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Start by remembering that your bachelorette destination is someone else’s home.
Nashville. Music City. Nashvegas. Nearly 17 million tourists visit this lively Tennessee capital every year to drink their way down the Honky Tonk Highway, dine at world-class restaurants, and enjoy some of the best live music around.
With great numbers come great headaches and while you’ll find Nashville locals generally hospitable and welcoming folks, staggering hordes of bachelorette parties and congested brunch lines are not fun for anyone.
If you’re hoping to visit soon, here’s how to enjoy the best time in Nashville without becoming a nuisance to those who call it home.
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Bachelorette Parties
Walk around anywhere in downtown Nashville, and chances are, you’ll encounter at least two or three contingents of identically dressed women sporting emblazoned sashes or cowboy hats whooping up their battle cries: “SHE’S GETTING MARRIED!”
There’s nothing wrong with throwing your bestie a party before she ties the knot, but in recent years, Lower Broadway and the Gulch have turned into a Disneyland for large-scale bachelorette parties who often show up late for enormous reservations and clog up restaurants and bars. It’s fine to celebrate your friend getting married but remember to be courteous when your large (probably inebriated) party is dealing with busy Nashville establishments.
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Swarming Loveless Cafe at Peak Hours
The Loveless Cafe has been serving up hearty Southern fare to hungry Nashvillians since 1951. Tourists have caught on, and these days, out-of-towners swell the line all the way down the block during brunch, making it difficult for locals to get a seat. If you’re staying a couple of days in town, try to avoid visiting this popular café during peak hours, as it is open from 8:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Monday through Sunday. Their famous piping hot biscuits and country ham will taste just as good later in the afternoon.
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Complaining About the Heat (Or Being Surprised It’s Cold)
Nashville temperatures fluctuate from extremely hot and humid in the summer to below freezing in January. Tourists who envisioned cowboy-hat-and-denim-jacket climes are often surprised by how hot or cold the city gets. Be prepared for the weather, stay hydrated, and dress accordingly–sometimes it can even snow.
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Party Bus Etiquette
Huge party buses—and any form of group transportation, for that matter—blasting loud music have become a ubiquitous part of driving through downtown Nashville and the Gulch. Since many office buildings are located in the historic district, 12th South, and the Gulch, locals often have to drive to work past giant lifted “tour trucks” blaring Kid Rock at 7 in the morning.
Golf carts, scooters, and pedal taverns weaving unsteadily through the streets often exacerbate the issue. Combining the party with your transportation can be a fun idea, but always practice safe driving with any motor vehicle, and be aware of local commuters who are just trying to get to work on time.
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Holding up Traffic for Selfies
Pedestrian traffic is enough of a hassle in downtown Nashville and the Gulch without lines of tourists posing for photos at Instagram hotspots like the What Lifts You Wings mural or Bottom’s Up Nashville. Take the time to check out some unique, even more gorgeous photo ops like the lush landscape of Cheekwood Gardens, or sign up for a free public art crawl to explore some world-class art off the beaten path.
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Not Handling Your Liquor Well
Nashville is known for its bars, honky-tonks, and an obliging hospitality industry that generally has a red solo cup or a strong drink at the ready. However, extremely inebriated partiers stumbling around obnoxiously or heaving on the cobblestones is no fun for anyone. Lower Broadway can turn into a disaster zone of cigarette butts and beer cans by sundown as revelers who have had a full day to get wasted reach an early climax. Yes, you’re on vacation. Live it up. Just remember that in the age of smartphone cameras and social media, whatever happens in Nashville… may not stay in Nashville.
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Tipping Badly
The city’s entertainment industry is built on bartenders and performers–who live off tips. Show your appreciation for Nashville’s hospitality industry by tipping generously and often. Bartenders, performers, and restaurant staff must put up with a lot of bad behavior, and it’s all our duty as people who enjoy the vibrant scene they’ve created to compensate accordingly.
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Expecting Country Music Celebrities to Pop up Everywhere
From Taylor Swift and Billy Ray Cyrus to Sheryl Crow and Dolly Parton, the list of country music celebrities who call Nashville their home base goes on and on. Many tourists who come to the city are attracted by the idea that they’re roaming the same streets as their favorite singers. However, while the likes of Carrie Underwood and Keith Urban may have their own bars and businesses in the city, you probably won’t run into them at brunch.
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Waiting in Line at Hotspots
When you see a line snaking out the door at Hattie B’s in midtown or Biscuit Love in the Gulch, it probably consists mostly of tourists. There are so many amazing restaurants in the city that it doesn’t make sense to waste time in long queues. Skip adding to the congestion and try out some other local gems like Red’s Hot Chicken – also conveniently located in Midtown–or Guerillaz Biscuits next to Five Points.