Nashville vs. Austin vs. Louisville for a fun weekend (live, best, better)

[Vincent_Adultman]

My friend and I are planning a weekend vacation to one of these cities and I was hoping to get the opinions of folks on this board. A couple of things about me - I'm a family man with young kids who rarely gets to go on trips like this so I'm definitely looking to do a lot of things you can't do with kids: stay out late, see live music, go to bars. Also, having lived on the West Coast for most of my life, I'd really like to experience something different - a place where people are friendly and down-to-earth instead of pretentious/snooty (that's the default West Coast attitude). Note we'd likely be going in October or November of this year.

These are just things to keep in mind, but the main criteria both my friend and I are interested in are listed below (also note we are both in our mid-30s and would like a city that has a blend of etsablishments in terms of the age range of the people who frequent them):

Nightlife, particularly bars
Live Music
Food
Main Drags - 6th vs Broadway vs (not sure of Louisville equivalent)
Restaurant/Nightlife areas outside of the Main drag
Walkability
Overall Vibe
Friendliness of people


Thanks much in advance!

Additional Note: I just realized Austin bars close at 2, Nashville at 3, and Louisville at 4 - interesting...

[annie_himself]

I feel like Austin will be too young of a scene for you, and Louisville seems like it's more fun. Although, why not New Orleans?

[Ivory Lee Spurlock]

Originally Posted by Vincent_Adultman

My friend and I are planning a weekend vacation to one of these cities and I was hoping to get the opinions of folks on this board. A couple of things about me - I'm a family man with young kids who rarely gets to go on trips like this so I'm definitely looking to do a lot of things you can't do with kids: stay out late, see live music, go to bars. Also, having lived on the West Coast for most of my life, I'd really like to experience something different - a place where people are friendly and down-to-earth instead of pretentious/snooty (that's the default West Coast attitude). Note we'd likely be going in October or November of this year.

These are just things to keep in mind, but the main criteria both my friend and I are interested in are listed below (also note we are both in our mid-30s and would like a city that has a blend of etsablishments in terms of the age range of the people who frequent them):

Nightlife, particularly bars
Live Music
Food
Main Drags - 6th vs Broadway vs (not sure of Louisville equivalent)
Restaurant/Nightlife areas outside of the Main drag
Walkability
Overall Vibe
Friendliness of people


Thanks much in advance!

Additional Note: I just realized Austin bars close at 2, Nashville at 3, and Louisville at 4 - interesting...

You can hear most any kind of live music every night in Austin. I've heard there are more bars and restaraunts in the 78701 zip code than any other zip code in the country. I believe that's the correct zip. It's in the downtown area. If you're looking for bars, you've come to the right place.

Austin has good restaraunts and food trucks all over town. Nearly every major intersection, You'll find a Mexican or TexMex restaraunt, a Chinese/Asian restaraunt, and a at least 1 food truck. You'll find some of the best Tex Mex, BBQ, breakfast tacos and chicken fried steak found anywhere in the country. I don't know of any other city in the country where the people are as passionate about food and restaraunts as the people are In Austin.

Austin has at least 3 entertainment districts in the downtown area. 6th Street genereally polular with single adults younger than 25

4th Street, an older crowd than 6th Street. About 26 to 40 or so.

Rainey Street, I'm not 100% sure, but I believe it's more for an over 35 and settled down professionals.

Also, an entertainment district is developing fast in the Domain area in far North Austin. I sense an entertainment district possibly developing in the Southpark area.

Austin is walkable. You drive to where you wanna go. You park. Get out of your vehicle and lock it up and then start walking. The sidewalks seem like they are very wide compared to sidewalks in most cities. Austin has long wide boulevards with wide sidewalks and some nice views. There's many clusters of stores and restaraunts in all areas of Austin, so when you park, most likely you will be convenient to many stores and restaraunts.

Austin has an energetic, but laid back, easy going, live and let live vibe. Lots of positive vibes everywhere in Austin. You can feel the positive vibes that permeate the air.

People in Austin are very friendly and it's very easy to strike up a conversation with a total stranger. Most of the people here are very well mannered, kind, and empathetic. Everywhere you go, people act like they are glad to see you. I won't say Austin is the friendliest town in the country, but I will say you won't find a town that is any friendlier than Austin.

[Iconographer]

Originally Posted by Ivory Lee Spurlock

You can hear most any kind of live music every night in Austin. I've heard there are more bars and restaraunts in the 78701 zip code than any other zip code in the country. I believe that's the correct zip. It's in the downtown area. If you're looking for bars, you've come to the right place.

Austin has good restaraunts and food trucks all over town. Nearly every major intersection, You'll find a Mexican or TexMex restaraunt, a Chinese/Asian restaraunt, and a at least 1 food truck. You'll find some of the best Tex Mex, BBQ, breakfast tacos and chicken fried steak found anywhere in the country. I don't know of any other city in the country where the people are as passionate about food and restaraunts as the people are In Austin.

Austin has at least 3 entertainment districts in the downtown area. 6th Street genereally polular with single adults younger than 25

4th Street, an older crowd than 6th Street. About 26 to 40 or so.

Rainey Street, I'm not 100% sure, but I believe it's more for an over 35 and settled down professionals.

Also, an entertainment district is developing fast in the Domain area in far North Austin. I sense an entertainment district possibly developing in the Southpark area.

Austin is walkable. You drive to where you wanna go. You park. Get out of your vehicle and lock it up and then start walking. The sidewalks seem like they are very wide compared to sidewalks in most cities. Austin has long wide boulevards with wide sidewalks and some nice views. There's many clusters of stores and restaraunts in all areas of Austin, so when you park, most likely you will be convenient to many stores and restaraunts.

Austin has an energetic, but laid back, easy going, live and let live vibe. Lots of positive vibes everywhere in Austin. You can feel the positive vibes that permeate the air.

People in Austin are very friendly and it's very easy to strike up a conversation with a total stranger. Most of the people here are very well mannered, kind, and empathetic. Everywhere you go, people act like they are glad to see you. I won't say Austin is the friendliest town in the country, but I will say you won't find a town that is any friendlier than Austin.

Agree on all points, which is why I voted for Austin.
Consider that (if you have the time) you have the added bonus of being at the gateway to the Hill Country, which is an amazing place to explore.

[Vincent_Adultman]

Originally Posted by annie_himself

I feel like Austin will be too young of a scene for you, and Louisville seems like it's more fun. Although, why not New Orleans?

That’s a place my wife really wants to go so I’m saving that for a time when we can go together.

[Shakeesha]

Nightlife, particularly bars: Nashville
Live Music: Nashville
Food: Austin, Louisville, then Nashville last
Main Drags - Nashville, Austin, Louisville has no equivalent, but many nice neighborhoods that Peter1948 can tell you all about.
Restaurant/Nightlife areas outside of the Main drag: Louisville has many interesting areas that are full of character. It is the most traditional of this group. It still retains much of its character, whereas the other two have been gentrified to the point that you cannot tell what city you are in.
Walkability: Louisville is very walkable
Overall Vibe: Louisville is the least pretentious of this group. They are all liberal/progressive cities, especially Austin.
Friendliness of people: Nashville, Louisville, then Austin.

It is interesting you selected this group of cities. I would choose Louisville to visit because your money will spread further. Nashville and Austin are very expensive, and overrated in some aspects. Austin and Nashville are new and shiny cities with a strong hipster/yuppie vibe. Very extroverted. Louisville is more run down looking with a laid back artsy vibe. All cities are good options for weekend fun.

[Vincent_Adultman]

How are Nashville’s nightlife districts outside of the Lower Broadway area?

[shinestx]

Originally Posted by Vincent_Adultman

How are Nashville’s nightlife districts outside of the Lower Broadway area?

All over the place. There are the South Gulch, Sobro, 12South, WeHo, Eastside, Midtown (Demonbreun Hill, Division & Broadway), Germantown, Hillsboro/Green Hills areas. Tourists go to Broadway, locals go everywhere else. The best live music you've ever heard is in East Nashville. And don't think it's all C&W.

[Peter1948]

Originally Posted by Shakeesha

Nightlife, particularly bars: Nashville
Live Music: Nashville
Food: Austin, Louisville, then Nashville last
Main Drags - Nashville, Austin, Louisville has no equivalent, but many nice neighborhoods that Peter1948 can tell you all about.
Restaurant/Nightlife areas outside of the Main drag: Louisville has many interesting areas that are full of character. It is the most traditional of this group. It still retains much of its character, whereas the other two have been gentrified to the point that you cannot tell what city you are in.
Walkability: Louisville is very walkable
Overall Vibe: Louisville is the least pretentious of this group. They are all liberal/progressive cities, especially Austin.
Friendliness of people: Nashville, Louisville, then Austin.

It is interesting you selected this group of cities. I would choose Louisville to visit because your money will spread further. Nashville and Austin are very expensive, and overrated in some aspects. Austin and Nashville are new and shiny cities with a strong hipster/yuppie vibe. Very extroverted. Louisville is more run down looking with a laid back artsy vibe. All cities are good options for weekend fun.

I'm not sure Louisville has "no equivalent" of "main drags"

Even nail down on google earth and you will see it most certainly does. Bardstown Rd/baxter Ave is very dense and lively commercial for over 3 miles....its just not as packed with 20-25 year olds as broadway in Nashville or 6th St in Austin. For me, that's a good thing. That's not to say Louisville's dead (unless it's cold, the place gets very quiet with freezing temps), it's just different and although Louisville saw 24 million tourists last year, it's nothing like Nashville or Austin there. Louisville's bourbon distilleries in the city are unique and as interesting as Nashville's music attractions. I also like Louisville's museums better.

Louisville also has market street, main street, 4th street, washington ave, frankfort ave , goss ave and lower shelbyville rd., even corners in Old Louisville. All of these are surrounded by better historic urban housing stock and Frederick Law Olmstead designed parks, things these other two towns could never dream of because they weren't an important city like Louisville was in 1900. Each one of the streets I mentioned allows bar hopping or walking from bar or restaurants to others. Like Nashville and Austin, several of these scenes are very hipster, in some cases obnoxiously so.

Spring St in New Albany and Jeffersonville , IN are extremely vibrant, especially summer weekends with outdoor concerts. Nashville and Austin don't have the waterfront Louisville has with views from an 1860s bridge like the Big Four.

In a way, Louisville and Nashville are similar in that people think all the nightlife is in one area, but it couldnt be further from the truth.

Ive had several posters here tell me that Louisville nightlife is all one block on 4th st. It couldnt be further from the truth! In the same way, there is MUCH more to Nashville than 5 blocks on Broadway which are most well known. I completely agree with ShineStx that the best Nashville nightlife is NOT downtown, but that's certainly the most touristy and vibrant....

I personally prefer Louisville as it feels a bit more indie, a bit more undiscovered, the drinks are waaaay cheaper, the bourbon is poured stiffer, and the women aren't as pretentious. oh, and did I mention 4 am last call in many Louisville bars? The other two more popular towns cannot match that. Oh, and Louisville has a large casino within 20 mins of downtown, and you won't find that near Nashville....


But if you are lookin for a "vegas style" nightlife in the south, then Nashville and Austin easily beat Louisville. In all other categories Louisville measures up very nicely, as Shakeesa indicates. I've been saying this for years, but Louisville is very much like Austin the 90s and Nashville in the early 2000s in regards to growth and vibrancy. A Louisville trip will be half the price, especially in hotels, uber, everything really.

Oh, and don't think Louisville is a slouch in music! Tons of great indie bands and local music venues, but nothing like the other two music towns. That said, Louisville will now have at least FOUR major national music festivals next year, each one drawing 50-100k people. If it gives you any indication, Eddie Vedder played two US shows last year one in Louisville, one in Nashville (well Franklin)....

[Champ le monstre du lac]

Not sure how much time you have, but I'd imagine Louisville and Nashville could be covered as a combo in one trip? If I were flying over there, Id want to see both.