What better way to explore Nashville than with a scavenger hunt walking tour? With hundreds of top-tier attractions within a stone’s throw away from each other, you can easily immerse yourself in the city’s vibrant music scene and rich history all on foot!
Here are some of the best locations in Nashville for a team scavenger hunt, divided into neighborhoods for easy exploring.
1. Downtown Nashville Scavenger Hunt Walking Tour
Known for its live music bars, historic architecture, and exquisite cuisine, downtown Nashville is the perfect introduction to the vibrancy of Tennessee. There’s so much to do and see, with music playing at every corner and the best Southern delicacies to sink your teeth into.
Here are some of the iconic spots to visit in downtown Nashville, all included in CityHUNT’s team-based scavenger hunt challenges!
Honky Tonk Central
Start your hunt at the Honky Tonk Central, one of the largest and liveliest music venues in Nashville.
Located on the corner of 4th Avenue and Broadway, Honky Tonk Central features three floors of nonstop entertainment and live music. The venue is open every day from 11 am to 3 am, giving you and your team plenty of time to enjoy everything it has to offer.
While listening to live music, choose from a menu with over two dozen items. You have classic specialities like Honky Tonk Hot Chicken Sandwich and Beyond Burger, as well as drinks like Leah’s Key Lime Pie, The Steve Drink, and Good Time Tan Lines.
Want to take in the sights of Broadway? The third floor is the place to be. With a balcony overlooking Broadway and amenities like A/V equipment, it serves as an excellent venue for celebrations, corporate gatherings, or team-building activities.
Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge
Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge is across the street from Honky Tonk Central, about a two minute walk away. You can’t miss it; its signature pastel purple exterior can be seen miles away.
Like Honky Tonk Central, Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge has been a cornerstone of country music culture since its opening in 1960. It has hosted a number of well-known country artists, including Taylor Swift, Jason Aldean, and Dolly Parton.
The venue’s walls are covered in images of local and international music artists, and its unapologetic country-esque interior makes it feel as though you’re stepping back in time.
The bar is spacious and well-suited for an imaginative scavenger hunt, with its ample seating and open layout. But if you’re planning to bring a large group, it’s a good idea to book in advance as it can get crowded during the afternoon and evening. Tootsie’s is open every day from 9 am to 3 am.
Bridgestone Arena
With a seating capacity of 20,000 people, Bridgestone Arena is one of Nashville’s largest music and sports venues. It has hosted numerous legendary artists, including Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, Paul McCartney, and Elton John, to name a few. It also serves as a live venue for sports events like basketball, figure skating, football, gymnastics, and even bull riding.
Entry into the arena is only permitted during events, but you’re welcome to explore the surrounding area and the public outdoor plaza. Scattered about are a good variety of dining options and retail outlets, which you can use for scavenger hunting.
You’ll find a scheduled list of the upcoming events on the Bridgestone Arena website. Notable events include the Cash Money Millionaires’ 30th Anniversary Tour on June 14, WWE Friday Night SMACKDOWN on July 11, and Katy Perry’s The Lifetimes Tour on August 19.
Legend’s Corner
Next stop is the Legends Corner, only a minute’s walk away from Bridgestone Arena.
Located on the corner of 5th and Broadway, Legends Corner is another honky tonk bar that has live music spilling out of every corner.
Upon entering the venue, you’ll be greeted with walls adorned with hundreds of legendary memorabilia, including rare Elvis Presley records and a guitar signed by Johnny Cash.
The bar offers nonstop live music from 11 am to 2 am, a broad selection of drinks (including the Honky Tonk Lemonade, which is often called ‘the best in town’) and friendly, efficient service. The venue is also wheelchair accessible and provides outdoor seating.
Ryman Auditorium
Ryman Auditorium is a museum slash concert hall, located just a minute’s walk away from Legend’s Corner.
Ryman’s is considered Nashville’s “Mother Church of Country Music” due to its incredible acoustics and historic atmosphere. It served as the home of the Grand Ole Opry from 1943 to 1974 and hosted hundreds of legendary artists, including Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan, and Dolly Parton.
Today, it’s recognized as a National Historic Landmark and a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Landmark.
It’s open to curious music lovers who want to explore its storied past through guided and self-guided tours. You can walk the stage that hosted countless music legends, look inside the dressing rooms, and view exhibits featuring photos, memorabilia, and videos that detail the history of the Ryman Auditorium.
You can even visit the Ryman’s recording studio, where you can record your own songs. If your team is musically inclined, recording a song together makes for a memorable and unique experience!
2. The Gulch Scavenger Hunt Walking Tour
The Gulch is an upscale neighborhood located south of Downtown Nashville. It’s famed for its high-end boutique hotels, 5-star dining experiences, and live music venues that run from the early hours of the morning till late at night. Here’s where you should go for a scavenger hunt:
Station Inn
If you’re a fan of old world music, Station Inn is your place to be. This unassuming, down-to-earth venue is one of Nashville’s best-kept secrets and a beloved spot for authentic bluegrass, classic country, roots, and Americana performances. Places like these are quite literally one-in-a-million, as there are so few places that feature live music of these genres.
The Station Inn has seen the faces of many top-tier musicians and rising stars since 1974, including Reba McEntire, Randy Travis, and Dolly Parton.
The food is pretty incredible, too, going beyond the basic bland food that you’d find in every bar. You’ve got steak and ale pie, Moroccan Braised beef, hearty burgers, pan-fried sea bass, and Southern desserts that’ll keep you wanting to go back for more.
It’s a quaint, intimate setting that respects Southern culture, food, and music—a great introduction to The Gulch!
‘What Lifts You’ Wings Mural
Located about a 2-minute walk away from Station Inn at 302 11th Avenue Street, the ‘What Lifts You’ wings mural by Kelsey Montague is one of the most photographed spots in The Gulch. It’s a fun, free stop and a must for first-time visitors or anyone who loves street art.
You and your team can pose in front of the mural and use it as a memorable photo of an outing. Or, you can use it as a spot for a scavenger hunt! Your riddle could go something like this: “Painted by Kelsey, twenty feet tall; find this mural where art and selfies entwine.”
The team that snaps a photo of themselves against the mural first, wins!
Biscuit Love Gulch
Biscuit Love is a popular brunch spot and perfect for a food-themed clue or stop. The store bakes its own breads, biscuits, and desserts, and serves some top-tier breakfasts like fluffy omelettes, creamy cheese grits, and some of the best cappuccino you’ll ever taste. And who can forget their iconic Nashville Hot Chicken?
6th & Peabody
6th & Peabody is an Old Smoky distillery with Appalachian roots. The venue is home to some of the best drinks in Nashville, featuring a moonshine distillery, craft brewery, beer garden, and multiple food vendors in one destination.
Visitors can enjoy guided distillery tours, as well as whiskey and moonshine tastings. The venue also features large indoor and outdoor seating areas, including a spacious beer garden with games like cornhole, giant Jenga, and Connect Four.
The venue regularly hosts live music, so you can spend an enjoyable evening drinking and eating with your team. If live music isn’t on the schedule, visitors can still enjoy watching sports on the big-screen TV.
Reservations aren’t required for tastings, but tours do need to be booked in advance so be sure to plan ahead if you’re taking your team on a tour.
3. Music Row Scavenger Hunt Walking Tour
Located southwest of downtown Nashville, Music Row is known as the heart of Nashville’s entertainment industry. It’s where many Nashville artists make their mark, serving as home to numerous radio stations, record label offices, and recording studios. Beyond the studios, the area also offers some unique and interesting spots for a scavenger hunt. Let’s take a look.
Bobby’s Idle Hour Tavern
Bobby’s Idle Hour Tavern is an old-school dive bar that hosts live music almost every night.
Though small, it has a lot of heart. It has a lived-in charm with vintage barroom walls and simple stools and tables. A small stage sits at one end of the room, hosting local songwriters and musicians performing original material. It’s one of the few genuine bars that retain their personality, even as the world outside continues to change.
The food selection isn’t the most comprehensive and the drinks aren’t that imaginative, but the live music and charming atmosphere more than make up for these shortcomings.
RCA Studio B
After your stop at Bobby’s Idle Hour Tavern, head next to RCA Studio B. It’s a mere 5-minute walk from the tavern, recognizable from its red ‘RCA Victor Studio’ label.
As one of Nashville’s most storied recording studios, RCA Studio B became known as the ‘birthplace of the Nashville Sound.’
The studio ceased operation in 1977, so it’s now more of a cultural attraction than a functioning studio. Visitors can take guided tours across the studio’s galleries and step into the very room where musical legends were once recorded.
During the tour, guides share fascinating stories about the artists, their recording sessions, and the sound techniques that defined the iconic Nashville Sound. Visitors can even stand in the same spot where Elvis stood to record over 200 songs!
Edgehill Village
Edgehill Village is about a three-minute drive or about a 10-minute walk away from RCA Studio B. Edgehill Village is a small neighborhood located near the edge of Music Row and features rows upon rows of local businesses and restaurants.
You can spend an entire afternoon with the team walking in the streets, eating breakfast at Egghill, lunch at Sadie’s Nashville, and dinner at Bella Napoli Pizzeria.
To end the day, you can grab drinks at the Barcelona Wine Bar or the Old Glory. There are a lot of unique stores to see and things to do, making it a prime location for riddle scavenger hunts.
Electric Jane
The Electric Jane is an entertainment venue that serves quality food, drinks, and live music. It’s one of the biggest venues in Music Row at 7,500 square feet.
The bar has a decently extensive menu, comfortable seating, and a large stage for live performances. It’s a good place to unwind after a long day exploring Edgehill Village, listening to live music while sipping on cocktails, and enjoying the company of friends and team members.
4. Midtown Scavenger Hunt Walking Tour
Midtown is located directly west of downtown and is one of the most lively areas you can visit in Nashville. This bustling metropolis is filled with late-night cafes, bustling bars and clubs, and historic architecture that makes Nashville. Here are some must-visit spots:
The Parthenon
The Parthenon is a full-sized replica of the original Parthenon in Athens, Greece. It was originally built for Tennessee’s 1897 Centennial Exposition and now functions as an art museum.
The Parthenon houses collections of 19th- and 20th-century American paintings and statues in its lower-level galleries. The most memorable feature, however, is the 42-foot-tall statue of Athena Parthenos located in the east room. The statue is framed by a two-story colonnade and massive 24-foot-high bronze doors, considered the largest matching pair in the world.
The west room, known as the Treasury Room, displays plaster replicas of the Parthenon Marbles (also called the Elgin Marbles), which are direct casts of the original sculptures from the Athenian Parthenon.
The Parthenon also features interactive exhibits, such as those in The Role of a Replica, which lets visitors engage in mold-making, ancient technology, and art restoration.
Centennial Park
Next stop is Centennial Park, a 132-acre public park featuring dozens of cultural attractions and historic landmarks.
The many iconic attractions make it a prime location for scavenger hunts, as there are many things to see and do. You can visit Lake Watauga, catch a show at the Centennial Performing Arts Studios, browse exhibitions at Centennial Art Center, or take a stroll through the beautifully maintained sunken gardens.
Musicians Corner, located near the Parthenon, is especially popular for its free live music events and outdoor performances held regularly throughout the year.
The park is also dotted with monuments and memorials, most notably the Confederate Private Monument and the Tennessee Woman Suffrage Monument.
Musica Statue by Alan LeQuire
Located at the Division Street roundabout where Music Row meets Midtown, the Musica statue is a 40-foot-tall bronze sculpture featuring nine dancing figures. It’s the largest bronze group in the United States and a beloved symbol of Nashville’s musical spirit.
The Musica statue makes for a wonderful photo spot. One scavenger hunt idea is for the team to try to imitate the positions of the figures as closely as possible. Or, you can direct the team to the statue using a riddle!
Exit/In
Exit/In is a music venue located near Centennial Park and Vanderbilt University. It’s a medium-sized venue with a capacity of about 500. Spots fill up quickly, so make sure to make a reservation if you’re taking your team to watch a concert.
The venue previously housed performances by Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Jimmy Buffett, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
You can find a full list of upcoming performances on the Exit/In website, including ticket prices. Tickets cost between $10 and $50, depending on the artist.
Elliston Place Soda Shop
After watching an exhilarating show at Exit/In, cool down at the Elliston Place Soda Shop two minutes away.
The Elliston Place Soda Shop was built in 1939 and is one of the few places in Nashville that still captures the charm and nostalgia of a classic American diner.
It has old-school counter service, red leather booths, and a vintage soda fountain.
It’s also one of the few places in the city where you can still order hand-spun milkshakes, phosphate sodas, and traditional Southern comfort food like meatloaf, mile-high meringue pie, and pimento cheese sandwiches.
If you’re lucky, you might even catch a live show!
For the scavenger hunt, you can ask your team to snap a photo of their favorite vintage food or spot old photos on the wall and name one Nashville icon pictured.
Note that the Elliston Place Soda Shop is only open from 7:30 am to 4 pm on Monday to Saturday and 9 am to 3 pm on Sunday, so make sure you come early!
