Welcome to the definitive guide to house sitting in Nashville. This article contains all the information you need to find, secure, and enjoy a house sitting placement in Music City.
It’s one of my favorite places to visit. Hannah and I have been there many times and have enjoyed a couple of excellent spells house sitting in Nashville. Hotels are not cheap though, so house sitting is a great idea to consider as an alternate accommodation option to ensure you have plenty of money to spend in the honky tonks!
Why Everybody Should Visit Nashville
Nashville is not just about country music anymore, though that still plays a significant part. Broadway is lined with neon-clad, music-pumping, cowboy-styled bars 18 hours a day, 7 days a week. If that’s your thing, you’ll be in heaven. But there are sleek modern clubs, cocktail bars, and pubs for every drinker’s taste.
Nashville is considered by many to be the USA’s capital city for bachelor and bachelorette parties, and it competes with Las Vegas in many lists I have seen. It’s no surprise that the wall-to-wall entertainment, friendly and inviting atmosphere, and party vibe make it the ideal place for a pre-wedding blowout.
Broadway is just one part of it though. Long spells house sitting in Nashville opened my eyes to just how fantastic the rest of the city is. There are awesome hiking trails and many lush nature reserves. It has a great restaurant scene, cool suburban areas, and a significant amount of historical spots that are all worth visiting.
House Sitting In Nashville
Let’s dive into the details and see why house sitting is a fantastic and logical solution for a trip to Nashville.
My Experience of House Sitting in Nashville
Staying in Nashville is not cheap, I know because Hannah and I previously paid for two trips and had to stay outside the center to be able to afford the vacation. The average night of a hotel room is over $220/night!
I get that many see it as a once-in-a-liftetime trip, much like Las Vegas, and don’t mind an expensive vacation. But if like us, you want to spend a significant amount of time in a place like Nashville, house sitting is a really viable option.
During Christmas 2023, we completed 2 back-to-back house sits in Nashville across 6 weeks. We were then able to secure 2 additional weeks using Home Exchange, meaning we did not pay a single penny for accommodation in Nashville. Learn more about how to travel for free by reading my previous article – How to Travel the World On An Accommodation Budget.
House Sitting Opportunities in Nashville
We use Trusted Housesitters as a primary source of house sitting opportunities. It’s a terrific site that at a glance just now has almost 8000 listings around the world looking for sitters.
Nashville ranks high on the list of US cities for house sitting opportunities. 41 listings as I write this are accepting applications and some of the properties make me want to book a flight right now. These numbers are constantly in flux but I’d say from my experience that 40-60 active listings are about right for Nashville at any one time.
There are numerous other sites on the market such as Mind My House and Housesitters America. Though they can’t compete with the numbers THS puts up, both are great secondary sources for house sitting opportunities in Nashville. It is free to open a THS account and start browsing, so what are you waiting for? Click here!
How to Secure a Nashville House Sit
You can browse for free but you will need to be a paying member of most house sitting sites to secure a house sit. The THS membership starts at $129/year – so less than one average night in a hotel in Nashville. But use code BEACHES25 to save 25% on any membership plan, click here to get started. Alternatively, Mind My House is just $29/year and Housesitters America is a very affordable $49/year.
Use the search facilities to refine your dates and location. If nothing matches your exact requirements, try expanding your search criteria. Remember one of the perks of house sitting is the free accommodation but this may require a bit of flexibility on your part.
Some house sitting platforms allow you to save your search specification and be alerted when a house sit comes online that ticks all the boxes. This is a great resource that means you are at the front of the queue and ensures you don’t miss the perfect sit.
Found one that’s just right? Great, apply! Be honest and direct about your intent to house sit in Nashville. Read the listings and responsibilities carefully before applying and write a personalized application. This will make you stand out from the many people who just spam-apply to see what comes back.
Best Nashville Bars
There are so many to choose from. I could write for weeks and not be halfway through the list. But here’s a couple of my favorites that are a little off the beaten track.
Best Nashville Bars
- The Brown’s Diner. A bar, music venue, and restaurant that has a homely quality and a super friendly vibe. In operation since 1927, the former rail car from which the bar began still plays a role in the building structure. An easy trip from Broadway via taxi, bus, or a decent walk. The food and drink options are very affordable.
- Santa’s Pub. Every day in Nashville feels like Christmas, especially at Santa’s Pub where the tree and decorations stay up all year long. It’s a welcoming local’s bar that also attracts a fair share of tourists thanks to its notoriety as a sweet hang-out spot with cheap beer. It’s been featured in numerous ‘Best in Nashville’ guides and even a country music video.
- Dino’s Bar and Grill. The ultimate Nashville dive bar, Dino’s doesn’t look much from the outside (or inside for that matter) but it’s a great bar to spend a few hours and sink a few beers in. A great, fun bar with an unrivaled atmosphere. The food here is awesome too.
Best Places to Eat in Nashville
You won’t go hungry in Nashville. Whether it’s great street food or high-end dining you crave it’s easy to find in Music City. Here are just a couple of my recommendations.
Best Nashville Places to Eat
- 5 Points Pizza. The best pizza in Nashville. Situated in the very cool 5 Points area of East Nashville, just a short hop across the river, I would walk back to Nashville for another meal here. The garlic knots are a must, just make sure everyone with you has one, this way you have mutually assured destruction when the garlic kicks in!
- Mas Tacos Por Favor. The finest tacos around, Mas Tacos has always been our first and last dining stop when visiting Nashville. The laid-back and casual eatery serves fantastic Mexican food at competitive prices. It’s also situated across the river close to the Five Points area.
- Monell’s. An experience like no other. Enjoy all-you-can-eat Southern-style home cooking in a fantastic vintage setting. You’ll be seated at a big family table with whoever else happens to be there at the same time as you. Exquisite food keeps coming until you say stop, just always remember to pass food to the left.
Best Areas to Visit in Nashville
A very big city, Nashville is more than just a couple of blocks of cool bars. Here are a few must-visit areas to visit during a house sitting posting in Nashville.
Best Areas to Visit in Nashville
- Broadway. An obvious one that you can’t miss. The heartbeat of Nashville comes from a few square blocks of the city center which is unlike most other places in the world. Bands play from 11am – 3am in a plethora of bars that cater to every whimsical need of thirsty, hungry, and entertainment-craving punters.
- East Nashville. Heading east across the Cumberland River will quickly lead you to East Nashville. It’s a more relaxed area of the city that is known for its bohemian vibe and artistic flair. This is where you’ll find the Five Points area. There are a ton of cool bars, cafes, and eateries in this part of town that you could easily spend days exploring.
- Hermitage. A wildcard but it’s where we spent a month house sitting here. Hermitage is 30 minutes outside of central Nashville but easily accessible by taxi or bus. There are some cool historical sites like The Hermitage, the home of former US President Andrew Jackson for which the region is named. There’s also great hiking around the Cumberland River and the site of Johnny Cash’s former residence.
Conclusion
Well, writing this guide to house sitting in Nashville has certainly made me want to go back there sometime soon. I hope it’s given you some food for thought about picking Music City as a realistic house sitting location in the near future.
I’ve only just scratched the surface of the possibilities that house sitting in a place like Nashville can present. There are so many tourist guides to choose from but take a look at this one from our friends at Goats on the Road – The 15 Best Things to Do In Nashville
If you have any questions about house sitting in Nashville, or anywhere else in the world for that matter, be sure to get in touch. Enjoy Nashville y’all!
*Owners consent given to show property and pets