No one needs to tell you that Nashville is a popular vacation destination. Located in the heart of sunny Tennessee, it is home to more than just a happening music scene.
With fabulous food, rolling hills, adorable farms, wonderful hikes, and good shopping, it’s well worth a week of your time to visit. Even if you don’t love music, Nashville is a great stop on your US tour.
Its unique blend of Americana and modernity makes it the perfect place to experience the South, especially since you can do it on the cheap – assuming you have the right tricks on hand, of course.
Hello, we’re here to help! The following guide will break down the average Nashville trip costs into accommodations, flights, food and drink, activity, and transportation sections, so you can get a good look at how to budget smart.
Average Trip to Nashville Cost in 2024
An average one-week trip to Nashville for two people will cost around $3,500:
- Average Accommodation Cost: $150 per night
- Average Flight Cost: $250 per person
- Food, Drink & Activities: $125 per person, per day
- Transportation: $200 total
- Total Cost: $3,500
Nashville is not an overly expensive city, so you won’t get gouged just by existing the way you do in some European cities. On average, you can expect to pay about what you would in any American city.
There are some things to note financially.
For one thing, Nashville has a sales tax of more than 9 percent. If you come from one of the five states that don’t have sales tax, this can be a shock (and is hefty even for those who are used to paying it). You should also expect to tip in Nashville.
Restaurants, drivers, and tour guides are all used to tips between 15% and 20%, so plan accordingly. In general, though, Nashville is a budget-friendly destination, as long as you take the time to make a good plan.
Nashville Trip Cost: Average by Item
The corner of Broadway and 4th Avenue with restaurants, bars, hotels and skyscrapers along the street and parked cars and trucks in Nashville Tennessee USA/Marcus E Jones/Shutterstock
The average cost of any trip is a little hard to predict. If you’re a budget-conscious traveler who loves to camp, eat from the grocery store, and do All The Free Things, then you’re obviously going to have an easy time stretching your funds.
If, however, you like to “do it right,” you’re going to need a little more money for nicer lodging, dinners out, and perhaps a tour or two.
Either way, it helps to know the starting average for a trip. That way, you can see where your money will likely go and adjust to fit your own idea of good travel.
Accommodation Costs
Nashville hotels aren’t cheap, given the popularity of the city and the frequency of musical events. An average price hovers around $200, but you can find plenty of cheaper deals if you search frequently and stay in incognito mode, which keeps costs down.
It’s not uncommon to find hotels for $100 or $125 if you look hard, so on average, we estimate you’ll be fine on a budget of $150 a night.
Flight Costs
Flights to Nashville are pretty reasonable. From Los Angeles, you’ll pay about $300 on average for a round-trip ticket, while from New York City, it’s closer to $150.
From a smaller destination such as Boise or Fargo, plan to pay about $400. From anywhere in the country, you’re looking at only $250 as a rough average.
You can bring that number down by buying your ticket in the magic window of 6 weeks to 5 months before your planned departure date. This is when airlines strike a nice balance of cheaper flights with plenty of choice left.
Food, Drink & Activity Costs
Grand Ole Opry in Nashville – NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE – JUNE 15, 2019/4kclips/Shutterstock
Nashville is a little different than other cities, because so many people who come here are doing so in order to experience a musical event.
Depending on if you’re paying big to see a show at Nissan Stadium or the Grand Ole Opry, or you just want to hit up a café for some calm live music, the costs will vary significantly.
For instance, “On average, tickets to see the Grand Ole Opry will cost you $179.30 a ticket,” says TicketSmarter. “Fans will see cheap Grand Ole Opry tickets listed on our site for just $46.00 a ticket.
Those not worried about sticking to a budget can find Grand Ole Opry concert tickets going for $1413.00 a piece for seats near the front of the stage.” That’s a good average for concert tickets at any large venue in the city.
On the other hand, a small listening lounge or festival ticket might cost $50. It all comes down to the time of year, the band or event, the location, and other factors. (See more on saving money when buying tickets in our FAQ section.)
Naturally, you don’t have to spend through the nose to have a good time in Nashville. A ticket to see the Country Music Hall of Fame is around $25, while the art museum is $15.
Walking tours are free or only a few dollars if you want audio with that. Food is about what you’d pay anywhere else in the US, so you can eat on $50 a day if you’re pretty spartan, less if you only eat from the grocery store and more if you like to dine out.
Overall, plan about $125 for daily activities, food, and drinks. This should enable a few dinners out, a couple of music events, and cheap eating the rest of the time.
Transportation Costs
Here’s the thing about Nashville: there’s a lot to do in the area, and it’s really nice to have a car. From touring the breweries or heading to concerts, hiking the hills or taking an overnight trip to the Great Smoky Mountains (4 hours away), your own vehicle is a nice option when traveling.
If you can drive to Nashville, then, I recommend you do so. Assuming it’s less than 8 hours or so from your home, I say hop on in and tootle down, because then you’ll have ultimate freedom while you’re here.
If you live farther away than that, consider renting a car. If you price shop, you can find one for about $35 a day or so. Not interested in driving outside the city?
Then the smartest thing to do is use the public transportation. A 2-hour pass is only $2, while an all-day pass will run you just $4. That’s a pretty crazy deal, especially if you want to run all over town, take walking tours, see the main sights, and so on.
Overall, plan to spend about $200 total. This should pay for a cab ride from the airport, a few days’ worth of car rental so you can see the mountains or countryside, and plenty of public transport.
Things to Consider
NASHVILLE, TN, USA – APRIL 28, 2021: The Bridgestone Arena is home to the Nashville Predators, located in the downtown Nashville. The Visitor Information Center is to help guests find things to do./Joseph Hendrickson/Shutterstock
Here are a few other things to consider when planning your trip to Nashville:
- The Nashville Visitor Center is well-equipped to answer all your questions. There, you can find maps, tickets, special deals on activities in the city, gifts, and advice from experts whose entire job it is to ensure you have a great trip. Especially if you want to make the most of your time in Nashville music-wise, this is the place to go (or call while in the planning stages).
- If you’re disabled, the Nashville Visitor Center is also a perfect resource. They have all the info you need on finding venues and activities that are ADA-accessible.
- The City of Nashville will mail you a visitors guide ahead of time. All you have to do is go to this page and enter your shipping information, and you’ll get one free of charge. This is invaluable for making the most of your time.
- Try listening to the local radio station. In Nashville, DJs try to feature lots of new and local artists, so it’s a great way to find new performers you’ll love long after your trip is over. Plus, you might find out about shows around town you wouldn’t have otherwise.
Frequently Asked Questions
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE – AUGUST 20, 2018: Honky-tonks on Lower Broadway. The district is famous for the numerous country music entertainment establishments./Sean Pavone/Shutterstock
Here are some frequently asked questions about budgeting your trip to Nashville:
Should I drive to Nashville?
If you can bring your own car to Nashville, it’s a smart thing to do. If you can’t, renting a car is a pretty affordable option, though you’ll spend a few hundred dollars to do it. Still, you’ll be able to see the surrounding countryside, with its rustic barns, rolling hills, and oodles of hiking trails.
Therefore, we recommend renting a car only if your interest in the area lies outside city limits. If you’re only interested in the Nashville-ness of it all – food, music, shopping, and nightlife – then skip the cars and use the city’s awesome public transportation.
What’s the weather like in Nashville?
Nashville has a subtropical climate. That means it has four distinct seasons: a cold winter with rain and occasional snow, a mild spring and fall, and a warm and humid summer. At no time of the year does the weather become extreme.
Because of this, you can visit Nashville all year round and have a blast. In the winter, make sure to bring your boots and sweaters, as well as your jackets and knit caps. In summer, you’ll want those sandals and cutoff shorts for sure.
Rain in Nashville is pretty evenly spread throughout the year (see a precipitation table here), so make sure to bring appropriate layers.
When is the cheapest time to visit Nashville?
Nashville is most expensive in the summer, when the city plays host to all kinds of events, festivals, concerts, and more. This is when you’ll be fighting large crowds of tourists who are there for a specific reason, so prices will go up and lodgings will become more cramped and less affordable.
May, September, and October, though they’re outside summer, often fall into the summer prices category as well.
The cheapest time of year is between January and March. Winter is the low season in Nashville – except for the holidays, when the city dresses up and there’s a pleasantly festive snap in the air. If you want to save the most money, opt for the post-holiday months.
Hoping to strike a balance between pleasant weather and cost? Late spring and late fall are your best options.
How can I save money on concert tickets?
One of the best ways to save money on tickets is to buy a multi-day pass to festivals. While a single day at the CMA Music Festival, for instance, can cost around $200, a four-day pass is only about $300. If you’re a country music fan, you could easily build an entire week-long trip around this in Nashville.
If you don’t want to dedicate your entire visit to a festival or concerts, you can still save money by buying your tickets presale, purchasing a standing-room-only ticket, and price-shopping.
We always advise doing the latter in incognito mode to avoid saving cookies on your browser that will up prices on your next visit.
Pro tip: before buying a ticket, always contact the venue directly to see if there are any deals from which you might benefit. You’d be surprised at what isn’t listed on ticket vending sites.
What are the cheapest activities in and around the city?
The cheapest activities in and around Nashville definitely involve your feet. Self-guided tours of the city are always fun and free, while hiking in the countryside will cost you (at most) the price of a park entrance fee, though for many there isn’t one.
Other cheap activities include picnicking, going to museums, and taking a driving tour of the city’s main musical destinations.
Over to You — Book Your Trip Today!
| 🛎️ Average Accommodation Cost | $150 per night |
| ✈️ Average Flight Cost | $250 per person |
| 🍽️ Food, Drink & Activities | $125 per person, per day |
| 🚕 Transportation | $200 total |
| 💲 Total Cost | $3,500 |
The average cost of a one-week trip to Nashville is around $3,500 for two people. If you’re dying to see Music City and all it has to offer, it’s a pretty small price to pay. Happy travels!