Scooters, Bicycles, Golf Carts, etc.
Good news for anyone visiting Nashville: The city has alternate means of transportation in and around the city center via scooters and bicycles for rent, as well as through golf cart services for short distances. If you have the mobility, scooters are an ideal way to see the city, allowing you to move quickly and navigate streets and sidewalks for several miles while avoiding traffic. Scooter companies include Bird, Lyft and Lime, which can both be activated using a credit card and photo ID. Typically these scooters cost $1 to unlock and 30 cents per minute riding. You can find available scooters near you using the app, and you can leave them in any safe location when you’re finished. There are often blackout areas in the city center where scooters can’t be used, but you’ll find these restrictions are rarely enforced, and you can easily scoot around them. You can also rent Segways, a two-wheeled motorized personal vehicle which you ride upright. The company iRide offers rentals, training, and tours for individuals or groups.
The city offers point-to-point rides using low-speed vehicles such as golf carts. Either Joyride or Cruzzin’Nashville will take you anywhere in the downtown area for a few bucks. You can flag them down or book online.
There is one final mode of transportation that bears mentioning: pedal taverns, or roving mobile bars that people “pedal” around the city center. If you’ve never seen these contraptions, you will in Nashville, where they are an omnipresent logistical and auditory nightmare for locals. Primarily geared toward bachelor(ette) parties, rowdy tourists, and young locals, I can’t weigh in on whether they are fun because I cannot bring myself to step foot on one. That said, if they look like fun to you, try it: Nashvillepedaltavern.com is a respected local company, and there are others that offer wagons, horse-drawn carriages, trolleys, party barges, andrecently, our first triple-decker pedal tavern (I wish I were joking). For a full list of options visit www.styleblueprint.com/nashville and search “pedal taverns.”
By Car
Nashville is easy to get around by car, however parking downtown can cost $30 to $50. The best way to get around this is to either stay in the city center or use ride-hailing apps or taxis to get to the city center and then walk, cycle, or scooter around.If you have young kids and don’t want to lug carseats on a plane, check out KreweCar, which is essentially a “black car” service that offers car seats on request. It’s not cheap—a ride across town in Nashville might cost $45—but if you do the math on parking, per-person cost, or just convenience, it’s worth every penny.
Rental Cars -- All major rental-car companies have offices in Nashville. Another option is Zipcar.com, which allows members to book small cars by the hour or day for around $10/hour, or $83/day after a one-time $25 application fee. You check the car out, drive around up to 180 miles (45 cents per mile after that), and park it back in its dedicated spot when you’re done. The gas is complimentary and insurance is included.
Parking -- Downtown has many parking lots, and rates range anywhere from $6 to $55 overnight. When parking on the street, be sure to check the time limit on meters which are, to the chagrin of locals, no longer free on nights and weekends. The best way to find parking is to use parkitdowntown.com, which will help you uncove the always dwindling reasonable options such as the Nashville Public Library (615 Church St.) and Metro Courthouse/Public Square garage (101 James Robertson Parkway), both of which cost $5-8 per hour (or $15 during events like Titans game) and max out at $20 overnight.
Driving Rules -- A right turn at a red light is permitted after coming to a full stop, but drivers must first yield to pedestrians or vehicles that have a green light. Children under 3 years of age must be in a car seat and children ages 4 to 8 must be in approved booster seats. Tennessee has a very strict DUI (driving under the influence of alcohol) law, and any person driving under the influence with a child under age 12 may be charged with a felony.
By Bicycle
In Nashville, you can rent a bicycle affordably using B-cycle from 5am to 10pm daily. Purchase a membership online or at any B-stationfor a three-day guest pass ($27.31), which allows for unlimited 120-minute rides, or a monthly pass ($21.85) for unlimited 60-minute rides. Return your bike to any of 30 B-stations around the city. Stations are clustered around the city center but are available throughout the city and suburbs, including locations in Green Hills, Opryland, East Nashville, West Nashville, and 12South.
By Bus and Shuttle
Nashville is served by the extensive and efficient Metropolitan Transit Authority bus system, which is now called WeGo Public Transit. In town, WeGo provides bus service in and out of downtown and throughout the city. Single rides are $2, as are 2-hour unlimited-ride passes, with youth (under age 19) and seniors (65-plus) costing just $1. All-day unlimited passes are available for $4. The downtown station is located at 400 Dr. M.L.K. Jr Blvd.By Taxi
Cabs aren’t as prevalent as they once were now that ride-hailing apps are ubiquitous, but there are still a few reliable options. American Music City Taxi & Checker Cab of Nashville (tel. 615/865-4100) accepts reservations via phone, app, or online. Rides between the airport, downtown, and Opryland are a flat $30, which may be more economical than ride-sharing during surge pricing times.
On Foot
Nashville gets more walkable by the day, with many neighborhoods holding enough attractions, restaurants, and activities that you may not need a car. The key to making this work is finding a neighborhood you want to explore and booking your lodging there, even if it costs a few more dollars. If you plan smart, you’ll get those dollars back in parking and cab fare.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.