Nashville is a sprawling city renowned the world over for its music history and culture. America's home of country and bluegrass music also has a lot to offer when it comes to authentic Southern dining, spicy chicken, and street art. This vibrant metropolis owes its contemporary appeals to its slew of enticing neighborhoods. Hidden among its streets are memorable experiences, like Nashville's oldest winery situated on a historic site and the Dolly Parton bar that's a picture-perfect pink paradise.
Another neighborhood that's earned its place among Nashville's best is Madison. This buzzing area, which is about 9 miles northeast of downtown, offers old-school Nashville living at its finest. It's home to a beloved local institution called Dee's Country Cocktail Lounge, situated along East Palestine Avenue. Part live music venue, part country saloon, and part trailer-park living room, it has a distinctly laid-back vibe that makes it one of the city's best dive bars. It's a self-proclaimed "incubator of live music," which can't be denied when you check out its line-up of local acts, from beer-toting banjo players to Western swing nights and dulcet country singer-songwriters.
But that's not all the Madison neighborhood of Nashville has to offer. Located over by Cumberland River, O' Rendezvous Bar & Grill is a proper dive bar where the beer is cold, the hamburgers are juicy, and the pool tables only cost $0.50. This is not gourmet eating and the place only serves bottles and cans of beer, but it's cheap and full of friendly locals. You might even luck out and visit during one of their karaoke nights.
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Must-Do Entertainment And Shopping In Madison
Located near the center of Madison, the Nashville Nightmare Haunted House is one of the city's more intense experiences, to say the least. You can choose from multiple themed haunted houses, which all have a unique horror story to immerse yourself in, such as aliens, the underworld, or a high school for ghouls. There are also mini escape games, secret bars, and haunted mazes to check out. Unfortunately, Nashville Nightmare is only open during the haunting season, usually between September and November.
One place that's open year-round is Eastside Bowl, a groovy bowling alley that captures the essence of the '70s with its decor and music. The bowling side of things uses a video game concept that incorporates the lane gutters, which is great for kids and beginners. But people don't just come here to hit the lanes. They also come to enjoy free live music by the lounge bar or attend shows with bigger acts on the Main Stage, from burlesque performers to nationally recognized musicians.
One of Madison's best shops for old souls is The Great Escape, located in the small outdoor mall, Old Towne Village. The vintage store stocks a great range of vinyl, as well as old-school toys and comics. It's the sort of place where you can lose hours just browsing through all the treasures, including used books and retro gaming consoles, as well as video games to go with them. Fans of Pokémon may also be lucky enough to find trading cards here.
Madison's Lovely Parks For Sunny Nashville Days
On average, Nashville gets a little more than 200 sunny days a year. When the sun is out, there are few better places to enjoy it in Madison than Neelys Bend. Located on one of the Cumberland River's bends, Neelys is one of Madison's best neighborhoods for nature. It's here you'll find E. N. Peeler Park, which has a leisurely loop trail that's great for a quiet walk among the trees.
Another great option is Cedar Hill Park, where you can soak up those rays while strolling around Cedar Hill Lake or playing disc golf. It also offers access to biking and walking paths up Ozark Hill, outdoor tennis courts, and a playground. If you'd like to get out of the sun, there are also shaded picnic pavilions for enjoying a packed lunch.
Madison is only 20 minutes' drive from downtown Nashville and is easily reached in about 15 minutes from the Nashville International Airport. You can fly to Nashville from numerous cities around the country, including Detroit, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and New York. If you're wanting to stay in Madison, most of the hotels are unfortunately in the north, a little out of the way. However, there are many holiday rentals to be found in more central and convenient locations. You could also stay just outside of Nashville in a fun Tennessee city where artsy vibes, unique shops, and nature thrive.
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