The Complete Nashville Sports Trip Guide for 2026

Your Complete Guide to a Nashville Sports Trip

Nashville has quietly become one of the best sports trip destinations in the country. You have got NFL, NHL, and MLS all in a compact, walkable city that also happens to have the best food, bar, and live music scene in the South. A Nashville sports weekend gives you the rare combination of real games and a city that keeps going long after the final whistle.

Here is everything you need to know.

The Teams and Venues

Tennessee Titans -- Nissan Stadium / New Stadium

The Titans play at Nissan Stadium right across the Cumberland River from downtown. The walk across the pedestrian bridge from Broadway to the stadium on game day is one of the best pre-game walks in the NFL. The new enclosed stadium is on the way, so check which venue you will be heading to when you book.

Titans tailgating happens in the lots around Nissan Stadium and it is solid -- not the biggest in the NFL, but the proximity to downtown means you can pregame on Broadway and walk over.

Pro Tip: Start on Broadway, hit a few honky-tonks, walk across the bridge about 90 minutes before kickoff, and soak in the game day scene along the river. Perfect setup.

Nashville Predators -- Bridgestone Arena

Bridgestone Arena is right on Broadway, which is the best arena location in the NHL. You literally walk out of the game and you are in the middle of the action. Preds games have incredible energy -- the crowd is loud, the catfish throwing tradition is bizarre and amazing, and the postgame options are endless because you are already downtown.

Pro Tip: Preds games are the best bang for your buck in Nashville sports. Tickets are reasonable, the atmosphere is great, and you do not need to plan any transportation since you are already on Broadway.

Nashville SC -- Geodis Park

Nashville SC plays at Geodis Park, which opened in 2022 and is the largest soccer-specific stadium in the US and Canada. The supporters section is rowdy, the stadium is modern and well-designed, and the atmosphere for a big MLS match is genuinely impressive. It is located in the Wedgewood-Houston neighborhood, a short rideshare from downtown.

Pro Tip: Combine a Nashville SC match with a Predators game if the schedule lines up. Saturday afternoon soccer, Saturday night hockey -- that is a full day of sports in one city.

The Neighborhoods

Broadway and Downtown

This is the main event. Lower Broadway is a strip of honky-tonks, rooftop bars, and live music venues that runs from the river to about 5th Avenue. It is loud, it is crowded, and it is a blast. Key stops:

• Tootsie's Orchid Lounge -- the most famous honky-tonk on Broadway. Multiple floors, live music all day.
• Robert's Western World -- more traditional country, slightly less chaotic than Tootsie's. The fried bologna sandwich is a must.
• Acme Feed and Seed -- rooftop bar with great views of the river and the pedestrian bridge.
• Jason Aldean's / Luke Bryan's / etc. -- the newer celebrity bars are big, flashy, and have rooftop areas with views.

Midtown and Music Row

A slightly more laid-back scene compared to Broadway. Good restaurants, solid bars, and walkable from Vanderbilt's campus. Check out The Patterson House for craft cocktails or Hattie B's for hot chicken (more on that below).

The Gulch

Just south of Broadway, the Gulch is Nashville's trendy neighborhood with upscale restaurants, boutique shops, and the famous "What Lifts You" wings mural. Good brunch spots and a more chill vibe for a daytime hangout.

East Nashville

Across the river, East Nashville is the hip, local-favorite side of town. Great coffee shops, dive bars, and restaurants. Five Points is the hub. This is where you go when you want a break from the Broadway energy.

Food -- Do Not Leave Without Eating These

Hot Chicken (Non-Negotiable)

Nashville hot chicken is a must. Here is where to go:

• Prince's Hot Chicken -- the original. No frills, just legendary chicken. Get Medium unless you have something to prove.
• Hattie B's -- the most popular spot with tourists. The line is long but it moves. Multiple locations.
• Bolton's Spicy Chicken and Fish -- a local favorite that is a bit less crowded than Hattie B's. Equally excellent.

Pro Tip: Order a level below what you think you can handle. Nashville hot is not playing around. Medium at Prince's will humble you.

Other Must-Eats

• Martin's BBQ -- whole hog barbecue, brisket, the works. The Belmont location is great.
• Biscuit Love -- brunch spot in the Gulch. The bonuts (biscuit donuts) are absurd.
• Pharmacy Burger Parlor -- East Nashville. One of the best burgers in the city with a huge beer garden.

Where to Stay

• Downtown / Broadway area: Most convenient but most expensive. You are walking distance to Bridgestone Arena and everything on Broadway. Expect $200-400+ per night.
• Midtown: 10-15 minute rideshare to Broadway, more affordable, near good food. $150-250 per night.
• East Nashville Airbnb: Best value for a group. A 3-4 bedroom house split among your crew can run $50-75 per person per night, and you are a short rideshare from everything.

Pro Tip: If there are 4 or more of you, an Airbnb in East Nashville or Germantown is the move. You get way more space, a kitchen for pregaming, and it is cheaper per person than downtown hotels.

Getting Around

• Walking covers most of Broadway and downtown.
• Rideshare is easy and affordable for getting between neighborhoods. Budget $8-15 per ride.
• Scooters are everywhere and are a fun way to get around if you are not too many drinks deep.
• You do not need a rental car unless you are planning day trips outside the city.

Budget Breakdown (Per Person, 3-Night Weekend)

Planning It Out

The ideal Nashville sports trip is Thursday night through Sunday. Arrive Thursday evening, hit Broadway, catch a game Friday or Saturday, explore the neighborhoods, eat your weight in hot chicken, and fly out Sunday afternoon.

Use BroTrip to coordinate your crew on dates, figure out which games line up with everyone's schedule, and compare costs. Nashville is one of those cities where having a loose plan is way better than having no plan -- there is too much good stuff to leave it all to chance.

Nashville delivers every single time. Just pace yourself on Broadway. It is a marathon, not a sprint.