Kid Friendly Things To Do In Tennessee

See Animals At The Memphis Zoo

Kid Reviewed | Fun Things to do in Tennessee with Kids

TripSavvy / Ivey Redding

The Memphis Zoo has been one of the city’s most popular attractions since its beginnings in 1906 and is now bigger and better than ever. With over 3,500 animals housed on its 70 acres, the zoo offers hours of entertainment and education for kids and adults alike. Enjoy exhibits like the Northwest Passage , China , Zambezi River , Cat Country , and Teton Trek , or sign up for an early morning zoo stroll or twilight tour to learn more about what goes on behind the scenes.

Check the website to see when zookeepers will be doing educational demonstrations and talks about all your favorite animals, including penguins, sea lions, elephants, rhinos, giraffes, hippos, and pandas, among other interesting creatures.

Cheekwood Estate & Garden

Cheekwood Estate & Garden has an interactive childrens garden, with places to climb, run and touch. There are drop-in story times and art activities included with admission. An outdoor TRAINS! exhibit has a tunnel for kids to crawl through, a storybook trail, and dioramas of miniature homes, all in a wooded setting. The turtle pond lets everyone see rescued turtles in a water habitat. The large botanical garden has walking trails, wildflowers and native gardens, a Japanese garden and

At Christmas, Cheekwood Estate & Garden puts on Holiday Lights, a gorgeous Christmas lights display with a mile of music and twinkling lights, fire pits where you can make your own smores and live reindeer. The TRAINS! exhibit is spiffed up for this as well.

Bledsoe Creek State Park

Bledsoe Creek State Park is rich in history. It was once a prime hunting ground for the Cherokee, Creek, Shawnee, and Chickamauga Native American tribes. Once English settlers arrived to the area, the once-great herds of animals were dispersed, never to return. The area is home to a wealth of Native American history along with various historical sites nearby. The Bledsoe Creek territory became a Tennessee State Park in 1973.

The park features 57 campsites. There are more than six miles of scenic hiking trails. The trails meander through the forest and along the lakeshore of the park. One mile of these trails is paved making it accessible to persons with disabilities. The trails are open year-round.

Bledsoe Creek offers two boat launch ramps, one for registered campers only and the other open for the general public. Other activities include fishing at Old Hickory Lake, picnic facilities , and park programs that provide entertainment for all ages and change annually.

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Discover Tennessees Amazing Musical Past And Present

Photo by Poznyakov

Tennessee is famous for its music. These days it is known widely known as the epicenter of Country Music but Rock n Roll was born here and even The King, Elvis Presley, called Tennessee home.

Graceland in Memphis is certainly the most notorious home of a music legend. and over a half million people make the pilgrimage each year to tour his home.

At Sun Studios, also in Memphis, take a tour of where Johnny Cash and Elvis began their careers. The studio has been turned into a one-of-a-kind museum with almost all the original equipment used back in the 1950s, including the microphone!

Discover all the best things to to in Memphis with kids, including where to eat some classic Memphis barbecue.

A collection of Johnny Cashs guitars, handwritten lyrics, awards, and pieces of his former home are on display in Nashville at the Johnny Cash Museum, a must for any fan of The Man in Black.

Also in Nashville is the Country Music Hall of Fame. There are exhibits focusing on oral traditions, still images, and country music artifacts.

Past exhibits have included a wide range of women in country music from Taylor Swift to Tammy Wynette. Several times throughout the year, the Hall offers the Musical Petting Zoo, where children can try out different instruments used in country music!

Carousel In Coolidge Park Chattanoogausel In Coolidge Park Chattanooga

Alex McMahan Photography/Chattanooga CVB

More outdoor fun is a short drive away. Hike or bike a mountain trail, go whitewater rafting on the Ocoee River , kayak, or ride horses.

Get some wind in your hair with a ride on the sleek, blue-and-white River Gorge Explorer. This high-tech vessel transports you from the downtown pier into the Tennessee River Gorge. Naturalists point out wildlife and share tales of the Civil War and other local history during each two-hour cruise.

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Things To Do In Nashville Tn With Kids

It only takes one minute in the Music City to see it’s truly alive, from the constant pulse of live music in almost every public space and eatery to the rich history and beautiful landmarks. One thing is for sure, your family will never be bored. There is something for every kid, from the train enthusiast to the science lover to the outdoor adventurer.

And for more guides on visiting cities around the world with kids, check out our Mommy Poppins Family City Guide.

1. Take line dancing lessons at Wildhorse Saloon.2. Tour the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. It’s incredibly well done and has an area where interactive, kid-friendly exhibits rotate, like the Taylor Swift exhibit, where visitors draw and decorate their own stage costumes.3. Just west of Nashville you can escape city life and soak up the outdoors by ziplining through the forest.

Ziplining through the treetops!

4. Visit and tour the state’s capital building on the hill.5. After your capital building tour, play and learn in the massive Bicentennial Capitol Park, where there are family-friendly activities and events almost every day.

There are lots of amazing things to see at the Adventure Science Center

23. See the stars at Madame Tussauds wax museum.25. Eat some delicious local delicacies. Try the hot chicken at Hattie B’s or Party Fowl, and dig into barbecue at Acme Feed & Seed or Puckett’s Grocery.

All photos courtesy of Nashville Convention & Visitors Corporation, unless otherwise noted

Museum Of Scott County Huntsville

The Museum of Scott County is a museum built, curated and maintained by students, for students is making its mark on Scott County. Exhibits are vast, ranging from the prehistoric era to coal mining and a Pioneer Playroom where children can dress up and participate in “hands on” experiences. Couple that with historic structures and farm animals for a uniquely educational visit.

Learn the incredible story of the railroad hero Casey Jones through interactive exhibits and artifacts at Casey Jones Home & Railroad Museum. Enjoy a meal at the world famous Brooks Shaw’s Old Country Store Restaurant tour the Providence House and The Village Chapel, Casey Jones Mini-Golf and the Shoppes at Casey Jones Village. End your visit sweetly with some confections from the authentically recreated 1890’s Ice Cream Parlor & Fudge Shoppe. All staff wear masks and thoroughly clean and sanitize the dining and service areas. Seating inside the restaurant is at reduced capacity and physical distancing is encouraged.

With so many kid-friendly places for kids of all ages, Tennessee is the best place to explore with your family.

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Iron Mountain Metal Craft

Learn the art of blacksmithing and blade-smithing or just watch the professionals go to work at , located on Old Mill Avenue. This family oriented organization welcomes all ages education is their primary goal. Sign up for a lesson and learn how to make a knife out of a horseshoe or a railroad spike!

Old Town Trolley Tours Of Nashville

Kid Reviewed | Fun Things to do in Tennessee with Kids

This hop-on hop-off tour has 14 stops and you have unlimited use of the Nashville Old Town Trolley. Or stay on the trolley for the whole 90 minutes for a live narrated tour of the top sights of Music City!

Visit Music Row, Ryman Auditorium, Music Row, Broadway and more! The trolley is an open air vehicle which makes it great for taking pictures and video.

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Adventure Park At Five Oaks

The offers fun for the entire family! Our experienced guides will take you a fun and thrilling trek through and above 70 acres of beautiful fall foliage. No experience is needed. Book today for an adventure your family will never forget! This ropes course includes Tarzan bridges, cargo nets, floating planks as well as ziplines and more along the way.

See Tennessee By Water

Photo by Brian Dunne

Tennessee vacations for families should always include time on or near the water. Luckily there are great opportunties all over the state to admire its history and beauty from the water.

What better way to explore the mighty Mississippi on the Memphis Queen Line Riverboats? Take a 7 to 10-mile round trip cruise on a Paddlewheeler along the downtown Memphis Riverfront and experience a bit of Memphis history.

You can also enjoy a daytime cruise on the General Jackson Showboat along the Cumberland River in Nashville. This 19th Century, 200-foot riverboat entertains as it shows off the Music City from a water perspective.

If you would prefer something a bit more adventurous, go whitewater rafting near the Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg with a guided river tour down the Big Pigeon River that can be catered to your family. There are introductory whitewater trips as well as more advanced trips that are a great challenge the older kids in your group.

Chattanooga has rafting down the Ocoee River for the adventurous type, but for more of a water stroll choose a guided kayak tour that is suitable for kids eight and over.

If you prefer to stay dry but still enjoy the water, hike out to see the tallest waterfall in the eastern United States in Fall Creek Falls State Park which is north of Chattanooga.

Photo by Rob Hainer

Tennessee is a state rich in Southern history and there are several great places to tour throughout the state.

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Pucketts Grocery & Restaurant

You bring the company, well do the cookin! Let us fill your table with Southern goodness this year! ??? | Facebook

Rating: 4.4

Address: 500 Church St, Nashville, TN 37219

  • Grocery shop and eatery
  • Dates back to the 1950s

Why you should go: Pucketts Grocery and Restaurant is an ideal place to have on your entertaining things to do in Nashville if you plan on staying in an apartment during your vacation here.

The grocery shop sells fresh farm produce sourced from local farmers in the area.

It is also a perfect eatery for when you dont feel like cooking or just want to experience Nashvilles culinary scene.

Things to do: Visit the grocery and restaurant to see the type of farm products produced in Nashville.

It is also an ideal place to meet and interact with the locals.

  • It is 21 minutes from the Nashville International Airport.

Tennessee For Kids: Where To Go And What To Do

Kids of any age will have fun in Tennessee at world-class attractions, museums and more.

Family-Friendly Holiday Events in Tennessee

For kids age 5 or 15 these family-friendly things to do will leave everyone smiling. Read on for fun things to do in Tennessee with kids for your next family vacation.

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Belle Meade Historic Site And Winery

Its Fall Yall! Cant wait to see everyone today ???? | Facebook

Rating: 4.6

Entry ticket: $26$150 depending on the type of tour

Address: 5025 Harding Pike, Nashville, TN 37205

  • It is over 30 acres in size
  • It was originally built in 1807

Why you should go: The Belle Meade Historic Site and Winery or the Belle Meade Plantation is a historic mansion that serves as a museum, winery, and restaurant.

The attraction site was once a plantation of over 5,400 acres in size.

It was home to over one hundred slaves.

Today, the museum is dedicated to telling the history and stories of African-Americans enslaved on the farm.

Things to do: History lovers will love exploring this facility.

Even if you are not into history, visiting the museum will teach you more about African-Americans and increase your understanding and knowledge of black culture.

You can visit the winery to have a taste of the wine produced in Nashville.

There are gift shops, walking trails, outdoor game courts, among other amenities.

  • It is 32 minutes from the Nashville International Airport.

Attend A Professional Or Collegiate Sporting Event

Nashville is home to many sports teams, from hockey and football to basketball. Take your family out to the ballgame – or hockey match.

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Best Family Vacation Spots In Tennessee Kid Friendly Ideas

  • Emily Appelbaum
  • May 22, 2022

Tennessee is one of the most family-friendly destinations in the United States, offering a lot to do for lovers of country music and its variations.

The state has also seen a lot of action during the Civil War and the history that has been preserved is a good way to initiate the kids into this bloody history of America.

The following are the best family vacation spots in Tennessee.

Learn About Fire Safety And History At The Fire Museum

Kid Friendly Things To Do in Nashville

TripSavvy / Ivey Redding

One of the largest urban parks in the country at 4,500 acres, Shelby Farms Park offers 10.65 miles of trails, an off-leash dog park, horseback riding areas, the fabulous Woodland Discovery Playground, and the Go Ape Zip Line and Adventure Park, a ropes course geared more toward older kids and teens.

Seasonal events and activitiesand a herd of about 15 buffalo that calls the park homemean there’s plenty to keep children occupied outdoors all year long. If time and weather allow, rent a bike, boat, or board and hit the water or treat the kids to a friendly game of laser tag or paintball at the outdoor battlefield.

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Visit Dollys Hometown Of Pigeon Forge

As the jewel of this beautiful mountain town, Dolly Parton has poured her heart into Dollywood, a theme park with superb roller-coasters and live entertainment shows. Dollywood also has Splash Country, a water utopia including 23 slides and water rides, and two childrens playgrounds for the little ones.

Visit during the holiday season and experience Dollywoods Smoky Mountain Christmas with four million holiday lights and extravagant holiday decorations

Trekaroo families also love Dolly Partons Stampede show and dinner. Watch the North versus the South in a friendly competition, be amazed by horse riding stunts, and feast on a four-course meal while listening to some great bluegrass music.

Also in Pigeon Forge is popular Titanic Museum and Wonderworks which has 100 hands-on exhibits including an indoor ropes course, earthquake and hurricane simulations, and the chance to find oneself inside a bubble!

Music City Hall Of Fame

I wasnt sure how the Music City Hall of Fame and museum would go over with the kids and since Craig and I arent big country music people didnt know what we would think either. I am so glad we went!! The history was really cool to see and they did an awesome job displaying it.

Nashville is the music city so it made sense that we should come and learn more about country music!

The Highlights:

  • The Scavenger Hunt The kids can do for a prize at the end. I think Craig had more fun doing it then the kids :). But definitely added to the experience for everyone. It also looked like there were working on a kids area which we will have to come back to check out.
  • The Recording Studio Our favorite part about the Music City Hall of Fame was the recording studio. We ended up not giving ourselves enough time and could have stayed here for hours! They have an interactive part of the museum where you create an account with your picture and then use that to record and save your music. The music was done in karaoke style but was so cool since you are in a recording studio when you are doing it and can then play it back to hear how you sound. This was a big hit with the kids and us! It is located in the back of the museum so make sure you seek it out.
  • The History You could spend hours reading all of the history, watching the movies, and checking out the old guitars and costumes.

Things to Know:

Recommend:

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Cumberland Park And Walking In Downtown Nashville

This was a very cool park that you would not know was there unless you knew where you were going! Definitely a fun little park to add to the list of things to do in Nashville with kids.

The highlights:

  • It has a rock wall, hills to run on, a slide, and is right on the Cumberland river by downtown Nashville.
  • You could either park in Nashville or you could park by the parking lot for the park .
  • There is a walking bridge that connects the park area to downtown Nashville.
  • Downtown Nashville is cool to walk down. Lots of things to look at and you can hear music almost everywhere! We were there until about 7pm one night and it was still fine with kids.

Things to know:

If there was a Tennessee Titans game you DEFINITELY could not park there. As you can see from the Map if you parked at the Courthouse it is about a 1 mile walk to Cumberland park over the bridge then just take the elevator down I think the blue dots take you past the elevator . You can also see where Wildhorse Saloon is on the map .

Recommend: Parking in any downtown is annoying but when you are in Nashville you have to come check out the downtown area! If you want to avoid small streets and tight parking lots then park in the Court House parking garage and just be prepared for a little walk.

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