Nashville, United States

• Nashville is Tennessee's capital and the center of country music, with live bands in honky-tonks, songwriter rooms and concert halls every night of the week. It is a spread-out, car-oriented city, but the areas visitors use most (Downtown, The Gulch, Germantown, 12 South, East Nashville and Midtown) are each easy to walk around once you get there.
• Traveling alone is common here. Coffee shops, brunch spots and restaurant bars are all fine places to sit by yourself, and live music works well solo because people go for the show rather than for company. Strangers tend to chat, which is usually just friendliness.
• Most of the trouble is on lower Broadway late at night, where crowds, heavy drinking and bachelorette parties mean more drink spiking, petty theft and unwanted attention. Keep your drink in your hand, watch it being poured, and take a rideshare after dark instead of walking between districts.
• Distances between neighborhoods are longer than they look on a map, and public transit is limited. Plan on rideshare for most evening trips, and don't leave anything visible in a parked car, since break-ins are common.

English is the main language. Dial 911 for police, fire or medical emergencies and ask for an interpreter if you need one; free phone interpretation is available in many languages. Hotel concierges and venue staff in the tourist areas are used to international visitors.

• Tipping is expected: around 18-20% at restaurants and bars, and a dollar or two per drink at a bar. Musicians in honky-tonks play for tips, so a few dollars in the tip jar is normal.
• People tend to be chatty and polite. Small talk with strangers is normal and is usually just friendliness, but a firm, polite no is fine if a conversation goes further than you want.
• Dress is casual almost everywhere. Comfortable shoes matter most, since uneven sidewalks, long blocks and standing at shows are the norm. Cowboy boots are common but not required.
• Lower Broadway bars mostly have no cover and open in the morning, but the crowd changes sharply after dark. Arrive early for a good seat, and try the songwriter rooms for a quieter, seated show.
• Open-container rules are stricter than many visitors expect. Drink inside venues and follow the posted rules about taking drinks outside.

The first hour after landing is when you're tired, carrying everything, and easiest to take advantage of. Three things to sort before you fly:

• Your ride from the airport. A driver who meets you in arrivals, at a price fixed before you fly — no haggling at the taxi rank.

  Book an airport pickup

• Data the moment you land. Maps, ride apps and a way to call for help as soon as you switch your phone on. An eSIM installs at home.

  Get a good eSIM

• The emergency number. Emergency Services (Police, Fire, Ambulance): 911. Save it in your phone, not just on this page.

  All emergency contacts

• Uber and Lyft are the easiest way around, especially after dark and between neighborhoods. Check the license plate and driver's name before getting in, and ask the driver to tell you your name instead of offering it first. At the airport, rideshare pickup is at the Ground Transportation Center.
• WeGo Public Transit runs the city buses, including an airport bus from Downtown's central station, plus a limited commuter rail line that mainly serves weekday commuters. Service is thinner in the evenings and on weekends, so don't count on it for a late night out.
• Downtown, The Gulch, Germantown and 12 South are each walkable on their own, but the gaps between them are long and sometimes have no sidewalks. Electric scooters are common Downtown, but riding one after drinking is unsafe and illegal. If you rent a car, park in a lit garage and keep bags out of sight.
• If you're planning day trips outside the city, consider renting a car.

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