Layover In Nashville – The Ultimate Guide 2024

The great thing about having a stopover in Nashville is you can guarantee you are going to be very well entertained. Nashville International Airport is located in the city suburbs around eight miles south of Downtown. It's a dual service airport with four runways and one terminal building which handles both public and military flights.

Public transport from Nashville Airport into the city is limited to shuttle bus services, taxis, private hire vehicles like limousines, or personal car hire. All transport services, including hotel buses, are located in the main Ground Transportation Center which can be reached via a covered pedestrianized walkway. The journey into Nashville from the airport by bus takes on average fifteen to twenty minutes but depends greatly on traffic and the number of stops the shuttle bus is pre-booked to make. When you're on a short layover you'll find a taxi or private hire will get you into Nashville a lot quicker but will cost a little extra. That's a worthwhile expense if it means you get to see at least some of the sights on your stopover in Music City.

6 hour layover in Nashville

When you're on a short layover of six hours or less and are feeling pushed for time, you don't need to head into Nashville to hear some country music. If you can't leave your bags at the check-in for your connection, drop them at a Nashville luggage storage facility for a couple of hours and have a wander around the airport. You'll soon find a musician playing and singing their heart out. There are several live performances every day at Nashville Airport usually starting around midday and lasting for a couple of hours as well as from two to four in the afternoon and quite often later.

• If country, bluegrass, rockabilly or Nashville sound isn't your thing, head to the duty-free area and purchase some earplugs, as you are having your layover in completely the wrong place.
• You can't be in Nashville, even if it is only the airport, and not try Nashville hot and spicy fried chicken. Follow your nose to Concourse C where you'll find 400 Degrees frying it up in traditional Nashville style.

8 hour layover in Nashville

While an eight-hour Nashville layover is short, you can still fit in at least a couple of the main sights. Head straight to Downtown by bus, taxi, or limo if your budget permits it and visit the world-famous Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. If you want to totally confuse your family and friends about where you're having your stopover, take a selfie standing in front of Nashville's Parthenon. The full-sized replica of the well-known Greek monument could convince everyone you're in Athens rather than in Tennessee.

• You can listen to live country music even if you're on a daytime layover by heading down Broadway. There's live music being played almost continuously day and night, but don't get too carried away with the partying or you'll be late getting back to the airport for your Nashville connection.
• For alternative entertainment on your Nashville layover pay a visit to the Frist Art Museum.

10 hour layover in Nashville

Trying to cram too much into a ten-hour layover in Nashville is a big mistake. Choose a couple of things that you really can't live without doing and enjoy them at a leisurely pace. One of the best ways to see Nashville without exhausting yourself is by using the Hop-On Hop-Off Trolley. The trolley makes a ninety-minute long circuit of the city and makes stops outside of the fourteen main points of interest where you can disembark then re-board when the next trolley passes by.

• For something quite a bit livelier than the hop-on hop-off bus, tour Nashville on the Party Tractor. The tractor pulls a trailer that has a bar and dance floor and makes a seventy-five-minute tour of the streets while you party.
• If none of the above two options suit, try hiring a golf cart and taking a self-guided tour of the sights instead.

12 hour layover in Nashville

Tennessee has plenty of culinary treasures you really need to try. Having a twelve-hour Nashville layover is a good moment to get your teeth into some of them as well as a few Nashville is renowned for. One way to be introduced to the Nashville food scene is by joining a small group food and sightseeing tour. Combining the two activities means you won't miss out on the main sights and by the time you're ready to head back to the airport for your Nashville connection, you'll have been well fed too.

• See something different to country music by checking out Nashville's murals. They're dotted all over town so you might find searching for them less time-consuming if you go with a guide.
• Let off steam and have a scream on your Nashville layover by going ziplining in the woodlands of White Creek.

24 hour layover in Nashville

You can really let your hair down when you have an overnight layover in Nashville. If you want to do something like catch a show at the Grand Ole Opry or take the backstage tour, make sure to book it well in advance of arriving for your stopover in Nashville or you could find they're both completely sold out for the date you're there. If that happens and you can't get to see a show at the Grand Ole Opry, compensate by going on a craft brewery and distillery pub crawl where you get to sample plenty of locally brewed beer and moonshine.

• Get totally starstruck by taking a guided coach tour around the mansions of the famous country singers who have made Nashville their home.
• Get spooked by going on a walking tour of Nashville's most haunted locations. Ghost tours take around two hours on average and not surprisingly, are usually held at night. Be prepared as you never know what ghoul you'll see.