About Vanderbilt & Nashville

Vanderbilt sits in the heart of Nashville—“Music City”—a creative, fast-growing hub for healthcare, tech, the arts, and (of course) live music. Our park-like campus is just over a mile from downtown and walkable to Midtown, Music Row, Centennial Park, and Hillsboro Village. Students often cite Nashville itself as a defining part of the VU experience: easy access to concerts and museums, abundant green space, internships across the city’s research and innovation sectors, and a food scene that ranges from classic Southern diners to nationally known spots.

What’s nearby: Centennial Park (home of the Parthenon), Music Row studios, the Frist Art Museum, Assembly Food Hall, and venue clusters along Broadway and Elliston Place.

Getting around: Most favorites are a 5–15 minute walk from campus; transit and rideshare connect the rest of the city.

Student favorites (walkable from campus)

  • Meet Noodles

  • Thai Satay

  • Hattie B’s

  • Pancake Pantry

  • Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams

  • SATCO (San Antonio Taco Company)

  • Elliston Place Soda Shop

  • Biscuit Love

Vanderbilt has lots of things happening, so check out the Events Calendar.

The Nashville Downtown Events calendar can be found HERE.

Stuff to do in Nashville by Neighborhood

 

There is so much to do around town. Don’t spend all of your time in the lab! Get out and take advantage of Nashville and the Vanderbilt campus. The campus, surrounding area, and Nashville are quite safe, but not absent of crime.  Always use your best judgment and don’t walk alone after dark.  We recommend you visit the Vandy police website at police.vanderbilt.edu for further information.

Below is a list of some shopping, restaurants and activities that you can find in the areas closest to campus. For even more information, check out Nashville Guru, an online publication focusing on events and places that make Nashville great! Also there is a free alternative paper called The Nashville Scene that comes out every Wednesday afternoon that is excellent for looking for events, art exhibits, movies, etc., and can be picked up at local restaurants, markets, and so forth.  Their website is www.nashvillescene.com. For events, festivals and more, check out https://www.visitmusiccity.com/visitors/.

Edgehill  

West End

Midtown

Elliston Place

Hillsboro Village

Green Hills

Downtown

Beyond