Nashville Things to do that Don’t Involve Food/Drink!

We LOVE our bars and restaurants around here, but sometimes you want to do something that does not involve consuming calories. Here are some of my favorite Nashville things to do That don’t involve food/drink. Leave a comment below with what you would add to the list!

✨ Learn a new skill at a workshop! Take advantage of all the creativity in this city by learning from some of the best. A few I’ve personally enjoyed have been ceramics with Cloudship Creative; mosaic art with 7 Fine Arts; sewing with Sew Nash; and custom perfumery with Secret Garden Botanica.

✨ Belcourt Theater – Catching an indie or blockbuster film at Nashville’s oldest movie theater is always a great idea (of course, personally, I have to have popcorn and soda at the movies, but you may have more restraint than me)

✨ McKay’s – the giant used bookstore in west Nashville could be an all day activity. From books, to records, to instruments and toys, there’s something for every hobbyist to get lost in.

✨ Explore 100 Taylor Street! You’ll find a cute bookstore, some gorgeous handcrafted jewelry, ceramics store that offers classes, and so much more!

✨ The Hermitage: Home of Andrew Jackson, the Hermitage is a history lover’s dream, but they also host special events like runs, ghost tours, book discussions, and much more. And the grounds – and the horses – are beautiful.

✨ Go for a hike! Literally, not figuratively. Nashville has many great parks to choose from, but Percy Warner and Radnor are faves.

✨ Cheekwood – the grounds are lovely all times of the year, but don’t miss the mansion art gallery with rotating exhibits, or the special events throughout the seasons.

✨ Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum – Yes, this is touristy, and yes it involves going downtown. But, y’all, the CMHOF is truly a GREAT museum and a must-visit for any music, history, or pop-culture lover.

✨ National Museum of African American History – speaking of museums, Nashville also is home to the NMAAM. And if you want to save, you can pop-in when it’s free on the first Wednesday of every month!

✨ Festivals/Art Crawls – there’s some sort of festival, art crawl, vendor mart, etc. happening nearly every weekend! Be sure to follow @thetipjarnash to keep updated on all the upcoming fun!

✨ Treat yourself to some self-care! There are many spas and wellness centers around town but a few that I’ve enjoyed are Skin by Wax (get the buccal massage if you’re a teeth clencher and thank me later!); Urban Sweat for your red light therapy, sauna, and cold plunge needs; or Hudson Day Spa for luxurious pampering.

✨ What’s Music City without some music? While many venues will have a food or drink purchase requirement (or implicit expectation), some venues lend themselves to just enjoying the tunes: Basement East, Brooklyn Bowl, Cannery Hall – and of course, the Ryman.

✨ Read a book after hours! Okay, so you may need to buy a coffee or a cocktail for this one, but the focus is not on food or drink. All of these places lend themselves to cozying up with a good book.

✨ Visit Up/Down, No Quarter, or Game Terminal for some old school arcade fun, along with other games and activities (Game Terminal has a huge outdoor space with several corn hole lanes).

✨ While they might not be as trendy anymore, escape rooms are still a fun rainy day activity. The original Escape Game is based in Berry Hill, and they have multiple locations in Nashville that are clean and well-organized – as well as a Great Big Game Show game, where you and your friends can compete in game-show style games (I had a blast doing it).

✨ Take in a comedy show at Third Coast Comedy Club! While I’m sure they’d appreciate your patronizing the bar, it is not required!

✨ Go shopping! Nashville has so many great boutiques, it would be impossible to fully cover them here. But, here are a few cause-based businesses to start you off, so you can feel good about the money you’re spending!

✨ Make your own lipstick at Lip Lab – if may be intended for bachelorette parties but that doesn’t mean it can’t be a fun thing for locals, too!

✨ Check out the Nashville Public Library. Here me out on this one…besides the obvious, NPL offers museum passes, starter seeds, BCycle passes, and tons of events for all ages.

XO,
SB

P.S. Did you know I send out a weekly events guide newsletter? It includes all the Xennial-approved events for the upcoming week (typically 40-50 events!), as well as any future events that have been announced so you can plan ahead. You can sign up here and have it sent directly to your inbox every Monday morning!