Nashville United States
Things to do in Nashville in December 2026
By Tripnostic Research · Updated June 3, 2026
For Nashville in December 2026, build the day around dated events, seasonal conditions, venue hours, and booking windows. Dated picks to verify first include Grand Ole Opry and Gaylord Opryland's A Country Christmas. Check the event list and public holidays below before assigning fixed dates.
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Nashville in December 2026
Weather
Temperature
52°F / 32°F
11.2°C / -0.1°C
Precipitation
12d
4.5in · 115mm
Daylight
9.5h
December is cool and wet, with Opry holiday shows, Gaylord Opryland lights, and downtown music working well indoors.
Events & festivals
- Dec 1
- Dec 1 – Dec 31
Gaylord Opryland's A Country Christmas
A month-long holiday event at the Gaylord Opryland Resort featuring millions of lights, ice sculptures, live entertainment, and holiday-themed activities. — Tickets required for some activities; advance booking recommended.
Source: festival research
- Dec 1 – Dec 31
Holiday at the Hermitage
The Hermitage, home of President Andrew Jackson, decorated for the holidays with special tours and events throughout December. — General admission tickets required; some special events may require separate booking.
Source: festival research
- Dec 1 – Dec 31
Nashville Zoo Wild Lights
The Nashville Zoo is transformed with millions of holiday lights, themed displays, and seasonal activities for families. — Admission tickets required; purchase in advance recommended.
Source: festival research
- Dec 1 – Dec 31
- Dec 3
Show all 32 events for December
- Dec 4 – Dec 31
- Dec 5
Nashville Christmas Parade
Annual festive parade featuring floats, marching bands, and holiday characters celebrating the Christmas season in downtown Nashville. — Free to attend; arrive early for best viewing spots.
Source: festival research
- Dec 5 – Dec 31
- Dec 5 – Dec 31
- Dec 6
- Dec 7
- Dec 8
- Dec 9 – Dec 31
- Dec 9 – Dec 31
- Dec 9
- Dec 10 – Dec 13
Music City Winterfest
A winter festival featuring live music performances, food vendors, and holiday markets in downtown Nashville. — Free entry; some concerts may require tickets.
Source: festival research
- Dec 11 – Dec 31
- Dec 11 – Dec 20
Nashville Ballet's The Nutcracker
The Nashville Ballet's annual production of Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker, a holiday classic performed at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center. — Tickets available online; early purchase advised.
Source: festival research
- Dec 11 – Dec 31
- Dec 11
- Dec 11
- Dec 12 – Dec 31
- Dec 12
- Dec 13 – Dec 31
- Dec 13
- Dec 14 – Dec 31
- Dec 14
- Dec 16
- Dec 19 – Dec 31
Scott Bradlees Postmodern Jukebox - The Future Is Vintage World Tour
Music · Jazz
Source: Ticketmaster
- Dec 19
- Dec 21
Public holidays
- Dec 25Christmas Day
Planning checklist
- 1Check the 32 dated Nashville events for anything that overlaps your exact December dates before assigning fixed sightseeing days.
- 2Hold flexible plans around the 1 public holiday in United States; museums, markets, and government-run sights can switch hours.
- 3Group each Nashville day by nearby neighborhoods, then validate the saved places against your trip dates before exporting the checked route to Google Maps.
Build your Nashville plan for December
Start fresh — type or paste places you're considering — and Tripnostic checks every one against your December dates: opening hours, closures, what needs booking ahead, and which Nashville events overlap your trip. Already have a list from a friend or an AI itinerary? Paste it and we'll check that too.
Build my Nashville planAbout Nashville
City overview
Nashville sits on the Cumberland River, where Lower Broadway honky-tonks, Music Row studios, East Nashville restaurants, the Gulch, 12 South, and Germantown turn country-music history into a working entertainment city. The city is also a Tennessee capital, university town, hot-chicken stop, and Opry pilgrimage.
Food & drink
Nashville food starts with hot chicken, especially Prince's, Hattie B's, Bolton's, and slow-burn neighborhood debates, then adds meat-and-three plates, biscuits, barbecue, Goo Goo Clusters, and banana pudding. Nashville Farmers Market, Assembly Food Hall, Germantown restaurants, and East Nashville kitchens give visitors a route beyond Broadway.
Top sights
Ranked for December suitability using weather, setting, ratings, and review volume.
- ANational Museum of African American Music
- BRyman Auditorium
- CGrand Ole Opry
- DCountry Music Hall of Fame and Museum
- EThe Parthenon in Centennial Park
- FJohnny Cash Museum
- GFrist Art Museum
- HBelle Meade Historic Site and Winery
- IHonky Tonk Highway on Lower Broadway
- JTennessee State Capitol and Bicentennial Capitol Mall
1National Museum of African American Music
4.9★ · 1,993indoorOpen dailyThe museum opened in 2021 at Fifth and Broadway and covers gospel, blues, jazz, R&B, hip-hop, and soul through interactive exhibits. It is across Broadway from the Ryman and Bridgestone Arena.
Wikipedia
2Ryman Auditorium
4.8★ · 20,991indoorOpen dailyThe former Union Gospel Tabernacle opened in 1892 and hosted the Grand Ole Opry from 1943 to 1974. The brick auditorium stands just off Broadway, a few blocks from the Cumberland River.
WikipediaBackstage tours and evening concerts use separate tickets.
3Grand Ole Opry
4.8★ · 32,662indoorThe live radio show moved to the Grand Ole Opry House in 1974, east of downtown near the Gaylord Opryland complex. Multi-artist bills keep the format closer to a broadcast than a standard concert.
WikipediaCheck the lineup before buying because Opry shows rotate performers nightly.
Show 7 more sights
- 4Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
- 5The Parthenon in Centennial Park
- 6Johnny Cash Museum
- 7Frist Art Museum
- 8Belle Meade Historic Site and Winery
- 9Honky Tonk Highway on Lower Broadway
- 10Tennessee State Capitol and Bicentennial Capitol Mall
Neighborhoods
1Downtown and Lower Broadway
Downtown is loud and performance-driven, with Honky Tonk Highway, Ryman Auditorium, Bridgestone Arena, Fifth and Broadway, Printer's Alley, and riverfront walks.
2Music Row and Midtown
Music Row and Midtown mix recording offices, RCA Studio B, Vanderbilt edges, Demonbreun bars, Division Street restaurants, and hotels west of downtown.
3East Nashville
East Nashville feels local and restaurant-heavy, with Five Points, Gallatin Avenue, Shelby Bottoms, vintage shops, cocktail bars, and small music rooms.
4The Gulch
The Gulch is newer and polished, with hotels, rooftop bars, restaurants, murals, boutiques, and quick access to the Frist and Music City Center.
512 South
12 South is walkable and retail-focused, with bungalow streets, coffee shops, boutiques, Sevier Park, hot-chicken stops, and photo-heavy murals.
6Germantown
Germantown is brick and food-led, with historic houses, Nashville Farmers Market, Bicentennial Capitol Mall, restaurants, and First Horizon Park.
Day trips
35km / 35-45min by car from downtown Nashville
Franklin
Franklin has a preserved Main Street, Civil War sites at Carnton and Carter House, shops, restaurants, and music venues south of Nashville.
145km / 1.5-2h by car from downtown Nashville
Mammoth Cave National Park
The Kentucky park protects the world's longest known cave system, with ranger-led tours that need advance reservations in busy seasons.
120km / 1.5h by car from downtown Nashville
Lynchburg and Jack Daniel Distillery
The small-town trip centers on the Jack Daniel Distillery tour, Moore County courthouse square, and Tennessee whiskey history.
Getting around
WeGo Public Transit buses cover downtown, East Nashville, the airport, and major corridors, but most visitor trips rely on walking downtown plus rideshare or car trips to the Opry, Belle Meade, and 12 South. The free WeGo Star commuter rail is limited, so schedule Opry and Franklin trips separately from Broadway walking nights.
Common questions about Nashville in December
- Will the places on my list be open when I'm in Nashville in December?
- Not always. Opening days and hours vary by weekday, season, and holiday. Paste your Nashville list into Tripnostic and it checks every place against the exact dates you're there, flagging closures before the trip instead of at a locked door.
- How do I plan Nashville days without crossing the city twice?
- Tripnostic groups your places by neighborhood so each day stays in one or two areas instead of zig-zagging. It also flags what needs booking ahead, so timed tickets and reservations don't fall through.
- Best rainy-day things to do in Nashville in December
December averages 12 rainy days in Nashville, so keep these indoor stops as realistic backups.
- National Museum of African American Music — The museum opened in 2021 at Fifth and Broadway and covers gospel, blues, jazz, R&B, hip-hop, and soul through interactive exhibits. It is across Broadway from the Ryman and Bridgestone Arena.
- Ryman Auditorium — The former Union Gospel Tabernacle opened in 1892 and hosted the Grand Ole Opry from 1943 to 1974. The brick auditorium stands just off Broadway, a few blocks from the Cumberland River.
- Grand Ole Opry — The live radio show moved to the Grand Ole Opry House in 1974, east of downtown near the Gaylord Opryland complex. Multi-artist bills keep the format closer to a broadcast than a standard concert.
- Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum — The downtown museum opened in its current 2001 building and traces country music through instruments, stage costumes, recordings, cars, posters, and the Rotunda. It sits beside Bridgestone Arena and Walk of Fame Park.
- The Parthenon in Centennial Park — The full-scale replica of the Athenian Parthenon was rebuilt in concrete in 1931 after the 1897 Tennessee Centennial Exposition version. Inside are a 42-foot Athena statue and an art gallery near Vanderbilt University.
- What to pack for Nashville in December
Pack for December's weather, not a generic Nashville checklist.
- Layerable daytime clothes for average highs around 11°C / 52°F.
- A heavier evening layer because nights average 0°C / 32°F.
- Compact rain gear and shoes that handle wet pavement across about 12 rainy days.
- How many days do you need in Nashville
- 4 days covers the main Nashville highlights at a realistic pace. Add 3 extra days if you want the listed day trips.
- Is Nashville worth visiting in December
- Yes. Nashville in December: 11.2°C high, -0.1°C low, 115mm rain over 12 days, 9.5h daylight. Mild but rainy — flexible plans pay off.