Nashville and the surrounding Franklin Tennessee area are bursting with music and festivals, amazing restaurants and outdoor adventures. However, this Middle Tennessee mecca is also conveniently located to dozens of small towns that offer an authentic and enhanced view of Tennessee. Through their outdoor attractions, restaurants, museums and music, day trips from the Nashville area to these small towns can create wonderful memories for any local Nashvillian, new to Nashville family or visitors alike. 

The following are just a few of the small towns that are located within a three-hour drive from Nashville’s downtown, perfect for a day trip adventure, an overnight stay or an extended weekend trip!

Franklin, TN

Approximate Driving Time from Nashville:  30 minutes

Just a short drive from downtown Nashville, Franklin is a perfect day trip to escape from the big city. Franklin is rich with civil war history, country music legends and spaces to play and explore. There are also farms located throughout Franklin where you can pick flowers or berries, learn about honey or cuddle with alpacas among other things.

Favorite things to do in Franklin:

• Explore the shops and restaurants in the downtown Franklin square (they also have seasonal festivals here)
• Picnic, listen to music and adults drink wine at Arrington vineyards
• Visit Mistletoe Alpaca Farm for an incredible agritourism alpaca experience 
• Hear how the Battle of Franklin occurred at the doors of several homes including Carter House, Lotz House and Carnton
• Stroll the artist galleries, boutiques and family-friendly restaurants in Leipers Fork

Waverly, TN 

Approximate Driving Time from Nashville:  1.5 hours

Located about 75 miles west of Nashville, Waverly is a small town with big attractions for music fans. Loretta Lynn, one of country music’s legends, bought 3500 acres nearby in the 1960s and has since opened Loretta Lynn’s Ranch to the public. 

Favorite things to do in Waverly:

• Guests of Loretta Lynn’s Ranch can enjoy camping, hiking, swimming, kayaking, and all kinds of outdoor activities.
• Visit the Walls Art Park in Waverly. It’s a park with 80 different walls that artists can paint, so there are always gorgeous murals to admire. 
• Explore the Johnsonville State Historic Park, part of Tennessee’s incredible state park system with 3 hiking trails, fishing and birding too.

*Be aware that Waverly is still recovering from flooding in 2021. While the sites we’ve mentioned are open and welcoming visitors, other places in the area may be more severely damaged.

Santa Claus, Indiana

Approximate Driving Time from Nashville:  2.5 hours

Located in southwestern Indiana, Santa Claus is appropriately known for its Christmas theme. Santa Claus Museum & Village is home to the 1880 Santa Claus Church, Santa Claus Post Office and a tall, 1935 Santa Claus statue. The museum traces local history and the origin of the town’s name. Plus, Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari offers a family fun theme park for all ages.

Favorite things to do in Santa Claus:

• Ride all the rides at Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari
• Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial – A small but well-executed museum commemorates the place where Abraham Lincoln spent most of his childhood
• Visit the Santa Claus Museum & village In town full of holiday themed history and activities.

The Natchez Trace Parkway

Approximate Driving Time from Nashville:  20 minutes to the start of the parkway

The Natchez Trace Parkway is a 444-mile road. It roughly follows the original Natchez Trace from Nashville, TN to Natchez, MS. Driving the entire path takes about 5 days, but driving just a portion of the path is a wonderful day trip. There are stops all along the parkway for visitors to enjoy. 

Favorite stops on the Natchez Chase Parkway:

• Stop at the Double Arch Bridge. It’s a great place for photos of the beautifully artistic bridge and valley. You can stop on top of the bridge or take the fist exit (exit 96) for a stunning view of the whole bridge.
• Timberland Park, which is a great place to stop for a hike.
• The charming Leiper’s Fork Country Market is a great stop for gas & car snacks and the former Pucketts, now Fox and Locke is a great place for dinner and live music.!
• Hike at Fall Hollow (mile 391)
• Explore at the Meriwether Lewis Death & Burial Site (yes, from the Lewis & Clark expedition)

Bowling Green, KY

Approximate Driving Time from Nashville: 70 minutes

Bowling Green is just over an hour north of Nashville over the border in Kentucky. This small town has plenty to do and discover during a day trip from Nashville. Plus, Western Kentucky University sits atop a hill over the city and is lovely to explore…or catch a college baseball or basketball game if you time it right.

Favorite things to do in Bowling Green:

• Check-out the Western Kentucky University Campus and attend a game or event
• Visit the historic rail park and train museum
• Explore the shops around downtown Fountain Square Park
• Tour the lost river cave and play in the natural playground area
• Enjoy homemade ice cream and kids activities at Chaney’s Dairy Barn and Restaurant.

Clarksville, TN

Approximate Driving Time from Nashville:  60 minutes

Just an hour’s drive from Nashville, this town has tons of outdoor activities, a wonderful restaurant scene, and a newly-revitalized downtown. Located along the Cumberland River, there are plenty of walking trails and picnic benches to enjoy the area as well.

Favorite things to do in Clarksville:

• Explore the Customs House Museum Downtown
• Visit Miss Lucille’s Marketplace and cafe
• Play with your kids (or kids-at-heart) at The City Forum
• Discover Dunbar Cave & Dunbar Cave State Park
• Stroll the riverfront

Mammoth Cave, KY

Approximate Driving Time from Nashville:  1 hour 30 minutes

Mammoth Cave is one of the longest known cave systems in the world. While the caves are the highlight of the area with a variety of cave tours, ranging from easy to challenging, if you don’t love caving, you can also enjoy yourself above ground. Activities such as hiking and biking backcountry trails, canoeing the Green River, or visiting the Mammoth Cave Wildlife Museum are all pretty amazing.. 

Favorite things to do in Mammoth Cave:

• Take The Historic Tour or The Frozen Niagra Tour inside the caves
• Explore Sloan’s Crossing Pond
• Ride the Green River Ferry or rent a canoe to paddle & grab some food at Green River Cafe.
• Adventure though the Railroad hike and bike trail
• Discover Mammoth Cave Wildlife Museum

Chattanooga, TN

Approximate Driving Time from Nashville:  2 hours

Chattanooga Tennessee seamlessly mixes outdoor adventure with laid-back charm. The riverfront, the aquarium, the mountains, the University, the history…Chattanooga ticks off all the boxes for the southern traveler. Once in Chattanooga, everything feels very accessible and mostly walkable depending on the area you are spending your time. There is also public transportation throughout the city.

Favorite things to do in Chattanooga:

• Explore the world renowned Chattanooga Aquarium
• Play hard at Creative Discovery Museum
• Peruse and dine in the Arts District
• Stroll across the Walnut Pedestrian Bridge

Sewanee, TN

Approximate Driving Time from Nashville:  1 hour 25 minutes

Sewanee is a small college town atop Monteagle Mountain full of charm and outdoor appeal. Sewanee has a stunning and vast college campus with 13,000 acres of space to explore. While there, grab lunch on the patio at Shenanigans, drive out to the Cross, scamper down the Natural Bridge and hike the Perimeter Trail. 

Favorite things to do in Sewanee:

• Wander through The Sewanee Village
• Explore the University Grounds 
• Cross the natural bridge and hike the perimeter trail
• Discover South Cumberland State Park

Lynchburg, TN

Approximate Driving Time from Nashville:  1 hour 20 minutes

Arguably one of the best known brands in the world — Jack Daniels — is located in Lynchburg, a town of just 6,500 residents, many of them distillery employees. And the Distillery tour is full of history and fun for all ages! But in addition to learning about the history of Jack Daniels whiskey, Lynchburg, Tennessee has some great restaurants and small town spots to explore. Also, this quaint southern town is a gorgeous, leisurely drive on a nice day from downtown Nashville.

Favorite things to do in Lynchburg:

• Learn some history and taste some whiskey at the Jack Daniels Distillery
• Break out of the Lynchburg old jail museum
• Enjoy southern fare at Miss Mary Bobo’s Boarding House restaurant
• Explore the historic Lynchburg Hardware and General Store

Huntsville, AL

Approximate Driving Time from Nashville:  1 hour 50 minutes

Heading south just over the border in Alabama, Huntsville has everything for the space enthusiast, the art lover or the outdoor adventurer. Most notably, Huntsville is home to Alabama’s top tourist attraction, the U.S. Space and Rocket Center. This amazing complex houses one of the world’s largest collections of rockets and space memorabilia. They also host Space Camp for kids in the summer. But, this wonderful city also has a growing art and food scene and some great craft breweries.

Favorite things to do in Huntsville:

• Blast off at the US Space and Rocket Center
• Discover local artists Lowe Mill Arts & Entertainment
• Tiptoe among the tulips at Huntsville Botanical Gardens
• Try the secret art walk to see amazing public art
• Sip craft brews and lots of great food option at Campus 805

Whether you’re a Nashville or Franklin local or visiting our beloved Music City area, spend a day or a weekend exploring one of the small towns located within a three-hour drive from Nashville’s downtown. 

Note: Please check all locations, tours and museums for reservation requirements, seasonal hours and requests for visitors.

Written by : Sarah Wilson