A Weekend in Dog-Friendly Nashville

Posted by Erin Ballinger

Known for its vibrant country music scene and Southern hospitality, dog-friendly Nashville, TN should be your next destination for a weekend vacation. Listen to live bands while sipping local craft brews, sample specialties like hot chicken and barbecue, walk along the Cumberland River, and learn more about the city’s history on a spooky ghost tour. Pack your bags for a fun-filled weekend with your four-legged friend in Music City!

Friday

Maybe you’ll get to see the hotel dog, Zoe, during your stay. Photo by @bobbyhotel

4 p.m. Bobby Hotel

Check in to the pet-friendly Bobby Hotel, located just steps away from all of the action on Broadway (aka the Honky Tonk Highway) in Nashville’s bustling downtown. In the lobby, you’ll be greeted by the hotel’s rescue Dog-in-Residence, Zoe, if you're lucky. Pup bowls and beds can be delivered to your room by request. Bobby Hotel welcomes two pets of any size for an additional fee of $50 per pet, per stay.

Let your pup play on the artificial turf at this downtown dog park.

5 p.m. Playtime at Riverfront Park Dog Park at Ascend

Take a walk to Riverfront Park Dog Park at Ascend and allow your mutt to run and play after your journey. He can stretch all four legs in the 13,000-square-foot fenced dog park with eco-friendly artificial turf. There are benches where you can sit and catch up on emails with the park’s free WiFi. If Fido gets thirsty, all of the water fountains and bottle-filling stations include a fountain for your pooch, too!

“We’re going to share, right?”Photo by @gracieinthegulch

7 p.m. Dinner at Peg Leg Porker

Sample some of Nashville’s ‘cue at Peg Leg Porker in the downtown neighborhood known as The Gulch. After you go inside alone to order, your dog is welcome on the covered patio where he can sip on water while you chow down on award-winning smoked barbecue. Start off with an order of pimento cheese (the “caviar of the South”) and saltines followed by pulled pork or a rack of dry ribs with sides of mac n’ cheese, coleslaw or barbecue beans. Wash it all down with one of the 11 local brews on tap or a refreshing glass of sweet iced tea. Save room for one of the fried pies (available in chocolate, apple or peach) topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Tennessee Brew Works is going to the dogs!Photo by @tennesseebarkworks

8 p.m. Live Music and After-Dinner Drinks

After supper, head to Tennessee Brew Works’ taproom to sample some Nashville craft beer while listening to live music on the dog-friendly outdoor patio. It’s a good value since there’s no cover charge on Friday nights. Order a flight so you can try several small pours from the brewery’s selection. Fido can be your drinking buddy since there are water bowls just for him. Be sure to post a pic of your pup at the brewery and use the hashtags #tennesseebarkworks and #bringfido! If you’re in the mood to bar-hop, check out the pet-friendly patio at country star John Rich’s Redneck Riviera on Broadway on your way back to the hotel.

Saturday

“This is not the kind of biscuit that I was expecting.” Photo by @btess274

9 a.m. Biscuit Love

Biscuit Love’s breakfast is such a “pupular” draw in Nashville’s Hillsboro Village that you might have to wait in line. It’s well worth it for one of the eatery’s lauded biscuits or its signature Bonuts, which are fried biscuit dough rounds tossed in sugar and topped with lemon mascarpone cheese on top of a blueberry compote. Your pooch is welcome to join you at one of the outdoor tables while you dig into Southern food for the soul. Don’t make Fido beg, and treat him to a side order of a biscuit with gravy.

See why Nashville is known as the “Athens of the South” in Centennial Park. Photo by @murphysmedia

11 a.m. Centennial Park

Walk off some of those calories in Centennial Park. This 132-acre urban oasis features a full-scale replica of the iconic Parthenon, a 1-mile hiking trail alongside Lake Watauga and Centennial Dog Park, where your canine companion can play off leash. Keep your eyes peeled for celebrities and country music stars who frequent this beautiful spot with their pooches.

Say “Meats!”Photo by @theonegoldenarchie

12 p.m. Lunch at Edley’s Bar-B-Que

Refuel at the covered, heated patio of Edley’s Bar-B-Que in the dog-friendly 12 South neighborhood. Catch a game on one of the outdoor TVs while you munch on fried okra served with jalapeno ranch to start. Follow it up with brisket tacos, a fried catfish sandwich, or a burnt ends platter with grits casserole, cornbread and banana pudding. Sip on a Bushwhacker or Edley’s Bourbon Tea from the bar while Fido slurps cold H2O.

He’ll have a tongue-wagging good time shopping at White’s Mercantile. Photo by @dollydollydoxinfree

1 p.m. An Afternoon in 12 South

Shop for the perfect Music City souvenir with your pup in tow at White’s Mercantile, also located at 12 South. Your dog will be given a treat by an employee while you pick him out a new collar at this hip gift store owned by music legend Hank Williams’ granddaughter. Then head over to Oscar-winning actress and Nashville native Reese Witherspoon’s Draper James flagship store. The chic, Southern-inspired boutique carries home goods, gift items and women’s apparel and accessories. Continue your pet-friendly shopping spree and pick up some retro threads at Savant Vintage, new or used wheels at Halcyon Bike Shop, or a pair of jeans that fit just right at Imogene + Willie.

“Do you come here often?” Photo by @oh_walter_my_corgi

Stop by the Frothy Monkey for a coffee break on the dog-friendly front porch. Perk up with a locally roasted cup of joe while Fido works on his pickup lines with the four-legged locals.

Sun’s out, tongue’s out!Photo by @onelovesum

After you’re sufficiently caffeinated, walk down 12 Avenue South to Sevier Park. Take a breather on the tranquil lawn or get some exercise with your leashed pup along the walking path.

“I’ll have a dog treat and bowl of water. Keep ‘em coming!” Photo by @bianca_nicole_x

6 p.m. Dinner at Urban Grub

Conclude your tour of 12 South with an early dinner at Urban Grub, located in a renovated car wash. Once you score a seat on the pet-friendly patio, your good boy will be greeted by your server with a water bowl and house-made dog treats. Nosh on eclectic Southern fare like wood-fired oysters served with truffled mustard, dry-aged steak frites, shrimp and grits, or the Lobster BLT Flatbread.

Tour Nashville on this doggone spooky tour. Photo by @bamazoebe

8 p.m. Amerighost Haunted Downtown Nashville Tour

Bring Fido along on the AmeriGhost Haunted Downtown Nashville Tour to learn about the historical and haunted heritage of Music City from a professional guide dressed in costume. During this 90-minute walk, you and your pup will visit Nashville’s landmark sightseeing stops including Ryman Auditorium, Printer’s Alley and the Tennessee State Capitol. Your tour guide will tell you all about the city’s haunted and supernatural past. There is no fee for dogs.

Sunday

Get a cuppa with your puppa. Photo by @rustipuppi

9 a.m. Breakfast at Cafe at Bobby

Break the fast with your pup on the outdoor patio at the hotel’s Cafe at Bobby. Enjoy a nitro cold brew coffee or “the hair of the dog” with Bobby’s Mary. Pair your beverage with the indulgent McBobby, a breakfast sandwich with Tennessee sausage, bacon, an egg frittata, and onion jam topped with American cheese on an english muffin. Lighter fare including freshly-baked pastries, avocado toast and overnight oats or Greek yogurt bowls are also on offer. Order Fido a side of eggs to make his tail wag.

Take a walk in nature before heading home.

10 a.m. Shelby Bottoms Greenway

Spend the morning exploring Shelby Bottoms Greenway with your leashed pup. This beautiful trail is paved and features Shelby Dog Park at one end. Bring plenty of water and dog waste bags!

“I’m gonna need a big bowl of water after this!” Photo by @tastetravelunravel

12 p.m. Hot Chicken and a Cool Park Before Heading Home With a Tired Hound Dog

Stop in at Hattie B’s Hot Chicken for lunch to sample some of the chicken for which Nashville is famous. Although there is no table service, pups are welcome to join you on the covered patio while you eat spicy chicken tenders, sandwiches and wings. Just be sure to get extra water so you don’t have to drink from the dog bowl! Once you’ve finished, head to Gulch Dog Park and let Fido run off any extra energy before you depart Music City.

"What do you mean it's time to leave?"Photo by @maverickandmurals

Have you been to Nashville with your dog? Leave a comment or tweet us @BringFido!