Discovering Nashville's Family-Friendly Side with our Crew

As you know Nashville, or "Music City," is known for its vibrant nightlife, honky-tonk bars, and legendary live music scene. It's a city that never sleeps, drawing visitors from far and wide in search of neon-lit streets and late-night revelry. When I hear about Nashville, its usually about a girls weekend getaway or a bachelorette party filled with bar crawls galore.

But what if I told you that there's an entirely different side to Nashville, one that's perfect for families looking to create unforgettable memories? We've gone to Nashville as a family of 4 twice now and didn't have to battle with the nighttime scene once! (Now, someday, we will. But now is the time for our family to do as much as we can together.

In this series of posts, I'll share our journey as we trade in the neon lights for daytime adventures, explore family-friendly attractions, in Nashville's rich culture and history. Join me as I show you that Nashville has something special in store for every member of the family.

Our First Trip to Nashville:

We were looking for somewhere within driving distance of Chicago to explore during Spring Break. We have to adhere to our school schedules, so that doesn't leave much time open for travel. So, we decided on a 7 hour drive ot Nashville!

The first time we stayed in Nashville, we stayed for 3 days and 2 nights. We were able to find PLENTY to do during this stay, and found a hotel with a pool! Here are the 5 attractions we explored:

Belle Meade Plantation: One of the absolute gems we discovered during our family getaway to Nashville was the Belle Meade Plantation! Picture this: our crew, surrounded by acres of lush greenery and stunning countryside views. As we ventured into the beautifully preserved old-time estate, we were sure to buy tickets for the Mansion Tour. During the tour, the guides tell the century-long history of Belle Meade through the stories and experiences of the Harding and Jackson families, as well as the women, men, and children who labored here. One of the most interesting facts we learned during this tour was that Bonnie Scotland (a stallion owned by the Harding family) was the greatest sire to ever stand at Belle Meade. And his descendants represent more than two-thirds of all Kentucky Derby winners to date, including 11 Triple Crown Winners! This was a pretty cool fact! After the tour, we were able to explore the rest of the grounds on our own and then, it was off to the winery! Yes, you heard me right, wine tasting for us grown-ups! This was definitely a cool stop on our Nashville trip...it was like a history lesson, culture dive, and a little bit of Southern hospitality all rolled into one.

The Parthenon at Centennial Park: The next stop for our crew was the Parthenon in Centennial Park. Imagine a stunning urban park with the grand Parthenon right at its heart. It's like a little piece of ancient Greece right in Music City! This Parthenon is a full-scale replica of the one in Athens, Greece, and it's not just for show. Back in 1897, it was built for Tennessee's Centennial Exposition to celebrate the state's history. Inside, you'll find the 42-foot statue of Athena inside, just like the original back in Greece. It's like taking a step back in time and across the globe all at once! But wait, there's more! The Parthenon is not just about history; it's also Nashville's very own art museum. Inside, you'll find a fantastic collection of 63 paintings by American artists from the 19th and 20th centuries, thanks to the generous donation of James M. Cowan. Plus, they have changing exhibitions to keep things fresh and exciting for visitors like us. So, if you're ever in Nashville with the family, don't forget to swing by the Parthenon – it's a history and art lesson wrapped in one!

Fort Negley: One of the neatest places we visted was a little off the traditional path. Nestled in the middle of downtown, Fort Negley is a large inland Civil War fort with ruins, a walking path, a visitor's center...and beautiful city views. We went to the visitors center first and then trekked up the walking path to the top of the fort. It was a nice to get out and take a leisurely walk, enjoying the views!

Adventure Science Center: This was our next stop. Our kids have always loved museums and science centers where they can engage in hands-on activities, so this seemed like a no-brainer! We spent a couple hours here and it was nice to just let them explore!

Grand Ole Opry: You haven't visited Nashville until you have been to the Grand Ole Opry. At first, we hadn't planned on going we just went to explore where it was. But while we were there, we saw a sign that Lauren Alaina and Chris Jansen (this was before they were both HUGE, but we still knew who they were!) were both playing that night. When I looked online, tickets were sold out. But something told me to just call. You know...use the phone and actually call the Box Office like we did back when we were younger?? Well, guess what?! It worked! The woman on the phone was so helpful and told me that they reserve a set of tickets just for people who call the box office on the day of concerts. We got 4 tickets to that night's show! And, to make it even cooler...it was our kids first concert! What a show!

Stay tuned for another post with 5 MORE family-friendly things to do in Nashville!