The Best Places To Go Out In Nashville That AREN’T Broadway

Broadway not your scene? We got you covered.

Most of the time when people come to Nashville, their first stop is Broadway to hit up the never-ending strip of bars and live music.

But Broadway can be exhausting, especially if you’ve been there, done that or if non-stop partying and rowdy drunkenness isn’t your thing. Maybe you want something a little more laid back, even if you still want some live music and to throw a few back.

So where should you go in Nashville if Broadway, with its endless string of cookie-cutter bars named after country artists, isn’t your scene? Well you’re in luck, because there are plenty of options. And while the people of Nashville might hate me for giving away our secrets to tourists (we usually try to keep those confined to Broadway to keep from ruining our favorite spots), I’m not going to gatekeep – because people need to know that there’s more to Nashville than Broadway and Jason Aldean’s bar.

Printer’s Alley

Just a few blocks from Broadway sits Printer’s Alley, a strip of bars and restaurants that are still crowded but tend to draw a more laid back crowd. That’s not to say it’s not still touristy, because the area has turned into a sort of “Broadway Lite” in recent years, but there’s still a greater variety of bars here. Places like the Bourbon Street Blues & Boogie Bar, Skull’s Rainbow Room, or the legendary Ms. Kelli’s karaoke bar (and the nearby Lonnie’s, which is also a karaoke bar) are great alternatives to Broadway if you want something different.

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Midtown

Another area not too far from downtown, midtown Nashville has a few areas to hang out that are more laid-back than Broadway. The strip of bars on Division Street, which includes places like Loser’s, Riley Green’s Duck Blind, Odie’s, Red Door Saloon and John Daly’s isn’t exactly a hidden gem these days, and can still get pretty crowded, but it’s a different vibe from Broadway.

Here you’ll find more locals, more artists and songwriters hanging out after a writing session on Music Row, and a lot of Vanderbilt students. But you’re still going to have live music everywhere you go, and a better chance of seeing your favorite artist out and about.

There are also a couple of bars that aren’t exactly in what I’d consider “midtown” that are worth mentioning: The Local, which is located near Centennial Park and the replica Parthenon, is a great place to see…well, local artists and songwriters, in a much more laid back spot. And Bobby’s Idle Hour is an iconic dive bar just off Music Row, if you’re looking to escape the bright lights and crowds and just grab a few drinks.

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East Nashville

If you ask Nashville locals where they hang out, most of them (at least most of them under 40) will probably tell you somewhere in East Nashville.

Skinny Dennis is a new-ish bar in Nashville that’s become insanely trendy and popular since it opened, along with staples like Mickey’s Tavern and Dino’s. And of course in East Nashville you’ll also find your hipster restaurants, microbreweries, and all that stuff too. But chances are if you’re looking to get away from Broadway, those things probably aren’t your scene either.

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The Gulch

I’m really including this area for one place and one place only: The Station Inn. The iconic bluegrass venue is about as far away from the “New Nashville” as you can get, despite only being a few blocks away from Broadway. It’s not like most of the bars I’ve mentioned, and most of the shows have a cover charge, but if you’d rather hear bluegrass than covers of “Wagon Wheel” and Blink-182, the Station Inn is the place for you.

Music Valley

I saved my favorite for last, and if I were going to gatekeep, this is the one I would leave out because it’s my favorite place to hang out in Nashville.

Out on Music Valley Drive near the Grand Ole Opry, there are several bars that share a parking lot – and they’re all vestiges of the old Nashville in the best possible way.

There’s Music City Bar and Grill, which features some of the best bands in Nashville playing all of the honky tonk classics, and there’s Scoreboard Bar & Grill which features an outdoor patio and some great food, along with actual country music on the stage.

And then of course there’s the Nashville Palace, a legendary venue in Nashville that not only hosts concerts but also has great music, reasonably-priced drinks, and even line dancing lessons in the back room. This is where Randy Travis got his start in Nashville, and it’s still one of the few places in Nashville you can go and expect to hear artists like him.

If you don’t want to break the bank in Nashville, and you like traditional country music, Music Valley simply cannot be beat.

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So if you’re planning a trip to Music City, make sure to venture out beyond Broadway. It’s far from the only – or best – thing Nashville has to offer.The post The Best Places To Go Out In Nashville That AREN’T Broadway first appeared on Whiskey Riff.