Nashville
with Kids

Nine ziplines covering 1.5 miles through old-growth forest, with platforms up in the tree canopy and views of the surrounding hills. The whole experience runs about 90 minutes and moves at a pace that works for most ages. Book a morning tour in the summer to beat the heat and catch the animals at their most active in the surrounding woods.

Electric bikes make it effortless to cover serious ground without anyone melting or complaining. The mural tour hits Nashville's best street art with a guide who knows the stories behind each piece. Teens especially love this one because they feel like they're exploring the city independently, not being shepherded around on a family tour.

A great first-morning activity for families. You cover more ground than you could on foot, the guide handles all the navigation, and younger kids actually enjoy the ride itself as much as the murals. You'll come away with a real sense of Nashville's neighborhoods and a phone full of great photos.

Pedal kayaks (foot-powered, no paddling required) on the Cumberland River with the Nashville skyline as your backdrop. One of those experiences that sounds low-key and ends up being one of the highlights of the trip. Best in the morning before the river gets busy. Great for kids who need something hands-on and active.

A 45-minute ride through downtown Nashville in an actual monster truck, with the skyline as your backdrop and a driver who knows how to make it an event. This is the kind of thing kids talk about for years. Genuinely one of the most fun and unexpected things you can do in the city — adults love it just as much as the kids do.

A guided tour to some of the most stunning waterfalls and natural landscapes within reach of Nashville. Most visitors don't realize how much natural beauty surrounds the city, and this tour makes it easy — no research, no getting lost on back roads, just a guide who knows exactly where to take you and why each spot is worth the drive.

Our downtown Nashville food tour is rated top 1% worldwide with 2,600+ five-star reviews — and it genuinely works for families. Six stops over three hours covering BBQ ribs, shrimp and grits, a James Beard restaurant, a local distillery, and live honky tonk. Older kids and teens especially love it. The food is real, the stories are great, and everyone leaves full and happy.

A 1.5-mile walking tour with stops at three Nashville bakeries for donuts, coffee, and stories about the neighborhoods you're moving through. Low-key, universally enjoyable, and a great first-morning activity. Run it before anything else and you'll have happy, well-fed kids ready for whatever comes next. Donuts for breakfast is a vacation rule everyone can get behind.

Nashville's beloved bean-to-bar chocolate maker opens its East Nashville factory for tours that walk you through the entire craft chocolate-making process — from raw cacao to finished bar. The smell alone is worth the visit. Kids are completely transfixed watching the machinery, and the tastings at the end are exceptional. A genuinely educational experience that doesn't feel like one.

Kids design their own rolled ice cream from scratch — choosing flavors, mix-ins, and toppings — and watch it made right in front of them on a cold plate. The process is theatrical enough that even the most skeptical kids end up completely engaged. A great rainy-day option or a fun activity to pair with something low-key. Book in advance on weekends.

A four-deck Victorian riverboat cruising the Cumberland River with live entertainment, a full meal, and the Nashville skyline as the backdrop. The lunch cruise is ideal for families with younger kids. Everyone gets to eat, move around, and enjoy the show without feeling stuck in one place. One of the most uniquely Nashville experiences you can have.

Over 3,000 animals including red pandas, clouded leopards, giraffes, and kangaroos, plus a Jungle Gym playground, train rides, and a zipline inside the zoo. Arrive right when the gates open for the best animal activity and cooler temperatures. Weekdays are noticeably less crowded than weekends. Plan for at least three hours.

An interactive science museum with a planetarium, space capsule simulators, human biology exhibits, and rotating installations that keep it fresh on repeat visits. It sits right next to Centennial Park and the Parthenon replica, so you can pair the two into a full morning. Pack snacks — the on-site cafe is limited.

A two-and-a-half-hour show with multiple acts, each performing two or three songs in the rotation that has defined country music since 1925. Kids who say they don't like country music often change their minds after an Opry show — the production value, the pageantry, and the energy of a live radio broadcast are unlike anything else in Nashville.

The definitive museum for Nashville's musical heritage, with exhibits spanning from the Carter Family through Taylor Swift. The Taylor Swift Education Center draws in kids who might otherwise not be museum enthusiasts. Plan for two to three hours. Combo tickets with a Ryman tour or Studio B recording session are worth the upgrade.

The "Mother Church of Country Music" in the heart of downtown Nashville. The self-guided daytime tour lets you walk the historic stage, sit in the original pew seats, and see the exhibits covering everyone from Hank Williams to Johnny Cash. An evening show here is a bucket-list experience for music lovers of any age.

Nashville's most beloved breakfast spot has been serving scratch-made pancakes since 1961. The menu runs dozens of varieties — sweet potato, Caribbean, buckwheat — and every single one is made from scratch. Expect a line on weekend mornings, but it moves faster than it looks. The wait is worth it, and kids almost universally love it. Go on a weekday if you can.

Nashville's gold standard for whole-hog BBQ, with a casual, come-as-you-are atmosphere that makes it one of the most family-friendly meals in the city. The downtown location has multiple floors and plenty of room to spread out. The ribs, pulled pork, and smoked wings are all exceptional. Order the whole-hog plate if it's available — it's the reason people drive hours to eat here.

One of the best options on Broadway for families because it's spread across multiple floors, has a rooftop with views over the street, and serves food all day alongside live music. The ground floor is all-ages and genuinely welcoming to kids. Good burgers, solid bar food, and a vibe that captures what Broadway feels like without putting you in the middle of a bachelorette parade.

The best burger in Nashville, full stop. A vintage soda fountain aesthetic, a shaded beer garden out back, and a menu built around smash burgers, hand-cut fries, and old-fashioned sodas. Kids love the old-school milkshakes. Adults love the grown-up beer list. The outdoor seating in the garden makes it easy to let kids be a little loud without worrying about it. Cash and card both accepted.

A downtown breakfast and brunch spot with a classic American diner menu, WWII memorabilia on the walls, and a relaxed pace that doesn't make you feel like you're being rushed out the door. Great eggs, big portions, and easy enough from most downtown hotels that you can walk it. An underrated pick compared to the Pancake Pantry when you don't want to wait in a line.

One of Nashville's oldest restaurants, open since 1939 and still serving the same scratch-made meat-and-three plates and hand-dipped ice cream sodas that made it a neighborhood institution. The lunch counter is straight out of a different era — kids love the old-school milkshakes and banana splits, and the daily specials are exactly what you want after a long morning of sightseeing. Cash only, so come prepared.

There is no hotel in Nashville quite like Opryland, and for families it is genuinely extraordinary. Nine acres of indoor gardens under glass atriums, three outdoor pools, an indoor river you can float on, restaurants, shops, and the Grand Ole Opry next door. Kids wake up and feel like they're somewhere special. It's a destination in itself, not just a place to sleep. Worth every dollar if you can swing it.

The best value hotel in downtown Nashville, and it isn't close. Free hot breakfast every morning for the whole family, a free evening social hour with food and drinks included, a rooftop pool with skyline views, and a central location that puts you within walking distance of everything. When you add up what you'd spend on breakfast and drinks elsewhere, the Drury pays for itself. Book early — it sells out.

Embassy Suites is built for families. Every room is a two-room suite, which means kids get their own space and adults get theirs — a simple thing that makes a huge difference after a long day. Free cooked-to-order breakfast every morning, a pool, and a great downtown location on West End. If you've got more than two people sharing a room, the suite layout alone justifies the rate.