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10 Things to Do with Kids in Nashville TN
Nashville, Tennessee is known as a really fun city to visit, but if you are traveling to Music City with kids, you may wonder what’s to do there that your kid would enjoy. Well, I have a list of 10 activities and, depending on your child’s tastes, they are bound to enjoy at least a few of these activities! And if you click through our links, you’re bound to find some good deals, too!
1. Nashville Zoo
There’s a reason the Nashville Zoo is the #1 attraction in Middle Tennessee. The zoo is home to more than 2,100 animals from all around the world, like Masai Giraffes, Caribbean flamingos, clouded leopards, red pandas & more. There’s a walk-in kangaroo, tortoise & lorikeet exhibit. And seeing the animals is not the only part of the visit that will be fun for your kid: there’s also a 66,000 square-foot Jungle Gym and a carousel, mini-train, and new zip line. In short, there should be plenty of fun for your kids if you visit the Nashville Zoo during your Music City trip.
2. Rainforest Café
This is a Landry’s restaurant that is one of my personal favorite restaurants. I’ve visited it everywhere I go that has one, from Anaheim to Sante Fe to Dallas to Orlando & so on & everyone is great. The animatronic rainforest animals and the “rainstorms” you experience here are fun for all ages, and your kids should have a blast. Added bonus? The food is really good. You can find this in Opry Mills shopping center.
3. Aquarium Restaurant
This is another Landry restaurant that you can find in Opry Mills shopping center and I always visit this restaurant every time I am in Nashville, even if I am just driving through Nashville and it’s the only thing I do in Nashville. The food is delicious and I love being able to see the fish while I eat. While you’re waiting for your food to be ready, you can take your kids around the restaurant to see the beautiful fish.
4. Madame Tussauds
While you’re at Opry Mills, you can also stop by Madame Tussauds, where you can become fascinated by the lifelike wax celebrities & famous characters. Of course, it’s Nashville, so you’ll see lots of popular country artists, both real (like Reba McEntire, Luke Bryan & Blake Shelton) and fictional (like Rayna James & Deacon Claybourne from the TV show Nashville). You can get discounted tickets to Madame Tu find out how to get discounted tickets to Madame Tussauds here.
5. Opry Mills
And if you want to spend some more time in Opry Mills, there’s a children’s play area, Tennessee Treasures. It’s located in Zone 3 near the Children’s Place. Kids can climb on tops of large replicas of musical instruments that play sounds when they are touched. There’s soft seating in the area and a place to charge up electronics, so it’s a great place to sit while your kids play if you need a break. Or if you want to do some shopping and you have another person in your party who can watch the kids play while you take advantage of the great prices at the outlet mall.
6. Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum
This is a great attraction for country music fans, but if you worry that there’s nothing to interest a child who may not care about country music history, don’t; the Country Music Hall of Fame Museum has a number of fun & interactive programs that the whole family can enjoy. There are workshops on Saturdays (and in the summer on Fridays, too) at the Taylor Swift Education Center where kids can get lessons in instruments like electric guitar, banjo, fiddle etc. (and you can borrow an instrument or bring your own) or enjoy art programs or songwriting lessons. There’s also a creative zone for art-making fun that’s open daily Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day and on Sundays the rest of the year. You can buy cheap tickets here.
7. Horse-Drawn Carriage Ride
Want to see downtown Nashville but worry your kid would be bored taking a walking tour? Well, that problem can be solved by seeing downtown Nashville in a more fun way: a horse-drawn carriage ride! You’ll be able to see great Nashville landmarks like the Country Music Hall of Fame, Bridgestone Arena, Symphony Hall, Ascend Amphitheatre and the Shelby Street Walking Bridge right from the comfort of your family-friendly carriage, which comes equipped with heated blankets in case you visit during a colder winter month. You can buy a ticket here.
And during the holiday season, you can take a Christmas lights carriage ride!
8. General Jackson Showboat Lunch Cruise
You can take in picturesque views & scenery from the General Jackson Showboat, and you are sure to be entertained – and well fed – at the same time. While you eat, you can watch a country music comedy show, performed by a great cast with 2 rising country stars & a country comedian, plus a live band. They’ll perform a mix of hits of yesterday and today, and you can hear hits by Rascal Flatts, Pasty Cline, Taylor Swift, George Jones, Jason Aldean, Tammy Wynette & more! And during the entertainment you can dine on a buffet-style meal with delicious main courses like pork medallions & smoked chicken, great sides like Tennessee cheddar grits & cornbread muffins with honey butter, salads, desserts, etc.
9. Adventureworks Zipline Forest at Fontanel
If your family likes something more adventurous, then try Adventureworks Zipline Forest at Fontanel. You and your family can have fun seeing Nashville from up to up to 85 feet high – and going at speeds of up to 35 miles per hour. You can purchase your ticket here.
10. Nashville Shores Water Park
Located on the shores of Percy Priest Lake in nearby Hermitage is Nashville Shores Water Park, where you are bound to find lots of fun activities. For instance, you could surf in a massive wave pool, ride the 6-story raft ride Big Kahuna, relax on a lazy river or enjoy the massive tree house & playground of Kowabunga Beach. There’s even ziplining & disc golf available here!
