Nashville Visit Itinerary: Perfect for Families

Earlier this summer my Aunt Sandy just spent four days with us in Nashville, and we packed in as much as possible. She loves to shop and experience the city like a local. Many readers asked me to share everything in one blog post, so here is our full itinerary, as well as some recommendations on other options, in case you want to switch things up a bit.

Day One

Morning: Nashville Children’s Theater performance. This was the perfect kick off to her weekend visit. The Nashville Children’s Theater is excellent and we have enjoyed shows there for years.

Afternoon: Lunch and shopping in Green Hills

We had a easy outdoor lunch at Zoe’s Kitchen, but other good lunch options include True Food (not kid friendly enough for my kids) and Restoration Hardware (need a reservation).

Green Hills is a great place to shop. We spent our time at Hill Center and some of the smaller shops in the area. The Mall at Green Hills is also an excellent destination.

After shopping for a few hours, we headed to L&L Marketplace in West Nashville for an afternoon milkshake snack and more shopping. This is a newer shopping area in Nashville and the boutiques include shops by influencers Living with Landon and Happily Gray. Gracie’s Milkshake Bar is also located there and the milkshakes are huge and delicious. We bought two to share and couldn’t finish them!

If you want to do more shopping after L&L, head to ABLE, which is nearby and another Nashville favorite.

Evening: Dinner at J Alexanders, which is a long-time Nashville favorite restaurant and a tradition every time Aunt Sandy visits. If you go to the location on West End Avenue, head across the street to see the Parthenon, which is a life-sized replica of the one in Greece.

Day Two

Morning: Breakfast at Noshville (other delicious options include Le Peep and Loveless Cafe). This Nashville favorite is known as Vince Gill’s favorite breakfast restaurant. After breakfast we went to Cheekwood, Nashville’s beautiful botanical garden. Be sure to also get tickets for a tour of the Cheek mansion on the property to get the full experience.

Afternoon: A little bit of shopping in Belle Meade/West Meade including Katy’s Hallmark (this is NOT your average Hallmark. It’s more like 1/4 Hallmark, 3/4 boutique) and West Gate Shopping Center, which includes The French Shop, The Kitchen (I love this store for unique finds for the kitchen) and Magpies (a higher end kids’ clothing store). Another option would be to head to 12 South for shopping at Draper James, Finnley’s and White’s Mercantile.

Evening: We decided to enjoy a beautiful later afternoon at the pool and dinner at home. If you want to go out, our family loves Pastaria for dinner (during the week, kids meals are only $7 before 6 pm, and the portions are generous!) Be sure to also check out the nearby murals on Charlotte Ave. And if the kids want something fun to do that’s near Pastaria, check out Nashville Climb.

Day Three

Morning: We headed to The Factory in Franklin for breakfast at Five Daughters Bakery for the most delicious donuts you have ever tasted. Then we painted pottery at Third Coast Clay.

Afternoon: After painting, we went to Downtown Franklin to enjoy lunch at the popular Pucketts (be sure to have the BBQ) and more shopping on this charming street of local shops. If you aren’t tired of shopping, consider heading to Brentwood for more great shops. (If you skip painting pottery, check out Spark Art Studio where you can make your own glass art.)

Evening: A nice dinner at Fifth and Taylor.

Day Four

Morning: We had breakfast at home and then headed to the new Tennessee State Museum. It is beautiful and extremely well done. Also, it’s free and offers free parking. It is located right next door to the Nashville Farmer’s Market. Need an alternative? Check out the Nashville Zoo.

Afternoon: For lunch we went to M.L. Rose (their burgers and sandwiches are delicious) and shopped at the Nashville Vici store.

Evening: We were exhausted so we decided to enjoy leftovers at home and played games. Our original plans were to go to Butchertown Hall for dinner and then head to Pins Mechanical for bowling and pinball machines.

I hope this post gives you some fresh, family friendly ideas to enjoy while in Nashville. Please pin it to save it!