Your Trip to Nashville: The Complete Guide SEE FULL GUIDE prev next Jack Daniel's Distillery Tour Top Things to Do Free Things to Do Things to Do With Kids Best Museums in Nashville Top Country Music Attractions Nashville's Best Parks Outdoor Escapes Near Nashville Live Music Venues Guide to the Grand Ole Opry Nashville's Top Annual Events Food to Try in Nashville Nashville's Best Restaurants Best Bars in Nashville Top Nashville Breweries Best Time to Visit Weather & Climate Nashville International Airport Guide Best Hotels Neighborhoods to Know Public Transportation Guide Driving in Nashville Day Trips From Nashville Your Trip to Nashville: The Complete Guide close Overview United States Tennessee The Best Nashville Day Trips By Jan Duke Jan Duke Jan Duke's Tennessee ancestry dates back well into the 18th century. She has written hundreds of articles about Nashville and the state of Tennessee. TripSavvy's editorial guidelines Updated on 06/26/19 Natchez Trace Bridge. Rhonda Stansberry/Getty Images If you're traveling to Nashville for vacation and don't mind a bit of a drive, there are a number of great adventures within a few hours of the Music City that are perfect for a family day trip. Although Nashville has plenty to offer guests including the Parthenon, the Country Music Hall of Fame, Centennial Park, the Grand Ole Opry, and the Johnny Cash Museum, there's nothing like a quick trip out of the city to spice up your family vacation. From dude ranches to waterfalls, trout fishing to cave spelunking, the following day trips offer visitors hours of family-friendly entertainment all within the state of Tennessee and often for a fraction of the cost of Nashville's popular tourist attractions. 01 of 09 Bucksnort Trout Ranch Bucksnort Trout Ranch View Map Address 622 W Sugar Creek Rd, McEwen, TN 37101-1910, USA Get directions Phone +1 615-712-0324 Web Visit website Less than one hour west of Nashville, Bucksnort Trout Ranch is located off exit 152 on I-40. Bucksnort is the perfect introduction to fishing for all, but children will especially love the experience of baiting their own lines and reeling in the day's big catch. As an added bonus, there is no finer meal in Nashville than a fresh Rainbow Trout, which you can catch and cook all on your own or have the folks at Bucksnort prepare it for you. 02 of 09 Dunbar Cave State Park brent_nashville/Flickr/CC BY-NC 2.0 View Map Address 401 Old Dunbar Cave Rd, Clarksville, TN 37043-5725, USA Get directions Phone +1 888-867-2757 Web Visit website Located 60 miles north of Nashville in Montgomery County, Dunbar Cave State Park offers a wonderful 8-mile long cave along with a fishing and picnic area along Swan Lake and several hiking trails in the surrounding mountains. Although the park no longer holds square dances, radio shows, and big band concerts in the mouth of the cave like they once did, there is still a great lineup of summer programming each year available on the park's website. 03 of 09 Fall Creek Falls State Park Gary W. Carter/Getty Images View Map Address 2009 Village Camp Rd, Spencer, TN 38585, USA Get directions Phone +1 888-867-2757 Web Visit website Fall Creek Falls State Park encompasses more than 20,000 acres along the eastern top of the rugged Cumberland Plateau and offers several gorgeous waterfalls and plenty of outdoor activities. Known as Tennessee's largest and most visited park, this park features a number of pristine waterfalls including the 256-foot tall Fall Creek Falls. 04 of 09 Historic Downtown Franklin Downtown Franklin Historic Downtown Franklin, located in the heart of Williamson County, is just a mere 30-minute drive from Nashville. The Downtown Franklin District is filled to the brim with plenty of quaint antique shops, cute little boutiques, and delicious restaurants as well as offering its visitors a ton of Tennessee History to explore. Continue to 5 of 9 below. 05 of 09 Jack Daniel Distillery Jack Daniel's View Map Address 280 Lynchburg Hwy, Lynchburg, TN 37352-5271, USA Get directions Phone +1 931-759-6357 Web Visit website Jack Daniel Distillery is located in the 371-population town of Lynchburg, just 70 miles southeast of Nashville. The town of Lynchburg, as well as the distillery, is a very enjoyable way to spend a slow southern Tennessee day, and although kids won't be able to enjoy the tasting room at the distillery, they might enjoy seeing how one of America's favorite whiskeys is made. 06 of 09 Land Between the Lakes Friends of Land Between the Lakes View Map Address 238 Visitor Center Dr, Golden Pond, KY 42211, USA Get directions Phone +1 800-525-7077 Web Visit website Land Between the Lakes is a 170,000-acre national recreation area in Western Kentucky located just off I-24, about 90 miles north of Nashville. LBL offers everything from an Elk and Bison Prairie to a Planetarium as well as the Kentucky Dam, Fort Donelson National Battlefield, and access to the Venture River Water Park. 07 of 09 Lookout Mountain Stephen Saks/Getty Images View Map Address Lookout Mountain, TN 37350, USA Get directions Lookout Mountain sits just north of Chattanooga and features a number of popular tourist attractions like Ruby Falls and Rock City—which are advertised on billboards all over the state. Other great activities include zip line tours, guided journeys into America's deepest cave, and stunning vistas of seven states at once. 08 of 09 Loretta Lynn's Dude Ranch Loretta Lynn's Ranch View Map Address 8000 Highway 13 South, Hurricane Mills, TN 37078, USA Get directions Phone +1 931-296-7700 Web Visit website Located just off I-40 at exit 143 is the town of Hurricane Mills, Loretta Lynn's Dude Ranch is an entire town that was purchased by Lynn and her husband Mooney in the mid-1960's. With its' own gristmill, post office, general store, and campground, this amusement park and village make for a great family outing that's just over an hour's drive from Nashville. Continue to 9 of 9 below. 09 of 09 Natchez Trace Parkway Danita Delimont/Getty Images Natchez Trace Parkway celebrates an ancient trail that stretched over 444 miles from Mississippi through the northern tip of Alabama and into Tennessee. Now, you can drive or bike through this scenic byway or stop along the way for hiking, horseback riding, camping, and more. Jack Daniel's Distillery Tour Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Share Pin Email Tell us why! Submit Share Pin Email