So we’ve finally wrapped up our blogs and Youtube videos for our Midwest Road Trip! This has been such an awesome adventure and we appreciate everyone so much for going on this adventure with us. One of our goals, though, when we started this blog and social media endeavor, was to share travel tips with y’all. We have other trips, blogs, and Youtube videos already in the pipeline to be released soon, but we wanted to take the opportunity to also sprinkle in some good articles about tips and tricks, lists, and other fun aspects of our trips! I’ve posted our Youtube video of our trip to Nashville here, as well. Without further ado, here are the top five things to do in Nashville, Tennessee with kids!

1. Visit Honky Tonk Highway…early.

It’s no secret that Nashville’s Honky Tonk Highway, also known as Lower Broadway, is the party scene of the southeast. By about 5 P.M. this place is bustling with revelers, singers, dancers, partiers, and every other kind of merrymaker imaginable. Super fun, but probably not the best for children. That’s okay, though! We learned that visiting Honky Tonk Highway early in the day (we got there around 10 A.M.) gives you plenty of time to enjoy the restaurants like Hattie B’s and the various sites nearby like the Walk of Fame Park.

Don’t get me wrong, part of the experience of Honky Tonk Highway is the party environment; if you’ve never been, though, it can be a culture shock. Think a tightly packed Las Vegas meets Times Square. You can take kids…you just might not care to.

It’s great, because going early doesn’t mean you’re missing out on the experience. The honky tonks are still blasting, the party busses are still rolling, and you can still stop in and get a drink if the kids get too overwhelming. It’s just a very toned down, rated PG version. Grab a bite, visit the shops, make your way all the way to the Cumberland River, just make sure to get it done early!

2. Visit the Parthenon

Yes indeed, Nashville has a Parthenon! And this isn’t some make-believe, half-size version of the Parthenon that sits over in Greece, it is an entirely full-scale replica. The massive structure sits in Centennial Park, which also offers a beautiful place to take a picnic, walking trails, a lake, and so much more. The kids literally have acres to play and run around, and the Parthenon itself is accessible to view inside with a ticket, where you’ll learn all about art and other exhibits.

Even if you only take an hour to walk the grounds, every member of the family will enjoy this place. It’s a must see for the sheer fact that the building is ridiculously massive, and seeing the kids standing next to those giant columns makes for some awesome photos! It’s also a great learning opportunity, as every part of this Parthenon was painstakingly recreated to be exactly like the one in Athens, Greece.

3. Check out the Grand Ole Opry and Opry Mills Mall

Nashville is probably best known around the world for the Grand Ole Opry. This Mecca of country music offers not only shows, but neat backstage tours that the entire family is sure to enjoy. Even if you don’t visit the inside, the building itself is neat to check out; how many times can you say you’ve visited the most famous spot in music? What’s more, though, is that right next to the Grand Ole Opry is Opry Mills, a massive mall that is a great option for a rainy day. Opry Mills offers stores like Bass Pro Shop, a Lego Store, escape rooms, a Madame Tussauds wax museum, a Rainforest Cafe, a movie theater, an Aquarium restaurant, a Build-a-Bear, a Dave and Busters, and so much more. This mall is truly jam packed.

The Grand Ole Opry and Opry Mills could easily be an entire day’s worth of activities. You can do like we did and hop in and out of the various restaurants for appetizers and desserts, or just spend a lazy rainy day exploring around and checking the various shops. Either way, this is always a good choice with the kids.

4. The Gaylord Opryland Resort

The Gaylord is famous for a lot of reasons, but in terms of being a place to bring kids it is an absolute standout. This place boasts an amazing aquatic attraction and tons of things to do for families, many of which are available even if you’re not staying at the hotel. That being said, the full experience of the Gaylord definitely requires booking a room. It has to be included on this list though, because there is simply so much to do! Probably the standout spot at the Gaylord, though, is the SoundWaves water park. They have a ton of pools, water slides, tubes, lazy rivers, and even an adults only area containing an infinity pool for when you have to get away from the children for a bit.

The Gaylord is also conveniently located right near literally everything in Nashville, so though you may stay there and never leave, all of the other attractions are within ten minutes of this giant resort. If you’re looking for an all-in-one, kid friendly hotel and resort stay in Nashville, this is definitely the premier destination!

5. Check out the Nashville Zoo

The Nashville Zoo is one of middle Tennessee’s top paid attractions, and for good reason. They have a huge variety of animals to see, and there are so many extracurricular activities in which to take part. For example, giraffes, Andean bears, tigers, and a host of amphibians, birds, and many other animals all call Nashville their home. They also offer backstage passes, overnight trips, and school trips in addition to their main zoo attractions.

It’s hard to beat a zoo trip when you have kids, and Nashville has one of the best! You could make the zoo a staple of your trip, or make it an early part of one of your days while rolling on to one of these other family friendly attractions for the latter half of a day. No matter what, this place won’t disappoint.

And there you have it! Our top five things to do in Nashville with kids! This isn’t an exhaustive list by any means. Wandering around checking out the murals is fun, as is taking photos in some of the parks, but Nashville truly has something for everyone. Though it may be a party city, that doesn’t mean a family can’t have a good time!