11 Great Day Trips from Nashville, Tennessee
Day Trips are a great way to have some fun without breaking the bank. All you need is a little gas, a little time, and your sense of adventure. Here are 11 Great Day Trips from Nashville, Tennessee:
Cummins Falls State Park
1 hour 20 minutes (83.6 miles)
Cummins Falls is a perfect choice for a day trip from Nashville, Tennessee. In less than 1 1/2 hours, you can be outside in the sunshine enjoying the park and waterfall.
Please note: Children under 12 must wear life vests at falls and be accompanied by an adult. Pets are allowed if they are on a leash. Visiting the waterfall will require strenuous hiking, swimming, wading through water, and/or climbing rocks (many rocks are slippery).
Cummins Falls State Park // 390 Cummins Falls Lane – Cookeville, TN 38501 // 931.520.6691
Mammoth Cave National Park & Diamond Caverns
1 hour 20 minutes
Located in central Kentucky, Mammoth Cave is the largest cave system in the world! You can’t explore all of the caves, but you can see 405 miles of cave chambers and passages. Lighted tours are available.
Next to Mammoth Cave National Park is the historic Diamond Caverns. Beautiful calcite deposits shine like diamonds and jewels. Tours are available – please note that you will have to climb 350 steps and the ceiling hands low in places.
Mammoth Cave National Park // 1900 Mammoth Cave Parkway – Park City, Kentucky 42259 // 270.758.2180
See More from our trip to Mammoth Cave National Park HERE
WEBSITE for Mammoth Cave National Park
WEBSITE for Historic Diamond Caverns
Huntsville, Alabama
1 hour 54 minutes (115.4 miles)
Things to do:
- US Space & Rocket Center – In my opinion, this is a must-do if you are visiting Huntsville, Alabama! We have been several times and it is always amazing! For more information, you can see our last visit HERE
- Eat some wonderful Mexican Food at Rosie’s Cantina – MY FAVORITE restaurant EVER
- U.S. Veterans Memorial Museum – features exhibits of memorabilia, artifacts, and military equipment from the American Revolutionary War to the present day
- Huntsville Botanical Garden – beautiful gardens that include a dinosaur garden, a space-themed garden, and a storybook garden
- Monte Sano State Park – hiking and walking trails
- Harmony Park Safari – get up close to and feed many animals
- Do some shopping and/or catch a movie at Bridge Street Town Centre
Kentucky Action Park & Jesse James Riding Stables
1 hour 20 minutes
Things to do:
- Horseback Riding
- Twin Zipline
- Alpine Slide
- Bumper Boats
- Kayaking
- Mini Golf
- Cave Tour
- Chairlift
- Super Bungee Trampoline
- Climbing Wall
- Go Carts
You can pay for each activity individually or get an unlimited armband. See the brochure with attractions and prices HERE.
Cabins available for rent.
Kentucky Action Park and Jesse James Riding Stables // 3057 Mammoth Cave Road- Cave City, KY 42127 // 270.773.2560
WEBSITE
Stones River National Battlefield
35 minutes
Located along the Stone River, this battlefield is one of the major battle sites during the Civil War. The park features the Fortress Rosecrans (or part of it anyway), The Stones River National Cemetery, and the Hazen’s Brigade Monument (the oldest Civil War monument standing in its original location). This park is great for hiking and bike riding – the whole family gets some fresh air and learns some history. Park rangers and other volunteers offer tours also.
Stones River National Battlefield // 3501 Old Nashville Highway – Murfreesboro, Tennessee 37129 // 615.893.9501
Chattanooga, Tennessee
2 hours 3 minutes (133 miles) via I-24
Chattanooga is one of our FAVORITE cities to visit for fun day trips!
Things to do:
- Ride Trains – Chattanooga is the perfect city for train lovers – with train rides, train yards, and train museums, you can even ride a train up the side of a mountain! See more info & photos of our visits here: Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum, Lookout Mountain Incline Railway, The Chattanooga Choo-Choo Railroad Hotel & Museum.
- Here are 20 Favorite Family-Friendly Activities in Chattanooga – including The Tennessee Aquarium, Ruby Falls, Lookout Mountain, Rock City, and more!
- Eat at some Fantastic Restaurants – including Puckett’s Grocery & Sticky Fingers BBQ.
Fall Creek Falls State Park
2 hours
This state park is the largest state park in Tennessee and, at 256 feet, Fall Creek Falls is one of the highest waterfalls in the eastern US. The park sits on 29,800 acres on the eastern tip of the Cumberland Plateau.
Activities at Fall Creek Falls State Park include:
- 34 miles of walking/hiking trails
- Nature Center – environmental educational programs, arts and crafts, campfires, and movies
- Golf Course
- 4 playgrounds
- 5 Picnic Pavilions
- Olympic-sized pool
- Horse Stables
- Camping & Cabins
- Festivals
Fall Creek Falls State Park // 10821 Park Road – Pikeville, Tennessee 37367 // 423.881.5298
Lynchburg, Tennessee
1 hour 24 minutes (73.8 miles)
Lynchburg is another one of our favorite day trips from Birmingham. You may not think of a liquor distillery as a family-friendly activity, but it is a very interesting tour. And, the rest of the town is full of character and fun things to do (candy store, anyone?)
Things to do:
- Jack Daniels Distillery -tours of the distillery are free
- The Lynchburg Hardware & General Store has two floors full of unique Jack Daniels Merchandise
- Eat at Miss Mary Bobo’s – A historic house that serves home-cooked meals family-style to all guests.
- For only $1, you can tour the Moore County Jail Museum.
- Stop in The Lynchburg Cake & Candy Company for some sweet treats. They have won TripAdvisor’s Certificate of Excellence for the past 5 years!
- Stroll through the Historic Downtown Lynchburg Square – see the Court House, shops, restaurants, and other local attractions.
- Located next to Jack Daniel’s Distillery is the Lynchburg Winery.
- Check out the local Harley Davidson shop.
Cumberland Caverns
1 hour 35 minutes
Things you’ll see:
- 32 miles of caves and passageways
- underground waterfalls
- rock formations
- underground rooms
- dark pools
Tours & Concerts available include:
- Daytime Walking Tour
- Overnight Tour
- Spelunking Tours
- Underground Bluegrass Concerts
Cumberland Caverns // 1437 Cumberland Caverns Road – McMinnville, Tennessee 37110 // 931.668.4396
Franklin, Tennessee
27 minutes (21.5 miles)
Things to do in Franklin, Tennessee:
- FACTORY AT FRANKLIN – this historic Factory is comprised of 11 depression-era factory buildings. These have been updated/renovated into a farmer’s market, artisan shops, restaurants, antique shops, art galleries, and retail stores.
- HISTORIC DOWNTOWN FRANKLIN – Admire the beautiful Victorian architecture from the town’s square. Soak in the history while enjoying some great food and shopping.
- CARNTON – Carnton is a great place for history enthusiasts to visit. Tours are available every day with additional time to explore the grounds and museum store. Built in 1826, Carnton was home to one of the bloodiest battles during the Civil War (The Battle of Franklin).
- NATCHEZ TRACE PARKWAY – See the double arch bridge – an iconic part of the parkway. The Natchez Trace Parkway is a 444-mile national scenic byway and National Park that takes you through 18 communities from Mississippi to Alabama to Tennessee.
- ARRINGTON VINEYARDS – A great place for wine tastings and picnics. Gourmet chocolates, cheeses, and sausages are available for purchase.
- LOTZ CIVIL WAR HOUSE MUSEUM – A Civil War House Museum
- Enjoy some delicious Cajun/Creole dishes at Yats. Or have some stick-to-your-ribs southern cooking at Puckett’s Grocery & Restaurant.
Rock Island State Park
1 hour 37 minutes (84.7 miles) via I-40 & US-70
Things to do at this beautiful 883-acre park:
- Hiking
- Swimming
- Fishing
- Kayaking
- Visit Caney Fork Gorge/Great Falls Dam
- Sandy Beaches and boating at Center Hill Lake
- Camping (campgrounds and cabins available)
Rock Island State Park // 82 Beach Road – Rock Island, Tennessee 38581 // 931.686.2471
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What are your favorite day trips or fun adventures in Tennessee?
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KristyB
Wife. Mom. Graphic Designer. Photographer. Professional Nap Taker. Part-time Traveler (with kids in tow, of course!)
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Mammoth Cave is a family favorite for us.
I’d love to visit Mammoth Cave National Park and Cumberland Caverns. I’m always fascinated by the beauty of caves! Plus, how cool would it be to watch a bluegrass concert underground? I bet the sound is amazing.
I was fascinated by the concerts too! I’m sure the acoustics are awesome!
Looks dreamy! It makes me want to travel so much more. Love the places, I need to explore my surrounding more as well
I know how you feel! I’m ready for a massive vacation!
Day trips are absolutely fantastic and a great way to escape from the norm. I will been keeping this list for when I get to visit Nashville. The waterfall picture from Rock Island state Park looks amazing.
I love day trips. They are so easy – I don’t even have to pack a suitcase!
Have never been to this part of the states before, so this is great to see how many fun day trips are in that area whenever I can finally make it to Nashville 🙂
I hope you do, Kelly! Nashville is only a few hours away from us and we love visiting all of these places.
I love day trips, and all these activities you’ve listed are among my favorites. When the time does not permit for the long trips, it’s the best way to get away from a daily routine and give your mind a full rest. I love waterfalls, caves and caverns, horseback riding, and scenic air and train rides, hiking, kayaking… Thank you for sharing. Next time I’m in the Nashville, TN area, I’ll know what to do!
Best,
~ Julia
I hear ya, Julia! Day trips are my favorite little adventures. They don’t break the bank and I don’t have to pack a suitcase!
Falls Creek Falls and the Rock Island Falls look amazing. I would love to tour the Jack Daniels Distillery and have wanted to ride the Chattanooga Choo Choo for years! Bookmarking this for a future trip
Oh, yes, the waterfalls are amazing! We have toured Jack Daniels and rode all the trains in Chattanooga – ALL great experiences for sure!
I love that you added the time and mileage to reach these places from Nashville. There’s so much to see and do in Nashville itself that we’ve never ventured too far outside. Some of these places, though, aren’t really that far away–or they are places that you could stop at on your way to or from the city. Nice job!
Thanks, lady! I always check the mileage so I know how early I have to leave and how many adventures I can pack into our day!
These are some great day trips. I wish I was closer. I was just telling my brother a couple days ago that I wanted to go back to Kentucky. I loved the Mammoth Caves when I was there almost 30 years ago. Unfortunately, it is not a daytrip for me from Ontario 🙁
Oooh, I’ve been to Ontario and LOVED it. Maybe you can head south (really, really south) soon!
Being here is the UK it is nice to see some travel inspiration as we wont be travelling for a long time x
Hopefully soon!!!
Thanks for this great post. I have decided that once this things is over I will be visiting all 50 states over a period of time. So this will help a great deal.
I’m so glad! I know how you feel – been thinking about a National Park road trip in Western US.
I’m so glad! I know how you feel – been thinking about a National Park road trip in the Western US.
US Space & Rocket Center is of the coolest pleases to visit. You could stay all day looking at all the rockets and shuttles. I highly recommend this.
I agree 1,000,0000,000 % !!!
First off I love Nashville, such a great town and so much to see! I’ve taken time to visit the Jack Daniels factily in Lynchburg and that was very cool to do. My wife loves Franklin and wanted us to move there years and years ago when we were first married. She mentioned how nice the Carnton plantation was and how rich in history it was. For me, I’d have to visit the Kentucky Action park! That is right in my wheelhouse. So many great things to do on this list.
I agree – lots of wonderful things to do in and around Nashville!
I’ve always wanted to Nashville, it always sounds like such a fun place and with this list I realise that it really is! I loved the photos and I want to try zip lining at least once in life lol
Nashville is the bomb!! I’m too much of a scared-y cat to do ziplining, but I hope you love it!
These all look so amazing, I am jealous that you are close to so many great places. The action park, the caverns and the falls would totally be my thing and my dad would love Chattanooga, he is the biggest train fan I know. A trip to the US would be such great fun for us.
Oh yes! Chattanooga is HEAVEN for train lovers!
If given the chance, I will certainly enjoy visiting Nashville, TN with all its beautiful places. All the beautiful pictures are enticing me to come.
I recommend visiting Nashville at least once if you get the chance! It’s one of our favorite cities!
With less people are brave to go out, it is also a good opportunity to visit these places with less crowd (much safer). I would like to visit the Cumberland Caverns.
Yes, it’s a good time to avoid the crowds!