Music South itinerary — February 2027
For the Music South trip (Nashville & New Orleans), February 2027 is mixed for weather comfort. Daytime highs run from about 12°C / 54°F to 19°C / 66°F across the stops. Plan around 6–8 days for the full Nashville & New Orleans loop.
In this order — about 6–8 days:
- Nashville3 nights
- New Orleans3 nights
- Route noteReserve the longest intercity leg first and keep transfer days free of timed sights.
By TripSapien Research · Updated May 20, 2026
Nashville
Nashville in February
TempTemperature
53°F / 31°F
11.9°C / -0.5°C
RainPrecipitation
11d
4.3in · 110mm
LightDaylight
10.7h
February remains chilly, with indoor music museums and evening shows easier than long Centennial Park walks.
City overview
Nashville sits on the Cumberland River, where Lower Broadway honky-tonks, Music Row studios, East Nashville restaurants, the Gulch, 12 South, and Germantown turn country-music history into a working entertainment city. The city is also a Tennessee capital, university town, hot-chicken stop, and Opry pilgrimage.
Food & drink
Nashville food starts with hot chicken, especially Prince's, Hattie B's, Bolton's, and slow-burn neighborhood debates, then adds meat-and-three plates, biscuits, barbecue, Goo Goo Clusters, and banana pudding. Nashville Farmers Market, Assembly Food Hall, Germantown restaurants, and East Nashville kitchens give visitors a route beyond Broadway.
Events & festivals
- Feb 3
- Feb 4
- Feb 5
- Feb 5
- Feb 6
- Feb 6
Show all 28 events for February
- Feb 7
- Feb 7
- Feb 9
- Feb 10
- Feb 11
- Feb 11
- Feb 12
- Feb 12
- Feb 13
- Feb 13
- Feb 14
- Feb 14
- Feb 14
- Feb 15
- Feb 15
- Feb 15
- Feb 18
- Feb 19
- Feb 19
- Feb 20
- Feb 20
- Feb 25
Holidays & observances
- Feb 15Washington's BirthdayPublic holiday
Top sights
Ranked for February suitability using weather, setting, ratings, and review volume.
- 1National Museum of African American Music
- 2Ryman Auditorium
- 3Grand Ole Opry
- 4Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
- 5The Parthenon in Centennial Park
- 6Johnny Cash Museum
- 7Frist Art Museum
- 8Belle Meade Historic Site and Winery
- 9Honky Tonk Highway on Lower Broadway
- 10Tennessee State Capitol and Bicentennial Capitol Mall
1National Museum of African American Music
4.9★ · 1,993indoorOpen dailyThe museum opened in 2021 at Fifth and Broadway and covers gospel, blues, jazz, R&B, hip-hop, and soul through interactive exhibits. It is across Broadway from the Ryman and Bridgestone Arena.
Wikipedia
2Ryman Auditorium
4.8★ · 20,991indoorOpen dailyThe former Union Gospel Tabernacle opened in 1892 and hosted the Grand Ole Opry from 1943 to 1974. The brick auditorium stands just off Broadway, a few blocks from the Cumberland River.
WikipediaBackstage tours and evening concerts use separate tickets.
3Grand Ole Opry
4.8★ · 32,662indoorThe live radio show moved to the Grand Ole Opry House in 1974, east of downtown near the Gaylord Opryland complex. Multi-artist bills keep the format closer to a broadcast than a standard concert.
WikipediaCheck the lineup before buying because Opry shows rotate performers nightly.
Show 7 more sights
- 4Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
- 5The Parthenon in Centennial Park
- 6Johnny Cash Museum
- 7Frist Art Museum
- 8Belle Meade Historic Site and Winery
- 9Honky Tonk Highway on Lower Broadway
- 10Tennessee State Capitol and Bicentennial Capitol Mall
Neighborhoods
1Downtown and Lower Broadway
Downtown is loud and performance-driven, with Honky Tonk Highway, Ryman Auditorium, Bridgestone Arena, Fifth and Broadway, Printer's Alley, and riverfront walks.
2Music Row and Midtown
Music Row and Midtown mix recording offices, RCA Studio B, Vanderbilt edges, Demonbreun bars, Division Street restaurants, and hotels west of downtown.
3East Nashville
East Nashville feels local and restaurant-heavy, with Five Points, Gallatin Avenue, Shelby Bottoms, vintage shops, cocktail bars, and small music rooms.
4The Gulch
The Gulch is newer and polished, with hotels, rooftop bars, restaurants, murals, boutiques, and quick access to the Frist and Music City Center.
512 South
12 South is walkable and retail-focused, with bungalow streets, coffee shops, boutiques, Sevier Park, hot-chicken stops, and photo-heavy murals.
6Germantown
Germantown is brick and food-led, with historic houses, Nashville Farmers Market, Bicentennial Capitol Mall, restaurants, and First Horizon Park.
Getting around
WeGo Public Transit buses cover downtown, East Nashville, the airport, and major corridors, but most visitor trips rely on walking downtown plus rideshare or car trips to the Opry, Belle Meade, and 12 South. The free WeGo Star commuter rail is limited, so schedule Opry and Franklin trips separately from Broadway walking nights.
New Orleans
New Orleans in February
TempTemperature
66°F / 50°F
19.1°C / 9.8°C
RainPrecipitation
9d
4.1in · 105mm
LightDaylight
11h
February is Carnival season, with Mardi Gras parades, street closures, and hotel demand shaping every French Quarter and Uptown plan.
City overview
New Orleans sits on a bend of the Mississippi River, where the French Quarter, Tremé, Marigny, Bywater, Garden District, and Uptown turn Creole architecture, brass-band music, Catholic parade calendars, and river commerce into one city. The French and Spanish colonial grid, St. Charles Avenue streetcar, above-ground cemeteries, and festival schedule make the visitor map unlike any other U.S. city.
Food & drink
New Orleans food is specific: gumbo, jambalaya, red beans and rice, crawfish etouffee, po'boys, muffulettas from the Central Grocery orbit, oysters, pralines, and beignets at Cafe du Monde. Use the French Quarter for old Creole dining, Magazine Street for neighborhood restaurants, and the Tremé-Marigny-Bywater corridor for music plus late meals.
Events & festivals
- Feb 13
Krewe of Endymion Parade
One of the largest Mardi Gras parades featuring massive floats, celebrity guests, and a lively atmosphere.
Planning lead · dates set closer in · Source: festival research
- Feb 15
Krewe of Rex Parade
One of the oldest and most famous Mardi Gras parades, featuring elaborate floats and traditional Mardi Gras royalty.
Planning lead · dates set closer in · Source: festival research
- Feb 16
Mardi Gras Day
The culmination of the Mardi Gras season with parades, balls, and celebrations throughout New Orleans.
Planning lead · dates set closer in · Source: festival research
- Feb 16
Krewe of Zulu Parade
A historic Mardi Gras parade known for its vibrant costumes and the throwing of coconuts to the crowd.
Planning lead · dates set closer in · Source: festival research
- Feb 17 – Mar 31
Associated occasion: Mardi Gras / Carnival.
Planning lead · projected date · Source: TripSapien festival dataset
- Feb 19
Show all 13 events for February
- Feb 20
- Feb 20
- Feb 21
- Feb 21
Mardi Gras Indian Super Sunday
A cultural event showcasing the elaborate suits and traditions of the Mardi Gras Indian tribes.
Planning lead · dates set closer in · Source: festival research
- Feb 26
- Feb 27
- Feb 28
Holidays & observances
- Feb 15Washington's BirthdayPublic holiday
Top sights
Ranked for February suitability using weather, setting, ratings, and review volume.
- 1St. Louis Cathedral
- 2National WWII Museum
- 3New Orleans Museum of Art and City Park
- 4Steamboat Natchez and Mississippi riverfront
- 5Mardi Gras World
- 6Frenchmen Street
- 7St. Charles Avenue Streetcar
- 8French Quarter and Jackson Square
- 9Audubon Park
- 10Garden District and Lafayette Cemetery No. 1
1St. Louis Cathedral
4.8★ · 5,019indoorOpen dailyThe cathedral on Jackson Square traces its parish to 1720, with the present triple-spired building completed in the 1850s after earlier fires and rebuilds. It anchors Chartres Street beside the Cabildo and Presbytere.
2National WWII Museum
4.8★ · 29,728indoorOpen dailyThe museum opened in 2000 in the Warehouse District and grew from the Higgins Boats built in New Orleans for Allied landings. Exhibits cover the European and Pacific theaters, aircraft, oral histories, and the U.S. Freedom Pavilion.
Wikipedia
3New Orleans Museum of Art and City Park
4.7★ · 5,307indoorClosed MonNOMA opened in City Park in 1911 and holds French, American, African, Japanese, and decorative arts collections. The Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden sits beside bayous and live oaks in the same park.
Show 7 more sights
- 4Steamboat Natchez and Mississippi riverfront
- 5Mardi Gras World
- 6Frenchmen Street
- 7St. Charles Avenue Streetcar
- 8French Quarter and Jackson Square
- 9Audubon Park
- 10Garden District and Lafayette Cemetery No. 1
Neighborhoods
1French Quarter (Vieux Carré)
The Quarter is dense and old, with Jackson Square, Royal Street galleries, Bourbon Street bars, hidden courtyards, Creole townhouses, and the riverfront within a tight grid.
2Marigny and Bywater
Marigny and Bywater are downriver and music-heavy, with Frenchmen Street clubs, Crescent Park, colorful cottages, St. Claude Avenue venues, and neighborhood restaurants.
3Tremé
Tremé is tied to Black New Orleans culture, with Congo Square, Backstreet Cultural Museum, brass-band history, Creole cottages, and second-line routes near North Rampart Street.
4Garden District and Lower Garden District
The Garden District is mansion-lined and leafy, with St. Charles Avenue, Magazine Street shops, Lafayette Cemetery No. 1, Commander's Palace, and streetcar stops.
5Uptown and Carrollton
Uptown stretches along St. Charles and Magazine, with Tulane, Loyola, Audubon Park, Maple Street bars, old oaks, and po'boy counters.
6Warehouse District and CBD
The Warehouse District and CBD feel more modern, with the National WWII Museum, Ogden Museum, Julia Street galleries, hotels, Superdome access, and convention crowds.
Getting around
RTA streetcars and buses cover the French Quarter edge, St. Charles Avenue, Canal Street, Rampart Street, cemeteries, City Park, and parts of Uptown using Le Pass fares. Walking works in the Quarter and Marigny, the St. Charles streetcar works for Garden District days, and rideshare is practical for late-night Bywater or airport trips.
Planning the Music South route?
Add your dates and we'll pace all 2 cities — every place checked for closures, limited hours, and booking needs in February.
Weather by month for the Music South trip
In February, the Music South trip runs daytime highs from 12°C / 54°F to 19°C / 66°F, with nights down to about 0°C / 32°F at the coolest stop. Climate averages show about 11 rainy days at the rainiest stop. Weighed across both stops, February is mixed for weather comfort.
The most comfortable months across Nashville & New Orleans are October, April and November, based on average daytime temperatures and rainfall at every stop. February 2027 is mixed for weather comfort.
Common questions about the Music South trip
- When is the best time to do the Music South trip?
- The most comfortable months across Nashville, New Orleans are October, April and November, based on average daytime temperatures and rainfall at each stop. February is mixed for weather comfort — see the per-stop weather below for the climate averages in February 2027.
- How many days do you need for the Music South trip?
- A comfortable Music South trip runs about 6–8 days, allowing roughly Nashville 3, New Orleans 3 nights plus travel between stops. Add a day if you want a slower pace or extra day trips.
- What's the route for the Music South trip?
- The classic order is Nashville & New Orleans. Each city below has its own February weather, any available event listings, and a top-sights list.
Ready to plan the Music South trip?
Turn this route into a day-by-day plan for February 2027, every stop checked for closures and booking needs on your exact dates.