If you’re planning a family trip to Music City, you’ll find plenty of fun things to do in Nashville with kids. While Nashville, Tennessee, has a reputation for bachelorette parties honky-tonks and nightlife, it’s also a fantastic destination for families.
From cultural sites and kid-friendly music attractions to beautiful parks and local treats, Nashville is a city the whole family will love. This guide covers all you need to know about visiting with kids, including the best Nashville kids activities, family attractions, and travel tips to help you make the most of your time in Nashville, TN.
NASHVILLE PHOTO SPOTS YOU NEED TO VISIT
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How Long to Spend in Nashville as a Family
We visited Nashville with our 2-year-old toddler and the grandparents, so this really was a family vacation.
We spent four nights in Nashville and had such a great time. This was a perfect amount of time to see the best of Nashville without feeling rushed.
How to Get Around Nashville with Kids
Nashville is a fairly spread-out city. It was also very hot (even when we visited in mid-May). It would be ideal to have a car to get around (compare rental car prices here), but as we didn’t, we mainly walked and used the bus.
The buses in Nashville were easy to navigate and cost just $2 per adult. You can ask for a 2-hour transferable ticket so you can use it as many times as you like within that time. Great if you’re going somewhere that requires you to change buses!
Where to Stay in Nashville with Kids
Downtown Nashville is a great central location to stay in, and 12 South is also a lovely, family-friendly area.
Ideas on family-friendly hotels in Nashville:
Budget:
- Graduate by Hilton Nashville – this affordable-luxury hotel screams Nashville, plus it’s a short walk to attractions.
- Caption By Hyatt Downtown Nashville – highly rated and in a great location.
- Best Western Downtown – a great location at an affordable price.
Luxury:
- The Hermitage Hotel – beautiful and in a central location.
- The Joseph, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Nashville – family rooms and an outdoor pool with great views.
- 1 Hotel Nashville – beautifully designed interiors in a central location.
Map of the Best Things to DO in Nashville with Kids
Below is a map showing the locations of all the places I will talk more bout later in this post. Just click the button on the top right corner to open it in Google Maps.
The Best Things to Do in Nashville With Kids
Let’s jump into the best things to do in Nashville with kids or toddlers!
Visit Centennial Park and the Parthenon
When travelling as a family, parks are always a good idea. Centennial Park is the perfect place to relax or let children burn off some energy. There’s plenty of open space for kids, and it’s a beautiful area for everyone to enjoy.
Centennial Park is a relatively large park located in the West End of Nashville. In Centennial Park, you’ll find the Nashville Parthenon, which is a full-sized replica of the one in Athens and possibly the most beautiful building in Nashville. The Parthenon is actually closed on Mondays, which is when we visited, but if you do go inside, it’s essentially an art museum. Most famous for the statue of Athena.
Adult tickets are $10, with under 4’s going free. Find out more information on their website here.
There’s also a nice duck pond/lake with a 1-mile trail to walk around it. There were storyboard props around, which were great things to do in Nashville with toddlers or young children. If you have a little Taylor Swift fan, a bench dedicated to her can also be found around the lake!
There’s also a children’s playground, which is always the best free way to let little ones burn some energy!
CENTINNIAL OLYMPIC PARK
Get a Sweet Treat from Mattheessens
Matthessens Ice Cream, Cookies & Fudge shop, located in Downtown Nashville, is the perfect place to stop for a sweet treat. Kids and grown-ups alike will enjoy visiting here.
We got ice creams here and highly recommend them!
Address: 123 2nd Ave N fl 1, Nashville, TN 37201, United States
Explore The Gultch and Pose by the WhatLiftsYou Wings Mural
The Gulch is a small but trendy area in Nashville with nice shops and restaurants. It’s a lovely area to look around.
In The Gulch, you’ll also find the most famous of Nashville’s murals, the WhatLiftsYou Wings Mural. This is the perfect photo spot to remember your trip. There are also mini wings next to the main one, which is a fun photo opportunity for kids visiting Nashville.
Top Tip: Stand a little bit away from the wall to get the best effect of the wings!
Visit 12 South
This was my favourite area in Nashville. It’s another small neighbourhood in Nashville. You’ll find a few more fun murals here, which make great photo backdrops.
READ MORE: BEST PHOTO SPOTS IN NASHVILLE TO VISIT
There are also some nice shops and plenty of cafes and restaurants to choose from. Five Daughters Bakery is an extremely popular option for a sweet treat. I am so sad we didnt make it there during this trip!
Shop in Stoney Clover Lane
Stoney Clover Lane is a shop in 12 South and a must-visit when in Nashville. Famous for its customizable bags and accessories, this store is so pink and Instagrammable. My son had zero interest, but if you have little girls, they are sure to love it!
They also have a cool mural and stage at the back of the store that are perfect for photos!
Play in Sevier Park
While the moms shopped, the dads took our toddler to the playground. Sevier Park is nice for wandering through and also has a large children’s playground, which is perfect for kids.
Stoney Clover Store | Amelia’s Flower Truck in 12 South
Visit the Grand Ole Opry and Opry Mills Outlet
The Grand Ole Opry is the home of country music in Nashville. You can go inside for a backstage tour, including things like the stars’ dressing rooms or see a real-life country music show concert here.
Located right next to the Grand Ole Opry is Opry Mills Outlet. I only had time for one of these activities, and as my son was taking a rare nap, I decided to treat myself to retail therapy! The outlet has plenty of stores at discount prices.
Splash at Gaylord Opryland
Gaylord Opryland is a resort located about 11 miles from the centre of Nashville (close to The Grand Ole Opry and Opry Mills). It has an amazing water park, shows, a golf course, and so many other options for families. You do need to be a guest to take advantage of all this.
Unfortunately, it was closed when we visited, which is such a shame as it would have been a great way to escape the heat! If you’re looking for fun things to do in Nashville with kids, definitely look into this!
See Capitol Hill
Capitol Hill is the highest hill in the centre of Nashville and is also known as the Tennessee State Capitol. The area consists mainly of government buildings that all have really nice architecture. Like the Parthenon, they were built with Greek influence.
Guided tours of these are available during the week. I wasn’t convinced that doing this would be a fun toddler activity, but older kids might enjoy it.
Outside The Grand Ole Opry | Capitol Hill
Enjoy Music Row and Broadway
A trip to Nashville wouldn’t be complete without visiting Music Row and Broadway. Even though this is the party centre of Nashville, I still think families should visit here. We initially visited on a Sunday afternoon, and it was a little bit wild. Going back in the week was a much calmer vibe if you’re visiting Nashville with kids.
Most of the bars and Honkey Tonks are happy to allow children in during the day.
Seeing live country music while in Nashville is a must, and this is the perfect place to do it! This area is what Nashville is most famous for, so definitely check it out – at least once!
Fannie Mae Dees Park
Our final thing to do in Nashville with kids is another park and playground. This one has a cool dragon sculpture running through it and lots of play equipment for children to enjoy!
Our toddler really liked playing here before we caught our flight back to NYC!
FAQ’s About Nashville With Kids
The Downtown area of Nashville is very walkable with kids. However, the rest of Nashville is spread out, making it too far to walk. It was easy to navigate on the bus, though!
For the mostpart, children are allowed in bars and Honkey Tonks during the day. However, many become age 21+ in the evenings.
Yes! We really enjoyed our trip to Nashville. While it is mainly known for its party scene, we found plenty of things to do in Nashville with kids.
Thank you for reading my guide on things to do in Nashville with kids. We hope you have a great trip to Tennessee!
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NASHVILLE PHOTO SPOTS YOU NEED TO VISIT
WE ALSO HAVE GUIDES ON:
– ATLANTA – DALLAS – NEW ORLEANS – NEW YORK – CHARLESTON –
Happy Exploring,
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Thank you, Madam ! Nashville looks beautiful !