
Exciting Activities that Everyone Who Visits Nashville Loves to Do
Nashville has grown beyond just country music into a city full of surprises in 2025.
While most tourists head to the Grand Ole Opry and Broadway’s honky-tonks, you’ll find a different side of Music City through its hidden nature spots, underground art scenes, and new food experiences.
From ghost tours at night to special studio visits, these lesser-known spots show you the real Nashville, proving there’s more to this Southern city than you might think.

Relax Out in Nature at Radnor Lake
You’ll discover a peaceful 1,368-acre nature park just minutes from downtown Nashville at Radnor Lake State Park. You can walk 7.75 miles of different hiking trails, from the easy Spillway Trail to the tough Ganier Ridge Trail, each showing you different parts of Tennessee’s natural beauty.
The park’s main feature, an 85-acre lake, brings in 211 types of birds, otters, and many plants. In summer evenings, you can watch fireflies light up the trails.
You can visit for free from 6:00 a.m. until sunset, join ranger programs, see the Barbara J. Mapp Aviary, or just enjoy some quiet time in the hills.

Live Out Music History at RCA Studio B
While Radnor Lake shows you Nashville’s natural beauty, the city’s music heartbeats at RCA Studio B, where musicians recorded over 35,000 songs between 1957 and 1977.
People call it the “Home of 1,000 Hits” because this famous studio created the Nashville Sound and many hit songs from Elvis Presley, Dolly Parton, and Roy Orbison. Hour-long tours take you back in time, showing you the original equipment and instruments.
You’ll get to listen to Elvis’s “Are You Lonesome Tonight?” in the dark, just like he recorded it. You can stand on the exact spot marked by a blue X where Elvis recorded over 260 songs.
The studio still works today as both a museum and learning center, keeping Nashville’s music history alive.

Check Out Strange Stuff at Hail, Dark Aesthetics
If you like unusual things, you’ll love Hail, Dark Aesthetics, a strange and interesting store in East Nashville’s quirky neighborhood.
You’ll find this unique shop in a dark building at 2410 Gallatin Avenue, where it’s open daily with new items coming in all the time. Inside, you’ll see stuffed animals, old medical tools, and mystical items like crystal balls and tarot cards.
Think of it as Indiana Jones meets Wednesday Addams – you’ll find everything from coyote skulls to necklaces with spider web designs. The shop even has its own mini museum showing off its weirdest and coolest items.

Join Nashville’s Big Art Party Every Month
On the first Saturday of each month, you can join thousands of art lovers exploring Nashville’s creative neighborhoods during the monthly Art Crawl.
You’ll walk through different areas from Downtown’s 5th Avenue of the Arts to the cool Wedgewood-Houston area, seeing art galleries, pop-up shows, and meeting local artists. Make sure to visit the Frist Art Museum in its beautiful Art Deco building.
Free buses take you between different areas, so you can see everything from Jefferson Street’s history to East Nashville’s alternative art spaces. The Nashville Downtown Partnership gives out maps to help you find your way, while food trucks and live music make it feel like a street party.

Try the Best Donuts in Town on a Walking Tour
If you love sweets, you’ll want to join the Underground Donut Tour, a 2-hour walk that takes you to Nashville’s best donut shops.
You’ll walk 1.5 miles and stop at four different places, including Parlor Doughnuts’ special layered donuts, Rise’s Southern-style treats, D’Andrews’ fancy creations, and Donut Distillery’s mini cake donuts.
You can take the tour Friday through Sunday, starting in the SoBro neighborhood. Meet at 506 Rep. John Lewis Way S, close to downtown. The tour works with different diets and includes all those donuts plus a drink.
You may also try out other donut shops like Donut Den if you still need more sugar rush.

Find Tomorrow’s Music Stars at The Listening Room Cafe
Music lovers flock to The Listening Room Cafe, a cozy spot that has helped launch many music careers since 2006.
You’ll find this special place in the SoBro neighborhood, where you can eat great food while watching performances by new artists and experienced songwriters. The venue moved here from Historic Franklin, TN as more people discovered it.
You’ll hear perfect sound through their top-quality system while eating their famous 18-hour smoked brisket or turkey apple crisp sandwich.
Music industry professionals often come here looking for new talent, so every show could be someone’s big break (even yours).

See Modern Art at OZ Arts Nashville
You’ll find cutting-edge art at OZ Arts Nashville, a cool cultural center in an old cigar warehouse in West Nashville. Artists from around the world perform in its huge 10,000-square-foot Grand Salon and smaller spaces.
The Ozgener family started this place in 2013 to bring new art to Nashville. In 2025, you can see amazing works like Danny Sofa’s “Passages of Light” and Soon-ho Park’s “Hyperspace.” Spring shows include international artists Faustin Linyekula and Faye Driscoll, while local artists perform in the Brave New Works Lab.
Tickets start at $20, or you can see five shows for $120, making it easy to experience new art forms.

Eat Your Way Through the New Nashville Arcade
The historic Nashville Arcade has become the city’s best food spot after a $30 million makeover finished in early 2025. Under its glass roof, you’ll find over 30 different places to eat, from quick snacks to fancy restaurants.
Try the new Ugly Bagel for fresh-baked bagels every day. You can get New Orleans food at Beignet’s & Brew, real Italian sandwiches at All’Antico Vinaio, and Japanese food with great music at 888 Vinyl.
Upstairs, the Arcade Arts Program adds culture to your meal, making this more than just a food court – it’s Nashville’s new meeting place.

Take a Spooky Night Walk Through History
After dinner, you can explore Nashville’s spooky side with ghost tours that tell you about the city’s haunted past. Tour companies like Nashville Ghosts and Ghost City Tours lead walks through downtown’s most haunted places.
Your guides wear old-time Victorian clothes while telling scary stories. Tours last 90 minutes to 2 hours and share creepy tales about ghosts at the Tennessee State Capitol and Ryman Auditorium.
For something different, try Nashville Hearse Tours’ 60-minute rides in converted hearses, or join a haunted bar tour to mix ghost stories with local beer.
The post 9 Cool Things to Do in Nashville for 2025, from Art Walks to Doughnut Tours appeared first on When In Your State.