How to Spend a Perfect Fall Day in Nashville

We are quickly approaching the best time of the year to visit Nashville: fall. What they say about the Deep South is true. We have two seasons: hot and cold. But for a few weeks around mid to late October, this is a dream place to visit. I already know what my perfect Nashville day would look like, and I’m going to share it with you.

First things first, you have to start your morning with coffee. Humphrey’s Street Coffee quickly became my favorite place for coffee and a light breakfast when I moved here. Some days I like hot coffee, and some days I prefer cold brew. Humphrey’s has it all, and you would be remiss not to get a piece of avocado toast with feta cheese and prosciutto. I know, total millennial move, but the heart wants what it wants.

My favorite days when I’m not working are spent walking the trails at J. Percy Priest Lake. When the leaves are changing colors, there’s no better time to take it all in. And being a 15-minute drive from downtown Nashville makes it a very easy trip.

Before I lived in Nashville, I couldn’t make a trip here without eating lunch at Burger Up. If my metabolism allowed me to eat their truffle fries every day of the week, I definitely would. And my favorite location is in the 12 South area of Nashville. After lunch, you can practically spend the rest of the afternoon walking around Sevier Park, going into shops (White’s Mercantile is one of my favorites), stopping for a drink at one of the bars (12 South Taproom, for sure), or getting dessert (Jeni’s Ice Cream is good, but you haven’t lived until you’ve had a Five Daughters donut).

Eventually, you’ll need to make your way back toward downtown, because you don’t want to watch the sunset anywhere except a hotel rooftop bar. If you venture back downtown early enough, you’ll have enough time to explore before you take in the view. If country music is your thing, Broadway is where you want to be. Each venue has live country music going on at almost every hour of the day. If you’re not so hot on country, Printer’s Alley might be better for you, with its venues to watch sports or take in jazz music.

But you won’t want to get too caught up in the music scene, because you’ve got to catch the sunset. And if you come to Nashville on the right day, you can watch it with the AF + Beacon Young Professionals Society on the rooftop of a hotel in the Gulch, one of the trendiest areas in Nashville. The great thing about the Gulch is that there is no shortage of things to do! After spending dusk with your fellow liberty-minded friends, you’ll definitely want to grab a quick dinner at Otaku Ramen before taking in more live music at one of the many venues in the city. If you are lucky enough to get tickets for a show at the Ryman, you have to take advantage of it! It’s the best way to end a day in Nashville.

If it seems like there’s no shortage of things to do in Nashville, you’re right. I’ve lived here for almost a year now and I feel like I’ve barely scratched the surface. But if you do find yourself here, be sure to let me know. I have many more recommendations where that came from!