The Grand Ole Opry is fantastic. The Ryman? Inimitable. But sometimes you just want to soak up some vitamin D, work off that Hot Chicken and do some outdoor activities near Nashville.
Between its lush, green parks, fantastic public music monuments, and historic places anchoring Music City, there are tons of entertaining, informative, and invigorating outdoor activities to check out in and around Nashville.
Best Free Outdoor Activities Near Nashville
- Take in the history of the Volunteer State year by year at the Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park in the shadow of the Capitol Building
- People watch on Broad Street
- Get your steps in at the Parthenon
- Walk Riverfront Park with great views of the Cumberland River
- Stroll through the breathtaking Belmont and Vanderbilt University campuses
- Listen in to local artists at Musician’s Corner on the Centennial Park Walking Trail
- How long have women had the vote in Tennessee? Find out at the Tennessee Woman Suffrage Monument at Centennial Park
- Go off leash at the Centennial Dog Park
- Boogey along the star-studded pavement honoring Nashville music legends at the Walk of Fame park, which is right next to…
- The Nashvillle Music Garden. A beautiful, family-friendly place.
- Go hunting for murals, like the Nashville What Lifts You Wings Mural
- Check out the sheep ‘mowing the lawn’ as you go for a run or a bike ride on the Cumberland River Greenway
- See wildlife on display at Radnor Lake State Park. Did you know entry to all Tennessee State Parks is free?! Well, what are you waiting for?
- Enjoy a pickup soccer game at Elmington Park
- Meditate on the beautiful and sometimes strange sculptures outside of the Frist Art Museum at the Frist Green
- Check out the skyline from across the river at Cumberland Park. Plus, kids will enjoy the interactive play space with a climbing wall, splash areas, amphitheater and a walking trail
- Step back in time at the replica of Fort Nashboro
- Watch the sunset from Fort Negley, the landmark park with the ruins of a Civil War fort
- Get a sense of the passing of time at the Nashville City Cemetery, where you will find the resting places of many of Nashville’s founders, mayors, and Civil War figures
