Nashville offers endless opportunities to do and places to go with the little members of your family. Complete with art museums, science museums, animal encounter and great outdoor fun— Nashville is the place where kids and kids at heart get lots of fun places and activities to visit and explore together. So, here is listed some of the most popular family attractions in and around the city that you must enjoy with your kids and other family members in your free week or weekend.
1. Nashville Zoo
Address: 3777 Nolensville Pk, Nashville, TN 37211
Phone: (615) 833-1534
Hours: Open daily from 9 am to 6 pm.
Opened in 1990, this is Nashville’s one of the top family attractions. Expanding its facilities in 200 acres of area, Nashville Zoo at Grassmere, is home to 339 species including 6,230 individual animals and it receives 1.2 million visitors each year.
Multiple exhibits are held for the visitors that are enough to take kids and grown ups on a trip to animal adventure. The most popular exhibits to experience and enjoy include the African Savanna, the Unseen New World, Pantanal Exhibit, Flamingo Lagoon Exhibit and many more!
So, don’t miss Middle Tennessee’s number 1 family attraction. Multiple exciting happenings are lined up on a daily basis, making the attraction a perfect spot with variety of pursuits to provide excitement for every member of the family!
2. Boro Beach
Address: 2310 Memorial Blvd, Murfreesboro, TN 37129
Phone: (615) 895-5040
Hours: Monday through Friday from 10 am to 6:30 pm; Saturday from 10 am to 4:30 pm; Sunday from 1 to 6 pm.
Located in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, Boro Beach is a popular water park and a perfect place to take your kids to engage with some memorable water fun activities in this summer! Though this facility is not a part in Nashville, it takes just 41-minutes-drive from downtown Nashville.
This family entertainment water park is open seasonally, during summer months. So, must check out before your reach. Toddlers’ favorite place features the zero-depth entry kids’ play area. Other highlights of the park include a floating bridge, three slides, a splash pad area and a diving board.
So, what can be more exciting than exploring a water park with your full family in these heated summer days. There is no room to say NO to this Tennessee attraction!
3. Frist Art Museum
Address: 919 Broadway, Nashville, TN 37203
Phone: (615) 244-3340
Hours: Monday from 10 am to 5:30 pm; Thursday from 10 am to 8 pm; Friday and Saturday from 10 am to 5:30 pm; Sunday from 1 to 5:30 pm; Tuesday and Wednesday are closed.
The First Art Museum is another great place to take your kids in Nashville where they will not only explore fun things but some mind opening and sharpening activities and experiences as well.
With the mission of securing travelling exhibits from around the world, this fine art museum, formerly known as the First Center for the Visual Arts, serves the community with multiple educational programs.
The gallery space of this museum presents visual arts from local, state and regional artists, moreover international exhibitions are also held here.
It is needless to say multiple events and programs are happening every week, every day, offering endless opportunities to kids, families, teachers, parents, and grandparents equal opportunity to participate, experience, learn and enjoy these mind-blowing instances!
4. Belle Meade Historic Site
Address: 5025 Harding Pike, Nashville, TN 37205
Phone: (615) 356-0501
Hours: Opens everyday from 9 am to 5 pm.
This family entertainment center in Nashville is a vibrant tourist attraction in the city, loaded with many types of historic tours, including family tours, wine and food pairings, bourbon tasting and many other inspiring interests are present at Belle Meade Historic Site.
With over 30 acres of area to explore, the historical tours include the Greek Revival style mansion, Journey to Jubilee and a guided outbuildings tour.
The experience of Journey to Jubilee will open new thoughts and imagination to your kids about how the Black Americans were enslaved and treated here at Belle Meade.
Related: Most Popular Fun Things To Do in Alabama With Family.
5. Tennessee Aquarium
Address: 1 Broad St, Chattanooga, TN 37402
Phone: (423) 265-0695
Hours: Sunday to Friday from 10 am to 5 pm; Saturday from 9 am to 6 pm.
Though the distance is considerable and it is 133.7 miles from Nashville, this facility gives everyone of the family multiple fun opportunities within the Tennessee Aquarium’s two buildings. The river Journey Building houses alligators, turtles, trout, and colorful freshwater fishes from around the world.
The Ocean Journey Building is the place where visitors can spend their entire day while watching the leisure activities of penguins, butterflies, toothy sharks, touchable stingrays and more known-unknown creatures from around the world.
Opened in 1992 on the banks of the Tennessee River in Downtown Chattanooga, the Tennessee Aquarium is the state’s one of the top family attractions receiving more than 20 million peoples’ visit.
So, when you’re in Tennessee, don’t miss the chance to explore the country’s one of the top public aquariums.
Also Read: Famous Museums To Visit in Nashville Tennessee.
6. Tennessee State Museum
Address: 1000 Rosa L Parks Blvd, Nashville, TN 37208
Phone: (615) 741-2692
Hours: Tuesday to Saturday from 10 am to 5 pm; Sunday 1 to 5 pm; closed on Monday.
Kids literally love to spend their hours while exploring the Children’s Gallery in the Tennessee State Museum featuring many stories, facts, history and activities encouraging them to know more about the history and culture of Tennessee through the hands-on exhibits, and taking the tours.
With multiple exhibits and programs, Tennessee State Museum presents the exact landscape of the past in the museum’s 137,000-square-foot facility with many artifacts, six permanent exhibits and supplemental temporary exhibits.
Also Read: Popular Parks You Must Explore In Nashville, TN This Season.
7. Cheekwood Estate and Gardens
Address: 1200 Forrest Park Dr, Nashville, TN 37205
Phone: (615) 356-8000
Hours: Tuesday to Sunday from 9 am to 5 pm; closed on every Monday.
It’s time to impress your kids and other members of the family with some of the most exciting family activities in this 55-acre botanical garden and museum located on the historic Cheek Estate.
Cheekwood’s the Bracken Foundation Children’s Garden has the potential to create truly unforgettable memories for children through many interactive and learning activities and imaginative experiences through art exhibitions, seasonal and year-round events and programs.
Family entertainment activities include tours and Tots! hands-on activities. Moreover, for kids aged 5-15, there are summer camp facilities in Cheekwood. While exploring the area, don’t forget to check out 13 distinct gardens, a mile long woodland trail, a fine cafe and gift shop that this Nashville attraction has to offer.
You Might Also Like: Popular Waterfall Hikes You Must Explore Near Nashville, TN.
You Might Also Like: Best Beaches To Go In And Around Nashville This Summer.
You Might Also Like: Best Lakes In Nashville To Have A Perfect Family Day Trip.
8. Adventure Science Center
Address: 800 Fort Negley Blvd, Nashville, TN 37203
Phone: (615) 862-5160
Hours: Monday from 9 am to 3 pm; Thursday and Friday from 9 am to 3 pm; Saturday and Sunday from 9 am to 5 pm; closed on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Adventure Science Center is a large and non-profit science museum for children located in Nashville, Tennessee. Let your kids dive into the world of science, technology, innovation and learning through many dynamic subjects such as earth science, astronomy, physics and many other fun through programs and exhibitions in the museum’s 44,000-square-foot exhibit space.
Opened in 1945 as the Children’s Museum of Nashville, today’s Adventure Science Center boasts a 75-foot-tall adventure tower and state-of-the-art Sudekum Planetarium.
So, this is the place where kids, students and families get immense opportunity to experience how this Middle Tennessee science museum is bringing science to life with ceaseless passion and activities.
9. Nashville Children’s Theater
Address: 25 Middleton St, Nashville, TN 37210
Phone: (615) 254-9103
Nashville Children’s Theater, the oldest professional theater for children in Nashville and the largest theater in Middle Tennessee, is another fantastic place to take your kids where they can explore new ideas and increase their imagination power through playful of creative explorations and cultural literacy, as well.
Established in 1931 by the Junior League of Nashville, this facility was earlier popular with the name of The Nashville Academy Theater. The American news magazine ‘Time’ ranked this young audiences’ museum as one of the top five children’s theaters in the United States.
10. Nashville Sounds
Address: 19 Jackson St, Nashville, TN 37219
Phone: (615) 690-4487
Hours: Monday through Friday from 9 am to 5 pm; closed on Saturday and Sunday.
Located in First Horizon Park in Nashville, Tennessee, Nashville Sounds is a baseball club that conducts thrilling baseball games.
So, it is a good option to come, relax and enjoy this popular local game when you’re exploring the nearby attractions with your kids and family.
11. Honeysuckle Hill Farm
Address: 1765 Martins Chapel Church Rd, Springfield, TN 37172
Phone: (615) 382-7593
The 200-acre Honeysuckle Hill Farm in Coopertown, Tennessee is just 26.8 miles from Nashville. This family entertainment attraction is available seasonally, and Fall is the perfect time of the year when visitors can explore the real beauty of farms and nature from over 30 fun farm attractions.
Serving for more than 20 years with sharing traditions, the farm has been an emotion to many Tennessee families. There are so much to do and see. Also, there are different activities families can enjoy. Kids love playing with pumpkins.
During the Fall Festival, the farmland gets new live to its existing body with many people, kids, families, other groups, types of attraction, activities, special events, concessions and farm markets, making the terrain a packed-land filled with limitless fun for all ages!
12. Bottom View Farm
Bottom View Farm in Portland, Tennessee, is a favorite outdoor destination among many Tennessee families where they can get indulged with some fun fruit plucking activities like strawberries, blackberries, apples and many other fresh local fruits.
The 400-acre huge green area offers dozens of small and negligible but fun-packed activities, making the opportunity for your kids to get more close with nature rather than screen time. The plenty of tiny farming activities in Bottom View Farm will surely help them grow love for nature and plants.
Other highlighting features of the attraction include adventurous ziplines, various types of events happening for year-round. For having some amazing meal, head to the restaurant. For kids, ice creams are also available here.
13. Discovery Center at Murfree Spring
Address: 502 SE Broad St, Murfreesboro, TN 37130
Phone: (615) 890-2300
Hours: Tuesday to Saturday from 9 am to 4 pm; Sunday from 11 am to 4 pm; closed on Monday.
Opened in 1995, the 20-acre Discovery Center offers unlimited fun to experience for kids and families. The children’s museum locating in Murfreesboro, Tennessee takes just 36 minutes driving from Nashville. For its huge facility, the attraction receives over 130,000 visitors annually.
Also, the nature center, this famous children’s museum in Tennessee showcases multiple exhibits that include themed exploration areas for town life, trains and cars. Moreover, kids love to spend their time watching the live animals on display.
Presenting tons of fun opportunities for families, the wetlands boardwalk and the trails through the wetlands are the most exciting group activities that families can explore to make this day trip a lifetime sweet memory!
14. Lucky Ladd Farms
Address: 4374 Rocky Glade Rd, Eagleville, TN 37060
Phone: (615) 274-3786
Hours: Thursday to Saturday from 10 am to 6 pm; on Sunday from 12 to 6 pm; closed on Monday and Tuesday.
Locating 38.7 miles from Nashville and in Eagleville, Tennessee, Lucky Ladd Farms is a huge fun park that features a petting zoo with 100 animals, kids’ designated areas to play, and seasonal activities to keep visitors and families enthralled at every step of their way inside this outdoor attraction.
Popular with offering the top-rated family entertainment for thousands of visitors, Lucky Ladd Farms provides more than 70 exciting activities to enjoy with your little ones.
15. Tennessee Performing Arts Center
Address: 505 Deaderick St, Nashville, TN 37243
Phone: (615) 782-4040
Founded in 1980 by Martha R. Ingram, Tennessee Performing Arts Center is located at 505 Deadrick Street in downtown Nashville and has been serving thousands of audiences every year through the top class performances.
For families there are family programs, dance shows, and a variety of special engagements are always happening on a daily basis to attract more people. Moreover, the performing arts theater has been administering one of the largest art education programs in the United States.
So, going to such great place and enjoying a good show with your close ones is indeed one of the best things to do in your family trip to Nashville.
16. Bowie Nature Park
Address: 7211 Bowie Lake Rd, Fairview, TN 37062
Phone: (615) 799-5544
Hours: Open everyday and 365 days a year, from 5 am to 10 pm.
In Fairview, Tennessee, you’ll get another fascinating attraction to impress your kids. Bowie Nature Park is a large 722 acres of area and it features scenic trails, nice lakes, thick forest, and a great place for everyone.
Families can enjoy fun time through walking, running, bicycling, horseback riding, fishing and playing aboard the Treehouse Playground with their little ones. The area is truly an absolute treat for outdoor enthusiasts.
Moreover, Bowie Nature Park is a year-round attraction, and, you can visit the place anytime of the year. To get more, you may participate in learning mysteries about nature. Furthermore, the park is housing the Nature Center, outdoor classroom and picnic areas which can be reserved for hosting community or social event!
FAQs
1. Is Nashville a kid friendly city?
The ‘Music City’ Nashville is popular with many reasons. There are plenty of exciting activities and attraction along with some world class facilities, making it a year-round vibrant place to explore among families.
2. What is fun for kids in Nashville?
The most exciting fun places for kids include Nashville Zoo, Adventure Science Center, Nashville Children’s Theater, Tennessee Aquarium, First Art Museum, and Tennessee Performing Arts Center. These are also some of the most popular and famous attractions in the state of Tennessee. These attractions receive thousands of visitors annually.
