Nashville's Best Cheap & Free Country Music Attractions

The Opry Museum is tucked away in the Opry Plaza and if you're not looking for it you will most likely miss it altogether. This quaint hidden treasure is full of great memorabilia from the early days of the Grand Ole Opry show and includes everything from a Patsy Cline's living room exhibit to memorabilia from such Opry greats as Minnie Pearl, Roy Acuff, Marty Robbins and more. Looking from Opry Mills you will find the Opry Museum situated just to the right of the Grand Ole Opry House and the Acuff Theatre (photos). Admission is Free as are the popular weekend Opry Plaza Parties that are normally held annually in the summer months.

For over a century, the Hatch Show Print has designed and printed posters for some of the biggest names in the music industry. From Johnny Cash to Kid rock, this letterpress print shop has preserved, defined, and renewed the art of print and is currently one of the oldest working letterpress print shops in the United States.

The Charlie Daniels Museum is located in downtown Nashville on 2nd avenue, just a few blocks over from the Ryman Auditorium (photos)and is packed with tons Charlie Daniels memorabilia that ranges from awards and clothing to photographs and instruments all relating to Charlie Daniels and his music legacy.

The Music City Walk of Fame (aka Music Mile), opened in 2006, and runs about a one mile along Demonbreun Street. It connects Downtown Nashville to the Music Row Area. This walk of fame essentially replaces the old Country Music Hall of Fame's original Walk of Stars that was once located in Music Row Area.

Most all of Nashville's honky-tonks are located in downtown Nashville on Lower Broadway and this is where most self-respecting Country Music Fans will go at least once in their lives. Most all of these sometimes smoke-filled bars are free most of the time but occasionally you will be charged a cover charge, but it's really a rarity. Folks will find that some of the honky-tonks are smoke-free and some are not it will depend if the bar is listed for 21 and over or not.

The original Ernest Tubb Record Shop opened its doors in the late spring of 1947 and at the time was the first major all-country record store. Over the years this record shop has opened up several other stores including one in the Music Valley/Opryland area, the store in downtown Nashville, located on Lower Broadway, still remains open.

Music Row is filled with a ton of Music Publishers as one would expect but this area is also filled with some great architecture, history, and art. This gateway into the music industry is located between 16th and 17th Avenues just off of Demonbreun Street. You will recognize that you are there when you see the Music Row Roundabout with the Musica Sculpture in its center. Some of the highlights in the area include RCA Studio, Music Labels, and of course, the cozy Owen Bradley Park that host a wonderful sculpture of Owen Bradley sitting at his piano.

The Wildhorse Saloon (review) is one of the most popular downtown clubs. This historic warehouse was transformed into a three story, 66,000 square foot entertainment venue. The Wildhorse offer folks a place to scoot your boots seven days a week with their free line-dancing lessons. A cover is normally charged after 7 p.m. and when special events are going on, but normally their dance lesson run earlier than 7 p.m.

Support from the LifeWorks Foundation, has helped EarthMatters Tennessee to create an entire rose garden that will house nearly a dozen different varieties of miniature and tea roses named in honor of Country Music, its songs, and its people. This tribute garden is located, off the beat and path, at the corner of Lealand and Gale Lane in the George W. Carver Food Park.

If you're into dressing like a country music star then the best place to visit is Manuel's Shop on Broadway. This King of Rhinestone Couture (history) has dressed everyone from Johnny Cash to Porter Wagoneer as well as several non-country music stars too.