- The Tennessee State Museum is free. Open Tuesday to Saturday 10 AM to 5 PM and Sunday 1 to 5 PM; closed Monday.
- The Pedestrian Bridge is free to walk and gives you the skyline over the river.
- Many Lower Broadway honky-tonks have no regular cover. Tip the band.
- Franklin's downtown is free to walk, and the city says public parking there is currently free.
Nashville is not a cheap city, but some of the best things to do cost nothing. Here are the ones we could check, with what to know before you go. Prices and hours change, so confirm on the official pages linked at the end.
A free museum: Tennessee State Museum
Admission to the Tennessee State Museum is free. It is open Tuesday to Saturday from 10 AM to 5 PM and Sunday from 1 to 5 PM, and closed Monday. The museum is at 1000 Rosa L. Parks Blvd. Parking is free in a lot shared with the Farmers’ Market, but the museum says the lot has limited spaces and fills up quickly on weekends. Free two-hour street parking is also available along 6th and 7th Avenues.
A free skyline view: the Pedestrian Bridge
The John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge is free to walk. It opened in 1909 as the Sparkman Street Bridge, closed to cars in 1998 and was converted for pedestrians and cyclists. Go before sunset for the best light, and bring water in hot weather since there is little shade. See our Pedestrian Bridge page for more.
Free live music: Lower Broadway
Visit Music City says many Lower Broadway honky-tonks do not charge a regular cover, and that live music runs from around 10 AM until about 3 AM daily. When the music is free, tip the band. Some venues restrict entry to 21 and older at night, so check before you bring kids. Our Lower Broadway page has an honest take on the crowds.
A free day trip: Franklin
Walking downtown Franklin costs nothing. The city says all public parking downtown is currently free, including two garages, though a parking study is under way, so check before you go. See the Franklin page.
What is not free
A Ryman tour, a backstage Opry tour and most food and drinks cost money. If you want one paid thing, a daytime tour at the Ryman is a good value; see its page for current prices.