What to do in Nashville: A group guide for planners

Nashville has changed, and frankly, your itinerary should too.

Lower Broadway still knows how to throw a party. The city’s music history remains essential. Hot chicken can make even the most confident attendee rethink their spice tolerance. Yet today’s Nashville extends well beyond neon signs and cowboy boots.

Groups can write a song together, step inside a recording studio, spend an afternoon in the countryside, or host an event in a venue steeped in music history. Nashville’s hotels and restaurants have also caught up with the city’s popularity.

For planners wondering what to do in Nashville with a corporate group, a strong program includes a few places attendees expect to see, then takes them beyond anything they would find during an unsupervised scroll through TikTok.

Put music in the program

Music belongs in a Nashville itinerary, but nobody said it must begin and end with a honky-tonk crawl.

At a private songwriter round, attendees hear how familiar songs grew from rough ideas into radio hits. Groups can go further with a session at Bold Studio Nashville, where they can participate in the writing and recording process rather than watching from the sidelines.

Planners can also host an event among rare instruments at Carter Vintage Guitars or book a songwriter performance at The Bluebird Cafe. For a larger private event, Neon Steeple at Chief’s brings strong production possibilities and a location right on Broadway.

A few Nashville must-visit attractions deserve space in the agenda as well. The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, Ryman Auditorium, National Museum of African American Music and Grand Ole Opry each tell a different part of the city’s music story. That range matters, especially when your attendee list includes devoted fans, casual listeners, and the person who insists they “don’t really like country.”

Choose the right home base

Where to stay in Nashville depends on how your group plans to use the city.

Grand Hyatt Nashville is built to handle larger meetings and conferences. Its location in Nashville Yards puts guests near downtown attractions while giving planners substantial meeting space, natural light and rooftop options at Lou/Na.

For luxury incentives or executive programs, 1 Hotel Nashville offers a design-minded, wellness-focused setting that feels restful without separating guests from the action.

Virgin Hotels Nashville suits small and midsize programs that want lively social spaces and plenty of personality. Its Music Row location also gives attendees access to another side of the city.

Groups prioritizing downtown convenience should consider Hilton Nashville Downtown, near Music City Center, Lower Broadway, and several major attractions. Meanwhile, Loews Nashville Hotel at Vanderbilt Plaza offers experienced meeting support in Midtown, close enough to downtown without placing every attendee directly in its nightly orbit.

Give dinner a job

The right dinner venue can set the tone for the entire evening. Choose a Nashville venue that makes conversation easier, builds in entertainment or gives guests a reason to stay after dessert.

At Category 10, Luke Combs’ massive downtown venue, planners can choose from five distinct event spaces across four floors or take over the entire venue. The options range from the intimate songwriter-lounge atmosphere of The Still to Hurricane Hall for groups ready to go big, with private bars, customizable menus, concert-grade live music, and A/V built into the experience. It gives planners plenty of ways to match the space to the group while keeping dinner, drinks, and entertainment under one roof.

At The Twelve Thirty Club, planners can arrange executive dinners, private dining, or rooftop receptions overlooking Lower Broadway. Adele’s, located in The Gulch, works particularly well for smaller corporate dinners where good food and actual conversation share top billing.

Explore beyond Broadway

When planners ask what to see in Nashville, we recommend looking beyond downtown for at least part of the program.

Start with 12 South, a walkable stretch of boutiques, restaurants, and murals. Attendees can shop and stop into Kendra Scott’s Yellow Rose to design a custom piece at the Color Bar. Food-focused groups can take a guided walking tour, sample Nashville hot chicken, or blend bourbon at Borchetta Bourbon. Whiskey fans can also visit Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery or head into the countryside for Leiper’s Fork Distillery.

For a slower afternoon, take the group south. Downtown Franklin offers independent shops, restaurants and historic architecture. Build a spa or wellness day around Southall, then continue to nearby Leiper’s Fork for galleries, live music, and rolling farmland that still feels lived-in rather than arranged for tourists.

Build one very Nashville day

Begin the day with an unexpected Nashville moment, like a choreographed line dance flash mob or surprise live performance. It introduces the destination immediately, without asking attendees to clap along before caffeine.

After meetings, move into a collaborative songwriting workshop, Build-a-Guitar CSR project, or do a Broadway scavenger hunt. Before dinner, let guests make or personalize something they will actually take home, whether that means shaping a hat, customizing a pearl-snap shirt, fitting a pair of boots, or choosing handcrafted leather goods.

For dinner, move to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, where planners can choose among spaces that range from the Hall of Fame Rotunda to the 10,000-square-foot Event Hall. The latter can accommodate up to 600 guests for a reception, and a full museum buyout can give attendees access to event spaces and exhibits throughout the building. It turns a Nashville landmark into part of the evening rather than simply another stop on the itinerary.

After, offer an optional Broadway route with a few planned stops. Dueling pianos at Bayou Keys, a “2 Piña Coladas” moment at Friends in Low Places, or a vinyl DJ set at Vinyl Vault give guests structure without making the night feel like a mandatory field trip.

Plan for Nashville realities

Spring and fall dates book quickly, while January has also become a more active month for meetings. Check the city calendar before signing contracts because CMA Fest, major concerts, Titans games, awards events, and college football weekends can affect room rates, traffic, and availability.

Although Nashville is walkable within individual neighborhoods, it is not one continuous pedestrian district. Budget for transportation between downtown, Midtown, 12 South, and off-site venues. Vintage trolleys can turn the transfer itself into part of the Nashville experience.

Summer brings heat, humidity, and afternoon rain. Keep an indoor backup ready, such as Puttshack, PopStroke, or Pins Mechanical Co.

Keep an eye on what’s next

Nashville keeps adding reasons for repeat groups to return. Dolly Parton’s SongTeller Hotel is preparing to bring a hotel, performance spaces, and the Life of Many Colors Museum downtown. The new Nissan Stadium and broader East Bank redevelopment will introduce additional possibilities for sports, entertainment, and large programs, with Nashville set to host Super Bowl LXIV in 2030. Nashville Yards is growing too, with The Pinnacle, Earls Kitchen + Bar, and Ocean Prime contributing to a district that already works well for meetings and events.

So, what should your group do in Nashville? Start with the music they came for, then introduce them to the food, neighborhoods, makers, and countryside they did not expect.

Explore Nashville with Cohera to find the right venues, hotels, and experiences for your next program, plus plenty of stories your attendees will talk about long after the flight home.