View of Nashville's iconic AT&T Building and downtown skyline.

Nashville International Airport (BNA) · USA

24-Hour Layover in Nashville: What To Do

By AirConnect Editorial

Things to do in Nashville

Tours, tickets & day trips

Photo: MINEIA MARTINS on Pexels.

Quick answer

Can you leave the airport on a 24-hour layover in Nashville?

Entry

Same USA rules — ESTA or visa required. Hub for low-cost carriers + Delta connection.

Into town

WeGo Public Transit route 18: 40 min, USD 2.

Time outside

18–20 hours — treat it as a mini trip

Times from BNA arrivals. Check entry rules for your passport before you fly.

Top Nashville: Where to Go

The sights in Nashville worth leaving the airport for.

Broadway (honky-tonk bars + Country Music Hall of Fame) (Broadway (Nashville, Tennessee))1

Broadway (honky-tonk bars + Country Music Hall of Fame)

Nashville's iconic 5-block downtown strip with live country music in every bar (free cover). Free walking + tipping bands. Lower Broadway is the move.

Photo: dconvertini, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Country Music Hall of Fame (Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum)2

Country Music Hall of Fame

Premier country music museum. USD 32. 2-3 hours. Pairs with Johnny Cash Museum (USD 25) + Patsy Cline Museum (USD 20) nearby.

Photo: Antony-22, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

landmark

Grand Ole Opry House + Opryland Hotel

World's most-famous country music venue. Backstage tours USD 35. The Opryland Hotel next door is iconic (free to walk through).

neighbourhood

The Gulch + 12 South + East Nashville

Hip Nashville neighbourhoods. Free walking. The Gulch for cocktails + 12 South for craft retail + East Nashville for craft beer.

Itinerary ideas for Nashville

Pick the plan that fits the time between your flights.

Insider tip

BNA is 13km from downtown — WeGo route 18 (USD 2, 40 min) or Uber (USD 30-50). For 4+ hour layovers: Uber + Broadway honky-tonk crawl + hot chicken + Country Music Hall of Fame is iconic.

Into Nashville

Getting to Nashville City Centre

ModeCostTime
WeGo Public Transit route 18USD 240 min
Taxi / Uber / LyftUSD 30–5015–25 min
Eat like a local

Eat Like a Local in Nashville

Hot chicken (Nashville invention) at Hattie B's Hot Chicken (the original) or Prince's. BBQ at Edley's. Biscuits + gravy at Biscuit Love. Beverages: Yazoo + Tennessee whiskey (George Dickel).

24 hours in Nashville

24-Hour Itinerary

1

Day 1 — Arrival

Into Nashville and check in to your hotel

Take WeGo Public Transit route 18 (40 min, USD 2). Most hotels hold bags before check-in.

2

Day 1 — Afternoon

Broadway (honky-tonk bars + Country Music Hall of Fame)

Nashville's iconic 5-block downtown strip with live country music in every bar (free cover). Free walking + tipping bands. Lower Broadway is the move.

3

Day 1 — Evening

Dinner like a local

Hot chicken (Nashville invention) at Hattie B's Hot Chicken (the original) or Prince's. BBQ at Edley's. Biscuits + gravy at Biscuit Love. Beverages: Yazoo + Tennessee whiskey (George Dickel).

4

Day 2 — Morning

Country Music Hall of Fame

Premier country music museum. USD 32. 2-3 hours. Pairs with Johnny Cash Museum (USD 25) + Patsy Cline Museum (USD 20) nearby.

5

Day 2 — Late morning

Grand Ole Opry House + Opryland Hotel

World's most-famous country music venue. Backstage tours USD 35. The Opryland Hotel next door is iconic (free to walk through).

6

Day 2 — Departure

Back to Nashville International Airport

Head back to Nashville International Airport by WeGo Public Transit route 18 (40 min, USD 2). Be at the airport at least 2–3 hours before an international flight.

Your questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a visa for a 24-hour layover in Nashville?

Same USA rules — ESTA or visa required. Hub for low-cost carriers + Delta connection. Check the rules for your own passport before you fly.

Is 24 hours enough to leave Nashville International Airport?

18–20 hours — treat it as a mini trip. Getting into Nashville by WeGo Public Transit route 18 takes 40 min each way.

How do I get from Nashville International Airport to Nashville centre?

WeGo Public Transit route 18: 40 min, USD 2. Taxi / Uber / Lyft: 15–25 min, USD 30–50.

A made-up hotel bed with white pillows and warm bedside lamps

Photo: Engin Akyurt on Pexels.

Hotels near Nashville Airport

With 24 hours, a day-use hotel room is worth it — shower, sleep, and recharge before your next flight.

Find hotels in Nashville

Hotels, hostels & more · Expedia

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Also useful for your Nashville trip

Airlines that fly to Nashville

See each airline’s route map: where else it flies from BNA.

Airport lounges at Nashville Airport

Wait for your flight in a lounge — one membership covers lounges at airports across the country and worldwide.

Nashville travel deals

Weekly layover, flight + hotel deals. No spam.

How a layover in Nashville works

Passport and a phone with a booking on a red suitcase

01

Check you can leave

Same USA rules — ESTA or visa required. Hub for low-cost carriers + Delta connection.

Photo: Jacob on Pexels.

A car on a country road heading towards the mountains

02

Head into town

WeGo Public Transit route 18: 40 min, USD 2.

Photo: Artem Yellow on Pexels.

03

Back in time for your flight

Head back to Nashville International Airport by WeGo Public Transit route 18 (40 min, USD 2). Be at the airport at least 2–3 hours before an international flight.

Ready for Nashville?

Tours, tickets and day trips that fit between your flights.

Daylight on the ground

Daylight in Nashville runs from about 9.6 hours in Dec to 14.4 in Jun. Enough of a difference that a winter stopover gives you noticeably less usable time outside than a summer one.