Nashville’s best summer activities – 2018 edition
Want to make this summer the best summer ever? Our member businesses can help! Read below to find the best summer activities Nashville has to offer.
It’s no wonder Nashville was voted the best minor-league baseball city in 2017: the Nashville Sounds play in a beautiful new stadium that attracts thousands of fans to each game. You can enjoy plenty of games this summer, either in your seat or at the Bandbox enjoying a notorious slushie.
The NSC motto is: “Our Town. Our Club,” and it seems like Nashville has really embraced that attitude. Nashville Soccer Club fans are already showing up in force. In fact, NSC has surpassed the record for season ticket purchases in the United Soccer League during a team’s inaugural season. See what all the fuss is about by attending a game this summer.
If you’d like to get off the sidelines and play rather than watch, you can head over to the Centennial Sportsplex for indoor and outdoor tennis courts, an ice rink, aquatic center and fitness center. Though memberships are offered, anyone can take advantage of the amenities for a small daily fee.
Maybe you just want to get out and enjoy the great outdoors. If so, the Metro Parks and Recreation Department has the scoop on all of Nashville’s amazing parks. Hiking, biking, dog parks, disc golf, horse trails, canoeing and kayaking… You name it, there’s a Nashville area park that can meet your needs.
For a wilder experience, check out the Nashville Zoo at Grassmere. There are plenty of amazing animals on exhibit that will delight adults and children alike. If you want to get the most out of your summer, consider a zoo membership. With one annual fee, you can visit the Nashville Zoo anytime you’d like during regular hours without paying for parking or admission. You also get discounts on purchases in the zoo, and on admission to 170 other zoos and aquariums around the country.
The Adventure Park at Nashville
This new attraction in the tree-tops of Nashville offers obstacle courses, and zip lines, with varying degrees of difficulty so everyone can find a challenge – even kids! For a limited time, you can get 50% off admission using the code “Grand Opening” at checkout on their website.
There are plenty of picturesque, challenging golf courses around the Nashville area. Book a tee time today to channel your inner Brandt Snedeker – Nashville native and winner of the PGA Tour Championship in 2012.
Cheekwood is not only a beautiful botanical garden and art museum – they offer special events and installations all year long. The park attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors each year, join them this summer!
Pigeon Forge is just a 3.5-hour drive from downtown Nashville and offers more than just the beauty of the Great Smoky Mountains. You can also check out legendary country star Dolly Parton’s theme park and resort complex at Dollywood. Dolly Parton has done so much for Tennessee residents with her philanthropy, most recently helping victims of the 2016 fire in Gatlinburg.
And just 2.5 hours away is Santa Claus Indiana, home to Holiday World and Splashin’ Safari, another family-friendly theme park. Holiday World offers special discounts to Chamber members, and the benefit of not having to wait in line to purchase tickets.
But you don’t need to drive too far for an adventure. The Nashville Shores water park and tree-top adventure park offers plenty for families to enjoy right on Percy Priest Lake in Hermitage. There is also a marina and cabins for rent.
Speaking of the lake, if you’d like to get out and enjoy one of Middle Tennessee’s beautiful lakes on a boat, without having to break the bank, consider renting a boat from one of our members.
The Fontanel complex is more than just the mansion. In addition to tours of country star Barbara Mandrell’s 33,000 square foot mansion, Fontanel offers an inn, a restaurant, a winery, a distillery, zip lines, miles of trails and an amphitheater. There is plenty to do inside and out, just minutes from downtown Nashville.
The Adventure Science Center recently hosted a group of Chamber employees for a special tour of their newest exhibit, Beyond Rubik’s Cube, about the toy and the cultural sensation it created. We also got to explore the amazing planetarium, virtual reality experiences and more. There’s plenty to discover about science, and yourself, at Adventure Science Center this summer.
The recently-rebranded Frist Art Museum offers rotating art exhibitions right in the heart of downtown. This summer, experience visions of the Civil Rights movement in Nashville, 21st century contemporary art and work by artist Afruz Amighi. Visit their website to learn more.