Brewery Hop-On Hop-Off Trolley Tour of Nashville

The best part of this Nashville tour is the simple idea behind it: spend a day trying local beer and mead without having to drive between stops. A vintage trolley links six drinking spots, so you can choose your own pace instead of following a guide through a fixed tasting.

I like two things in particular: the freedom to skip stops, and the chance to see breweries beyond Broadway. Drivers such as Trevor, Mel and Randy add local recommendations, music and a friendly hand between venues. You can make this a full day out or call it after a few stops.

One thing to know before booking: this is not a brewing-process tour. You visit the venues and buy drinks there, rather than touring production areas or receiving a formal lesson. Six stops in roughly six hours can also be a lot, so pace yourself and leave room for food and water.

What to know before you board

• Six venues, your choice: Visit Honeytree Meadery and five brewery stops, or skip places that do not suit you.
• A noon start: The tour begins at the Omni Nashville Hotel, on the building’s 5th Avenue side.
• A ride between neighborhoods: The climate-controlled trolley takes the driving out of a day of brewery visits.
• A flexible pace: You can get off and rejoin the trolley during the day. Pickup and drop-off times are posted on the back of the driver’s seat.
• Food can be part of the plan: TailGate Brewery is a popular place to stop for pizza, and one rider also singled out BBQ at StokeHaus.
• Bring a sensible pace: You do not have to visit all six stops. Four can make for a satisfying day, especially if you want time to eat.

A brewery route, not a brewery lesson

Music City Brew Hop is best understood as transportation with a good social plan attached. You ride to a set of local venues, get off to order drinks or food, then return to the trolley when it is time to move on. You are not signing up for a technical look at brewing or a guided tasting class.

That distinction matters. If you want to learn how beer is made, this will likely feel light on instruction. If you want to try several places without arranging a designated driver, the format makes much more sense. You can sample a flight, order a full pour, try mead, or choose another drink available at a stop. Purchases are made at the venues, so set aside money beyond the $36 ticket price.

The route starts at noon and lasts about six hours. That is enough time to see the full set of stops, but it is still a long afternoon of drinking and hopping on and off. You are not required to complete the route. Some people choose four stops and head out before the last two, which is a practical choice if you want a slower lunch or if the day is catching up with you.

Starting at the Omni Nashville Hotel

Meet the trolley on the 5th Avenue side of the Omni Nashville Hotel. The start point puts you close to downtown, but the day’s focus is on breweries away from Broadway’s familiar bar strip. That shift is part of the appeal: you get a look at another side of Nashville without needing to work out the drive between each venue.

The trolley is described as vintage, comfortable and climate-controlled. That last detail is useful in a city where weather can make a long stretch outdoors less pleasant. The ride also gives the group a shared space between stops. Drivers play music and offer suggestions, and the ride can be as much a social part of the day as the venues themselves.

The pickup schedule is posted on the back of the driver’s seat, which helps you plan how long to stay at each place. Keep an eye on it rather than assuming you can linger indefinitely. The experience is flexible, but the trolley still runs a route.

Honeytree Meadery: a change from beer

Honeytree Meadery is the first named venue after the starting point, and it gives the route a useful change of pace. Mead is made from honey rather than being a conventional beer, so this stop can suit you if you want to try something different from the usual pint or flight.

You do not have to be a mead enthusiast to make the stop worthwhile. Treat it as a chance to sample a different style, then decide whether you want to stay or catch the next part of the route. One family group skipped the meadery while other people in their party enjoyed it, a good reminder that the hop-on, hop-off format works best when you make your own choices.

TailGate Brewery East Nashville: a good place to eat

TailGate Brewery East Nashville is a natural candidate for a longer stop, especially if you want food as well as a drink. Pizza gets a specific nod from people who have eaten here, making this a sensible place to build in a meal rather than trying to make six venues fit into one continuous tasting.

Having food on the route is more than a convenience. It gives you a chance to slow down and avoid treating the day as a race from one pour to the next. If you plan to visit several stops, eat early and drink water along the way. The trolley gets you from place to place, but it cannot make six rounds of drinking a good idea.

Southern Grist in East Nashville: another stop to sample

Southern Grist is one of the East Nashville brewery stops. The tour’s value here is less about a scheduled lesson and more about having the chance to try a local venue you might not have added to a downtown-focused visit.

Order what appeals to you, and consider a flight if you want to sample several beers without committing to a full pour of each. Flights were available at several stops, though the exact choices depend on each venue. You pay the brewery directly for what you order.

East Nashville Beer Works: keep your options open

East Nashville Beer Works adds another local brewery to the route. The tour does not provide detailed tasting notes or promise a particular beer style at each stop, so go in ready to ask staff what they recommend that day. The lineup and your preferences will determine whether this is a quick drink or a longer break.

The route gives you a useful way to compare places without arranging separate rides. But you do not need to turn the day into a checklist. If one venue feels like a better fit, stay for a while and skip a later stop if necessary.

Bearded Iris Brewing: one more brewery on the route

Bearded Iris Brewing is another brewery visit, with the same practical approach: get off, order what you like, and rejoin the trolley according to the posted schedule. The tour’s appeal is the variety of venues and the ease of moving between them, not a detailed explanation of each brewery’s production methods.

This is also where pacing becomes important. By the time you reach the later stops, you may have already spent several hours sampling drinks and socializing. A nonalcoholic drink, water and a snack can be wiser than squeezing in another beer simply because the trolley brought you there.

Monday Night Brewing: Preservation Co. and the final stop

Monday Night Brewing’s Preservation Co. is listed as the final venue. It rounds out the route with one more chance to try a local brewery, or to take a break if you have had enough. The stop order gives you structure, but the point is not to collect all six visits at any cost.

Think ahead about how you will get back after the final stop. One person who stayed at the last pub needed to take an Uber afterward, so do not assume the trolley will carry you back to the starting point once you have finished. Confirm the day’s ride arrangement with the driver before deciding where to end your tour.

What the $36 ticket is worth

At $36 per person, the main value is the transportation and flexibility. You get a trolley connecting six locations, a driver handling the route, and the freedom to leave some stops out. If you would otherwise need separate rides between breweries, that convenience can make the fare worthwhile, especially for a group.

The price does not make the day all-inclusive. Drinks and food are purchased at the venues, so your total spend depends on how much you order and how many places you visit. If you want to keep costs in check, choose a few stops, share food where practical and avoid treating every visit as a full round.

The human element also counts. Drivers Trevor, Mel and Randy are praised for keeping the ride fun, sharing suggestions and helping groups find a pace that works. This is not a substitute for a specialist beer educator, but a good host can make the travel between stops feel like part of the outing instead of dead time.

Who should book this trolley tour?

I would recommend this to you if you enjoy craft beer or mead, like meeting people, and want a low-stress way to visit breweries beyond downtown. It also suits groups celebrating a birthday or spending a social afternoon together. Families can participate, though the main activity is visiting places to buy drinks, so consider whether that is the right fit for your group.

You may want to skip it if you are looking for a detailed brewery tour, a guided tasting with beer included, or a tightly scheduled cultural visit. It is also not ideal if you dislike group outings or would rather choose every transport detail yourself.

For most people who want an easygoing brewery day, the best plan is to go in with a short list of must-visit stops, then stay flexible. Bring water, eat enough, check the trolley times, and do not feel obliged to complete the full route. The day is more enjoyable when you treat the six venues as options, not a drinking challenge.

Practical details

The tour costs $36 per person, starts at 12:00 pm and lasts approximately six hours. It is offered in English, and you receive a mobile ticket. Service animals are allowed, the meeting point is near public transportation, and most people can participate.

Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Cancellations or changes made within 24 hours are not accepted for a refund. The tour may be canceled due to poor weather, in which case you will be offered another date or a full refund.

FAQ

Where does the tour start?

Meet at the Omni Nashville Hotel on the 5th Avenue side of the building.

What time does the trolley tour begin?

The start time is 12:00 pm.

How long does the experience last?

Plan on approximately six hours.

How many brewery locations are included?

The route includes six drink stops: Honeytree Meadery, TailGate Brewery East Nashville, Southern Grist, East Nashville Beer Works, Bearded Iris Brewing and Monday Night Brewing’s Preservation Co.

Do I have to visit every stop?

No. You can get off and rejoin the trolley during the day, and you can skip stops.

Is this a guided lesson about how beer is made?

No. It is a hop-on, hop-off trolley route between venues, not a guided brewing-process tour.

Can I cancel for a refund?

You can cancel at least 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. If poor weather cancels the experience, you will be offered another date or a full refund.