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Honky Tonk Highway, Nashville, TN

Photo: dconvertini, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

NightlifeIconicDate NightFree

Honky Tonk Highway

Lower Broadway between 1st and 5th Aves · Nashville, TN

Why you should go…

Honky Tonk Highway is the stretch of Lower Broadway between First and Fifth Avenues in downtown Nashville, lined with bars that keep live bands on stage through the day and night. Many of them have no regular cover charge, so you can step in, listen to a set and tip the musicians. Tootsie's Orchid Lounge, Robert's Western World, Legends Corner and The Stage on Broadway are all here. Some venues admit all ages by day and turn 21 and over at night.

  • #live music
  • #honky tonks
  • #country music
  • #nightlife district
  • #bars

Good to know

General nightlife guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • Doors, showtime, last call

    Three different times, and only one of them is usually on the poster. Check all three.

  • Covers and minimums are normal

    Weekend nights often carry a door charge or a per-person minimum, especially for table seating.

  • Bring ID either way

    Age policies shift by night and by room, so carry it even if you have not been asked in years.

  • Weeknights show the room properly

    Quieter nights are the ones where you can actually hear the band and find a seat.

What's around here?

The closest stops to Honky Tonk Highway, ordered by straight-line distance.

  • Museums
    Iconic

    Johnny Cash Museum

    $25–$50

    Walk through more than 1,000 artifacts from Johnny Cash's life, from stage costumes and gold records to handwritten lyrics.

    Right next doorSwitch it up: Museums

  • Theatre & Events
    Iconic

    Ryman Auditorium

    $25–$50

    Tour the 1892 tabernacle that housed the Grand Ole Opry from 1943 to 1974, take a photo on its stage, or come back at night for a concert.

    Steps awaySwitch it up: Theatre & Events

  • Theatre & Events
    Iconic

    Bridgestone Arena

    $50+

    Watch Nashville Predators hockey, big-name concerts and awards shows in a downtown arena at the corner of Broadway and 5th Avenue.

    Steps awaySwitch it up: Theatre & Events

  • Museums
    Iconic

    Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

    $25–$50

    See instruments, stage wear and recordings that trace country music from its folk roots to today, then stand in the Hall of Fame Rotunda.

    Steps awaySwitch it up: Museums

  • Museums
    Rainy-Day Pick

    Frist Art Museum

    Under $25

    See rotating art exhibitions and hands-on art making inside Nashville's former main post office, an Art Deco landmark on Broadway.

    0.5 mi awaySwitch it up: Museums

  • Sightseeing
    Iconic

    The Parthenon

    Under $25

    Step inside a full-scale replica of the Athenian Parthenon to see a 42-foot gilded Athena and an art museum.

    2.2 mi awaySwitch it up: Sightseeing