Nashville, Tennessee is bursting with stay music and leisure, family-friendly actions, nice meals, and outside adventures. However, Music City can also be a brief drive away from surrounding small cities that make nice day journeys from Nashville and exhibit an genuine and enjoyable slice of Tennessee. Through their outside points of interest, eating places, museums, enjoyable issues to do, and sure, music, these Nashville day journeys can create great recollections for locals or guests.
The following listing of day journeys are positioned beneath a two-hour drive from Nashville’s downtown and might simply be visited in a day, however they is also nice weekend getaway locations in the event you needed to remain in a single day.
Day Trips from Nashville
Note: Please test all points of interest, excursions, and museums for reservation necessities, seasonal hours and requests for vacationers.
1 – Franklin, TN
Approximate Driving Time from Nashville: half-hour
Located in shut proximity to Nashville in Middle Tennessee, Franklin is an ideal day journey to flee from the large metropolis. Franklin oozes basic Americana and Southern appeal and is wealthy with civil struggle historical past, nation music legends, and areas to play and discover. There are additionally farms speckled all through Franklin the place you possibly can choose flowers or cuddle with alpacas, amongst different issues.
Favorite issues to do in Franklin:
- Explore the retailers and eating places alongside Main Street and in downtown Franklin Square (additionally they have seasonal festivals right here)
- Picnic, hearken to music and fogeys drink wine at Arrington vineyards
- Reach for the sky at Soar Adventure Tower
- Visit Mistletoe Alpaca Farm for an unimaginable alpaca expertise
- Hear how the Battle of Franklin occurred on the doorways of a number of historic websites together with Carter House, Lotz House, and Carnton
2 – Leiper’s Fork, TN
Approximate Driving Time from Nashville: 40 minutes
Leipers Fork is an unincorporated city (technically a part of town of Franklin) filled with artist galleries and boutiques, with just a few nice family-friendly eating places sprinkled within the combine. The unique Puckett’s is a should, in addition to Leiper’s Fork Distillery for the grown-ups. Leiper’s Fork can also be positioned proper off the Natchez Trace Parkway, which is fashionable for highway journeys and makes for an particularly stunning scenic drive from Nashville.
Favorite issues to do in Leiper’s Fork:
- Eat and hearken to music at Puckett’s Grocery
- Parents can do a whiskey tasting at Leiper’s Fork Distillery
- Visit Leiper’s Fork Market for some southern appeal
- Pull up a chair at Lawnchair Theater which hosts music and free family-friendly outside films in the summertime
3 – Bowling Green, KY
Approximate Driving Time from Nashville: 70 minutes
Bowling Green is about an hour north of Nashville simply over the border in Kentucky. This small, quaint southern city has loads to do and uncover throughout a day journey from Nashville. Plus, Western Kentucky University sits atop a hill over town and is beautiful to discover…or catch a school baseball or basketball recreation in the event you time it proper.
Favorite issues to do in Bowling Green:
- Walk round downtown Fountain Square Park
- Check out the Western Kentucky University Campus and attend a recreation or occasion
- Visit the historic rail park and prepare museum
- Tour the misplaced river cave and play within the pure playground space
- Enjoy do-it-yourself ice cream and children’ actions at Chaney’s Dairy Barn and Restaurant
4- Ethridge, TN
Approximate Driving Time from Nashville: 1 hour quarter-hour
Ethridge is south of Nashville and residential to a vibrant Amish neighborhood with plenty of methods to find out about and help this distinctive group. One of the retailers, an “Amish Welcome Center,” offers out a map itemizing 57 Amish properties which function companies in addition to the services and products they provide (molasses, wooden furnishings, hand pies, braided rugs, squirrel corn, and a lot extra). This is all the time a enjoyable cultural expertise for households of all ages.
Favorite issues to do in Ethridge:
- Visit the Amish Heritage welcome heart and museum
- Explore Amish Country Mall
- Take a horse and wagon tour via the Amish farms
- Grab a map and drive via the farm neighborhood stopping to purchase items
5 – Cummins Falls, TN
Approximate Driving Time from Nashville: 1 hour 25 minutes
Cummins Falls is a waterfall on the Blackburn Fork River and is positioned in southern Jackson County, Tennessee, East of Nashville. By quantity, it’s the eighth-largest waterfall in Tennessee. A family-friendly hike to the falls the place you possibly can cool off within the water and swim beneath the falls makes an superior outside day journey. After, remember to cease on the Old Mill General Store for ice cream and snacks. You can sit on the rocking chairs to relaxation earlier than heading again to Nashville.
Favorite issues to do in Cummins Falls:
- Hike to the falls
- Hike to the look-out above the falls
- Visit the Old Mill Camp and General Store
6 – Clarksville, TN
Approximate Driving Time from Nashville: 60 minutes
Just an hour’s drive from Nashville, this history-filled city has tons of out of doors actions, an more and more refined restaurant scene, and a newly-revitalized downtown. Located alongside the Cumberland River, there are many strolling trails and picnic benches to benefit from the space as properly.
Favorite issues to do in Clarksville:
- Explore the Customs House Museum Downtown
- Miss Lucille’s Marketplace and cafe
- Play together with your children (or children at coronary heart) at The City Forum
- Dunbar Cave & Dunbar Cave State Park
- Stroll the riverfront
7 – Mammoth Cave, KY
Approximate Driving Time from Nashville: 1 hour half-hour
Mammoth Cave National Park is among the world’s largest cave techniques. While the caves are the centerpiece of the world with a wide range of cave excursions, starting from straightforward to difficult, in the event you don’t love caving, you can too take pleasure in your self above floor. Activities resembling mountaineering and biking backcountry trails, canoeing the Green River, or visiting the Mammoth Cave Wildlife Museum are all fairly spectacular.
Favorite issues to do in Mammoth Cave:
- Take “the historic tour” or “the Frozen Niagara tour” contained in the caves
- Explore Sloan’s Crossing Pond
- Ride the Green River Ferry or lease a canoe to paddle & seize some meals at Green River Cafe
- Adventure via the Railroad hike and bike path
- Discover Mammoth Cave Wildlife Museum
8 – Chattanooga, TN
Approximate Driving Time from Nashville: 2 hours
Chattanooga, Tennessee seamlessly mixes outside journey with laid-back appeal. The riverfront, the aquarium, the mountains, the historical past…Chattanooga ticks off all of the bins for the southern traveler. The two-hour drive from Nashville all the time feels shorter. Plus, as soon as in Chattanooga, the whole lot feels very accessible and principally walkable relying on the world the place you might be spending your time.
Favorite issues to do in Chattanooga:
- Explore the Chattanooga Aquarium
- Play onerous at Creative Discovery Museum
- See Rock City
- Stroll throughout the Walnut Pedestrian Bridge
- Ride the Incline Railway to the highest of Lookout Mountain or go to Ruby Falls
8 – Sewanee, TN
Approximate Driving Time from Nashville: 1 hour 25 minutes
Sewanee is a quaint school city atop Monteagle Mountain filled with appeal and outside attraction. Sewanee has a stunning school campus with a roomy 13,000 acres of house to discover. While there, seize lunch on the patio at Shenanigan’s, drive out to the Cross, scamper down the Natural Bridge and hike the Perimeter Trail.
Favorite issues to do in Sewanee:
- Wander via The Sewanee Village
- Explore the University Grounds
- Cross the pure bridge and hike the perimeter path
- Discover South Cumberland State Park
9 – Lynchburg, TN
Approximate Driving Time from Nashville: 1 hour 20 minutes
Arguably one of many best-known manufacturers on this planet — Jack Daniel’s — is positioned on this city of simply 6,500 residents, lots of them distillery staff. And the Distillery tour is stuffed with historical past and enjoyable for all ages! But along with studying in regards to the historical past of Jack Daniel’s, Lynchburg, Tennessee has some nice eating places and small-town spots to discover. Also, this quaint southern city is a beautiful, leisurely drive on a pleasant day from downtown Nashville.
Favorite issues to do in Lynchburg:
- Learn some historical past and style some whiskey on the Jack Daniel’s Distillery guided tour
- Break out of the Lynchburg previous jail museum
- Enjoy southern fare at Miss Mary Bobo’s Boarding House restaurant
- Explore the historic Lynchburg Hardware and General Store
10 – Huntsville, AL
Approximate Driving Time from Nashville: 1 hour 50 minutes
Just over the border in North Alabama, Huntsville has the whole lot for the house fanatic, the artwork lover, or the outside adventurer. Most notably, Huntsville is house to Alabama’s prime vacationer attraction, the U.S. Space and Rocket Center. This wonderful and big complicated homes one of many world’s largest house museums and collections of rockets and house memorabilia. They additionally host Space Camp for youths in the summertime. But, this dynamic metropolis additionally has a rising artwork and meals scene and a few nice craft breweries.
Favorite issues to do in Huntsville:
- Blast off on the US Space and Rocket Center
- Discover native artists at Lowe Mill Arts & Entertainment
- Tiptoe among the many tulips at Huntsville Botanical Gardens
- Try the key artwork stroll to see wonderful public artwork
- Sip craft brews and plenty of nice meals choices at Campus 805
If you’re a music lover coming to city to go to the Country Music Hall of Fame or soak up a present on the Grand Ole Opry, plan so as to add a day or two to your itinerary exploring one in all these small cities positioned inside a few hours drive from Nashville’s downtown space.
About the Author
This is a visitor put up written by Sarah Wilson. Sarah is a Nashville-based freelance author, editor, and advertising / Public Relations guide & strategist. Sarah writes about kid-friendly Nashville and increasing her household’s worldview via journey, meals, books, and fascinating in our native and worldwide communities at The Wandering Rumpus. Follow Sarah’s day by day adventures on Instagram @TheWanderingRumpus.
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