Nashville: BiCentennial Segway Tour

See Nashville without wearing out your feet. The BiCentennial Segway Tour gives you a quick, guided look at central Nashville, with a local guide leading a small group through major sights. I like the 30-minute training session, which gives first-time riders time to get comfortable, and the limited group size of six, which should make it easier to hear and ask questions. The main drawback is that the actual sightseeing ride lasts only one hour, so this is an overview rather than a full city tour.

I also like the focus on the Tennessee State Capitol and Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park, two places that help explain Nashville beyond its music venues. You will need to arrive 15 minutes early, wear flat shoes, and accept a few limits: riders must be at least 12, pregnant riders cannot participate, and the tour is not suitable for people with mobility impairments.

Key points at a glance

• Thirty minutes of practice comes first: You learn how to control the Segway before heading into Nashville.
• The route covers central Nashville sights: Expect the State Capitol, Bicentennial State Park, the Walk of the Counties, First Horizon Park, the Farmers Market, and Municipal Auditorium.
• Small groups keep the tour personal: The maximum group size is six people.
• The ride is built for a tight schedule: The full experience takes 90 minutes, including training.
• Mary and Brett earned special praise: Jim called Mary great, while Becky appreciated Brett’s patience and care with safety.
• Rain plans are flexible: Ponchos are supplied, though the operator can cancel or reschedule if conditions are poor.

Why this short Nashville tour works

At $64 per person, this is not the cheapest way to see Nashville. It is also not trying to be a full-day sightseeing program. The value comes from covering several central sights in 90 minutes while giving you a guide, equipment, and hands-on instruction.

That makes the tour especially useful at the start of a Nashville visit. You can get a sense of the city’s civic center, sports setting, market area, and public park before deciding where to return on foot later. If you have only one day in town, the compact schedule is a real advantage.

The tour has also been voted the number-one Segway tour in the United States by Newsweek readers. That is a notable claim, but I would treat it as a sign of popularity rather than a guarantee that every rider will love it. Your enjoyment will depend heavily on how comfortable you feel balancing on a Segway.

The experience is conducted in English, and the guide is live rather than recorded. That matters because you can ask questions as you move through the route. With no more than six participants, the guide should have a reasonable chance to give individual help.

Getting comfortable during the 30-minute lesson

The tour begins at iRide Nashville with a half-hour training session. This is one of the most useful parts of the experience, especially if you have never ridden a Segway.

You learn the basic controls and get time to practice before the sightseeing begins. That extra time can make the difference between spending the ride worrying about balance and actually looking around at Nashville.

Becky’s feedback gives you a helpful picture of the instruction. She specifically praised Brett for being kind and patient, and for making sure she felt safe and comfortable before setting off. That is exactly the sort of attention a first-time rider needs.

The training also explains why the tour takes 90 minutes even though the guided route lasts one hour. You are not losing sightseeing time to a long safety talk. The practice is built into the schedule.

A helmet is included. You should wear flat, comfortable shoes, though open-toed shoes are allowed. I would still choose closed, secure shoes if you have them, since they generally feel more stable while learning the controls.

Rolling through Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park

The main riding portion takes place around Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park. This is a strong choice for a Segway tour because the park offers a broad civic setting rather than a tight maze of streets.

The park helps connect Nashville’s state government, public spaces, and regional identity. The Walk of the Counties is a particularly fitting stop within the park, giving the route a Tennessee-wide frame rather than focusing only on downtown entertainment.

You will have roughly one hour for the ride and sightseeing. That is enough time to take in the key locations, listen to the guide, and stop for views, but it is not enough for long visits inside each attraction. Think of this as a moving introduction.

The park portion may also feel easier after the training session. Open public areas give you room to focus on steering while the guide explains what you are seeing. Still, you should expect to keep moving. This is a riding tour, not a park walk with long pauses.

What you see along the one-hour route

The route brings together several different sides of central Nashville. Here is what each listed sight adds to the experience.

Tennessee State Capitol

The Tennessee State Capitol gives the tour a clear civic anchor. It is one of the most important buildings on the route, and seeing it helps balance Nashville’s better-known music identity with its role as the state capital.

You should expect an exterior viewing as part of the ride. The experience does not include a stated interior visit, so do not book this tour if your main goal is an in-depth Capitol tour.

Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park

This is the central setting for the tour and the place where the route gains its name. The park provides a public space tied to Tennessee’s history and identity, with room to ride and take in the city around you.

For a first look at Nashville, I like this stop because it is less narrowly focused than a music-only route. You see a part of the city that helps explain how Nashville functions as a state capital.

Walk of the Counties

The Walk of the Counties adds a statewide theme to the park visit. It is a small but meaningful detail, especially if you want your sightseeing to include Tennessee beyond the downtown core.

The guide’s commentary matters here. Without explanation, a quick ride past public markers can feel like a blur. With a local guide, you get context while continuing along the route.

First Horizon Park

First Horizon Park brings a sports setting into the mix. The park is home to Nashville’s baseball scene, and its inclusion gives the ride another look at local life outside government buildings and markets.

You should not expect time for a game or a full stadium visit. It is one of several sights seen during the one-hour ride, so the value is in getting oriented to the area.

Nashville Farmers Market

The Farmers Market adds an everyday Nashville stop to the route. It is a useful contrast to formal landmarks because it connects the tour to food, local shopping, and public life.

The available details do not promise time to shop or eat, so plan a separate visit if you want to explore the market properly. The Segway tour gives you an introduction, not a market meal.

Municipal Auditorium

Municipal Auditorium rounds out the route with another major public building. Its inclusion makes the tour feel like a broad city overview rather than a single-park activity.

As with the Capitol and First Horizon Park, the visit is part of the ride. You are seeing the building and hearing about the area, not taking part in a scheduled performance.

The guide can make or break the ride

A Segway can get you from one sight to another, but the guide is what turns the movement into a tour. This experience promises a local guide who shares information and personal perspective along the way.

That local viewpoint is useful in Nashville, where a short distance can separate government buildings, sports venues, markets, and music-related sites. A guide helps connect those places so you are not simply passing a series of names.

The small-group limit is important here. Six people is small enough for questions and individual attention, especially during training. It should also feel less crowded than a large group moving through a public park.

The feedback supports the focus on personal instruction. Mary received a brief but positive mention, while Brett was praised for patience and for checking that a rider felt safe before starting. Those comments point to an operator that takes the learning curve seriously.

The information also describes the tour as fun and informative. Lisa’s short reaction, So much fun, captures the simple appeal. A Segway tour is partly sightseeing and partly trying a different way to move around a city.

Rain, comfort, and safety rules

The tour runs rain or shine, and ponchos are provided if rain arrives during the ride. That gives you some protection, but it does not mean poor weather will never affect the experience.

If bad weather threatens the tour, the local partner contacts the group one to two hours before departure to discuss options. The operator can cancel because of severe conditions. In that case, you receive a full refund or can reschedule, depending on available space.

You should arrive 15 minutes before the scheduled start. That early arrival matters because the training session begins the experience, and showing up late could reduce your practice time.

Several rules are firm:

• Riders must be at least 12 years old.
• Pregnant riders cannot participate.
• The tour is not suitable for people with mobility impairments.
• Anyone under the influence of alcohol or drugs cannot ride.
• Smoking, alcohol, and drugs are not allowed during the activity.

These restrictions are practical rather than fussy. A Segway requires balance, attention, and the ability to follow instructions. If you have mobility concerns, choose a walking, bus, or trolley option instead.

Is $64 a fair price?

At $64, you are paying for a short guided experience rather than admission to a major attraction. The price includes the one-hour tour, 30-minute training, helmet, and guide.

I think the value is reasonable if you want a compact orientation and enjoy trying something active. The small group also adds value because you are not simply being moved through the city in a large crowd.

The price is harder to justify if you mainly want photographs of the sights or prefer to set your own pace. Several of these locations can be visited without booking a Segway tour, and an independent visit may cost less.

You should also remember that hotel pickup and drop-off are not included. You need to make your own way to iRide Nashville, then return on your own after the tour. The activity is best for people already staying near central Nashville or comfortable arranging local transportation.

The reserve-now-and-pay-later option gives you some planning flexibility. You can hold a place without paying immediately, and cancellation is free up to 24 hours before the activity for a full refund.

Who should book the BiCentennial Segway Tour?

I would recommend it to first-time Segway riders who want patient instruction, visitors with a tight schedule, and anyone who likes a little motion in a sightseeing day. It also suits people who want more than music landmarks and would like to see Nashville’s civic center, public park, market, and sports area.

It is a good fit for a short stop in Nashville because the schedule is easy to understand: 30 minutes of training, one hour of guided riding, and a total duration of 90 minutes. You get a useful orientation without giving up most of your day.

I would be more cautious if you dislike balancing equipment, want long visits at each sight, or need a fully accessible activity. This tour moves through several locations but does not promise extended time inside them.

The strongest reason to book is the combination of patient instruction and a small group. Brett’s care with a nervous rider, Mary’s positive mention, and the full safety setup suggest that beginners are not simply expected to figure it out alone.

Should you book it?

Book this tour if you want a lively, efficient first look at central Nashville and feel comfortable learning a new ride. The $64 price makes the most sense when you value a local guide, safety training, and a small group more than a long stop at any one landmark.

Skip it if you prefer walking slowly, exploring the Farmers Market at length, or visiting the State Capitol indoors. For the right rider, though, this is a practical way to cover several Nashville sights quickly, with enough instruction to make the Segway feel approachable.

FAQ

How long does the BiCentennial Segway Tour last?

The complete experience lasts 90 minutes. This includes a 30-minute Segway training session and a one-hour guided ride.

Where does the tour start?

The tour starts at iRide Nashville. You return to iRide Nashville after the ride.

What sights are included?

The route includes the Tennessee State Capitol, Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park, the Walk of the Counties, First Horizon Park, Nashville Farmers Market, and Municipal Auditorium.

Is training included?

Yes. The tour includes a 30-minute Segway training session before the one-hour guided ride.

Is a helmet provided?

Yes. A helmet is included in the activity price.

What should I wear?

Wear flat, comfortable shoes. Open-toed shoes are allowed, and ponchos are provided if it rains during the tour.

What is the minimum age?

All riders must be at least 12 years old. Children under 12 cannot participate.

Can pregnant people join the tour?

No. Pregnant riders are not permitted to participate.

What happens if it rains?

Tours operate rain or shine, and ponchos are provided during rain. The operator can cancel because of poor weather. If that happens, you receive a full refund or can reschedule, depending on availability.