Nashville is one of the most well-known music cities in the world, known for its energy and vigor.
Because of its importance to the music industry, it’s dubbed “Music City.”
Its streets are lined with taverns, clubs, performance halls, recording studios, and more microphones than you can shake, but beyond all of this, Nashville has many facets.
Because it is on the river, it boasts beautiful natural scenery with trees and ravines.
There is history to be gleaned through its landmarks and memorials, as it was the birthplace of several significant persons.
A vacation that is well-rounded will take advantage of all of the city’s attractions.
Here are a few options for your bucket list if you’re seeking the best things to do in Nashville, Tennessee.
The Nashville Zoo
The zoo we know today, roughly 6 miles south of downtown Nashville, began as a simple farm house in the 1800s on land granted to the city by the Croft family.
The basic residence, which cleared the way for the country’s ninth largest zoo, is still on the property and open to the public for excursions.
There are over 3,000 creatures in all, representing approximately 350 distinct species.
Some of the animals are even available for feeding and photographing!
The Warner Parks
The Warner Parks are actually two parks, Edwin Warner Park and Percy Warner Park, that span thousands of acres in the Nashville wilderness.
Their lush hills are home to a variety of amenities, including nature walks and picnic spaces.
Among the sights, you can walk, tour, trek, ride, or even go horseback riding.
Check out the playgrounds, golf courses, tennis courts, and mountain bike routes if you enjoy working up a sweat.
If you prefer more low-key activities, take a walk to the top of an observation point and gaze out over the countryside as the leaves change color and the sun sets.
There are many outdoor things to enjoy here, so if you’re looking for something to do in Nashville, Tennessee, try a vacation to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
The Tennessee State Prison
With its spiked towers and chamber windows, it looks like a medieval castle and has appeared in a number of films, including The Green Mile, Against the Wall, and Ernest Goes to Jail.
Inmates at the Tennessee State Prison were subjected to hard labor and long periods of solitary confinement during its peak.
They were also obliged to dress in striped uniforms, just like in the movies.
It is now a decommissioned facility.
You are not permitted to enter, but you may drive up to the gate and take photographs, or sign up for marathons and ghost tours that have been granted permission to operate on the premises.
It’s a very creepy spot at night.Try a medieval attraction if you’re searching for something different to do in Nashville.
The Schermerhorn Symphony Center
Nashville celebrates various types of music, which is a little-known truth. This is why classical music aficionados flock to the Schermerhorn Symphony Center, and it isn’t restricted to country and bluegrass.
The Schermerhorn Symphony Center, with its white columns and elegant clerestory windows, stands tall over downtown Nashville.
It is best known for its violin concertos and string orchestras, but other types of performers are welcome as well. Jazz acts, ventriloquists, drum lines, mariachi bands, and Disney musicals are all regular performers at the theater.
The Schermerhorn Symphony Center is one of the top things to do in Nashville because of its size and variety.
Johnny Cash Museum and Cafe
Johnny Cash is inextricably linked to country music. If you didn’t know it before, you will after visiting the Johnny Cash Museum and Cafe.
His story is told through photos, records, and artifacts, with snippets of his most renowned songs and demos available on listening stations. A live band covers Johnny Cash songs in a cafe near the museum, and priceless guitars are safeguarded in glass cases beneath wall-to-wall posters.
The gift shop sells souvenirs and offers the opportunity to “take a picture with Johnny.”