Franklin, Tennessee is an adorable small town 21 miles south of Nashville. You’ll find a similar love of country music and lip-smacking Southern restaurants like in the Music City, but with much fewer crowds.
Stroll Downtown Franklin’s Main Street to shop chic Southern boutiques and fanciful home goods stores. Take in Civil War history with tours of historic sites. The bloodiest Civil War battle took place in Franklin. Visit nearby Leiper’s Fork, a tiny village that Justin Timberlake and many other noteworthy musicians call home.
Appreciate the slow pace, Southern hospitality and down home charm with our family travel guide to Franklin.
Family-friendly activities in Franklin, Tennessee
Main Street is the place to be in Franklin, Tennessee. Sixteen blocks of historic buildings house famous eateries, local shops and a few chain stores (hello, Starbucks, Anthropology and Evereve). Stop in White’s Mercantile, owned by the daughter of Hank Williams Jr., for adorable gifts and treasures. The historic Franklin Theater hosts music concerts, movies, dance performances and other forms of entertainment.
Landmark Booksellers is brimming with classic, bestselling and local books. Plus, they have the cutest children’s room where you can curl up in a comfy chair with a good read. Take a hike or drive down Natchez Trace Parkway. Just a few blocks walk from downtown, you can explore a trail by a river for a nice little nature break.
Leiper’s Fork is a tiny village 8 miles from Franklin with a cluster of homegrown shops and art galleries. Our family went for Fox & Locke, an old school barbecue restaurant and live music venue. You can’t go wrong ordering the fried catfish, bologna sandwich, pulled pork, meatloaf or cheesy cauliflower casserole.
I wish we would have been around for open mic on Thursday night, where you can catch talent of all ages and occasionally a local Grammy winner on stage. I would simply pass out if Chris Stapleton walked out with his guitar and started singing. The kids were all jazzed about Bubble Joy Candy Shoppe.
Where to stay in Franklin, Tennessee
The Harpeth Hotel is a four-star Curio by Hilton property in the heart of Franklin. Located within walking distance of coffee shops, stores, bakeries and more, it is a modern gem in the midst of all the downtown fabulousness. Catch live music Friday and Saturday evenings in the lobby.
Sip your morning java in the lobby coffee shop and eat a fancy dinner at 1799, the restaurant named after the year Franklin was founded. The two queen bed-room which my family stayed in was plenty large for the four of us to spread out with a couch, walk-in closet, desk and large bathroom with both a shower and a tub. The bathtub was so deep and luxurious that the kids were clamoring for turns to take baths in it.
For a unique Airbnb stay, consider Dark Horse Recording Studios. Music lovers will be especially enchanted by the three rental properties on the same estate as working recording studios utilized by Taylor Swift, Dolly Parton, Carrie Underwood and Shawn Mendes, to name a few. You can rent a home or a room on this countryside property and soak up all the inspiring vibes. See artists in action as they record throughout the day, then unwind at night in the kitchen with large windows overlooking the property.
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