New York, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, San Francisco, and Chicago are the most popular tourist attractions in the USA. High-speeding expressways, tall skyscrapers, luxury cars, and lavish lifestyles are the key attractions of these cities.
However, if one’s interested in the serenity of music and closely bonded with art and culture, Nashville in Tennessee is the place for him to be at.
18 Amazing and Exciting Things To Do In Nashville With Teens
Every locality in Nashville is blessed with a splendid cultural past. Be it the Country Hall or the Johnny Cash Museum, there are auditoriums and performance centers all around the city.
For more than 100 years, Nashville has been the home for talented musicians so music lovers can find ultimate pleasure here. The Nashville Zoo and the Adventure Science Center are places offering adventure and thrill to visitors.
Here are a few things you can do in Nashville with teens:
Visit Grand Ole Opry
Established in Nov 1925, the Grand Ole Opry is the largest home of country music in the USA. More than 4000 guests can be seated at once to listen to the melodies of their favorite musicians. Weekly shows are organized regularly at the Opry with the country’s most famous stars performing live. From Johnny Cash to Lewis Capaldi, every known name in the music industry has registered his presence at the Grand Opry House in the music city.
The Opry provides the details of its upcoming events in its calendar so that people can easily book tickets for the event of their choice.
Visit Nashville Zoo
The Nashville Zoo is one of the music city’s most adventurous places to visit. The zoo was opened in 1991 under the name Grassmere National Park and later shifted to its current location. The zoo is home to a diverse group of animals ranging from the endangered species of Andean Bear to the most appealing flock of birds like the Whistling Duck and Spangled Cotina.
The zoo is open during the daylight throughout the year except for occasions like Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s eve.
Visit Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum holds the privilege of being one of the largest homes of country music in the USA. It was inaugurated in 1967 and is known for preserving and vividly showcasing the beauty of country music. This place is an eye-catcher for music lovers and culturists. The Country Music Hall is not limited to artifacts and portraits of legendary American music stars. It runs a dedicated academy for budding musicians and also provides them with a stage to perform. The Taylor Swift Education Center serves this purpose rightfully.
Also, various music shows by popular artists are organized regularly over here which can be known more about from the museum’s calendar.
Visit Ryman Auditorium
Another popular destination for music lovers is the “Music city”. It was opened in 1892 and was the home of the Grand Ole Opry from 1943-1974. The revered auditorium is located in downtown Nashville nearby the Johnny Cash Museum and has been a host to many remarkable events over time. The place was opened as a tabernacle for educational and religious gatherings that got converted into a palatial home for country music artists.
The Ryman auditorium has a magnificent history of more than 130 yrs and is often referred to as the ‘textbook for American musical history’ and ‘Soul of Nashville’.
Visit Centennial Park
It is a famous destination to visit in the city. The place was farmland originally that was later undertaken by the state and developed as an urban park. Located near downtown Nashville, the neighborhood of the park comprises Vanderbilt University and healthcare centers. The central attractions of the park include the Parthenon built in 1931, Lake Watauga, Centennial Performing Arts Studios, and the Centennial Art Center.
The park remains from morning to 11 pm and is a favorite place for kids and fitness enthusiasts. According to sources, the park is visited by 3 million+ people annually.
Visit Frist Art Museum
A fine arts center housing a museum with rotating visual exhibitions and education programs. It was opened in 2001 with the vision to inspire people towards art. The place is also open for community activities like dinners, parties, seminars, etc. It is located in downtown Nashville and is a perfect choice for organizing small-scale events.
Complete information about the services provided and the rents for the museum are given on the museum’s website
Visit Gaylord Opryland Resort
Situated on the banks of the Cumberland river in east Nashville, the Gaylord Opryland convention center offers a blissful experience to its visitors. A resort-cum-convention center, it is a spectacular location for spending vacations with kids. SoundWaves, a state-of-the-art aquatic playground, and the Cascades American Cafe are some of its main attractions.
A unit of the famous hotel brand Marriot International, the resort is commonly known as the Water Park Hotel.
Visit Adventure Science Center
It was established in 1945, in middle Tennessee and is known for its science-based adventure activities for the whole family. A learning center for kids that has a 63-foot dome theater called the Sudekum Planetarium, offers many fun things for individuals of all age groups. It is one of the few places in the music city that facilitates science fun activities.
Located just in the heart of the city, it is a regular destination for school trips in Nashville.
Visit Percy Warner Park
The Edwin Warner Park and the Percy Warner Park, collectively termed Warner Parks are located in southwest Nashville and are the second largest in the state, in terms of area covered. The parks were named after the land owners Percy Warner and her uncle Edwin. Cars can travel through Percy Warner Park and there is space for athletic activities as well. Equestrian, golf, running, and biking are the major sports attractions of the park.
Visit Printers Alley
Located between third and fourth streets in downtown Nashville, it is a place for enjoying the nightlife of Nashville. The place was previously known for the colony of printers and publishers which resided there, hence the name, Printers Alley. According to nashvilledowntown, during the late 1800s, 36+ publishers were located here.
The place has seen a sweeping growth over the years as a party area with all the bars and restaurants present. For visitors, it is a must-visit place for local food, drinks, and entertainment.
Visit Schermerhorn Symphony Center
It was opened in 2006 and is the home to the Grammy award-winner, Nashville Symphony. It is named after Kenneth Schermerhorn who led the splendid orchestra for over 22 years. The hall has a capacity of 1800+ people and is a popular location for live music concerts. It is one of the key attractions of the music city and has hosted many grand events in the past.
Visit Cumberland Park
Once a river wasteland, now a lush green park for kids to play. The Cumberland river runs beside this tourist spot located in downtown Nashville. Cumberland park was opened in April 2012 and has been constantly developed by the local authorities. The major spots of the park include- The Gorge, The Hollow, The Scoops, The Terrace, The Bridge Building, and The Explorer Trail.
The Cumberland park is open from dawn till 11 pm and is a go-to fun place for kids.
Visit Pinewood Social
A place to hang out with colleagues and savor American cuisine. People can directly reserve their seats in the restaurant through pinewoodsocial.com. The restaurant provides enjoyable activities like pools and bowling (booking based).
Due to its engaging services, the restaurant has become the talk of the town of the city. It is a perfect place for social gatherings located on the banks of the Cumberland River in downtown Nashville.
Visit Wildhorse Saloon
A western-themed restaurant located in downtown Nashville that offers a comfortable space for dancing and enjoying live music. It was opened in June 1994 and is owned by Ryman Hospitality Properties. This old nightclub has a capacity of 2000+ people and is three storeys tall.
The restaurant provides booking-based entry to live music concerts, the tickets of which can be booked from wildhorsesaloon.com
Visit Opry Mills Mall
Located towards the east of East Nashville, across the Cumberland river, this shopping center has good connectivity with downtown Nashville and the Nashville International Airport. It lies near the musical center, Grand Ole Opry. The mall is home to luxury fashion brands like Ralph Lauren and Michael Kors.
The mall is now known as the Simon center which is a subsidiary of the Simon Property Group.
Visit Nashville Shores
A water park and treetop adventure park located in Hermitage is another attraction for tourists in Nashville. It was opened in 1998 along the shores of Percy Priest Lake. This place is home to many adventurous and thrilling activities like waterslides in the water park, jet ski rides in the lake, and one-of-a-kind birthday parties on treetops. The water park also offers to lodge visitors in private cabins.
Visit Goo Goo Chocolate Co.
It is situated just beside the Johnny Cash Museum in downtown Nashville. It is the producer of the mouth-watering Goo Goo Cluster. The Goo Goo Cluster is a special type of chocolate made with peanuts, caramel, marshmallow nougat, and milk chocolate. It is loved by kids and its unique name excites everyone.
The cluster was launched in 1912 and has been delighting the taste buds of Americans for over a century now.
Nashville is the music city of the world. With a history of more than 130 years, the city has maintained an indomitable legacy of hosting the finest live music concerts and producing the best country music singers like the legendary Johnny Cash and the mesmerizing Taylor Swift.