This piece on Nashville is sponsored by Apartment List, a rental listing service that removes the doomscrolling from finding a new home. They reached out a few weeks ago to see if I’d be willing to write a few words about the city I love, in conjunction with the launch of a new tool they’ve created to help prospective Nashvillians find the best place to live. It’s a quick quiz that plays neighborhood matchmaker for you based on a few questions about yourself.
I took the quiz myself and it matched me with…*drumroll*… EAST NASHVILLE. Which is where I live, so I guess it actually knows what it’s talking about. Thanks Apartment List for being cool, supporting real writers instead of using AI, and letting me share a little about my story living and loving in Nashville!
“Five years ago I would’ve canceled your ride request,” my Uber driver told me, shortly after we moved into our tiny, brick home on a cul-de-sac in Inglewood. “When I was a kid, you just didn’t go to East.”
It’s true in the past, East Nashville had a bit of a checkered reputation. When I first told people I was moving to East, their eyebrows would raise with thinly veiled concern. At the time, our realtor called the neighborhood “rapidly developing” which is realtor speak for: don’t walk down certain streets alone at night, the schools are a bit crap, but you get to live near this trendy coffee shop so that’s good.
But that was years ago. These days, development has made East Nashville unrecognizable. When I moved here, it was the only place we could afford a mortgage as indie musicians. Now it’s home to Michelin-rated restaurants, and Nashville’s annual Tomato Fest (a local tradition!), and easy access to the largest park in the city.
It’s become a haven for semi-retired musicians, millennial parents who let their kids walk barefoot to the neighborhood bakery for a loaf of sourdough, and somehow make a living as a “food stylist.”
The truth is, East Nashville and I grew up together. We were both starting new chapters at the same time, and ending up shaping each other.
I didn’t know this was possible when I was younger, that my presence in a city could shape it as much as it shaped me. When you’re 25 you don’t think you hold that kind of power, but you do. I moved to Nashville with college debt and a dream, but became a part of a community, and part of its lore.
It doesn’t matter what kind of house you live in, if you’re wealthy, or connected. Your very presence, your feet on the hot, summer Tennessee pavement, is all it takes.
All this said, if you’re considering moving to Nashville, of course there are the obvious neighborhoods that are popular— and for good reason: 12th South, Green Hills, Edgehill, and the Gulch to name a few. But I thought it could be fun to list a few places I think are hidden gems in the heart of Nashville’s community.
Crieve Hall
Despite being one of the chillest neighborhoods inside the city limits, I never really hear anyone talk about Crieve Hall. Densely covered in mature trees, with creeks running throughout, and within a ten minute drive to Radnor Park, Crieve Hall is a haven for young families moving to the city.
Minutes from downtown, close to the airport, and right next to all Brentwood has to offer, Crieve Hall is centrally located without feeling overrun. Home to Crieve Hall Bagel, and some of the best Indian food in town, it has access to a great local library, and playgrounds, a local farmer’s market, and winding neighborhood streets without that cookie-cutter suburb feeling.
Germantown
If I was a single professional moving to Nashville I’d look no further than Germantown. It’s a walkable neighborhood just blocks from downtown, but with it’s own unique sense of identity. Brick-laid sidewalks, delicious restaurants on every corner, and home to my personal favorite bakery (Spread Market & Larder!), it’s a really cozy part of the city. It’s within walking distance of the Farmer’s Market, hosts Nashville’s annual Oktoberfest, and includes easy access to the riverwalk which you can run for miles on. It also contains Nashville’s best 24/7 gym, Pro Vita, kitted out with top-of-the-line gym equipment available at all times.
Architecturally, Germantown give you the sense of living in the city without compromising on character and personality that often gets lots in certain high-rise communities, while still delivering on access to the best parts of Nashville.
Cleveland Park
If you’re looking for a diamond in the rough, a neighborhood you can grow up and grow old in, move to Cleveland Park. Located on the other side of Ellington Parkway to East Nashville, it’s become an area densely populated with good places to eat, masterfully curated vintage shops, and tucked-away neighborhood watering holes.
It’s become a popular place for musicians to call home because of its easy access to the airport and proximity to rehearsal spaces. And is traditionally where tour buses (including the ones I rode home on) would drive to refuel before dropping its passengers off unceremoniously at some warehouse. To me, Cleveland Park, is what’s left of a working-class type of music industry person who’s a bit grittier, but also wants a good cup of coffee, and a neighborhood walk after a long night on the tour bus.
Inglewood
I lived there for nine years, so Inglewood has a special place in my heart. It’s a neighborhood within greater East Nashville, but is tucked away from the main streets alongside the Cumberland river. All throughout the neighborhood are access points to the biggest park in the city— which includes an 8-mile trail loop for running, hiking, and biking.
If you want the feel of a small town in a big city, Inglewood is the perfect place to set down roots. I’m trying to come up with a pithy way to say this and can’t quite find it: but let’s just say if there’s a cool new thing coming to town, it often starts in Inglewood. Inclusive art camp for kids, a drum shop that sells vintage clothing, and coffee, Michelin-rated pizza— it’s all here. As well as being home to legacy Nashville institutions like Mitchell’s Deli and Rose Pepper.
Okay, okay. Honestly I could go on and on about how much I love this city, all the little corners you could build a happy life in, but I have to cut this piece off somewhere. The truth is you can build a happy life anywhere, but I do think Nashville is special in its current iteration. It’s evolving and open to new perspectives and voices, so come add yours.
TAKE THE QUIZ: Find your Nashville Neighborhood
Read more about my favorite places in the city:
Stoppppp, I took the quiz for funsies and I got my current neighborhood! It’s spot on 👏👏👏
Loved reading this so much! Longing to visit one day ❤️