Woo Girl City: A Guide for Bachelorette Parties

This content is taken from the upcoming book Nashville Local’s Guide for Visitors and Newbies, which you can support on Kickstarter by clicking the link above This article may contain affiliate links, which help me with a small compensation, at no additional cost to you.

There’s a reason why Nashville has become the ultimate bachelorette party destination—and it’s not just the honky-tonks or legendary live music. Whether it’s pedal taverns rolling through Broadway, rooftop bars with stunning skyline views, or VIP country-themed experiences, Music City delivers nonstop energy, unforgettable nights, and that perfect mix of Southern charm and big-city excitement. With endless entertainment, incredible food, and more than a few chances to dance the night away, Nashville is where brides and their crews come to celebrate in style.

Planning a bachelorette trip? Let’s dive into all the must-do activities, iconic bars, and hidden gems that make Nashville the ultimate pre-wedding getaway! 🎶💍✨

Bachelorette Capitol of the World?

Nashville started gaining popularity short before the New York Times claimed us to be a possible it city. By soem time around 2018 or 2019, it had firmly established itself as the Bachelorette Capital of the US (and possibly the world), with articles both in the local Nashville Scene and on news media outlets like CNN. Anyone who has spent time on Lower Broad can tell you how bachelorettes and their parties dominate Lower Broad. Decked out in Cowboy Boots, matching shirts, and frilled hats, they are often seen on the party buses and pedal taverns that cruise around downtown.

But let’s focus on what is important to you, the party planner. We will center around Where to Stay? and What to Do? and end with a few unique idea to make your party the best ever.

Where to Stay?

When people ask about where they should stay in Nashville, I generally point them to stay within a reasonable distance of Lower Broad (1: downtown), as that is where the central focus is for those looking for a party. In general, I focus on SoBro, or South of Broadway (area a block or two on either side of Korean Veterans Blvd), as there are many more hotel rooms and short-term rentals there, driving the price down.

This is still great advice if everyone is getting their own rooms or you are okay with grabbing a couple of units in the same building. This is often not what a bachelorette party seeks, preferring to have everyone in the same unit. Let’s look at both:

Multiple Rooms or Units?

In this scenario, look at SoBro first. The oldest hotels in this area are about 15 years old, so new by hotel standards. As such, the majority will have an outdoor pool, normally with a bar. The Burnham, on Rep. John Lewis Way at the corner of Peabody St, is all short term rentals and has studio, 1, and 2 bedroom units. Most bachelorette parties can fit in 2-3 units here and the building has a nice pool in the center. Each unit will have a full kitchen, so it is also a great choice for budget conscious parties.

If you want a bachelorette centered type of hotel, then consider the Graduate in midtown. This is the home of the Dolly Parton themed White Limozeen rooftop restaurant/bar that has the iconic statue women like to take photos of for their Insta feed.

If you would like more information on areas of the city, I will link a post with more Where to Stay advice soon.

Everyone in a Single Unit?

Your choices will get limited downtown, especially at peak times. For up to about 8 people, you can find a few units in SoBro in The Burnham and similar properties. It is still possible to find units that can house 12 or more people in a single unit around Printer’s Alley in the Arts District, as well as Germantown. For Germantown, try to stay east of Rosa Parks. There are also some larger units on the river

The larger units downtown can get rather pricey downtown, especially if they have 4+ bedrooms. Steep prices have people searching outside of downtown and nearby. The important thing here is to make sure you are in a place that is safe. If you have not consulted it yet, consider viewing the page “Keep Safe Y’all” and consult the map there. I will now hit a few areas where there are large units with some pointers.

1. Cumberland Heights (map #10, just north of area 1): Lately a lot of units have sprung up around Cumberland Heights, north of the stadium. Many of these have room to fit a party of 12, or more. A few years back this would have been a no go area, but the south end of this area is condo complexes now. I would not attempt to walk back from downtown, esp. at night, and make sure the unit looks like a new condo and not a house, as the older areas are still dicey. I would also focs on the unts west of I-65/I-24 rather than east.
2. East Nashville (area #4): If you want to walk around at night, the best spot to be is within a couple of blocks of 5 Points and within a block of Main St. There are a couple of spots here where the owner has 2 units in a single building to hit the party size, but they are right next to each other and easy enough to get everyone up on the rooftop for a drinking game. Be more leery as you move up north in East Nashville, especially on the west side of Elmington Pike. Close to Dickerson is, in general, not wise, although there are units in McFerring Park/Cleveland Park that are safe, generally closer to restaurant clusters.
3. North Nashville (area #10): I would be very wary of booking over in North Nashville (or Bordeaux on the north side of the river). The exception would be the large condo complexes between Charlotte and Clifton near where Charlotte goes under I-440. I would see exercise caution in this area and not walk around after dark if you book here. Someunits here are labeled “Green Hills”, as your search for Green Hills will tell you it is the safest area of Nashville (true, but this is NOT green hills). I think it is very deceptive and despicable, but a reality. If it says Green Hills here, think twice.
4. Centennial Park Area (Area #3, near #6 and #10): For the most part, try to stay west of 31st over here and Uber in and out at night. You can easily see the difference if you look at prices, as the ones right next to the park will be 1/2 the price of the ones on the west side of 31st, reflecting the difficulty renting them at the same price due to the neighbors in that area. Note that owners often tag these as Green Hills like the ones around Clifton.
5. The Nations (area #6): The best options are going to be on Centennial within a couple of blocks of 51st. This area is well traveled and there is even a neighborhood grocery and a dollar general to get food supplies if you are not eating out all of the time.
6. Edgehill (area #3, east of Music Row/Midtown): If you are looking in this area and it says “12 South” as the location, I would avoid it. More likely it is right next to the Edgehill Apartments or other tenements in the area. This is an “Uber safe” area, meaning avail yourself of ride share after the evening rather than walk. The areas closer to the Demonbreun Circle or the Interstate are more appealing, as these areas are gentrifying.

Beyond this, you are getting far away from downtown.

A note about parties. Bachelorette parties are generally not too bad as far as crazy blowouts are concerned, but realize many of the units have rules about noise late at night and large parties. Breaking the rules can mean expulsion before the trip is complete, so be on good behavior. Services like Airbnb and VRBO often have the option of a paid protection plan against damage. If you feel there is a risk of things getting out of hand, this can save you a lot of money.

What to Do?

Let’s start with the standard bachelorette party options first. Some of these will require reservations, while others won’t. I will provide links, where reservations are advised.

Party Options

No doubt you will be walking down Lower Broad at some point and popping into the Honky Tonks. As none have covers, feel free to bounce around (there sometimes is a facilities fee or event fee on drinks and food, but no cover to get in). I will have articles on star bars as well as other options in the future, but realize there are more than 30 bars on Lower Broad alone, most with music, and over 80 when you add in the entire downtown area.

Party Buses, Barges, and Pedal Taverns

There are various options. At the top of the article is a frame from the opening sequence on the Nashville Local’s Guide channel on YouTube. Understand that all of the following may vary in prices, with night tours costing more. Here are some options:

• Party Bus: There are a variety of options for party bus experiences. If BYOB, don’t bring champagne, glass, or kegs (NOTE: No glass means no glass, not just no alcohol in glass). Consult websites for any additional rules. Some have restrooms, others don’t, but will stop if necessary to accommodate those in need.
  • Buses: Nashville Party Barge has a boat kind of look to it. These start at $38 and are BYOB, although they do have a few items for sale. If there is anyone under 21, no alcohol is allowed. Up to 25 people. Starts at 400 Davidson St. The Ultimate Party Bus takes off from 400 Davidson, as well. Also BYOB – no glass, champagne, or kegs. Public $49/person and private starting at $495 and a max of 35 people. Honky Tonk Party Express has changed from BYOB to purchase, so no outside drinks of any sort. $49/person or $595+ for private, although they do run specials during the week, so check their site. These take off from 1343 Lewis St and you can customize apparel in their store. Upstage Party Bus has $2 and $3 drinks or you can pre-purchase drinks from the Green Light bar for a different seclection. Pickup and drop off at that bar – 833 Hawkins St. $40+/person, $600 for private (30 max). Extreme Party Nashville tbd. Party Central Nashville tbd. Rowdy Bus tbd. Party ‘N Ride tbd.
  • Military Truck: Hell on Wheels runs a party tour on a military vehicle and some of the tour funds ($479) go to Homes for Our Troops charity. Picks up at the Green Light Bar on 833 Hawkins.
  • Tractors: Nashville Tractor $20+ per, with private tours as low as $297.50 and can hold up to 35 people. Drinks between $6 and $9 and the tour starts at 747 Fesslers Lane. Nashville Party Wagon is another option for those wanting to BYOB instead. $42.99 per ticket with private tours as low as $480 for up to 20 people. Takes off from 2nd Ave N in Germantown.
    
    All of these are 21+ for public tours and will have hour limits for private tours for 21+ (usually before 5 PM or 6 PM).
    
• Pedal Taverns: If you and your party are active, the best choice is a pedal tavern from Nashville Pedal Tavern. The tours meet at 1504 Demonbreun (Demonbreun and 15th in midtown) and end near Lower Broad. All are 90 minutes long. Cost is $49+ per person or you can book an entire pedal tavern (up to 12 people) for $520. It should not be a surprise there is no restroom on board. You can pre-purchase drinks from the company or BYOB, but there are a few rules.
  • Nothing over 8% alcohol allowed.
  • No liquor or seltzers made with distilled spirits (High Noon, etc.). Seltzers must be malt or fruit based.
  • NO glass or kegs. All beverages in cans only.
  • All passengers must be 21+.
• Pedal Pontoon: Same basic experience on the river. These are $44 per person or $449 for the entire boat and can hold 16 people total (only 10 pedal). Also 90 minutes. These are BYOB only tours and under 21 can ride on a private tour (not public), but can’t drink. You can bring drinks with higher alcohol content on the river, but the no glass rule still applies. Restroom available, but open air with a privacy barrier, so more of a “must go” type of situation.
• Pontoon Saloon: Both public and private cruises. They can hold up to 47 guests on a single pontoon. Public cruises run $44-$49 and are 21+ only. Drinks for purchase onboard from $5-$10 and there is a DJ and a dance floor. Restrooms on board.
• Cruisin’ Tikis offer a more intimate tour of the river, as they only carry a max of 18 people, and run $75+/individual (1.5 hours) or $425+ for a private cruise ($100 to extend to 3 hours). These are also BYOB and can accommodate all ages.
• Nashville Toons
• River Queen Voyages

Murals

Mural on the side of Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery.

I have a map of the murals in Nashville, but have not updated it to the level of the Nashville Public Art map, which contains both murals and other artwork.

• Downtown: The easiest to find are on Lower Broad on the side of Nudies and on Legends Corner across from Assembly Hall; the stairs up to Assembly Hall also bears a mural. There is also the As long as the grass shall grow mural on the corner of the garage across from Corner Pub on 5th Ave N. The Tennessee Tough mural sits across from Yee-Haw/Ole Smokey in SoBro and there are a couple of intricate murals near Church & 6th, including the tear-insipring One day I will rescue your brother too dog mural.
• The Gulch: Very close to downtown are the famous What Lifts You mural, aka “the wings mural”. This is located on 11th Ave S on the other side of the building with the large staircase up to Demonbreun St. There are two other murals on the other side of 11th Ave S that are worth taking a picture of while you are here. Another iconic mural in this area is the Candy Hearts Mural on the side of Nashville Boot Company.
• East Nashville: East Nashville has numerous murals within a few blocks of 5 Points, including the large Nashville Strong mural on Woodland St. Rather poignent, as this area was hit by tornados in 1998 and 2020, just before the pandemic. As this is a very artsy area of the city, there are more than 3 dozen murals within 3 blocks in any direction. There is one of 3 I Believe Nashville murals here, on the side of the Basement East, which lost its roof in 2020 (quick action by the staff got everyone to safety before it blew off).
• 12 South is another hot spot for murals, with more than a dozen in 6 blocks. There is another of the I Believe in Nashville murals here. One of the neatest in this area is the one on the side of the Wanna Spoon cereal restaurant.
• There are numerous murals around North Nashville on both Jefferson and Buchanon streets. These reflect the culture of teh community and many feature well known African American artists. One of the most awe inspiring is the Walls for Women mural on the side of Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery. This colorful mural sits on 16th Ave N and spans the entire side of the building. There are a few others, including another of the I Believe in Nashville Murals.

Shopping

The main activity for shopping is looking for cowboy boots and hats. You can do this on Lower Broad, but there are ways to do this for more of an experience. I will cover both.

I will note that for other types of shopping, you should check out the Fatherland Shops in East Nashville, Marathon Village or 12 South. There are also vintage shops in East Nashville, although there is a garage sale vintage in the 5th & Broad complex.

Boots

• Low to Mid-Range boots: Betty Boots has a good selection of both hats and boots. Boot Country, the buy-1-get-2 store, has mid range boots and is a deal if you buy boots all in the same price range. You can also get a 4th boot for 1/3rd the price of the highest priced boot in your triplet. There are also 2 Boot Barn locations (Lower Broad and 2nd Ave N) in this area. On 2nd, you will also find French’s and Freebird. And Big Time Boots sits on Lower Broad between The Stage and Dirty Bastard Saloon. A well liked store is Nashville Boot Company, which sits in the Lower Gulch near the Hearts mural. It is less hectic to try on here, as there are not as many people to contend with.
• High End Boots: For higher end boots, you can go to Tecovas in the 5th & Broad complex. While fitting, they will offer those with ID a complementary margarita. Some find this to be a great experience, adding a bit of a unique experience to the shopping. There is also an Ariat store here if you want rubber soled boots (mix of comfort and style). Lucchese is in the Gulch and a good option if you go to Rustler Hat Company in the Gulch.
• Custom Boots: For true custom boots, you want Music City Leather, but you won’t get them while you are here in Nashville as these are truly one of a kind boots. It could be a great experience to fit, but they can take a few months to see the finished. A more reasonable option for time is Planet Cowboy, which is in 12 South. While not truly one of a kind, these are small-batch boots, so you are less likely to find everybody wearing the same boots as you. Downtown, I would choose Betty Boots over the other options.

Cowboy Hats

As I mentioned, Betty Boots is a good option for hats on Lower Broad. If you want a custom hat experience, book a fitting for you and your party members at Rustler Hat Company in the gulch. Planet Cowboy is another option and a good two-fer for custom boots and hats. hatWRKS on 8th Ave S is out of the craziness and has a huge selection of hats – they are more interesting for their custom hats, although the women’s hats tend to be more in the fascinator and derby hat categories.

Shirts and Other Apparel

The Honky Tonk Party Express Bus has a shop in their building to buy bachelorette party – and other – tee shirts and party apparel. It is a decent option if you are chosing their party bus. I am also working on a line of tees for this purpose and will have them up on my Etsy site soon (see below for one option).

Experiences

There are many unique things you can do in Nashville to enhance your party. Below is a list I have curated of some of the experiences you might look into.

• For murals, try a Mimosas & Murals tour, which takes you around by bus on a 3-hour tour of some of the best neighborhoods for murals. One stop includes mimosas paired with donuts. You can also contact Donut Distillery independently for this experience, without the tour.
• Do some glow in the dark splatter painting at Urban Art. Everything supplied, including coveralls and gloves to reduce the mess.
• Learn to make candy at Goo Goo Cluster on 3rd, just off Lower Broad. Class includes a chocolate tasting, taste of an original Goo Goo Cluster, and the ability to make your own Premium, personalized Goo Goo candy. NOTE: Allergy Warning: Goo goo clusters contain peanuts.

Keeping Safe

While I have covered this in more detail in the post Keep Safe Y’all, I do want to mention a few things here.

• Use the buddy system when you go out, especaily with larger parties. If you might split up, have everyone put the location of the room in their phone so it can be mapped.
• Consider going to one of the “safe bars” (any of the TC Entertainment bars, like Miranda Lambert’s Casa Rosa, Jason Aldean’s Kitchen + Rooftop Bar, Luke’s 32 Bridge, Morgan Wallen’s This Bar, or Lainey WIlson’s Bell Bottoms Up. These bars carry free drink testers for Ketamine and GHB. Note that you can also get a 2 pack of tests that also include rohypnol (Also available with 12 tests for the entire party). Should you not be able to find a coaster, the ones similar are available in larger quantities for a nominal cost.
• If you feel unsafe, most bars will understand ordering an “angel shot” is an indication you don’t feel safe and will be there to help. This is especially true at any safe bar.

Peace and Grace,