, guitars, handwritten lyrics, contributions from family members and notable friends, and an expansive gift shop, the museum is THE premier Cash venue to visit.
  • Lane Motor Museum
    Free for Ages 5and Under
    Lane Motor Museum is home to the largest European automobile collection in the United States and features 150 extraordinary cars and motorcycles from around the world. Visitors will discover oddities like propeller-driven vehicles, microcars, amphibious vehicles, one-of-a-kind prototypes, military vehicles, competition cars, and more.
  • Lotz House Museum
    Free for Children 6 and Under
    In 1855, German immigrant Johann Lotz built Lotz House, using it as a showroom to sell his carpentry work. In 1864, Lotz House was at the epicenter of the Battle of Franklin and still bears several battle wounds.
  • Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum
    Free for Ages 5 and Under
    The Musicians Hall of Fame honors musicians from all genres who have played on thousands of iconic recordings, and the Museum exhibits take visitors on a tour of cities that greatly influenced music culture.
  • Nashville Zoo
    Free for Ages 2 and Under
    The Nashville Zoo, ranked among the top 10 best zoos and aquariums by Charity Navigator, features animals from around the world, including spider monkeys, a white rhinoceros, a Masai giraffe, clouded leopards, and much more.
  • National Corvette Museum
    Free for Ages 4and Under
    The National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, Kentucky, showcases America's sports car. The museum features more than 80 Corvettes displayed in period settings, including a mid-century barbershop, a service station, and a historic racetrack.
  • National Museum of African American Music
    Free for Ags 5 and Under
    The National Museum of African American Music (NMAAM) is the only museum of its kind dedicated to preserving and celebrating the history of Black music in America. The museum’s expertly curated collections share the story of the American soundtrack by integrating history and interactive technology to bring the musical heroes of the past into the present. Must include children in reservation to ensure enough seats are available.
  • Storytellers Hideaway Farm & Museum
    Free for Ages 10and Under
    Storytellers Hideaway Farm & Museum brings to life the history of the property, which was once owned by Johnny Cash. Tours allow you to see the Little Stage, which once hosted "Saturday Night in Hickman County," view memorabilia from the Man in Black, learn about the house, which was built before the Civil War, and more.
  • Wave Country
    Free for Ages 2 and Under
    Dive into this wave action, freshwater pool, and water slide complex. Packing your own picnic is acceptable. Floats are available to rent, and there's plenty of shade.

Experience the Arts in Nashville

For a city known for music, Nashville has many art galleries, art studios, and museums. Take a break from the sounds of Music City and absorb the culture of Nashville’s Art Scene.

  • The Bankers Alley Hotel
    The Bankers Alley Hotel Nashville is an art-filled hotel in the bustle of downtown that has reimagined a historic building to showcase more than 10,500 square feet of exhibition space. The galleries are open free to the public every day of the year and feature rotating exhibitions. Free guided docent tours are offered on Thursday evenings at 5:30pm.
  • First Saturday Art Crawl
    Every first Saturday of the month, art galleries open their doors from 6-9pm for special events and exhibit openings. Admission is free, and most galleries offer free wine and refreshments.
  • Hatch Show Print
    One of the oldest working letterpress print shops in America, Hatch Show Print is open to art lovers, music lovers, collectors, and everyone in between. Step inside the print shop and see how these legendary posters are made. Shop for prints and posters in the print store or peruse Hatch Show Print’s Haley Gallery of historic ad blocks and artwork.
  • Nashville's Murals
    Looking for a fun and unique photo opportunity? Discover the impressive murals that can be found throughout Nashville. Created by local and internationally known artists, murals can be seen on the side of restaurants, shops, garage doors, water tanks, and even old silos.
  • Nashville Shakespeare Festival — Shakespeare in the Park
    For 30 years, the Nashville Shakespeare Festival has educated and entertained. During the summer months, the Nashville Shakes offer free performances (with a suggested $10 donation) in Centennial Park.
  • Vanderbilt Fine Arts Gallery
    The Vanderbilt Fine Arts Gallery hosts rotating exhibits throughout the year. The gallery will close for breaks and installations during the academic year. Please call ahead to verify the schedule at 615-322-0605.
  • WeHo Art Crawl
    On the first Saturday of the month, join art lovers in visiting a dozen Art Galleries within walking distance in Nashville's Wedgewood-Houston neighborhood. Admission is free and open to the public.
  • Zeitgeist Gallery
    Zeitgeist Gallery, located in Wedgewood-Houston, spotlights both local and regional artists. It is a contemporary art gallery with rotating exhibits that provide viewers with an enriching in-depth look into art, artists, and the creative process.

Total Access Pass

Music City your way! Experience Nashville attractions for the best value with the digital Total Access Pass. Choose from a variety of attractions and tours to customize your own Music City trip.

Free Things To Do in Nashville (2024)

FAQs

Are there free places to park in Nashville? ›

Top 10 Best Free Parking Near Nashville, Tennessee
  • All "Free Parking" results in Nashville, Tennessee - August 2024.
  • Fourth Avenue South Garage. 4.0 (1 review) ...
  • Fifth + Broadway. ...
  • Nashville Public Library. ...
  • John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge. ...
  • Bridgestone Arena. ...
  • Opryland Hotel Free Parking. ...
  • Premier Parking of Tennessee.

What is the main fun street in Nashville? ›

Nothing exemplifies everything Nashville has to offer like Broadway Street. Running through the heart of downtown Nashville, Broadway Street is home to some of Nashville's best music, restaurants, and bars.

Where to walk around in Nashville? ›

Where to Go for a Walk or Hike in Nashville
  • The Downtown Loop.
  • Bicentennial Park.
  • Centennial Park.
  • Radnor Lake.
  • Richland Creek Greenway.
  • Percy Warner Park.
  • Edwin Warner Park.

Where do most celebrities hang out in Nashville? ›

Here's where Bobby Bones says Nashville stars hang out

Bones recommended bars like Red Door, Tin Roof, or Losers (all in Midtown) as spots to occasionally see celebs. "But it's more of the places that people aren't, that's where people that are famous are," Bones said—like Franklin, Brentwood and other isolated spots.

Is the Nashville scene free? ›

Nashville Scene is an alternative newsweekly publication that is free to the public.

How much does it cost to park in downtown Nashville? ›

Metro-owned downtown parking prices vary from $3 to $20 for all-day max parking. Event parking ranges from $10 to $15. If there is not a scheduled event, night and weekend parking after 5 p.m. ranges from $5 to $10.

Is there free parking at the Grand Ole Opry? ›

Guests attending the Grand Ole Opry can park for free at Opry Mills. The closest parking is located by Dave & Buster's.

Can you drink on the street in Nashville? ›

In most public areas of Nashville, it is illegal to walk around with open containers and consume alcohol. Exceptions are made for certain entertainment districts during approved dates and times. Drinks must be purchased from vendors in designated plastic cups.

What is the difference between Music Row and downtown Nashville? ›

Is it better to stay in Music Row or Downtown Nashville? Both areas are fun, but Downtown is generally where to stay in Nashville if you want uninterrupted access to the city's best nightlife. On the other hand, Music Row offers an inside look at the music industry along with a ton of venues.

Are there cover charges for bars in Nashville? ›

I visited all the honky tonks and live music venues on Broadway to provide you with profiles, tips, and recommendations. There's no cover charge at honky tonks but the musicians survive on tips and most take requests.

Is Music Row walkable from downtown Nashville? ›

Music Row is located about a mile from Downtown Nashville. While it's a lovely walk, the Tennessee heat might be a deterrent at times. What is the average rent in Music Row - Edgehill, Nashville, TN? The average rent in Music Row - Edgehill, Nashville is $2,380 based on the last 3 months of data.

Does Nashville have a riverwalk? ›

Created in the early 1980's Riverfront Park is a natural recreational magnet along the Cumberland River for tourists and residents alike.

What is the city Nashville known for? ›

As of 2020 Nashville is considered a global city, type "Gamma" by the GaWC. The city is a major center for the music industry, especially country music. It is home to three major professional sports teams: the Predators, Titans, and Nashville SC.

What is iconic about Nashville? ›

As the “Country Music Capital of the World,” Nashville is world renowned for its music and honky-tonks. Although music influences virtually every aspect of modern life in the cosmopolitan city, Nashville has a diverse and storied history.

What is the most popular part of Nashville? ›

9 Most Popular Neighbourhoods in Nashville
  • The Gulch. A chic, cosmopolitan neighborhood with an abundance of energy. ...
  • East Nashville. Eclectic neighborhood with an energetic nightlife. ...
  • See also. 10 Places Where Locals Love to Eat in Nashville. ...
  • Downtown Nashville. ...
  • Germantown. ...
  • Midtown. ...
  • 12 South. ...
  • Music Valley.

What is the most popular thing in Tennessee? ›

Graceland might take the top spot among Tennessee tourist attractions. Elvis Presley's estate welcomes over 500,000 visitors each year, making it one of the most-visited private homes in the country. Another popular tourist destination in Tennessee is Dollywood in Pigeon Forge.

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