There are cities that welcome you, and then there are cities that pull you in for a great big hug. East Nashville is the latter; an area full of art, culture, music, and more, this is the perfect getaway for those who love exploring galleries and creative boutiques and participating in crafty activities. If your perfect getaway includes a gallery opening, an afternoon of sipping and painting, or anything where you can roll up your sleeves and create your own holiday souvenir, East Nashville is the place to be.
And while you heed the call of the artsy East Nashville vibe, Noa Nashville is the ideal backdrop with ample accommodations. An exclusive urban resort nestled minutes from the Five Points neighborhood, Noa's collection of 16 resort-style homes blends boutique luxury with a modern, organic sensibility. You’ll enjoy elegant bedrooms, spa-inspired bathrooms, a chef's kitchen with upscale stainless-steel appliances, and a lush, serene courtyard anchored by a heated pool, cold plunge, sauna, and fire pit. With 12 units featuring rooftop terraces overlooking manicured green spaces, Noa is as much a luxury property as it is a welcome retreat. For design lovers, those drawn to the aesthetics, and travelers who want to make the Nashville arts and crafts scene a big part of their getaway, Noa puts you at the center of it all.
72 Hours in East Nashville: An Art Lover's Dream
Day 1: Arrive, Settle, and Sip in Style
Check in to Noa any time after 4:00 PM using the smart lock
Step inside your quarters, drop your bags, and let your luxurious accommodations wash over you. Meet us by the courtyard for drinks, dial into the Noa Nashville rhythm, and experience the art of an excellent escape.
Dinner: The Treehouse, 1011 Clearview Ave. (~5-minute walk from Noa, $$)
Tucked within a hidden alley surrounded by trees in the heart of Five Points, The Treehouse is one of East Nashville's most beloved and distinctive dining experiences. Housed in a lovingly restored former home once belonging to legendary fiddle virtuoso Buddy Spicher, the restaurant features handcrafted wooden tables and thoughtfully sourced local, seasonal ingredients for both its food and cocktails. Dine in the intimate interior or claim a seat on the patio (complete with its own full bar). Happy hour runs Monday through Friday, 4:00–6:00 PM, with $8 house cocktails, two-for-one beers, and $8 house wines. Cheers!
Later in the Evening: Explore the Speakeasies of Five Points (~10 min walk/drive from Noa, depending on where you want to start, $$-$$$)
One of East Nashville's most seductive secrets is its collection of bars hidden behind bookshelves, unmarked doors, and otherwise unremarkable storefronts in the Five Points neighborhood. Speakeasy-style bars like Attaboy (just a 10-minute walk from Noa) and The Fox Bar & Cocktail Club (a 10-minute drive away) offer an upscale cocktail lounge experience, while a spot like Martha My Dear, an “elevated dive" speakeasy on Gallatin Ave., is known for its high-quality, affordable craft cocktails and fun drink options.
The Noa team maintains current intelligence on the best of these venues, and we’re happy to offer personalized recommendations. Consider this your first taste of all the fantastic things to do in East Nashville.
Day 2: Explore, Create, Tap Into Your Inner Artist
Morning Coffee: Bongo East, 107 S. 11th St., (~5-minute walk from Noa, $)
One of Nashville's most celebrated coffeehouses, Bongo East, is located right in your own backyard, and it's the perfect stop for sparking creativity. This is the city’s first board game café, where you’ll find over 700 board games to choose from, all completely free to play. They’re also well-known for their 100% organic coffee and local craft brews. The Goldilox is highly recommended for breakfast. Arrive early for a good table, though, because on weekends things pick up pretty quickly.
Mid-Morning Walk: Red Arrow Gallery, 919 Gallatin Ave., Suite #4 (7-minute drive from Noa, free)
What better way to spend a Saturday than by visiting the local galleries?
Begin with the Red Arrow Gallery. Women-led and fiercely independent, this gallery has been a cornerstone of Nashville's contemporary art scene since relocating from Joshua Tree in 2014. The gallery champions artists with local and international ties whose work feels fresh, bold, and uncompromising. It’s open Thursday through Saturday from 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM (check their website or Instagram for specific exhibition openings). Parking is available on Gallatin Ave.
If you’re in for a day of gallery hopping, we also recommend you stop by Modfellows Art Gallery at 3655 Trousdale Dr., Studio C. This is a cutting-edge space (about a 20-minute drive from Noa and free to browse) celebrating contemporary art in all its diversity, including painting, photography, mixed media, and sculpture from emerging and established artists. Modfellows hosts rotation exhibitions that push boundaries and invite deeper engagement with art. It’s open Thursday – Saturday, 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
Afternoon Arts and Crafts: Slip Ceramics, 1301 Dickerson Pike, (~8-minute drive from Noa, $$)
If you’ve left your gallery excursion feeling all too inspired, you’ll love Slip Ceramics. You’ll need to book ahead for this venue, but there are lots of fun workshops happening monthly. Check the studio’s website and ask our staff to arrange for a sesh at this incredible, women-owned pottery studio. Slip is designed to make every guest feel capable and welcome, so don’t worry if you’ve never used a pottery wheel before.
One of the more popular workshops here is the Ghost Date Night workshop (BYOB), eponymously named after the iconic 1990 film Ghost. Finished pieces are fired for you and shipped if you're not local, so don’t fret if you’re limited on luggage!.
Early Evening Drive in the Gulch: The Kelsey Montague #WhatLiftsYou Mural, 302 11th Ave S, (~15-minute drive from Noa, free)
A major attraction in The Gulch, #WhatLiftsYou is a globally recognized large-scale art project with ‘perfect Insta post’ written all over it (use the hashtag #WhatLiftsYou). Celebrities, locals, and tourists alike have posted pictures of themselves standing at the center of this public artwork by Kelsey Montague, a pen-and-ink artist known worldwide. Montague has also created hot-air balloon murals for this project.
Your mural musings don’t need to stop there. The Five Points area and surrounding streets are dotted with additional murals and installations that reflect the neighborhood's creative history and its artsy vibe. This is one of the coolest things to do in East Nashville, TN, that costs zero dollars for infinite inspo.
Evening Dinner: Frankies 925 Spuntino, 925 Cherokee Ave. (~10-minute drive from Noa, $$)
The Southern city version of the celebrated Brooklyn institution, Frankies, brings elevated Italian dining to East Nashville with a stylish sensibility that somehow blends seasonal, upscale fare with the classic cool of BoCoCa. House-made breads, thoughtfully curated wines, pillowy gnocchi, cavatelli with hot sausage and sage brown butter, and innovative seasonal specials make this your perfect pre-show dinner.
After Dinner: Rudy’s Jazz Room, 809 Gleaves St. (~12-minute drive from Noa, $$)
Nashville's premier jazz club is unlike anything on Broadway. Furnished with Persian rugs, armchairs, and colorful Moroccan lights, Rudy's is a speakeasy that prioritizes atmosphere. Each evening features world-class live jazz alongside authentic, Southern-style Louisiana cuisine, including gumbo, Creole crawfish grilled cheese, beignets, and prohibition-era cocktails that will light your soul on fire. Shows run from 5:00 PM onward, Wednesday through Monday; Friday and Saturday nights run until 1:00 AM. Book tickets in advance on the website, as these shows sell out regularly.
Day 3: Move at Your Own Artful Pace
While check-out at Noa is at 10:00 AM, slide in another epic East Nashville breakfast. Then, if you have time, soak in the area’s creative energy one last time with local browsing, shopping, and appreciating. Here’s what will start your Sunday off beautifully:
Morning: Frothy Monkey, 1701 Fatherland St. (~15-minute walk from Noa, $)
Frothy Monkey's East Nashville location is a full-service café and casual dining room that serves breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner, all made from scratch using locally sourced ingredients. The menu includes innovative, rotating coffee drinks, a selection of weekend brunch classics, seasonal dishes, and a variety of crafted beer, wine, and cocktails. The ambiance is charming and laid-back, perfect for a relaxed morning before taking in the local galleries.
Afternoon: Five Points Alley Shops, 1106 & 1108 Woodland St. (~5-minute walk from Noa, $–$$)
Take a wander through Five Points Alley Shops, formerly The Idea Hatchery + Art and Invention Gallery. This is your one-stop destination for handmade goods, vintage finds, artisan jewelry, upcycled garments, cowboy/cowgirl hats and boots, and local art.
Black Dog Beads is a standout for craft lovers. This is a beading studio that doubles as a mystical creative supply shop featuring a wall-to-wall selection of jewelry-making gemstones, crystals, and other supplies.
Alegria offers fine, handmade leather goods and handmade items from small-batch entrepreneurs. You’ll also find previously loved clothing and accessories.
Fairytales Children’s Bookstore, for the kiddos in your life, is known for being Nashville’s tiniest yet mightiest kids’ book store. They invite you to step into 168 sq. ft. of magic and lose yourself in books, toys, stickers, art supplies, and all the things that make being a kid gloriously fun.
Defunct Books rounds out this excursion with rare and out-of-print titles that make for a thoughtful gift or souvenir. You’ll find all genres showcased here, from biographies and fiction to mythology and graphic novels.
Late Afternoon: Frist Art Museum, 919 Gallatin Ave., (~20-minute walk from Noa, free–$)
Housed in a stunning, repurposed 1930’s Art Deco post office, the museum offers ever-changing exhibitions. As a non-collecting museum, the Frist rotates curated exhibitions from prestigious collectors, local artists, and traveling shows. The Martin ArtQuest interactive gallery allows visitors of all ages to create their own art at 30 different stations, including painting, printmaking, and stop-motion animation. Plan for a couple of hours. Admission is free for visitors 18 and under and for seniors. Open Sunday, 1:00 to 5:30 PM; Monday and Thursday–Saturday, 10:00 AM to 5:30 PM (Thursday until 8:00 PM).
Early Dinner: Maru Sushi & Grill, Fatherland St. Suite 101, (~2-minute walk from Noa, $$)
East Nashville's most celebrated sushi hideaway can be found in a sleek, intimate suite just off Fatherland Street. Maru Sushi & Grill has earned its reputation as a Five Points staple that attracts both loyal locals and curious visitors. Here you’ll find a menu of fresh, carefully crafted Japanese fare and a front-row seat to sushi-making for a "live show" vibe. Order the gyoza and/or edamame for an appetizer, and Baja Fresh, Pink Lady and Crunch Mochi to share (or go for a main, like the Yaki Udon, just for you).
The Complete Art Lover’s Guide to Nashville
Whether you’re staying at Noa for a weekend or a week, there’s always something new to do and see, and never enough time for it all. So, let’s share some more great places to visit while you’re here. Some of these venues and experiences you’ll recognize from our itinerary, others you can swap out as your heart desires for an arts and crafty weekend tailored to your personal creative proclivities.
Art Galleries
Red Arrow Gallery, 919 Gallatin Ave., Suite #4, (12-min drive from Noa, free to browse).
Modfellows Gallery, 3655 Trousdale Dr., Studio C (20-minute drive from Noa, free to browse).
Frist Art Museum, 919 Broadway, 37203 (~20-min walk from Noa, free for under 18 and seniors, and $20 admission for adults).
Chauvet Arts, 414 Union St., Suite 107 (~20-min walk from Noa, free to browse).
Hands-On Creative Experiences
Slip Ceramics, 1301 Dickerson Pike (~8-min drive from Noa, $$).
Neon Brush Nashville, Main Street Gallery, 625 Main St. (~15-min walk from Noa, $$).
Street Art Worth Seeking Out
Kelsey Montague "What Lifts You" Mural, East Nashville (~10-min walk from Noa, free).
Nashville Walls Project Murals, scattered throughout Five Points and surrounding streets.
A Getaway for Creatives and Art Observers Alike
A weekend this rewarding deserves a place to stay that offers equal amounts of creative energy and resort respite. For those wondering about East Nashville hotels, Noa Nashville offers something unparalleled in upscale boutique accommodations. Plus, our location can’t be beat. Sixteen resort-style homes within a short walk to the galleries, studios, and some of Nashville's finest restaurants and hidden bars make Noa a natural choice for a vacation you’ll never forget. Book one townhome for an escape with that special someone. Book two for a group of friends. Book the entire property for an upcoming milestone celebration.
Discover Noa Nashville and book today.
