Best Nashville Tours Compared: The Short Version (2026)
- Best Nashville tours for music fans: the Ryman’s guided backstage tour (90 minutes, $42.52 + tax) and the Opry House daytime backstage tour (50 minutes, $46.65 including taxes and fees).
- Best for history: RCA Studio B, reached only by the Country Music Hall of Fame’s shuttle; the Studio B package with museum entry is $54.95 for adults.
- Best overview: Old Town Trolley’s hop-on hop-off loop (about 11 miles, 13 stops, from $41.65 for one day).
- Best food tour: Walk Eat Nashville (about 3 hours, five stops, $109 plus tax and fees, 12 guests maximum).
- Best free tour: the Tennessee State Capitol’s 45-minute guided tour, weekdays at six set times.
Compare Live Nashville Hotel Rates & Availability
The best Nashville tours are run by the places themselves: the Ryman Auditorium, the Grand Ole Opry and the Country Music Hall of Fame all sell their own backstage and studio tours, and they beat any third-party package for access. Add one overview tour, one food or ghost walk, and you have covered the city’s music history, its neighborhoods and its nightlife without wasting a day on buses.
This guide compares the official music tours, the hop-on hop-off trolley and narrated buses, food and walking tours, ghost tours and pedal taverns, with 2026 prices, lengths and departure points relative to the downtown hotels, plus who should skip each one.
How we researched this: in October 2026 our editors checked every price, length and meeting point on the operator’s own booking page (ryman.com, opry.com, the Country Music Hall of Fame, Old Town Trolley, Gray Line Tennessee, Walk Eat Nashville, NashTrash, the ghost-tour and pedal-tavern operators), used local news coverage from NewsChannel 5 and WSMV for the General Jackson Showboat’s retirement, and measured walking distances from Hilton Nashville Downtown and Renaissance Nashville with OpenStreetMap routing. Tours we could not confirm as operating in 2026 were left out.
Best Nashville tours compared: length, price and where they start
If you only book two tours, make them the Ryman backstage tour and either the Opry House backstage tour or RCA Studio B. Prices below are adult prices on the operators’ own sites, checked October 2026; Opry prices include taxes and fees, most others add tax.
| Tour | Length | Adult price | Departs | From Hilton Downtown | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ryman self-guided | About 1 hr | $25 + tax (offer through Oct 31, 2026) | 116 Rep. John Lewis Way N | 3 min walk | Everyone |
| Ryman guided backstage | 1.5 hr | $42.52 + tax | Ryman | 3 min walk | Music fans |
| Opry House daytime backstage | 50 min | $46.65 incl. taxes and fees | Opry House, 600 Opry Mills Dr | About 18 min drive | Opry fans |
| Opry post-show tour | 1 hr | $45.00 (show ticket required) | Opry House | About 18 min drive | Night-of-show add-on |
| RCA Studio B package | Not published by the museum | $54.95 (incl. museum) | Country Music Hall of Fame, 222 Rep. John Lewis Way S | 3 min walk | Elvis and studio history |
| Hatch Show Print tour | About 1 hr | $54.95 package / $23 add-on | Hall of Fame lobby | 3 min walk | Design lovers |
| State Capitol guided tour | 45 min | Free | 600 Dr. Martin L. King Jr. Blvd | 14 min walk | History, budget |
| Old Town Trolley (hop-on hop-off) | About 1 hr 50 min loop | From $41.65 (1 day) | Any of 13 stops; booth at 201 Broadway | 3 min walk | First-timers, overview |
| NashTrash “Big Pink Bus” | About 2 hr | $45–$50 per seat | Nashville Farmers’ Market | About 23 min walk / 3 min drive | Comedy, ages 15+ |
| Walk Eat Nashville food tour | About 3 hr | $109 + tax and fee | Varies (sent with ticket) | Varies | Food lovers |
| Ghost City Tours, Ghosts of Nashville | 90 min | $29.99 | Downtown (confirm with operator) | Downtown | Night walk, all ages |
| Nashville Pedal Tavern | 90 min | $49.99 per seat ($52.99 Fri–Sat after 8 PM) | 1504 Demonbreun St | About 18 min walk / 2 min drive | Groups 21+ |
Ryman Auditorium tours: self-guided vs backstage, and which is worth it
Take the guided backstage tour if you care about the music; take the self-guided tour if you have an hour and a budget. Both start at the Ryman, 116 Rep. John Lewis Way North, 3 minutes from the Broadway hotels, and run daily from 9 AM to 4 PM except on special-event days.
The self-guided tour (about an hour) covers the exhibits and the chance to stand on the stage for a souvenir photo; it was $25 + tax under a fall offer valid through October 31, 2026, with children 12 and under free with a paying adult, and the Ryman has not published the price after that date. The guided backstage tour ($42.52 + tax) is 45 minutes with a guide plus 45 minutes on your own, and it adds the backstage corridors and dressing rooms when the event schedule allows. A VIP tour ($62.02 + tax, 2 hours, 10 guests maximum) is the choice for superfans. Check the Ryman’s calendar for shortened hours on show days, and see our Ryman Auditorium guide for concert tickets and seating.
Grand Ole Opry backstage tours: daytime, VIP and post-show
The Opry House sells four tour formats in 2026: the 50-minute daytime backstage tour ($46.65), a new 90-minute VIP daytime tour ($88.34, small groups of about six), a 60-minute post-show tour for people already holding show tickets ($45.00) and a 45-minute Women of Country tour ($59.81); all prices include taxes and fees.
The Opry House is at 600 Opry Mills Drive, about 18 minutes by car from downtown and a 10–15-minute walk from Gaylord Opryland Resort; check in at the Opry box office to the left of the main entrance. The post-show tour is the most atmospheric, because you walk the backstage halls right after the broadcast, but stage access is subject to availability and it ends late. The Opry’s policies on child pricing differ between pages, so confirm when booking if you travel with kids. Our Grand Ole Opry vs Ryman guide explains how to do both in one trip.
RCA Studio B and Country Music Hall of Fame tours
RCA Studio B on Music Row can only be visited on the Country Music Hall of Fame’s tour, sold with museum admission: the Studio B package is $54.95 for adults and $44.95 for ages 6–12, or $23 as an add-on, with tours daily from 10 AM to 3 PM.
You meet at the “Studio B Tour Meets Here” sign in the museum’s conservatory (222 Rep. John Lewis Way South) at least 15 minutes before your slot, and a guide takes the group by shuttle bus to the studio where Elvis Presley, Dolly Parton and the Everly Brothers recorded. Seats are non-refundable if you miss the bus, motorized scooters and large strollers are not allowed on board, and the museum does not publish the tour’s length, so leave a two-hour window. More history is in our RCA Studio B tour guide.
Inside the museum (adults $31.95), the audio guide is a $5 add-on narrated by Bill Cody in seven languages, a one-hour guided museum tour costs $54.95, and the Hatch Show Print tour of the letterpress shop runs about an hour, daily 10 AM to 4 PM ($54.95 package or $23 add-on). The “Experience It All” package bundles the museum, Studio B and Hatch Show Print for $82.95. See our Hall of Fame and Hatch Show Print guide for what to see first.
City overview tours: Old Town Trolley, Gray Line, NashTrash and the free Capitol tour
For a first visit, the Old Town Trolley hop-on hop-off loop is the most flexible overview; NashTrash is the comedy alternative for adults, and the free State Capitol tour is the best value in town.
- Old Town Trolley Tours runs daily from 9 AM to 4 PM on an 11-mile, 13-stop loop of about 1 hour 50 minutes, including Marathon Motor Works, Centennial Park, Midtown, Belmont Mansion, The Gulch, the Country Music Hall of Fame, 201 Broadway, the Ryman and the Farmers’ Market. Online prices start at $41.65 for one day and $74 for two. Skip it if you will only ride once; a rideshare is cheaper.
- Gray Line Tennessee departs from Riverfront Station (108 1st Avenue South, about 6 minutes from Hilton Downtown) with a 1-hour Nashville City Tour, the roughly 3.5-hour Discover Nashville tour that includes Ryman and Hall of Fame entry, and a 2-hour Homes of the Stars tour; prices appear only in its booking widget. It no longer lists a Nashville hop-on hop-off route.
- NashTrash Tours sends its Big Pink Bus from the Nashville Farmers’ Market (900 Rosa L. Parks Boulevard) on roughly 2-hour comedy tours at $45–$50 a seat. No one under 15, no bachelorette parties, and no food or alcohol on board; the humor is raunchy by design.
- Tennessee State Capitol: free 45-minute guided tours Monday to Friday at 9, 10 and 11 AM and 1, 2 and 3 PM; no large bags. It is one of several free sights in our 25 free things to do in Nashville.
Nashville food tours and walking tours
Walk Eat Nashville is the established food-tour operator, with small groups of up to 12 on roughly 3-hour tastings in several neighborhoods for $109 plus tax and a ticketing fee; for a cheaper history walk, Nashville Adventures runs a 90-minute morning tour.
Walk Eat Nashville visits five food stops over 1.1 to 1.6 miles, with some easy hills and uneven brick. Its downtown tour runs almost daily, East Nashville on Friday and Saturday at 11:30 AM, Music Row on Tuesday and 12South on Thursday; the meeting point is sent with your ticket. It also runs a cocktail walk. Skip it if you mainly want hot chicken: tasting menus vary, and you will do better following our hot chicken guide on your own.
Nashville Adventures lists a 90-minute “History, Highlights & Hacks” walking tour daily at 10 AM from $15.99 to $24.99, a 2-hour coffee walk Wednesday to Saturday, and an XR (mixed-reality) history tour for ages 10 and up; its site does not publish meeting points, so confirm when you book.
Ghost tours, pedal taverns and party vehicles
For an evening tour, Ghost City Tours and Nashville Adventures both run 90-minute haunted walks for about $25–$30; the pedal taverns and party tractors are 21+ group rides from about $49 a seat with strict drink rules.
Ghost City Tours runs the all-ages Ghosts of Nashville walk (90 minutes, 8 PM, $29.99), a 21+ haunted pub crawl (2 hours, $34.99) that meets at Hard Rock Cafe, 100 Broadway, and a 16+ “Murder in Music City” tour. Nashville Adventures offers Haunted Nashville: Ghosts & Legends at 8 PM daily for $24.99. Routes typically take in Printers Alley and the Ryman area; our Nashville ghost tours guide covers the stories.
Nashville Pedal Tavern starts at 1504 Demonbreun Street in Midtown and ends near Lower Broadway: 90 minutes for $49.99 a seat ($52.99 on Friday and Saturday from 8 PM) or $520 for a private bike, 6–15 riders, 21+ with ID. Riders may bring only beer or seltzer up to 8% ABV, with no liquor, wine or glass, which the operator attributes to city and state rules. Honky Tonk Party Express runs 1-hour-45-minute open-air rides from 1343 Lewis Street, from $49 a seat with a six-person minimum. Before booking, read our pedal tavern and party bus rules guide.
Last call for the General Jackson Showboat
The General Jackson Showboat at Gaylord Opryland is retiring after more than 40 years: its final public cruise is scheduled for December 15, 2026, with holiday midday and evening cruises until then. If a Cumberland River cruise is on your list, book this season; some resellers were still selling it without a retirement notice when our editors checked.
Historic home and day-trip tours: Belle Meade and the Hermitage
Two historic estates run their own tours: Belle Meade’s 45-minute mansion tour costs $32 for adults with a complimentary wine tasting for those 21 and over, and the Hermitage sells self-guided admission for $29.95 or a 90-minute VIP tour for $69.95.
Belle Meade (110 Leake Avenue) runs mansion tours every 30–45 minutes from 9:30 AM to 4 PM; allow at least two hours on site. The Hermitage, Andrew Jackson’s estate east of the city, is open daily 8:30 AM to 6 PM with last tickets at 5 PM. Each is roughly a 15- to 25-minute drive from downtown; see our Belle Meade guide and our Jack Daniel’s day trip guide for a longer excursion. Downtown, the self-guided Johnny Cash Museum (119 3rd Avenue South) is $32.95 + tax for adults and open 9 AM to 7 PM daily.
Where to stay for a tour-heavy Nashville trip
Stay downtown near 4th and 5th Avenues if most of your tours start at the Ryman, the Hall of Fame or Broadway; stay at Gaylord Opryland if the Opry is the centerpiece. Hilton Nashville Downtown and Renaissance Nashville charge no resort fee and are 3–4 minutes from the Ryman.
Gaylord Opryland charges a $45 resort fee plus tax ($52.54 a night) and $38 self-parking but puts the Opry House 5 minutes away on foot. W Nashville in The Gulch is the style pick, with the 9,700-square-foot WET Deck pool for the afternoons between tours, but it is a 14-minute walk to Broadway and charges a $30 + tax destination fee. Every Nashville hotel bill also carries 16.75% tax plus $2.50 per room per night.
| Hotel | Area | Price level | Walk to Broadway | Pool | Resort fee | Parking | Booking.com |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hilton Nashville Downtown | Core Downtown (1 Block off Lower Broadway) | Upscale | Half a block (100 yards) from Lower Broadway Honky Tonks (1-minute walk) | No pool — 100% all-suite hotel right behind Bridgestone Arena & Country Music Hall of Fame | None ($0 mandatory resort fee) | Valet only: $65/night with in-and-out privileges (no self-parking) | Check prices |
| Renaissance Nashville Hotel | Core Downtown (Adjacent to Fifth + Broadway) | Upscale | 1 block north of Lower Broadway & Ryman Auditorium (2-minute walk; connected to Fifth + Broadway) | Indoor pool | Destination fee: booking sites list $25–$30 + tax per night (confirm at booking) | Valet only: $69/day (no self-parking; Library Garage across the street closed since the June 2025 fire) | Check prices |
| Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center | Opryland / Music Valley | Upscale | 15-min drive to Lower Broadway (about a 14-min walk to the Grand Ole Opry House) | 4-acre SoundWaves indoor/outdoor upscale waterpark + 2 outdoor resort pools | $45 + 16.75% tax per night ($52.54/night total) | Self-parking $38/night; Valet $50/night | Check prices |
| W Nashville | The Gulch | Luxury | 14-minute walk (or 4-minute Uber) to Lower Broadway | 9,700-sq-ft WET Deck heated resort pool with private cabanas & pool bar | $30 + tax per night (Destination Amenity Fee) | Valet $58/night | Check prices |
Hilton Nashville Downtown
- 100% Two-Room Suites (separate living room + bedroom)
- NO Resort Fee ($0/night)
- About 4 min on foot to Bridgestone Arena, 5 min to the Ryman
- Soaring sunlit atrium
The closest all-suite hotel to Honky Tonk Highway—located half a block off Lower Broadway across from Bridgestone Arena and the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Prices vary according to travel dates and availability.
Renaissance Nashville Hotel
- Directly connected to Fifth + Broadway & Assembly Food Hall
- 1 block from Ryman Auditorium
- Indoor pool
- Large meeting hotel near Music City Center
Connected directly to the Fifth + Broadway dining and shopping complex, one block from Ryman Auditorium and Lower Broadway.
Prices vary according to travel dates and availability.
Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center
- 9 acres of indoor glass-enclosed botanical atriums
- 4-acre SoundWaves indoor/outdoor waterpark
- Delta flatboat river ride inside hotel
- Walk to Grand Ole Opry & Opry Mills
Nashville’s iconic 2,888-room resort featuring nine acres of climate-controlled indoor tropical gardens, indoor waterfalls, a quarter-mile riverboat ride and the SoundWaves waterpark.
Prices vary according to travel dates and availability.
Sources and How We Verified This
- Ryman Auditorium tours: tour types, prices, hours and the October 31, 2026 offer.
- Grand Ole Opry tours: daytime, VIP, post-show and Women of Country prices and lengths.
- Country Music Hall of Fame ticket options: Studio B, audio guide, Hatch Show Print and package prices.
- Old Town Trolley Tours Nashville: prices, loop length and stops.
- Walk Eat Nashville: tours, schedule, group size and price.
- NashTrash Tours: seat prices, age limit and meeting point.
- Nashville Pedal Tavern FAQ: age, drink rules and start point.
- NewsChannel 5: General Jackson Showboat retirement.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is the best tour in Nashville for first-time visitors?
The Ryman Auditorium’s guided backstage tour is the best single tour: 90 minutes in the “Mother Church of Country Music” for $42.52 plus tax, 3 minutes from the Broadway hotels. Add the Old Town Trolley loop (from $41.65) on your first day if you want an overview of the city before choosing neighborhoods.
Is the Grand Ole Opry backstage tour worth it?
For country fans, yes. The 50-minute daytime tour ($46.65 including taxes and fees) takes you through the Opry House backstage areas, and the 60-minute post-show tour ($45) does it right after a show if you already hold tickets. Skip it if you are not attending a show and are short on time; the Opry House is 18 minutes from downtown.
How do you get to RCA Studio B in Nashville?
Only on the Country Music Hall of Fame’s tour. Buy the Studio B package ($54.95 adults, including museum admission) or add it for $23, then meet at the conservatory sign inside the museum at 222 Rep. John Lewis Way South at least 15 minutes early; a shuttle bus takes the group to Music Row. Tours run daily from 10 AM to 3 PM.
How much does a Nashville food tour cost?
Walk Eat Nashville charges $109 per person plus tax and a ticketing fee for its roughly 3-hour tours with five tasting stops and a maximum of 12 guests (checked October 2026). The tastings add up to a full meal, so plan it in place of lunch, and wear comfortable shoes for 1.1 to 1.6 miles of walking.
Is the General Jackson Showboat still running?
Only until mid-December 2026. Its operator announced in October 2026 that the showboat will retire after more than 40 years on the Cumberland, citing ongoing maintenance problems; its last public cruise is scheduled for December 15, 2026. No replacement river cruise has been announced.
