The 5 worst tourist traps in Nashville and where to go instead

I've lived in Nashville for 24 years, and there are a few places that locals just don't frequent. For example, overrated restaurants, overhyped excursions, or trendy social-media spots can all be tourist traps, and locals typically opt for different destinations.

Here are five tourist traps to look out for on your next visit to Music City, and where to go instead.

Nashville's bustling Broadway is lined with honky-tonks and bars featuring live music 24/7, but they are often crowded, overpriced, and overhyped.

The Bluebird Cafe in Green Hills, just eight miles from Broadway, is the antithesis of those music spots. This legendary listening room has been open for more than 40 years and hosts up-and-coming artists and songwriters as well as established musicians weekly.

Artists like Taylor Swift, Garth Brooks, and Keith Urban have all performed at The Bluebird. The cafe was also featured on ABC's hit show "Nashville."

Reservations are recommended at The Bluebird as the small club only seats 90 people.

Nashville is known for its various murals painted on buildings throughout the city, and they've become photo-op hotspots for tourists.

Perhaps the most recognizable is the "What Lifts You" mural, painted by artist Kelsey Montague. The mural, which depicts two white angel wings, often has tourists lined up waiting to snap their picture in front of it.

TikTok user @danielpantoja39 captured one of these lines in a now-viral video.

Instead of waiting in line to take the same photo every other Nashville visitor will have, I'd recommend heading over to the John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge.

The bridge, just one street over from Broadway, extends over the Cumberland River and is the perfect vantage point to take photos of the Nashville skyline. Plus, given that the bridge is so long, there's no need to wait in line to get your photo taken.

When visiting Nashville, it's easy to be overwhelmed by the plethora of food options. While many of them truly are great, some are obvious tourist traps — like the Hard Rock Cafe or Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville.

While Margaritaville is a cute and kitschy Caribbean-themed restaurant and the Hard Rock Cafe has cool music memorabilia, they are hardly Nashville staples.

So if you're looking for a genuine Nashville eatery, try going to the Loveless Cafe instead.

The Loveless Cafe has been serving all kinds of Southern comfort food for over 70 years, but they're most famous for their biscuits. These buttery delights are served complimentary with your meal, and the cafe churns out close to 10,000 per day, according to their website.

The restaurant, a 30-minute drive from downtown, has been visited by hundreds of famous faces over the years, as evidenced by the autographed photos that line the walls, and people come from all over to enjoy the legendary food.

If you've ever visited Nashville, you've probably seen one of its infamous pedal taverns where riders sit alongside a carriage while a tour guide controls the steering wheel and breaks.

These taverns are probably the most popular tourist trap in Nashville, and while they might seem like a good idea, they're pretty costly and not the best way to see the city.

According to the Nashville Pedal Tavern website, a ride on the bike bar costs $49 per person if you want to hop on solo, or $490 minimum for a private tour with a small group.

Personally, I think a better option would be a ride on Nashville's Old Town Trolley Tours.

While alcohol is not permitted on the trolley, other food and drink are allowed. Tours start at $42.95 per person, and passengers can enjoy a 13-stop tour of the city.

The 90-minute ride covers more than just Broadway, and riders can get off at one stop and reboard at another. Some stops included on the tour are The Gulch, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, and the Belmont Mansion, to name a few.

The Nashville Predators and the Tennessee Titans, Nashville's NHL and NFL teams, draw thousands of sports fans to the city each year, but there's a new team in town for visitors to root for.

The Nashville Soccer Club, aka Nashville SC, is the city's new soccer team. Nashville SC joined the league in 2020 and plays in the newly built Geodis Park. According to the Nashville SC website, the stadium seats 30,000. And with tickets as low as $22, it's a great budget-friendly activity.

So the next time you visit Nashville, remember that Nashville offers more than just football and hockey.