By Jennifer Cuellar, on October 8, 2019

Planning a Legendary Bachelor Party in Nashville

A wedding is a wonderful thing. Like most wonderful things, it doesn’t happen by accident. As you’ve by now discovered, wedding planning is a long process filled with decisions you never thought you’d be asked to make. (How many different wedding invitation borders do they make, anyway?) Weddings are worth it, but they can be hard work. Well, work hard, play hard, right? Groom, welcome to your Nashville bachelor party!

The best Nashville bachelor party ideas are centered around food, drinks, and music. After all, Nashville is known for all these things. Read on for things to do in Nashville for a bachelor party that your buddies will be talking about for years to come…if they can remember it!

For Thrill Seekers

A colorful climbing wall at Climb Nashville, an exciting and challenging Nashville bachelor party idea
Via Climb Nashville/Yelp.com

Bond with your bros and enter some friendly competition at Climb Nashville, an indoor rock climbing facility with walls geared toward every level of experience. You know safety comes first and the real test is whether you can beat your personal best…but admit it, wouldn’t it be fun to watch the best man chicken out while you climb to new heights?

For Men in Black

The historic lights outside Johnny Cash Museum, a must-stop for your Nashville bachelor party
Via Matt C./Yelp.com

The man, the myth, the legend: Johnny Cash was a force to be reckoned with both on and off the stage. Learn more about his legendary life and career at the Johnny Cash Museum, where artifacts and memorabilia relating to his life and work will spark a new appreciation for the Man in Black. Afterward, visit the café and discuss the roots of rock ‘n’ roll with your friends over coffee.

For Hot Stuff

A plate of Nashville hot chicken at Prince's Hot Chicken—a fun food challenge for your bachelor party in Nashville
Via Jeff D./Yelp.com

Though Nashville is known for several hearty dishes and delicious cheap eats, one local specialty is unlike anything you’ll find outside of the city: Nashville hot chicken.

What’s hot chicken?

It’s a batter-dipped piece of chicken, fried until crispy, covered in spicy sauce, and served with pickle slices on a piece of white bread.

You simply can’t leave town without trying it. While there’s plenty of competition over who makes the best hot chicken in town, it’s widely accepted that Prince’s Hot Chicken is the original and still one of the best in Nashville.

For Brews Brothers

A tasting flight of local beers in various colors and glassware—perfect for a Nashville guys trip.
Via Master1305/Shutterstock.com

Nashville takes pride in its lived-in local bars. For a chance to check out a whole slew of brewhouses and also learn some nifty Nashville history, book a guided pub crawl tour with the boys. Hey, if you’ve got to get some exercise, it helps to be incentivized with some nice cold drinks in unique watering holes!

For Getting Whiskeyed Away

Five bottles of whiskeys and gin at Nashville Craft Distillery with tasting cups on the granite bar, ready for a Nashville bachelor party
Via Jose M./Yelp.com

What do you drink at a bachelor party in Nashville? (What DON’T you drink at a bachelor party in Nashville?) For a classic Southern experience, your bachelor party Nashville bash should certainly include Tennessee whiskey. So why not go straight to the source and take a tour of Nashville Craft Distillery? The $12 tour, led by the distillers themselves, will teach you a thing or two about how liquors are made and includes three samples. Nashville Craft Distillery’s product doesn’t end at whiskey—they also produce such inventive products as Golden Biscuit Sorghum Spirit and a spiced honey liqueur.

For man-sized appetites

The hearty Rib Platter with cornbread, bean salad, and mac and cheese at Edley's Bar-B-Que—an awesome place to eat in Nashville
Via Edley’s Bar-B-Que/Yelp.com

If you know one thing about the South, it’s probably that the food is make-a-grown-man-cry good. From pit-smoked barbecue to cool bourbon cocktails, Nashville is home to so many mouthwatering flavors, you may never want to go home. But that wouldn’t be fair to your other half, would it? Relax and dig into your bachelor party dinner. Nashville knows how to fuel any guys’ trip.

  • Edley’s Bar-B-Que – A Nashville staple that, fortunately, has several locations throughout the city, Edley’s is widely considered to be one of Nashville’s best barbecue joints. Since you can’t leave Music City without digging into a plate of slow-cooked pork or barbecue ribs, you might as well skip the competition and go for the best.
  • Tavern – You’ll see this gastropub on a lot of “best-of” Nashville restaurant lists. That’s not a coincidence. Tavern serves pub grub favorites, kicked up a notch. Wagyu burgers, garlic-laden Tuscan fries, and short rib tacos are all on the menu. So are dozens of craft beers—and you should definitely order the craft beer flight.
  • Jimmy Kelly’s Steakhouse – If you can’t go big at your bachelor party, when can you? Jimmy Kelly’s Steakhouse is housed in a stately brick mansion, its dining rooms bathed in warm mellow lighting and decked with oil paintings. Favorites like the Cowboy Steak (a 20 oz bone-in ribeye) and the classic cheeseburger (made with a blend of ground tenderloin, sirloin, and ribeye) have kept Jimmy Kelly’s open for 85 years.
  • Henley – In the (let’s face it) highly likely case that you overdo it one night during your Nashville TN bachelor party, get the gang over to Henley for breakfast or brunch. The breakfast burrito or black pepper biscuits and gravy will restore you to life. If you need a little hair of the dog to help you recover, there are plenty of unique house drinks on the menu.

Nashville Nightlife, Naughty and Nice

A corridor of tables and booths with chandeliers overhead in House of Cards, a historical bar under the Johnny Cash Museum
Via House of Cards/Yelp.com

There’s something about those sultry Nashville nights that makes a man want to party. Grab the guys and head to one of these cool venues for a memory-making evening.

  • Ibiza Night Club – Ibiza is the Nashville hotspot for pulsing beats, colorful lights, and a packed dance floor. The DJs spin all kinds of up-tempo music, but it skews toward Latin styles like salsa, cumbia, and reggaetón.
  • The Second Fiddle – Come on, you’re in Nashville! Let loose at this down-home honky-tonk saloon. Live country music every night, zero cover charge, and antique Americana furnishings make Second Fiddle a hoedown you won’t soon forget.
  • Skull’s Rainbow Room – A sexy speakeasy-style nightclub that dates to 1948, Skull’s Rainbow Room is a haven of low lighting, craft cocktails, and sizzling performances. There’s live jazz every night, and a burlesque show is staged each Thursday through Saturday.
  • The Lipstick Lounge – More than just a bar, the LGTBQ-friendly Lipstick Lounge is a come-as-you-are hangout spot with karaoke, live music, trivia nights, food, drinks, and plenty of fun.

Best Places to Stay in Nashville for a Bachelor Party

Skyline of downtown Nashville on a sunny day with a blue sky and Cumberland River in the foreground
Via Sean Pavone/Shutterstock.com/

Nashville is a busy city. Brisket is sizzling, music careers are being made, and ice is clinking in whiskey glasses. Don’t get overwhelmed by the action. If you want to know where to stay in Nashville for a bachelor party, start by looking at hotels in Nashville near one of these nifty neighborhoods.

  • East Nashville – Here is where you’ll get your craft coffee and sip it while admiring street art. A hip and funky enclave, East Nashville is home to vintage boutiques, trendy eateries, and an artfully eclectic style.
  • Music Row – This is where the magic happens. Nashville’s famed Music Row is home to recording studios, publishers, record labels, and other indispensable gears in the music business machine. You could easily spend hours strolling the sidewalks, ducking into studios, admiring commemorative statues and plaques, and soaking in the sights and sounds of Music Row.
  • Downtown – Always exciting and full of fun, Downtown is where you’ll find saloons, music clubs, shows, and shops. Make sure to visit the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, an informative and celebratory ode to American roots music.
  • The Gulch – The luxe life is always on display in the Gulch, a sleek district marked by nice hotels, designer boutiques, and trendy restaurants. If you want to feel like James Bond while sipping a vodka martini in a swanky lounge, the Gulch is the place to do it.

Nashville hits the sweet spot between rustic and regal, down-home and party zone. You can dress up or party down as the mood strikes you. And that’s what makes Nashville so perfect for a bachelor party. Invite all your dudes, book your flights to Nashville, crank the country music, and meet your buddies on Music Row for a guys’ trip that’s sure to go down in history.

Visiting Nashville From Canada?
Q: What is the legal drinking age in the US?
A: The legal drinking age in the United States is 21 in every state.
Q: What documents does a Canadian need to enter the USA?
A: No matter how you’re arriving in the United States, whether by airplane or car or even boat, all you need is your passport. Just make sure it’s current and valid!
Q: What is the Canadian currency to USD exchange rate?
A: While the exchange rate fluctuates somewhat, the American dollar has remained stronger than its Canadian counterpart. Right now, $1.00 in Canadian currency can be exchanged for about $0.75 in American money.

Header image: Via Parilov/Shutterstock.com