In many ways, Nashville is a great big, small town. The city welcomes and protects its visitors like few others. Just like any other city, however, there are safe areas to visit, and there are areas to avoid in Nashville. Among the safe places in Nashville is Forest Hills, directly south of the city. It is characterized by rolling hills and large homes. With very few shops or restaurants, this residential area is fairly large, stretching from I-65 on the east to Highway 100 on the west. It is bounded on the north by Harding Road and on the south by Old Hickory Boulevard. In the month of August, this roughly 21-square-mile area had only four incidents of crime. There was a robbery, an assault, and a burglary that all took place in different homes in the late evening and one charge of an illegal weapons possession at a traffic stop.

Located near Forest Hills is another area that tops the list of safe places in Nashville, Belle Meade. This is a mixed residential and commercial area with many shops and restaurants surrounding an area of luxury homes. With only six crimes in the month of August, Belle Meade has an excellent record. The few crimes that occurred happened during the day in public areas.

Even with these safe areas of the city, there are, of course, areas to avoid in Nashville. Like any city, crime seems to settle in certain places. If you are planning a trip to Nashville, note these more dangerous places so you can stay safe while you are here.

Downtown Nashville, like many downtown areas, is prone to crime. It is home to some of the greatest honky tonks and country music halls in the world. But the mix of tourists, alcohol, and poverty makes it a prime area for crime. In the month of August, there were more than forty crimes in the one-mile radius of downtown Nashville. Almost all of these were assaults, and almost all of them occurred between 9:00 pm and 4:00 am. Don't let these statistics keep you from enjoying the Nashville nightlife, but use common sense. Be careful when drinking alcohol. Many assaults occur when either the criminal or the victim is drunk. Keep with a group when enjoying the bars and honky tonks downtown. Printer's Alley is a well traveled route, but other alleys should be avoided, especially when alone. Don't be tempted to use drugs. You may find yourself in trouble. Metro Police have frequent drug and prostitution stings.

With 258 crimes in the month of August alone, East Nashville is another of the dangerous places in Nashville. Located east of downtown Nashville, this twelve square mile area is cradled in the bend of the Cumberland River and known for its high crime rate. Assaults, robberies, and car thefts are the most common, and they take place throughout the day. There are many special shops and restaurants in East Nashville. The safest way to visit them is to travel during the day and stay in public areas. Metro police suggest carrying a cell phone and a small can of mace. Most criminals are after money and will quickly flee if they meet resistance.

Another high crime area is the Antioch area, bounded by Nolensville Road on the west, Harding Road on the north, Old Hickory Boulevard on the south and Murfreesboro Pike on the east. This is a 24-square-mile area with more than 140 crimes in August alone. Most of the crimes are burglary, assault, and robbery. There were a few car thefts and illegal weapons found. These crimes occurred throughout the day, many in broad daylight. Like East Nashville, the key to navigating this area is to be careful. Travel in daylight and stay with a group. Keep a cell phone with you and stay in public places.