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The Ultimate Not-Boring Self-Care Day in Nashville
A therapist's guide to rest, discovery, and getting back to yourself — without leaving the city.
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By Lauren Ruth Martin, Licensed Therapist & Wellness Expert
Here’s a lukewarm take: staycations are wildly underrated. Not the kind where you sit on your couch and scroll — the kind where you treat your own city like a destination. Where you move slowly, follow curiosity, and remember that there is a whole world to explore just by staying present and committing to something different.
“Nashville isn’t known as the Self Care City. But if you zoom out a little, give yourself exploration time, and resist the neon lights — you can have a morning without a hangover.”
As a licensed therapist, a business owner, and a mother, Lauren Ruth Martin knows that genuinely restorative days don’t happen by accident. She’s been taking herself on solo dates around Nashville since 2004 — long before it was a trend. Below is her curated, lived-in guide to a full self-care day in Music City: where to sleep, sip, sweat, browse, eat, and finally exhale.
Step 01 · Where to Sleep
Wake Up Somewhere Worth It
The Russell
East Nashville
russellnashville.com
A former church turned boutique hotel, The Russell has rooms for every mood — including one with a skylight that feels like sleeping under the stars in the middle of the city. It drops you right into the heart of East Nashville, which means you’re walking distance from almost everything on this list.
If you need a total reset night, grab girl dinner from The Turnip Truck next door, put on Bravo, and let the quiet hours (10pm sharp) do their thing.
Also worth noting
Short-term rentals in Downtown Franklin, Melrose, or Green Hills — quieter pockets with great proximity to shops and restaurants.
Step 02 · Coffee First
But First, Something Memorable
Matryoshka Coffee
South Nashville (WeHo Adjacent)
matryoshkacoffee.com
A Cuban espresso drink with glitter in it. Walls that look like a fever dream in the best way. Matryoshka is queer-owned, color-packed, and completely in its own lane — built by hand by its founder and named for the nesting dolls that inspired it.
Order the Confetti Cuban, grab a seasonal drink if you’re feeling adventurous, and take it to-go so you can pop next door to Poppy & Peep for a truffle on the way out.
Also worth a sip
Silver Fox Coffee Lounge (Music Row) · Dawn Cafe (Downtown) · The Well (various) · Sam + Zoe’s (Berry Hill)
Step 03 · Slow Down
Find Your Next Read
Parnassus Books
Green Hills
parnassusbooks.net
Ann Patchett’s beloved independent bookstore is Nashville’s literary home. The selection is well-curated without being overwhelming — which matters when you actually want to find something rather than just wander.
Take your time. Let a staff pick surprise you. This is an institution, and it earns that word.
Also love
Novelette (East Nashville) — the colorful, community-centered bookstore that feels like Matryoshka’s bookish sibling.
Step 04 · Move Your Body
The Workout That Actually Feels Good
Barre3
Nashville, Brentwood & Franklin
barre3.com
Barre3 is the rare workout that genuinely satisfies on every level — you’ll sweat, stretch, and get a moment of mindfulness baked right in. The Nashville studios are locally owned by some of the sweetest humans, and that warmth shows up in the room.
If you’re brand new, start with a signature class. If barre isn’t your thing, the alternatives below are equally worth your morning.
Other options
Forza Pilates (Nashville & Franklin) · Shakti Power Yoga (Music Row) · Hot Box Kickboxing (North Gulch) · Harpeth Valley Golf Center (Bellevue)
Step 05 · Go Outside
Find Some Quiet in the Trees
Deerwood Arboretum
Brentwood (the local’s secret)
Deerwood Arboretum
Tucked inside an established neighborhood, Deerwood is the kind of place locals actively gatekeep. Paved paths wind through trees and along a creek — stroll it slowly, dip your feet in the water if the weather cooperates, and just be somewhere quiet.
This is essentially the physical form of mindfulness. No trail map required. No crowds.
Also save to your map
Radnor Lake (Oak Hill) · Percy Warner Park (Bellevue / Belle Meade)
Step 06 · Eat Something Good
Lunch That Earns Its Spot in the Day
Little Hats Market
Germantown & Franklin
littlehatsmarket.com
The gluten-free focaccia bread here is something Lauren dreams about on a weekly basis — and she means that literally. Italian comfort food done right, with a browse-able market while you wait.
GF folks: stick to the sandwiches and salads. And yes, take extra focaccia home if they have it. You won’t regret it.
Also mid-day favorites
The Wash (East Nashville, 6 local restaurants under one roof) · Calypso Cafe (Berry Hill) · The Mockingbird (North Gulch) · Slim + Husky’s (Buchanan)
Step 07 · Restore
The Spa That Gets It Right
O.liv Body Bar
East Nashville
olivbodybar.com
The spa world can feel intimidating or exclusive. O.liv doesn’t do that. The Body Bar lets you customize your own experience — “shots” of essential oils, a salt room, saunas, massage, facials — and the staff upholds real spa etiquette without the attitude.
The whole vibe says: you belong here, exactly as you are. This is the kind of place you discover and immediately start telling people about.
Other pampering options
Escape Day Spa (Belle Meade) · Spa Haus Nashville (Berry Hill) · ABR Aesthetics (Franklin) · South Hall (Leiper’s Fork)
Step 08 · Piddle Around
Shop Like a Local
Open Invite on Riverside
East Nashville
openinviteonriverside
Apple and Oak and Whiskey Water teamed up to create a collaborative retail destination that is genuinely greater than the sum of its parts. Under one roof: Shook About Books, Hail Mary for plants, The Charm Bar to build your own memento.
You can piddle here for hours. Every dollar goes to local businesses. This is exactly what shopping should feel like.
More local shops worth your time
N.B Goods · A Shop of Things · White’s Mercantile (12 South, Franklin, Green Hills) · Vinnie Louise · Gift Horse · Thunder Moon Collective
Step 09 · Wind Down
Happy Hour, No Bachelorette Party in Sight
Barcelona Wine Bar
Edgehill
barcelonawinebar.com
Tapas-style, unpretentious enough to show up in what you’re wearing, nice enough to feel like you’re treating yourself. Order a wine flight, snack on something small, or stay the whole night — both are valid.
Casual enough for solo dining, festive enough to feel celebratory. Don’t skip the chocolate cake, and know it also travels well if you’re calling it a night early.
Other good hours
LA Jackson (Gulch) · Tailgate Brewery (various) · The Treehouse (East Nashville) · Bastion (WeHo)
Step 10 · The Main Event
Dinner That Feels Like a Hug
Gojo Ethiopian Cafe and Restaurant
South Nashville
gojoethopianrestaurant.com
Don’t let the exterior fool you. Gojo is the kind of place where the food is filling and flavor-forward, the price is affordable, and the people who work there make you feel genuinely welcomed.
It’s BYOB (bring a good wine), it’s solo-diner friendly, and it’s ideal for anyone who wants a meal that feels special without performing for an audience. GF? Call ahead about the teff injera. Vegan? You’re very well taken care of here.
Lauren’s order: Key Wet, Yebeg Tibs, Awaze Tibs, Shiro Wet, Miser Wet. Get a combo.
More solo-friendly dinners
City House (Germantown) · Pelato (Nashville & Franklin) · Bastion (WeHo) · The Smiling Elephant (Melrose)
Step 11 · Close the Day
End at Love Circle
Love Circle
Near Vanderbilt
This spot is practically a rite of passage for Nashvillians, so it feels a little wrong sharing it — but here we are. Atop a quiet neighborhood near Vanderbilt’s campus, Love Circle gives you a full panoramic view of the city lights.
It’s the perfect place to sit with your thoughts, appreciate where you live, and let the day settle in around you. Quiet. Unhurried. Exactly right.
Give yourself permission to go.
A solo retreat doesn’t have to be the whole day. Sometimes it’s just a dinner alone or a coffee with a good book. The point is to step outside your routine — to let novelty remind you that life is bigger than your to-do list. When we stop into a new store, linger over a meal by ourselves, or drive to a park we’ve never visited, we’re not being indulgent. We’re coming back to ourselves.
Nashville will surprise you, if you let it.
Lauren Ruth Martin is a licensed therapist, wellness expert, and multi-business owner based in Nashville. Learn more at laurenruthmartin.com.
