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Tennessee, United States

Lower Broadway

Give downtown a full day: museums by day, a Ryman show, then honky-tonks late. We have mapped 4 sights, 1 place to eat and 3 bars & cafés here, each with a reason to go.

Plan Lower Broadway with friendsBrowse 9 places
Lower Broadway, Tennessee, United States
Places
9

4 See · 1 Eat · 3 Drink · 1 Shop

Curated routes
1

Nashville Music Weekend

Best season
Mar – May

from our route notes

Warmest month
August

32°C / 90°F avg high

Coolest month
January

8°C / 46°F avg high

Wettest month
February

about 129 mm rain

Climate: NASA POWER 2001–2025 averages for Nashville, the nearest city we track.

Things to do in Lower Broadway

9 places from our curated routes, grouped by what you will do there. Each one has its own page with the address and full notes.

See

4 sights worth building a day around across SoBro, Downtown and Fifth + Broadway.

  • Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Lower BroadwayPhoto: Lee Luo · Google
    See

    Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

    Deep collection of instruments, costumes and recordings tracing country music's history.

    Tip Allow 2–3 hours; combo tickets add RCA Studio B tours.

    • SoBro
    • $$$
    • 2.5 hr
    • Morning
  • Johnny Cash Museum in Lower BroadwayPhoto: David Kidd · Google
    See

    Johnny Cash Museum

    Compact museum of Cash's life with costumes, records and handwritten lyrics.

    Tip Go at opening; it gets cramped by afternoon.

    • Downtown
    • $$
    • 75 min
    • Morning
  • National Museum of African American Music in Lower BroadwayPhoto: Alan Dennis, Baron of Cowie · Google
    See

    National Museum of African American Music

    Interactive museum on Black musicians' role across gospel, blues, jazz, R&B and hip-hop.

    Tip Pick up an RFID wristband to save songs to listen to later.

    • Fifth + Broadway
    • $$
    • 2 hr
    • Afternoon
  • Ryman Auditorium in Lower BroadwayPhoto: Daniel Schwen · CC BY-SA 4.0
    See

    Ryman Auditorium

    The former tabernacle and longtime Grand Ole Opry home, now one of the best-sounding concert halls in the U.S.

    Tip Daytime self-guided tours run daily; book an evening show for the full effect.

    • Downtown
    • $$
    • 1.5 hr
    • Show night

Eat

Where we would book a table in Lower Broadway.

  • Jack's Bar-B-Que in Lower BroadwayPhoto: Jack Cawthon's Bar-B-Que · Google
    Eat

    Jack's Bar-B-Que

    Cafeteria-style barbecue on Broadway serving brisket, pork shoulder and ribs.

    Tip Fast, cheap fuel before a night on Broadway.

    • Lower Broadway
    • $
    • 45 min
    • Early dinner

Drink

Our picks for a drink in Lower Broadway across Lower Broadway and Printers Alley.

  • Robert's Western World in Lower BroadwayPhoto: Mx. Granger · CC0
    Drink

    Robert's Western World

    Honky-tonk with traditional country bands from late morning to late night.

    Tip Order the Recession Special: fried bologna sandwich, chips, PBR.

    • Lower Broadway
    • $
    • 1.5 hr
    • Evening
  • Tootsie's Orchid Lounge in Lower BroadwayPhoto: Kathleen Conklin from Falls Church, USA · CC BY 2.0
    Drink

    Tootsie's Orchid Lounge

    Purple-fronted honky-tonk with three stages and a back door to the Ryman.

    Tip Upstairs stage is often less packed than the street level.

    • Lower Broadway
    • $
    • 60 min
    • Late night
  • Skull's Rainbow Room in Lower BroadwayPhoto: 박수정 · Google
    Drink

    Skull's Rainbow Room

    Printers Alley supper club from 1948 with jazz and blues, a quieter break from Broadway.

    Tip Reserve for dinner shows; cover charge applies.

    • Printers Alley
    • $$$
    • 1.5 hr
    • Late evening

Shop

Markets and shops worth the detour in SoBro.

  • Hatch Show Print in Lower BroadwayPhoto: Sami Turnbull · Google
    Shop

    Hatch Show Print

    Letterpress poster shop operating since 1879, now inside the Hall of Fame building.

    Tip Book a short shop tour or just buy prints.

    • SoBro
    • $$
    • 30 min
    • Midday

How to fit Lower Broadway into a trip

Lower Broadway is stop 1 of 3 on our Nashville Music Weekend route. Follow it as-is or lift Lower Broadway into your own plan.

Weather by month, based on Nashville

Our climate figures for Lower Broadway come from Nashville, right next door. Average daily highs run from 8°C / 46°F in January to 32°C / 90°F in August. February is the wettest month, with about 129 mm of rain. Outlined months fall in the best season on our routes.

Average daily highs, NASA POWER 2001–2025 averages for Nashville. Nashville weather (covers Lower Broadway) →

Near Lower Broadway

8 other destinations from our guides within about 250 km (155 mi), measured in a straight line.

Lower Broadway questions, answered

How many days do you need in Lower Broadway?

Our route notes suggest a full day in Lower Broadway. On our Nashville Music Weekend route it is stop 1 of 3 in a 3-day trip. The listed visit times for our 9 places add up to roughly 13 hours, before travel between them, so you will need to choose.

What is Lower Broadway best known for?

Give downtown a full day: museums by day, a Ryman show, then honky-tonks late. Standouts on our list: Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum (Deep collection of instruments, costumes and recordings tracing country music's history); Johnny Cash Museum (Compact museum of Cash's life with costumes, records and handwritten lyrics); National Museum of African American Music (Interactive museum on Black musicians' role across gospel, blues, jazz, R&B and hip-hop).

When is the best time to visit Lower Broadway?

Our Nashville Music Weekend route is best Mar – May. NASA POWER 2001–2025 averages for nearby Nashville put the warmest highs in August (32°C / 90°F), the coolest in January (8°C / 46°F) and the most rain in February (about 129 mm).

What are the best things to do in Lower Broadway?

Start with Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, Johnny Cash Museum, National Museum of African American Music and Ryman Auditorium. Our guide lists 9 places in all, from 4 sights, 1 place to eat, 3 bars & cafés and 1 shop.

What is near Lower Broadway?

The closest destinations in our guides are Nashville (about 0 km / 0 mi), Downtown Nashville (about 1 km / 1 mi) and The Gulch (about 1 km / 1 mi). Distances are straight-line estimates, not road distances.

Plan Lower Broadway with your crew

Open the Nashville Music Weekend route in TripsCircle, invite friends with a link, settle which of these 9 places make the cut with a quick poll, then split costs and share one packing list.

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