Choose Nashville if…
- you love the setting: live music every night, hot chicken, honky-tonks and a growing food scene
Choose New Orleans if…
- you want guests to manage without renting a car
- you want lots of private group options for friends to book together
- you love the setting: jazz on every corner, Creole cooking, oak-lined streetcar routes and bayous just outside town
Side by side
| Nashville | New Orleans | |
|---|---|---|
| Best season | April to May, September to October | February to May, October to November |
| Getting there | Nashville International (BNA) is about 15 minutes from downtown, with direct flights from most US cities. | Louis Armstrong International (MSY) is 25 minutes from the French Quarter. |
| Car needed? | Mostly yes | Not usually |
| Activity prices | Budget-friendly | Budget-friendly |
| Group-friendly activities | 9 of 12 | 12 of 12 |
| Relaxed activities | 6 | 5 |
| Foodie activities | 4 | 3 |
| Adventure activities | 4 | 4 |
| Full-day trips | 1 | 1 |
| Seasonal activities | 0 | 0 |
| Budget eats on our list | 5 | 5 |
| Currency | US dollar (USD). | US dollar (USD). |
| Tipping | Expected: 18 to 22% in restaurants. Large groups often get an automatic gratuity. | Expected: 18 to 22% in restaurants. Large groups often get an automatic gratuity. |
| Dinner time | Dinner usually from 6 to 9 pm. Popular restaurants book up weeks ahead. | Dinner usually from 6 to 9 pm. Popular restaurants book up weeks ahead. |
Top group activities in Nashville
- Grand Ole Opry show. The live radio show that made country music famous, with several artists every night.
- Broadway honky-tonk and live music pub crawl. A guide takes your group to the best bars with live bands on Lower Broadway.
- Nashville food tour with hot chicken. Taste hot chicken, biscuits and barbecue on a guided walk through a local neighborhood.
- Jack Daniel's distillery day trip to Lynchburg. Tour the famous whiskey distillery with a tasting, plus a stop in small-town Tennessee.
Top group activities in New Orleans
- Swamp and bayou boat tour. Alligators, herons and cypress swamps 30 minutes from the city.
- French Quarter history walking tour. Jackson Square, Creole townhouses and the city's colorful past.
- Ghost and voodoo walking tour. Haunted houses, voodoo history and vampire legends after dark.
- French Quarter food tour. Gumbo, muffuletta, pralines and the stories behind Creole cooking.
Questions couples ask
Is Nashville or New Orleans better for a destination wedding?
Choose Nashville if you love the setting: live music every night, hot chicken, honky-tonks and a growing food scene. Choose New Orleans if you want guests to manage without renting a car.
When is the best time for a wedding in Nashville and New Orleans?
Nashville: April to May, September to October. New Orleans: February to May, October to November.
Which is easier for guests to reach, Nashville or New Orleans?
Nashville: Nashville International (BNA) is about 15 minutes from downtown, with direct flights from most US cities. New Orleans: Louis Armstrong International (MSY) is 25 minutes from the French Quarter.
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