It is no secret that Taylor Swift has her musical roots started in Nashville. And even though she hasn’t had a country album in some time, Music City is still near and dear to her heart! If you find yourself in Nashville, here are some things you should definitely check out including some of Taylor’s favorite spots.
Take a Tour of the Historic Ryman Auditorium. A Nashville must-do, the Ryman is where so many artists have started their careers, was home to the Grand Ole Opry from 1943 to 1974 and is a stage Taylor played!
“You changed my life when I stepped on your stage for the first time!”
– Taylor Swift
Take a walk down Music Row – home to Nashville’s big record labels, recording studios, and production houses. Make sure you stop by Historic RCA Studio B to see where musical titans Elvis Presley, Roy Orbison, and Dolly Parton recorded hit songs.
Head over to the Country Music Hall of Fame. They have had Taylor exhibits in the past and is home to the Taylor Swift Educational Center in Nashville.
Explore 12 South – one of Taylor’s favorite neighborhoods. There are murals aplenty, great shops, and cool restaurants to check out!
Get your Honky Tonk on at a country bar like Tootsies, Paradise Park, or Robert’s Western World.
Give in to your sweet tooth at The Goo Goo Shop. This Nashville staple has been serving up sweet treats for more than a century! We are big fans of the Premium Goo Goos.
Check out the murals in The Gulch. Some of Music City’s most well-known murals are in The Gulch and it was the temporary site of Taylor’s ME! Mural installation! You can also stop by Virago for some of Nashville’s best seafood and one of Taylor’s go-to sushi spots!
Spend some time in Hillsboro Village and grab something to eat at Fido, an all-day breakfast spot that Taylor loves. It has also been said that her go-to at Pancake Pantry is the sweet potato pancakes.
Support up-and-coming artists at the Bluebird Café, where Taylor was first discovered when she was 14. This music joint has launched many careers over the years and is one of the biggest celebrity hot spots in town as many well-known artists stop by to support their fellow artists.
Get your Nashville on with hot chicken at Hattie B’s or Prince’s Hot Chicken. No trip to Nashville is really complete without trying this culinary staple! Be warned, lines can get long as people eagerly want to try Music City’s signature dish so plan ahead or place your order online.
Make a toast and drink some whiskey – if you are of the age of course! Tennessee Whiskey flows in the Tennessee Capital and with a number of distilleries so close there are some amazing whiskey bars to check out while you’re in town like Oak Bar, No. 308, and Patterson House.
Music video locations to check out in town:
- Hume-Fogg High School – “Teardrops on My Guitar”
- Bridgestone Arena – “Picture to Burn”
- Mad Platter Cafe – “White Horse”
- Vanderbilt University’s Central Library – “The Story of Us”
- Vanderbilt University’s Alumni Hall – “The Story of Us”
- William R. Snodgrass Tennessee Tower – “Ours”
- Nashville International Airport + Bus stop 206 – “Ours”
If you have extra time and want to explore outside of the Nashville city limits, here are some other places to check out!
- Cumberland University, Lebanon, TN – “Love Story”
- Castle Gwynn (Tennessee Renaissance Festival), Arrington, TN – “Love Story”
- Pope John Paull II High School, Hendersonville, TN – “You Belong With Me”