Nashville music tour: Johnny Cash, Ryman, trolley & five museums

Five museums, one trolley, your schedule

A Nashville music tour bundling entry to the Country Music Hall of Fame, Johnny Cash Museum, Musicians Hall of Fame, Ryman Auditorium, and your choice of RCA Studio B or Hatch Show Print, plus a one-day hop-on/off trolley pass with narrated loops and a moonshine tasting at Ole Smoky. No fixed itinerary. You choose the order and timing of each stop over one or two days.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time at each

1. Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum4h
2. RCA Studio B1h
3. Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum3h
4. Johnny Cash Museum1h
5. Ryman Auditorium1h

Explore Nashville's iconic attractions

• Visit Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
• Choose and tour RCA Studio B or Hatch Show Print
• Use 1-day hop-on/off Old Town Trolley pass
• Tour Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum
• Taste moonshine and craft beer at 6th & Peabody
• Tour Johnny Cash Museum
• Tour Ryman Auditorium

The experience

The pass opens five separate museums and two recording landmarks, each one a self-guided walk through a different corner of Nashville's music history. The Country Music Hall of Fame holds two centuries of instruments, video, and live performances; the Johnny Cash Museum houses the world's largest collection of Cash artifacts; the Musicians Hall of Fame spotlights the studio players behind hit records by everyone from Elvis to the Carpenters. You pick either RCA Studio B (where the Nashville Sound was born in the 1960s with Presley and Chet Atkins), or Hatch Show Print, the working block-letter press facility still cranking out concert posters by hand. Ryman Auditorium, the Mother Church of Country Music, stands as its own walk through 130 years of performances.

The trolley is the connective tissue. A one-day hop-on/off pass lets you board the Old Town Trolley every 20 minutes as it loops through Nashville, with a conductor delivering narrated facts and behind-the-scenes tips about the city. You hop off at a museum, spend as long as you want inside, then catch the next trolley when you're ready. The tasting at Ole Smoky Moonshine in SoBro (the distillery's Nashville outpost, now shared with Yee Haw Brewing) is included. The complex also has food, bars, and live entertainment if you want to linger.

After you book, you'll receive individual tickets by email within eight hours for direct entry to each attraction. Bring them with you. Each site can be visited only once, and admission is valid for a full year from the date you collect it. The Country Music Hall of Fame and Studio B run multiple tours daily, so arriving early or calling ahead to schedule your time there helps avoid waits.

What’s included

• Entry to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum with its two centuries of instruments and live performances.
• admission to the Johnny Cash Museum with the world's largest Cash collection.
• entry to the Musicians Hall of Fame spotlighting studio players and their instruments.
• self-guided tour of Ryman Auditorium, the Mother Church of Country Music.
• your choice of a guided tour at RCA Studio B or Hatch Show Print.
• a one-day hop-on/off trolley pass with narrated loops every 20 minutes and Broadway access.
• a sample tasting at Ole Smoky Moonshine Distillery in SoBro.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

AgesAdult (12 and older) · Child (4 to 11 years) · Infant (under 4): free

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleStroller friendlyPublic transport nearby

Operated by Southern Escape Tours

Is this one for you?The trolley and self-guided museums mean you set the pace and the order: ideal if you want to explore Nashville's music history without a fixed schedule or a guide's narration. The narrated trolley itself is the only guided element, so you'll hear facts and tips about the city, but the museums are yours to walk through at your own speed.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 11 years); Infant (under 4): free.

What's the difference between RCA Studio B and Hatch Show Print, which one should I pick?

RCA Studio B is a guided tour of the actual recording studio where Elvis, Chet Atkins, and the Everly Brothers recorded the Nashville Sound in the 1960s. Hatch Show Print is a tour of the working letterpress facility that still designs and prints concert posters by hand today. Both are included. You choose one at checkout based on whether you'd rather see where the records were made or where the posters were printed.

Do I need to follow a schedule, or can I visit the museums whenever I want?

There's no fixed itinerary. You visit each attraction at your own pace over one or two days. The trolley runs every 20 minutes, so you can hop off to explore a museum, spend as long as you want inside, and catch the next trolley when you're ready to move on.

Does the trolley take me directly to all five museums?

The trolley loops through Nashville on a sightseeing route with narrated commentary, but it doesn't serve as transportation to every museum entrance. You'll use it to get around the city and hop off near attractions, but you may need to walk the final block or two to reach some sites. Public transportation options are available nearby if you need them.

What happens at the Ole Smoky tasting?

Ole Smoky's Nashville location at 6th & Peabody includes a distillery, brewery, bars, and tasting areas. Your tasting is included. The venue also has food from White Duck Taco and Prince's Hot Chicken, live entertainment, and a shop where you can buy moonshine and beer to take home if you want.

How long do I have to use these tickets?

Admission to each attraction is valid for one full year from the date you collect your tickets. You can spread your visits across one day, two days, or longer: whatever works for your schedule.

What exactly is inside the Johnny Cash Museum?

The Johnny Cash Museum holds the world's largest and most comprehensive collection of Johnny Cash artifacts and memorabilia, displayed in state-of-the-art exhibits. The museum also has a gift shop and hosts special events.