Every convention week, somebody on the planning team asks me the same thing: what is there to do around here when the sessions end? Fair question. I run AV for a living, not a tourism desk, but my crew is in Nashville convention hotels and ballrooms all season, and we hear what attendees do with their free time and what they wish they had known.

Nashville has more to do than any one trip can cover, so I am not going to hand you a list of twenty. I will give you three, each for a different kind of free time: an evening, an afternoon, and a half day. Pick one and do it well.

Option one: a live show, with no long drive

If you only have an evening, spend it on live music. The Grand Ole Opry House sits next to Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center, roughly a quarter mile along Opryland Drive. If your convention is at Gaylord, you can walk to it after the last session without arranging a ride.

If your convention is downtown, the Ryman Auditorium on 5th Avenue is the downtown answer. The Ryman and the Opry House are a little over 12 miles apart (about a 20 minute drive), so do not mix them up when you buy tickets.

A few practical notes:

  • Look at the show calendar before you travel. Convention weeks are busy for everybody.
  • Buy tickets for the whole group at once if you can. Splitting up is how people end up in different rows.
  • Build a cushion after your last session. General sessions run long. I have watched a 4:30 finish become a 5:15 finish more than once.

Option two: a winery, for a slower afternoon

If your group wants something quieter than a show, drive out to Arrington Vineyards. It is co-owned by country music artist Kix Brooks and sits in the hills of Arrington, about 35 minutes south of downtown Nashville. Their retail pavilion is open daily and offers self-guided tasting flights, so you do not need a tour reservation to walk in and sit down.

This one works well for a small team or a client afternoon. A few things to plan for:

  • Plan the drive. Thirty-five minutes each way means this is a real outing, not a break between sessions.
  • Confirm hours and any event schedule on their website before you promise it to anyone.
  • Name a driver, or book a ride. Nobody wants to be working out the trip back after the tasting.

Option three: a waterfall, if you have a half day

This is the one most convention visitors never think of. Burgess Falls State Park is about 80 miles from Nashville, roughly an hour and twenty minutes by car, and it is known for a series of waterfalls along the Falling Water River. If you are staying over a weekend, or your agenda has a real gap, it is a good way to see some Middle Tennessee countryside.

Be honest with yourself about time. With the drive both ways, this takes most of a day. Check the state park website for trail conditions and any closures before you go, and wear shoes you can walk in. Dress shoes and trails do not mix. I say that from experience.

If you want something closer, Radnor Lake State Park is inside Nashville, with trails in a protected natural area of roughly 1,300 acres. It is a much shorter trip and a good option when you want some fresh air without losing the afternoon.

How to choose

The right pick depends on the time you really have, not the time on the agenda. Ask three questions before you commit your group:

  • How long is the real gap? Subtract the overrun from the agenda time, then subtract the travel.
  • Who is going? A team night out and a client afternoon are different plans.
  • How far is the venue from the outing? Gaylord Opryland and downtown are about 8 miles apart, so the best option changes with where your convention is.

Here is the short version to hand your team:

  • One evening, no driving: the Opry if you are at Gaylord, the Ryman if you are downtown.
  • One quiet afternoon with clients: Arrington Vineyards, with a driver.
  • A real gap in the agenda: Burgess Falls, or Radnor Lake if you want it closer.

Whichever you pick, confirm hours and tickets before you tell the group. Schedules change, and a closed door is a bad way to end a good plan.

Why an AV guy is telling you this

Because the best convention weeks are the ones where the program runs on time and people leave happy. We handle the production side: screens everyone can see, audio that reaches the back row, and a crew that shows up early and stays through tear-down. You take care of your people, and a good night out is part of that.

Planning a convention in Nashville?

Send me the dates, the venue and a rough idea of how many rooms you need. I quote every event myself and I answer my own phone. Request a Quote or call me at (615) 481-4887.