Blog post

The Instagrammers Guide to Nashville Murals

July 21, 2019

Nashville is a quickly growing city full of great places to explorelive music, the iconic Lower Broadway, and so many murals. I grew up a stone’s throw from Nashville and feel like I find a new mural every time I drive through Music City. Visitors and locals alike line up to snap a picture with some of the Nashville murals, even waiting hours for the chance. Finding some of the murals can be a bit tricky. Luckily, I’ve compiled a list of my favorite Nashville murals (with their locations!) so that you can snap away!

12 South

Nashville’s 12 South neighborhood might just have the highest concentration of Nashville murals! From the insta-famous “I Believe in Nashville” mural to the gorgeous flower wall, 12 South has something special hidden around every corner.

I Believe in Nashville

I Believe in Nashville Mural | The Instagrammers Guide to Nashville Murals

Surprisingly, there are several “I Believe in Nashville” murals around Nashville. This iconic mural has been instagrammed over 1 million times! Unfortunately, the “I Believe in Nashville” murals have been vandalized a number of times, but the folks behind the murals are always quick to restore them. “I Believe in Nashville” represents unity and civic pride and is ready to welcome viewers from all over.

The original I Believe in Nashville mural is located by Draper James. The other two “I Believe in Nashville” murals are on Marathon Music Works at 1402 Clinton St and on The Basement at 917 Woodland St.

The Flower Wall

The Flower Mural in 12 South | The Instagrammers Guide to Nashville Murals

The Flower Wall is one of the more whimsical Nashville murals! It transports visitors from the bustle of 12South to a serene field of wildflowers (with a little imagination, of course). The flower wall is unique in the fact that no artist or hashtag appears on the mural, so no one really knows who painted it. It seems as if the mural is simply there to make viewers happy.

You can find this Flower Wall by Green Pea Salon at 2900 12th Ave S.

Make Music, Not War

Make Music, Not War Mural | The Instagrammers Guide to Nashville Murals

Our next mural is conveniently located across from the above mentioned Flower Wall! “Make Music, Not War” really gets into the heart of Nashville, otherwise known as Music City. Music really makes up the heart of Nashville, which makes this one of the Nashville murals that really gets the vibe of the city. @RelaxMaxApparel really hit the ball out of the park with this one.

Catch the Make Music, Not War mural by Epice at 2902 12th Ave S.

R!v!ve Nashville Mural

The R!v!ve Mural | The Instagrammers Guide to Nashville Murals

The R!v!ve Nashville Mural combines the hustle and bustle of the city of Nashville with the more serene side. The mural is sponsored by R!v!ve Nashville, a movement to revitalize Nashville’s streams and rivers. My favorite part of this mural is the fox! The mural is located behind some street parking, making it kind of hard to snap a pic with (you might have to get a bit creative).

Snap the R!v!ve Nashville mural on the side of 12 South Yoga at the corner of 12th Ave S and Paris Ave.

Looking Pretty, Music City

Looking Pretty, Music City Mural | The Instagrammers Guide to Nashville Murals

Confession time: my jaw dropped when I heard that Madewell painted over the #PeaceLoveGoodDeeds mural to make way for their new concept. BUT I love what they did! The Looking Pretty, Music City is a little burst of sunshine in the heart of 12 South. The dancing legs perfectly incorporate the Madewell brand with vibe of Nashville, making this one of my new favorite Nashville murals.

Find the Looking Pretty, Music City mural on the side of Madewell at 2709 12th Ave S.

Donut Fence

The Donut Fence at Five Daughters Bakery | The Instagrammers Guide to Nashville Murals

Y’all. I love any excuse to visit Five Daughters Bakery and snag one of their 100 layer donuts. I swear, the angels in heaven above swooped down to Nashville and gave the recipe to the folks here, but I digress. Five Daughters has phenomenal donuts, so obviously they had to have super cute donut themed art to accompany them. Their fenced in patio is covered in adorable murals like the one above! There’s even a “raining donuts” mural that is crazy precious. Gaze Lozono really captured the essence of Five Daughters in these sweet murals.

Check these Donut murals out and grab a donut at Five Daughters Bakery at 1110 Caruthers Ave.

The Gulch

The Gulch is any instagrammers dream. From Bonuts at Biscuit Love to cocktails at Up Rooftop Lounge, the Gulch really has it all – including some swoon-worthy Nashville murals!

Jason Woodside Mural

Jason Woodside Mural | The Instagrammers Guide to Nashville Murals

I have heard this mural called a ton of different things: ribbon mural, rainbow mural, etc. I call it the Jason Woodside Mural because Jason Woodside is the artist! The fun colors and patterns make for a great snap. I usually go earlier in the day so there’s some shade/not an awkward shade line across the middle of the mural.

You can find the Jason Woodside mural beside a parking lot at 299 11th Ave S.

Ian Ross Mural

The Ian Ross Mural | The Instagrammers Guide to Nashville Murals

The Ian Ross Mural is right beside the Jason Woodside Mural (convenient, right!?). This mural is absolutely stunning with its green and teal hues. Both the Jason Woodside Mural and Ian Ross Mural were created as part of the Nashville Walls Project, a public art initiative I can get behind! Ian Ross transformed a once boring white wall at the back of a parking lot to this gorgeous green masterpiece that starts to look alive the longer you look at it.

You’ll find the Ian Ross Mural behind the parking lot at 299 11th Ave S.

#WhatLiftsYou Wings

Kelsey Montague's #WhatLiftsYou | The Instagrammers Guide to Nashville Murals

The #WhatLiftsYou mural in The Gulch is probably THE most popular Nashville mural. There is always a line leading up to the wings and, depending on the weather, you should expect to wait anywhere from 15 minutes to a few hours to get a pic with these massive wings. There’s even a set of mini-wings to the right of the #WhatLiftsYou wings, which are perfect for pups and kids!  Visitors can say a big “thank you” to Kelsey Montague for these sweet wings!

You can find the #WhatLiftsYou mural at on the side of the parking garage by Tatziki’s. You’ll see the line along 11th Ave S.

East Nashville

East Nashville is a super hip, up and coming area of Nashville. It’s where everyone is wanting to live because it’s basically one big neighborhood across the river from the hustle of downtown. East Nashville can be summed up in 7 words: good BB-Q, great art, and greater people.

#WhatLiftsYou Hot Air Balloon

#WhatLiftsYou Hot Air Balloon | The Instagrammers Guide to Nashville Murals

Did y’all know Kelsey Montague created a second #WhatLiftsYou mural in Nashville? Well, she did and to say I’m obsessed in an understatement. This mural features a hot air balloon with a real basket (what!) and is Kelsey’s biggest mural yet. Getting a good pic with this mural is a bit tricky, though. I recommend going earlier in the day, otherwise you’ll get caught in a bit of a shadow (as you can see in my pic above). Don’t be afraid to step up on the ledge that leads down to the restaurants below to get the whole hot air balloon in your snap!

The #WhatLiftsYou Hot Air Balloon covers the side of The Cleo at 1034 W Eastland Ave in East Nashville.

Ham Baby

The Ham Baby Mural | The Instagrammers Guide to Nashville Murals

In my opinion, the beyond cute Ham Baby mural might just be the most slept on mural in Nashville. Everytime I mention this mural to my friends, they have no idea what I’m talking about until I take them there and they become as obsessed as I am. Kim Radford painted this Babe (see what I did there?) back in 2018 and man is she a beaut! 10/10 would vote on her in any county fair. She’s really “some pig.”

Catch the Ham Baby mural on the side of Mitchell Delicatessen at 1306 McGavock Pike.

Google Fiber

Google Fiber Mural at Five Points Pizza | The Instagrammers Guide to Nashville Murals

Google is everywhere, even in the mural world. Back in 2017, Google Fiber partnered with 13 artists in 5 cities across the US. Their mission? To make the Internet more colorful (and promote Google Fiber high speed Internet). Luckily, Nashville was one of the cities chosen! There are a few Google Fiber murals around town, but this one by Nathan Brown is by far my favorite. With the kaleidoscope-esque colors and design, it’s an all around win!

This Google Fiber mural is on the side of 5 Points Pizza at 1012 Woodland St.

Hillsboro Village

Hillsboro Village is a laid-back area of Nashville with all sorts of hip cafes, coffee shops, and boutiques. It’s convenient location by Vanderbilt makes it a frequent hangout for college students. Honestly, the entire area is worth taking pictures of, but a few murals stand out!

Hillsboro Village Dragon

The Hillsboro Village Dragon is one of the oldest Nashville murals! David Glick and Adam Randolph painted the dragon way back in 1995 after being inspired by the sea serpent sculpture in nearby Fannie Mae Dees Park. To keep the beast looking fresh, the paint has been redone a few times over the years. There is some street parking by the mural, which can make it hard to snap a pic of (like in my above pic), so get creative!

You can find the Hillsboro Village Dragon on the side of Posh Boutique Village, on the corner of 21st Ave S and Belcourt Ave.

Drippy Lips

Hillsboro Village's Drippy Lips Mural | The Instagrammers Guide to Nashville Murals

The Drippy Lips mural is one of the newer Nashville murals and wow is it incredible! The mural was designed by Donald “Drawbertson” Robertson and painted by local East Side Murals. It’s basically the collaboration of a pop art fan’s dreams. These luscious lips are made to take pictures of!

Snap the Drippy Lips on the side of United Apparel Liquidators at 1814 21st Ave S.

West Nashville

West Nashville encompasses the neighborhoods of The Nations, Sylvan Park, Charlotte Park, and more. It’s a quickly growing area with all sorts of amazing restaurants, adorable cottages, and entire streets lined with murals – Yep. You heard that right! West Nashville is a must for mural lovers!

Off the Wall Charlotte Ave

The Alic Daniel Off the Wall Mural

Off the Wall is a large-scale mural project that aims to connect visitors with local non-profits. The 1200′ wall is covered in 14 murals from world-class artists. It’s seriously something! Plus, the sidewalk is very, very wide, making it easy to snap pictures of the murals from up close or from across the road!

The Black Cat Tips Off the Wall Mural | The Instagrammers Guide to Nashville Murals
The Black Cat Tips Off the Wall Mural

Find the Off the Wall murals along Charlotte Ave between 28th and 31st St.

The Bongang Off the Wall Mural | The Instagrammers Guide to Nashville Murals
The Bongang Off the Wall Mural

Hattie B’s Chickens

Hattie B's Chicken Mural | The Instagrammer's Guide to Nashville Murals

Hot Chicken from Hattie B’s is one of my favorite things on this planet. Hattie B’s Nash West is my favorite Hattie B’s location for two reasons: 1) there isn’t usually a long line (pro tip!) and 2) the cute chicken mural by the entrance. Snap a quick pic with these cuties and then gorge yourself on hot chicken and pimento mac n cheese. You won’t regret it.

You can find the Hattie B’s Chickens at Hattie B’s Nash West, 5209 Charlotte Ave.

Downtown

Downtown Nashville is full of great public art… in the forms of the amazing neon signs outside all the area bars. Unfortunately, there aren’t that many killer murals Downtown, but there is one I firmly believe is worth checking out!

I Believe in Smashville

I Believe in Smashville Mural | The Instagrammers Guide to Nashville Murals

The “I Believe in Smashville” mural is a Nashville Predators take on the “I Believe in Nashville” mural. For those of you who don’t know, the Nashville Predators are the resident NHL team and a pretty big deal around Nashville. The “I Believe in Smashville” is a popular pre-game destination for fans of the Preds!

You can find the I Believe in Smashville mural on the side of Bridgestone Arena at the 5th Avenue entrance.

What’s your favorite Nashville mural? Let me know in the comments below!

xoxo,

KB

PS. Be sure to check out my guides to Music City and Lower Broadway if you plan on visiting Nashville! Also, check out this handy guide on Girls Who Travel to finding live music in Nashville (written by yours truly!).

The Instagrammers Guide to Nashville Murals | Her Life in RuinsThe Instagrammers Guide to Nashville Murals | Her Life in RuinsThe Instagrammers Guide to Nashville Murals | Her Life in Ruins

5 Comments

  • Ana

    July 21, 2019 at 2:45 pm

    What a fun post! Thank you for the tour 🙂

  • Nele

    July 21, 2019 at 3:30 pm

    I LOVE a good mural! Manchester (where I live) is full of them, and I always really appreciate seeing some good street art when visiting new places. It just adds so much to the character and atmosphere of a city. These are all so colourful and happy! I find it hard to pick a favourite haha – probably the Off the Wall!

  • Alice

    July 22, 2019 at 4:10 am

    Aw these are so pretty! I had no idea Nashville had so many amazing murals. Love the dog too!

  • Aurora

    July 22, 2019 at 1:07 pm

    If I’m ever in the area I will have to check them out! Thanks for sharing girl!

  • Catherine Lanser

    July 22, 2019 at 4:13 pm

    I had no idea Nashville had so many murals! It’s been a long time since I’ve been there. Your pictures are beautiful.

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Prev Post Next Post