Broadway is the six-block stretch of Lower Broadway in downtown Nashville, Tennessee, where the city’s live music tradition lives at street level. It runs from 1st Avenue at the Cumberland River up to about 5th Avenue, and it is the single most-visited block of Nashville for music tourism. If you’ve seen the videos — three-story neon honky-tonks, country bands playing in every window, bachelorette parties in pink sashes — that’s Broadway. This is what to know before you go, with no marketing varnish.
In Nashville, “Broadway” specifically refers to Lower Broadway — the stretch from 1st Avenue to 5th Avenue downtown. It is not a theater district like Broadway in New York. It is a 0.4-mile entertainment strip lined with 37 active bars and honky-tonks, most of which have live country bands playing free of charge from 10 AM until 3 AM. The street address you’ll see on signs and Uber drop-offs is “Broadway, Nashville, TN 37203.”
Broadway runs east-west through downtown Nashville. Key intersections, river-end to interstate-end:
Want the full layout? See our interactive Broadway Nashville bar map with all 37 venues plotted.
The bar-and-honky-tonk strip runs 0.4 miles end to end — about a 7-minute walk if you don’t stop. On weekend nights after 9 PM, expect to weave through crowds. From Bridgestone Arena (the 5th Avenue end) to the Cumberland River is roughly 8-10 minutes including crosswalks.
Five things:
If you only have one window: Thursday evening, 6-10 PM. Friday and Saturday nights after 9 PM are when the strip is most chaotic and the celebrity bars run long lines. Sunday afternoons have some of the best music quality on the strip, with smaller, more focused crowds. The week of CMA Fest (June 4-7, 2026) is the peak of the entire year and the most-photographed Broadway week — but also the busiest. Locals avoid Broadway entirely on bachelorette-heavy Saturday nights.
From Nashville International Airport (BNA): 15-20 minute drive depending on traffic. Uber/Lyft is the standard way in; budget $20-35 each way. The Music City Star commuter train ends at Riverfront Station, two blocks from the start of Broadway — useful if you’re coming in from Lebanon or Mt. Juliet on a Friday.
Do not drive to Broadway on a weekend. Parking garages around Bridgestone Arena and the Country Music Hall of Fame run $50-$80 on Friday and Saturday nights. Rideshare to Demonbreun Street or Korean Veterans Boulevard and walk in. Full details in our parking + transportation guide.
For a typical 4-hour Broadway night, budget per person:
Total realistic spend per person for a 4-hour night: $70-130. See our budget Broadway guide for under-$50 nights.
Broadway has no formal dress code anywhere. Boots, jeans, a t-shirt — you’ll fit in. Cowboy hats are expected on weekends but never required. Most rooftops have no dress code either. Avoid wearing shorts in winter (the strip gets cold) and avoid heels you can’t walk in (the sidewalks are uneven and weekend crowds are thick). Full breakdown in our what to wear guide.
Broadway is the most-touristed strip but it isn’t the only Nashville nightlife. Locals tend toward:
For where locals actually drink on Broadway specifically: read the insider list.
Closest hotels (within a 5-minute walk):
Prices spike 2-3x during CMA Fest, Bonnaroo weekend, and Titans home games. Book 60+ days ahead for those windows.
Yes. Walking the strip and entering most bars is free. You only pay for drinks, food, and tips to the bands. A few rooftops charge $10-25 cover on peak nights but ground-floor honky-tonks rarely do.
Very safe. The strip is heavily policed and crowd-controlled, especially on weekends. Standard urban precautions apply — keep an eye on your group, watch your drink, plan your rideshare back.
Yes. Almost every honky-tonk is open seven days a week, including Sundays. Some have brunch service. Sunday afternoons are actually one of the best times to visit — smaller crowds, sharper bands.
“Lower Broadway” is the more precise local term for the entertainment strip (1st Ave to about 5th Ave). “Broadway” is the broader street name. When tourists say “Broadway Nashville” they mean Lower Broadway.
Most Broadway bars are 21+ after a certain hour (typically 9-10 PM). A few are 18+ or all-ages until later — see our all-ages bar guide.
If this is your first Broadway visit: start with the first-timers guide. If you’re here for a bachelorette party: go straight to the Nashville bachelorette guide. If you want to know who’s playing tonight: tonight’s live music schedule. If you want to plan a single Broadway night: plan your night.
The block-by-block plan to do Nashville's Broadway right, built to maximize live music and protect your wallet.