Best places to visit in Nashville
This Summer in Nashville: Sequins, Sass & a Whole Lotta Dolly
This summer, forget subtlety. Embrace rhinestones. Drench yourself in pink. If your heart isn’t beating to the rhythm of a banjo and your cocktail doesn’t come with a paper parasol and a wink, you’re doing Nashville wrong.
Because this summer, it’s all about Dolly. The Queen of Country. The High Priestess of Hairspray. The woman who made “9 to 5” not just a song but a spiritual lifestyle choice. Whether you’re a lifelong disciple or merely Dolly-curious, there’s an itinerary that’s equal parts glitter and gospel, sincerity and sequins.
First Stop: The Hall of Fame (Naturally)
Start your Dolly day at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, currently hosting the showstopping exhibit “Dolly Parton: Journey of a Seeker.” It’s a full-blown pilgrimage. Expect handwritten lyrics that will make your soul ache, bejewelled stage outfits that would terrify a minimalist, and enough awards to sink a small yacht.
Don’t forget to pay your respects at RCA Studio B, the musical holy ground where Dolly recorded many of her career-defining hits. It still smells faintly of brilliance and vinyl. Possibly hairspray too.
White Limozeen roof top bar
Next up, swan over to White Limozeen, the rooftop bar atop the Graduate Hotel that can only be described as Dolly-meets-Versailles via a Barbie Dreamhouse. A landscape of blush pink loungers, oversized umbrellas, and a Dolly Parton sculpture so fabulous you’ll want to write it a thank-you note. Order a “Queen of the Rodeo” cocktail. Drink it poolside. Feel transcendent.
Broadway, Baby: Murals & Magic
Post-cocktail, totter down to Acme Feed & Seed, where the Dolly mural awaits your admiration (and your best camera angle). It’s loud, proud, and packed with colourlike Dolly herself. Plus, it celebrates her Imagination Library, a philanthropic powerhouse that delivers free books to children. Yes, she sings, writes, acts, owns, donates, builds, and murals.
Retail Therapy, Dolly-Style
No Dolly day is complete without a little spending. Start at Draper James in the twee-as-a-biscuit 12 South neighbourhoodhome of genteel sundresses and “What Would Dolly Do?” tote bags (answer: everything, in heels).
Then make a beeline to Trinkets and Treasures, Dolly’s own Nashville outpost, where you’ll find exclusive merch including rare albums, vintage posters, and sparkly tat that, frankly, you need. It’s the kind of shop where you’ll enter for a keyring and exit with a rhinestone-studded sense of purpose.
COMING IN 2026: Dolly Gets Her Castle
Just when you thought she couldn’t get any more iconic, 2026 will usher in Dolly’s Life of Many Colours Museum, nestled inside the soon-to-open SongTeller Hotel. Located at 211 Commerce St., this will be the definitive Dolly destination: a three-storey memory palace dedicated to her music, philanthropy, wigs, wisdom and wardrobe. Curated by Dolly herself. Expect tears. Possibly transcendence. Definitely fringe.
The SongTeller Hotel is twelve storeys of unapologetic Partonology and will also feature live entertainment, on-site dining (fried green tomatoes? obviously), and immersive rooms drenched in Dolly’s Southern sparkle. It promises to be Nashville’s new beating heart: a love letter to music, kindness, and unapologetic glamour.
So yes, this summer, Nashville’s calling. And she’s got a big blonde wig on. Answer accordingly.
