10 Things to Do with Your Family in Nashville

Nashville Zoo is home to rare animals such as white rhinoceros, clouded leopards, and cotton-top tamarins. It also offers many unique activities and hands-on exhibits for visitors of all ages. Animal lovers get to interact with over a dozen free-wandering red kangaroos at the Kangaroo Kickabout, while the little ones can enjoy hours of fun at the Jungle Gym, which has a tree house, slides, swings, and a giant snake tunnel. Weekend tickets to the Nashville Zoo cost around $18 per adult and $13 per child (2 to 12 years old), while weekday visits are cheaper by $1.

Honeysuckle Hill Farm, located on Martins Chapel Church Road, is one of Tennessee’s largest outdoor attractions. The 200-acre farm is home to Nashville's Country Music Corn Maze, Zipline Adventure Park, and Scream Creek Haunted Attractions. Its annual Fall Festival often draws a huge crowd of families with its miniature train, petting zoo, pumpkin patch, and shops selling popcorn, homemade fudge, and caramel apples.

The Hop on, Hop off Nashville Tour is a convenient way of exploring the city’s many historical landmarks. You can enjoy a fully-narrated tour of Nashville while cruising on a trolley. There are 15 stops throughout the Old Town, where you can disembark to explore iconic distilleries, record stores, state parks, and buildings such as the Vanderbilt University, Country Music Hall of Fame, and Union Station.

Nashville Children's Theatre has been entertaining families since 1931, making it one of the city’s oldest theatres. Aside from regularly scheduled theatrical productions, the theatre also offers many community events, drama classes and courses all year round. The NCT! Scout workshop is a popular option for visitors age 18 and below. Priced at $25, your child can enjoy admission to a show, an hour-long workshop with a theatre professional, and a fun patch.

The Cheekwood Estate and Gardens consists of a botanic garden, woodland sculpture trail, and fine arts museum that displays American paintings dating back to between 1910 and 1970. The 55-acre landscape is divided into 12 gardens with gorgeous views of the Tennessee hills. One of its oldest gardens is the Martin Boxwood Gardens, which was designed by Bryant Fleming during the late-1920s. Here you can explore a wooded stream and a reflecting pool with sculptures of Greek icons Thalia and Urania. Tickets to Cheekwood Estate and Gardens cost $20 for adults and $13 for youths between 3 and 17 years old.

Centennial Park spans 132 acres of natural gardens, and features tree-shaded paths, sand volleyball courts, picnic tables, a playground, and an activity centre. The Centennial Park Playscape is a popular spot for families as it has a jungle gym with many slides and swings for the little ones. Looking about as out of place as it’s possible to be, The Parthenon in Centennial Park is a full-scale replica of the famous temple in Athens, Greece. The recreation is where you can see replicas of the statues in the original, as well as a substantial art collection.

The Belle Meade Plantation is a private hilltop estate that features many historical buildings within its 30-acre landscape. Some of its most impressive landmarks include a Greek revival mansion, a 19th-century carriage house displaying original carriages, and a winery where you can enjoy Tennessee red and white wines. The Belle Meade Plantation offers guided tours for about $24 per adult and $18 per youth (6 to 18 years old).

Nashville Public Library’s main branch on Church Street has an extensive collection of DVDs, books and digital magazines that are suitable for visitors of all ages. Reading materials here range from comics, Japanese manga and romance fiction to biographies, cookbooks, and fitness guides. Every Tuesday and Wednesday morning, families get to enjoy story times at the Children’s Theater. The 30-minute showcase also features singing and juggling performances by colourful puppets.

The Treetop Adventure Park features 100 aerial obstacles that are divided for 3 age groups, namely adults, juniors, and children. Located within Nashville Shores Lakeside Resort, you get to spend hours navigating along more than 10 ziplines, suspended bridges, cargo nets, rope ladders, and Tarzan swings. Admission costs are from $49.99 per adult, $34.99 per child between 9 and 11 years old, and $24.99 if your child is below the age of 9.

The Vanderbilt Dyer Observatory at Radnor Lake State Park is where you can view the galaxy through the Seyfert and DeWitt Telescopes. Explore the observatory grounds to find many picturesque landmarks such as the Star Chamber, which is a spiral art sculpture made with logs and 150 tons of native limestone. Nearby the installation are cluster of stones called the Solstice and Equinox Rising Stones. Visits to Vanderbilt Dyer Observatory are only available by appointment, but you can enjoy many outdoor events such as the Music on the Mountain and Bluebird on the Mountain concerts.