Free Things to do in Clarksville, TN

November 15, 2025November 22, 2025 Essentially Better LivingLeave a comment

Free things to do in Clarksville, TN. Clarksville is a beautiful place to live, explore and visit. Our once small town has evolved into a city that’s rich with activity, and so much to do outdoors. What’s great is that many of the best things to do here are absolutely free.

Parks and Green Spaces

There are beautiful parks and green spaces to be found in Clarksville. Some of the best include Dunbar Cave Park, Liberty Park, Rotary Park, and local favorite, Clarksville Greenway. Each of these have paved or dirt trails and gorgeous foliage (especially in the fall). They are all kid and pet friendly, and easy hikes for folks of all ages to enjoy. They each allow you to escape into nature and forget about all of your cares when you’re there. They also each offer a canopy of shade to escape the hot sun in summer months. The color show that our fall foliage offers at each of these parks is unmatched.

Dunbar Cave State Park is your best chance of spotting wildlife and flora. It is the most visually stimulating, offering the most variety of different settings within one continuous hike. You can hike through a butterfly garden, find yourself in wooded seclusion, stroll across a bridge that passes over a pond, or hike directly to the cave itself. You will also find a very nice visitor’s center with clean restrooms and a gift shop.

Liberty Park has so much to offer! It has one of the best (if not the best) playgrounds for kids. There is a lovely protected area where locals love to stroll, fish, watch the geese, or just sit on a bench and take in the beautiful surroundings. You will find indigenous plants, birds, fish and insects. While you’re at Liberty, you can walk to the Wilma Rudolph Event Center, or to the Marina. There is a big field where you will often find kids having sports practice. It’s also a perfect spot for flying kites in the spring. There is a dog park, and you will find no shortage of Clarksville natives walking their pets. There are several pavilions, including a large pavilion that offers clean restrooms and seasonal concessions. These pavilions can be reserved for birthday parties. You can learn more here.

Liberty Park
Liberty Park
Liberty Park

Rotary Park is by the water, perfect for a creek stomp. You can cool off in the refreshing streams that flow by, or simply admire its beauty. Rotary Park is also home to the Wade Bourne Nature Center. The center hosts art classes, events for children to interact with reptiles and other critters, and many other free activities. It is a beautiful facility inside and out. Be sure to take a stroll through the butterfly and pollinator garden, and out back is a birdwatcher’s dream. There are several birdhouses, hummingbird feeders and mounted binoculars. Take a walk along one of the many hiking trails, or have a picnic lunch at one of the pavilions. The playground is one of the newest and most modern we have have in Clarksville. It has a seesaw, swings for two and much more. There are several restrooms on-site, with the Bourne Center being the nicest and cleanest.

The trails at the park are extensive and have so much to offer. Rotary Park also has mountain bike paths, stretching over five miles. There is a remote control car path including its own track, ramp and climbing features. There is disc golf as well. Rotary Park is not to be missed and a Clarksville treasure. You can find out more here.

Rotary Park
Rotary Park
Rotary Park
Rotary Park
Rotary Park
Rotary Park

Clarksville Greenway, formerly an abandoned railway, offers 9 miles of paved walkways. This makes it the perfect place for walkers, joggers, bikers, pets and moms with strollers. Some of the trails offer the most breathtaking views. The trees and wildflowers that grow along the trails are truly beautiful. This is such a special place! There was a long-time issue with parking, but that has been completely resolved with more parking lots and trailheads. There is a bathroom located at the Pollard Road trailhead. If you are interested in more specifics and locations of the different trailheads you can find them here.

Clarksville Greenway

Farmer’s Markets and Night Markets

There was a time where Clarksville had only one Farmer’s Market. There are several offered now, on different days of the week and at different times. So no matter what your schedule, you should be able to find one that is available to you! Each of them offer such great atmosphere and energy. Even if you buy nothing, you will be so glad you came! There is often live music, always great people, and all are pet friendly!

Clarksville Downtown Market. This market is located in the heart of Clarksville, in Public Square. This is no doubt a favorite because our downtown has so much to offer. It is the market that has been the longest running and has the most vendors. There are also food trucks and a petting zoo for kids. There are quite a few charming shops, breakfast spots and cafes nearby. You can make a day of your visit.

Sango Night Market. This is a lively night market. You’ll find many of the same vendors who do the Downtown Market here as well. It is located at Real Life Sango church. The church building is also home to Beck’s Coffee. They have the garage doors open during the night market. So you can walk through, grab a drink or treat, then enjoy it in the open air. Consider parking at Sango Elementary School. While it may be more of a walk, it will be less stressful entering and exiting. The Sango Night Market takes place during warm weather months from 4-8 on Mondays.

Silo Night Market. This is located at Old Glory Distillery. Having dinner at Old Glory on their patio, then strolling through the market is a perfect night! This market has few vendors, but they are all amazing quality and worth your time. This market is great if you enjoy live music, drinks and a nice backdrop. Their outdoor area is so cute and charming – very Insta-worthy.) The Silo Night Market takes place from 5-7 on Thursdays.

Locations and hours for all of the farmers markets in Clarksville can be found here.

Other Free Things to Do in Clarksville

Customs House Museum. If you have children, this is a favorite! Children under 2 are free. Library members can get a family pass from the public library, but is must be used within 7 days. This IS how to get in the museum for FREE. Check out this link for more info. Located in beautiful Downtown Clarksville, our museum has so much to offer. Be sure to check out the train room that has the largest collection of toy trains, all fully functioning. Not to be missed is the children’s museum located downstairs. There is a little grocery store with little cash registers and shopping carts. The bubble cave is a crowd favorite where children can create giant bubbles, and completely enclose themselves in a bubble. Be sure to stop at the gift shop on your way out. It’s full of items that are sure to delight even the pickiest member of your group.

Customs Houst Museum

Clarksville Montgomery County Public Library – Main Branch. This is a local GEM. We visit libraries wherever we travel, and have found few that come close to ours. The children’s library is expansive and the children’s library program has so much to offer our local children. There is something for everyone: storytime on Tuesdays and Thursdays in the summer, book fairs, Lego days, movie days, crafts and so much more. The young adult section is so hip, cool and impressive. There are many computers and study rooms available. The building itself is gorgeous with beautiful skylights and balcony upstairs. So many comfy nooks and spaces to sit and read or study. Check out their website and follow them on Facebook to stay informed.

North Branch Library. The North Clarksville branch of the public library is a beautiful newer facility. Besides being a new building, this location offers so many inviting seating areas, indoors and out. While there aren’t nearly as many titles as the main branch, the copies are newer and better condition. I thought fewer titles would be a downside, but actually find it less overwhelming and easier to make a selection. Be sure to check out the library website for activities and programs offered here, especially for children.

Free Events at Downtown Commons. Downtown Commons is located downtown Clarksville and is an open venue that hosts numerous free events throughout the year. This includes live music such as Dueling Pianos, cover bands and other local bands. There are also outdoor movie screenings for families in the warmer months; they recently showed the Harry Potter movies. There are also free sunset and sunrise yoga classes. Children will love just running freely on the turf, playing lawn games, or splashing around in the water feature. Be sure to follow Downtown Commons on Facebook and Instagram as well as checking their Events tab on Facebook. You can also check out their website.

Miss Lucille’s Marketplace. A day spent strolling and browsing at Miss Lucille’s is a good day. There are hundreds of booths of vendors. Unlike other antique shops or vendor marketplaces, these are all of the highest quality and all so intriguing and captivating. Whether you love shopping the latest fashions, gadgets, antique shopping or looking for that perfect piece of furniture for your home, Miss Lucille’s appeals to all tastes and interests. They have events for moms at Mother’s Day, trunk or treat for kids at Halloween, and so much more. A description of Miss Lucille’s would not be complete without mentioning Miss Lucille’s coffee shop and cafe. They are local favorites. The strawberry basil lemonade is not to be missed, and the Picky Eunice salad is amazing. A perfect spot for brunch or lunch. You can learn more about Miss Lucille’s here.

Montgomery County Animal Shelter. This is a free and wonderful thing to do in Clarksville. You can walk, love on and play with animals, and even help out by doing something as simple as folding laundry (pet bedding). These are all ways to serve at the animal shelter. There is an orientation you must go through to be a volunteer, but it is very short. These take place Fridays and 4. Once you have gone through the training, you can show up anytime, sign in and interact with the animals. Learn more about how to adopt, support and volunteer here.

Jazz on the Lawn at Beachaven Winery. Jazz on the Lawn takes place at Beachaven Winery Fridays and Saturdays from 4:00-7:00, and on Sundays from 3:00-5:00. Be sure to check their website for specific artists and times. You can purchase any of the Beachaven wines on the premises, listen to live music, and enjoy local food trucks. Many love bringing a picnic dinner or charcuterie, picnic blanket and lawn chairs, then relaxing and enjoying the surroundings. Children will enjoy this venue, but must be accompanied by an adult at all times. There are wine flights, tastings and tours available, but again see their website for specific details and hours.

Visit Clarksville!

Clarksville has transformed from a simple small town to an amazing city with so much to offer. If you are a Clarksville resident or native, please share any other free things to do in the comments. If you are new to the area or visiting, welcome! You are sure to leave here wanting to come back soon.

If you enjoyed this post, check out my post Things to do in Fall in Middle Tennessee.

adventures with kids · Tennessee · travel · travel with kids

Chattanooga Bucket List

October 12, 2024 Essentially Better LivingLeave a comment

img_9560-1 — This pic was taken 6 years ago when we stopped off in Chattanooga to eat on our way to the East Coast. I promised myself we would go back and finally keeping that promise!

I’m in the process of planning a short family trip to Chattanooga, and I wanted to share and post my bucket list in the hopes that others might share other ideas for us to add. I would especially appreciate feedback from locals. When we travel, we love to immerse ourselves in the city we are visiting. To pretend for a short time that we live there. While some of the items on our list are admittedly touristy, I always tend to enjoy the non-tourist local favorites the most. Let me know your thoughts and pros/cons of the places already on the list as well. Thank you much!

Tennessee Aquarium (curious how it compares to Chattanooga Aquarium)
The Incline Railway
Lookout Mountain
Coolidge Park
Ruby Falls
The Hot Chocolatier
Chattanooga Market
The Passage Waterwalk
Little Debbie Park
Cardboard Hill
Rosie Mae’s Alpaca Farm
West Village (Shopping)
Clumpies Ice Cream
Tony’s Pasta Shop
Rembrandt’s Coffee House
Yellow Deli
Urban Stack
Mean Mug Coffeehouse
Syrup and Eggs
The Daily Ration

I can’t wait to read any tips or advice you may have to share about your own experiences in Chattanooga!

travel with kids

Why Are You Taking the Same Vacation Every Year?

March 24, 2024 Essentially Better LivingLeave a comment

Do you take the same vacation every year? If you answered yes, we did too, and probably for all of the same reasons we did: we loved going there. We also knew our way around, and knew exactly what to expect. We knew we would have a great time, and it was our happy place.

One beautiful spring day, I was sitting outside a coffee shop, enjoying my latte and working on a blog post. At the table next to me were two girls talking about the summer vacations they were planning. One was like me, planning her same favorite beach vacay, and the other said something I will never forget, and the title of this post, “why are you taking the same vacation every year?”

She went on to explain that she intentionally plans a different trip every year, and that there is a whole world to see. She asked her friend if she thought about exposing herself and her family to different places. She talked about how much fun it is to explore new places and to plan for each trip. She said how meaningful and enriching it was for her children to actually visit the places they had read about in their history books. She had fallen in love with adventure and trying new things. She then shared trip experience after trip experience, at which point she had me convinced.

I went home that day and announced to my family that we should start planning a trip somewhere new and different. I thought I would be met with resistance, but to my surprise they were excited. Since then we haven’t repeated a trip since except for one, where we visited our old faithful beach locale for nostalgia’s sake.

I’m not saying to never visit any place twice. And I also realize to some who already love to travel to new places, that all of this may sound obvious. But where I live, I assure you so many families travel to the same place every year, and I wonder if they will look back and feel they missed out. Will you? In a lifetime that is so fleeting, we want to live in a way that we have no regrets, and that we can feel we have lived it to the fullest.

If you take the same vacation every year, consider branching out and trying somewhere different. Ask yourself what you love about that place, and why it is so important you to go there specifically. For us it was partly for financial reasons. Where we loved going was affordable! But I have been pleasantly surprised to discover places all over the map that we now love just as much that are just as affordable and in some cases they even cost less.

My intention for writing this is not to convince anyone that going on the same vacation is wrong. I hope to go to our old favorite again soon, and wish we had the financial means to do both each year: to go somewhere new and to to our beloved beach town. My hope is that someone who has never considered going somewhere new would have their eyes opened to the possibility that they might love another place as much as their old standby.

After reading this, if you feel as convinced and compelled to go somewhere new as I did that day at the coffee shop, I would love to hear about it. Let me know in the comments where you decide to go.

travel with kids

Galveston, Texas: Our Fall Break Family Vacation

October 15, 2023November 4, 2023 Essentially Better LivingLeave a comment

When you think of going on a beach vacation, Galveston may not be the first on your list, especially if you’re not from Texas. Our family had been making our way up the Eastern coast, then across the Gulf Coast, choosing a different beach town each year, in a different state: Seaside, FL, Orange Beach, AL, Gulfport, MS, New Orleans, LA. And this year we chose Galveston!

Mod Coffee – my favorite coffee shop in Galveston. I love the vibe of their outdoor space.

Everyone tried to tell us it was a different kind of beach, and it is. The water may not be emerald green like the Florida coast, and it’s not – it’s a bluish-brown depending on where you are. And you don’t see condos and homes all along the highway – you see a McDonalds, a Walgreens, dentist office, Kroger, and Academy Sports. And you don’t park and then walk across the highway, you can actually park right on the road, or in some cases further down the highway, you can pull right onto the beach.

Jamaica Beach: One of the many drive-on beaches.

What I want to share here, are things to do in and around Galveston that are sure to delight families who love good food, and time spent on beautiful beaches. What I will not be sharing are the popular tourist destinations like the Pleasure Pier, Moody pyramids, and Schlitterbahn waterpack (was closed while we were there due to off season). Our family is less interested in being tourists when we travel and tend to prefer traveling – immersing ourselves in the town and what it would be like to live there for a week.

Checking out Katie’s, one of the very best seafood markets we’ve ever been to. Impressively fresh and high quality seafood.

We chose an Airbnb that was within five minutes of the Target, Mod Coffee Shop (the best coffee shop on the island in my opinion,) and a 5-10 minute drive from the beach. I woke up each morning and chose a different beach each day to see the sunrise. From there we would venture out and explore what Galveston and the surrounding areas had to offer.

The most vibrant sunrise during our stay. This was near the Seawall.

On our first day we procured lunch and food since we had a fully stocked kitchen in our vacation home. For lunch we grabbed brisket sandwiches at Bucee’s in Texas City, just 15-20 minutes away from our house. The girls had asked to go to a Bucee’s while we were in Texas and this was the closest one to us. It was fun seeing the reaction of my husband and younger daughter who had never been to a Bucee’s before.

When in Texas, Buc-ee’s is a must, and there is one just 15 minutes away from Galveston,

For groceries, there is a Walmart right along the Seawall and it was huge, much nicer, and a better selection than our Walmart back home. We also ventured to Katie’s Seafood Market, for what we had found in our research and experience, to be the best and freshest seafood on the island. We bought shrimp and flounder that were so good!

To offer perspective, this was just minutes from the Walmart which was across the street from the beach.

Then we made our way to the beach. We started with a beach close to our house, called East Beach. There are more centrally located beaches closer to town, like Stewart Beach, but we found it to be crowded and not as clean. I always recommend looking for where the crowd is NOT, and for us, that was East Beach. This surprisingly ended up being our best and warmest beach day. The water was clear, calm, and warm enough to swim in.

Our second day the girls asked to go to Target. They are always curious about how Targets vary when we travel and this one was surprising due to its HUGE toy department. It was at least twice as big as our toy section of our Target back home. You felt at times you were in a toy store due to the massive selection. It made me nostalgic for bricks and mortar toy stores like Toys R Us. Madeline got an epic slime set that helped entertain her the rest of the trip.

After leaving Target, we went to The Black Pearl, known for having the best fresh oysters. Pro tip, we didn’t realize it until it was explained to us, but oyster season actually starts in November on the Gulf coast. We visited in October, so oysters were harder to come by and priced higher. They were good oysters, but a little pricier than we had hoped. I love that the teenager will eat them with us. We promised Madeline she could have McDonalds for being a good sport and sitting through this – and it was a McDonalds right on the beach. But before heading to the “Golden Arches” we spotted the cutest bookstore next door so we had to go in.

One of my favorite pics from our trip. At Galveston Bookstore.

Once everyone was fed, we were ready to enjoy some beach time. I talked the group into checking out Jamaica Beach. It is a much less crowded area. We were the only ones there with the exception of a few fisherman. It was also a drive-on beach. It feels so foreign to drive and park your car on the sand, just feet away from the crashing waves. Speaking of crashing waves, there was a front coming in with rain in the forecast the next day, so no one wanted to get in and swim here. The current was way too rough. I would recommend this beach to others because it isn’t crowded, and I was able to find quite a few pretty shells. The girls enjoyed running along the beach and writing their names in the sand. The sand is pretty packed due to it being driving on.

After leaving the beach, we headed to Kroger which is on the Seawall. It is a huge Kroger and very nice! We made the mistake of going after school was out and people had gotten off from work so it was pretty crowded. We recommend going earlier in the day. We did find a GREAT deal on crab legs. I had a coupon which got us even more off an already great deal. This ended up being one of our best meals we had there and allowed us to use the corn on the cob we had gotten the day before.

On our third day, it was a rainy day, so we drove into Houston. We started off exploring the downtown area a bit. I had pinned some murals, statues and other sites, which we checked out, but the traffic and confusing one-way traffic directions had me wanting out of that downtown area. So we made our way to In-N-Out Burger, of course! This was one of our non-negotiable stops – we were determined to have In-N-Out on this trip since we don’t have one back home. The one in Houston was closest to us, however we saw one being built close to Galveston but it was not open yet. In-N-Out did not disappoint. My husband and I were regulars back when we lived in San Francisco and miss having it as a nearby option. We so took for granted being so close to one.

The girls try In-n-Out for the first time

After lunch, we headed to the HEB to find something for dinner that night – I told you we are all about food on vacation. HEB the local grocery store chain and is huge (everything is bigger in Texas). The best part about HEB is the low prices, especially on sea food! We found great prices on lobster tails! After leaving HEB I put in the GPS to go to the giant Barnes and Noble bookstore, but we stumbled on the most adorable Trader Joes that was formerly a movie theater! We of course went in and grabbed up some of our favorites, then killed an hour or more at the bookstore.

The cute Trader Joes that was formerly at theater.

Houston was huge. Great to visit but can’t say I’d want to live there.

When we got home, Anna Claire asked to watch a scary movie, so we watched The Shining. Then we had our delicious lobster dinner! My tail was so big I couldn’t eat it all. We saved it, don’t worry.

On our fourth day, Anna Claire wanted to see the sunrise with me, but sadly when we go there, it was still so cloudy that there was not much to behold. She had wanted to get some Uggs at the outlet mall in Texas City, so we revisited Bucee’s for gas and snacks and then let her shop. She was able to find her shoes and we explored the Halloween store for a bit. It got the girls thinking about what they wanted to do for Halloween.

When we got back to our house, we finally were given the all clear to use our adorable garage space that they had fixed up for kids and teens. We weren’t able to use it before due to an issue with bees. Anna Claire and I played ping pong for quite a while! We realized we aren’t very good but got better as the day went on. Might be fun to get a ping pong table. Larry made us the most DELICIOUS lobster dip with my leftover lobster! It had corn and some of the gouda that AC had picked out at Kroger. I argue it was the best bite I had on the trip.

AC and I worked on our ping pong skills.

After lunch, we stopped at La Kings Confectionary. Please stop here if you visit Galveston! It is a legitimate candy shop! So charming. It is also a soda and ice cream shop. I got Madeline ice cream which I had promised her on the trip. Her cookie dough and mint chip ice cream were so good and enough for the family to share.

This is the closest our horse loving girl got to riding a horse this trip.

Next up was East Beach again. Larry and the girls love to get all in at the beach. They are getting in the ocean! This was their favorite beach so no surprise they wanted to go back there. I was able to find some shells and got in the water a little myself.

Our last day we made the ferry trip over to Crystal Beach. If you visit Galveston, you must do this! All four of us agree it was our favorite day of the whole trip. We were able to see so many dolphins on the ferry ride. Don’t stay in your car! Get out and stand on the observation deck. I personally saw twenty or more but there must have been hundreds. You don’t have to try to see them – they are everywhere. You will see one!

After arriving to Bolivar penisula, which is where Crystal Beach is located, we checked out the beach itself and liked the vibe! It is a drive-on beach as well and there were so many shells! The family didn’t get in the water as much due to lots of shell and particulate matter that was scratchy to your feel and legs. We still enjoyed our vitamin sea.

I think this is the only pic I have of the 4 of us together on this trip.

The highlight of our visit to Bolivar was Stingaree. It had the best food and was the best sit-down restaurant meal that any of us have had in recent memory. We had Boudain balls, crawfish tails. fried mushrooms, crab stuffed jalapenos and more. It is by the water and we enjoyed having such amazing food with beautiful surroundings. A local gem for the area for sure. Finally, I should mention The Big Store. It was a lifesaver for providing us with everything we needed to make dinner and a bathroom.

Our view from our table at Stingaree. Best meal out!

We loved Galveston, and like every beach vacation we’ve ever had, we would be happy to come back. Memories made!

adventures with kids · travel with kids

The Stranger Things Experience Atlanta

December 30, 2022January 15, 2024 Essentially Better LivingLeave a comment

This year for Christmas, I bought my thirteen-year-old daughter tickets for the Stranger Things Experience. I had done a lot of reading about it, and followed the experience on Insta, so I somewhat had an idea of what we were in for. But the experience truly exceeded my expectations.

When my daughter first started encouraging me to watch the show with her, I was hesitant because I don’t love scary shows and movies. They have a tendency to give me bad dreams. However Stranger Things was different for me. I really got invested in the characters and the story line was so well written, I “needed to know” what happened next and so I got drawn in. She had asked multiple times to go to the NYC experience, but that is a long and pricey trip for us. But she doesn’t ask for a lot, so when the opportunity came along for us to go in Atlanta, less than five hours away, I took it!

When you first arrive, the signage, branding and attention to detail, even to the outside of the building, is impressive. The porta potties were even impressive to us, with an employee inside managing them. There were stalls, and they were immaculately clean. There was a place for ice skating and marshmallow roasting which we did not have time to do,. Lots of selfie opportunities.

Inside, you will have your bag searched, receive your VIP badge if applicable, show your tickets, and be told no pictures until the Mix Tape area. This was hard for us, because there were so many times where you would really want to take pictures! I understand now, looking back, because you are Hawkins Lab Sleep Study subjects, and the whole thing that made that part of the experience awesome was the suspense of not knowing what was going to happen! If people photographed it and posted about it, it would ruin the experience! That is why I am not going to share what happens in that part of the experience in that post. I would hate to ruin it for future attendees. Just know that it was so realistic and magical that it absolutely blew us away.

I do recemmend getting the VIP tickets. We were treated to free VIP drinks at The Upside Bar. Any drink you want. I got a Demogorgon cocktail and my daughter got an Eleven Mocktail. My cocktail had a cute Luxardo cherry and Stroopwafel garnish. We also received a free gift that I also don’t want to reveal and spoil the surprise because it was way cooler than anything I thought we would get!

My cocktail and her mocktail from The Upside bar

In the Mixtape Area, we struggled with what to do first. So many photo opps! You can take a picture with Vecna, a Demogorgon, and at the different “shops” or stations they had set up in the perimeter.

We started by looking in the gift shop area. They have many shirts and other items to offer, however, I would wait until you make it all the way around the enter Mixtape Area. There are shirts and items for sale in each individual area, in addition to the stand alone gift shop.

The photobooth! I remember these from when I was a kid! You go in and close the curtain, then a three-second countdown for a series of four pics that print out once you step outside. I am laminating ours as bookmarks and a keepsake. There is a five dollar cost.

The Byers Living Room! If you take a few minutes in here, and not just take a picture or selfie, you will really appreciate the attention to detail! Also it is so fun to see all of the props and clothing actually worn by and used by the characters on the show that are on display throughout Mixtape.

Rink-o-Mania. I asked about roller skating, and one employee shared with me that they too wished that attendees and employees could roller skate. I believe it is liability issues and space issues that prevented them from actually allowing participants from roller skating.

Scoops Ahoy! This area was so nicely done. The ice cream is very good – we have butter pecan. The girl who served our ice cream was so pretty with nicely done 80s makeup and very friendly. In the sailor costume of course! They had the boat seating area for photos, then you could have your ice cream in the concessions food court area.

Surfer Boy Pizza. I hesitated to spend the money, but my daughter had been in pursuit fo the frozen pizzas at a grocery – we were never able to find the cheese. At the Surfer Boy Pizza bus we could get the three cheese, so she and I split a slice. It was not quite lunch time – ha!

The Arcade and Family Video. It was so fun for me to play Dig Dug check out all the VHS movies. A real blast from the past as a child of the 80s.

To sum it up, this was a very well done encounter and I would recommend it to any fan of the Stranger Things series. If you would like to read more about our mother daughter trip to Atlanta you can find that here.

adventures with kids · foodie · travel with kids

The Dwarf House Chick-fil-A in Hapeville, GA

December 30, 2022January 15, 2024 Essentially Better LivingLeave a comment

In case you didn’t realize it, there is a Chick-fil-A that exists that has menu items you can’t find at a regular Chick-fil-A, including burgers. It is the flagship location, the very first one, originally built in 1947. It has a dwarf theme, complete with a dwarf-sized door that you can enter, and dwarves for you to find once you’re inside! There is an outdoor area for kids to play. It has been recently and beautifully renovated and deserves your time and visit next time you are in the Atlanta area, especially if you are at/near the Atlanta airport. It is right by the airport!

This Chick-fil-A was a must stop for my thirteen-year-old daughter and me. We read about it before our visit and studied the menu, so we had an idea of what we wanted to order, and even planned our hotel stay based on its location.

I would recommend coming for breakfast in hindsight, because the thing I most wanted on the menu was only available before 10:30 am: the Chicken minis and eggs!

My daughter and I opted to have dinner here for this main reason: There were so many things we wanted to try that we knew it would be a LOT of food. More than you would want for lunch. We did not opt for the burger because we felt one of the whole missions of Chick fil A is to “Eat Mor Chick’n” so getting a burger felt wrong to us – ha! She got the loaded waffle fries as her meal and I got the chicken and eggs. As we often do, we asked for an extra plate and split each dish with one another. The portions are HUGE.

The loaded waffle fries were good but not awesome, only because we did not love the pimento cheese they used on top. The plus side of the loaded fries is that there are Chick fil a nuggets on top. We did devour all of those.

The chicken that you get with the chicken and eggs IS the chicken they put on the Chick fil A sandwich. What this really did for me was showcase how delicious the chicken itself is when you strip away the bread, pickle and mayo. It was so good and juicy! The eggs can be cooked any way you like. I picked over easy and loved running pieces of my chicken through the egg yolk. You get to pick two sides. We picked toast and hashbrowns, but looking back I wish we had chosen the mac and cheese.

Do yourself a favor and save room for pie, or get a slice to go! It is amazing. They have lemon, chocolate and coconut. We opted for lemon and it was some of the best I’ve ever had, with generous meringue on top, graham cracker crust and vanilla wafers along the side. It is chilled, like an ice box pie.

Set aside time to take pictures before or after your visit. The exterior and play area will definitely call for selfies to be taken and is highly “instagrammable.” There are hoola hoops, the dwarf door, and a waffle fry climbing structure. They also have souveniers to purchase. My daughter got a Dwarf House mug.

To sum it up, allow yourself an hour or two to take in all that his unique Chick Fil A has to offer. You can find out more about our mother daughter trip to Atlanta here.

adventures with kids · travel with kids

Mother Daughter Trip to Atlanta

December 30, 2022January 1, 2023 Essentially Better LivingLeave a comment

After Christmas, I took my thirteen-year-old daughter to Atlanta for a quick overnight trip. I wanted to share about our trip to help other moms who may wish to do the same, including tips on how to avoid traffic, ways to save money, things to do and where to eat.

We live in north Tennessee, so it’s about a 4-5 hour drive to Atlanta. I did quite a bit of reading and research about how to avoid Atlanta traffic because that was my one reservation about going in the first place. Atlanta traffic is notorious for being awful!

My first tip is to really thank carefully about how to avoid high traffic times. Leave early in the morning and think about rush hour traffic in major cities and how you can avoid them. For us, I knew we would be driving through Nashville, so we left early enough to avoid the 8-9am commute traffic. We got through well before that. I also knew we wanted to stop at Buc-ee’s on the way there to gas up and grab a bite, so I wanted to arrive before the lunch rush. We achieved that too! We wanted to arrive in Atlanta avoiding any lunch or rush hour traffic and accomplished that as well.

I was fine with taking I-24 to get there, because while I wanted to avoid I-75 and I-285 in Atlanta, we also wanted to spend as little time on the road as possible and maximize our time having fun.

If you do travel to Atlanta the week of Christmas I read up on the best days to drive and days to avoid. December 26-27 because of after-Christmas traffic, and December 30 is not recommended due to New Year’s traffic. So we chose December 28-29 and these proved to be good days to travel.

When considering time on the interstate, consider spending as little time on 75 as possible. We did get caught in some I-75 traffic as we neared Atlanta, but not for long because we exited EARLY to check out Lenox Square and the Buckhead area, one of the nicest in ATL.

Once we exited, we never used an interstate or highway the rest of our time in Atlanta. We stayed on the east side of the interstate which generally are the nicer and safer neighborhoods. On your maps app, select “avoid highways” and you can steer clear of the hectic, white knuckle Atlanta traffic. We had a GREAT experience driving through the quaint and charming Atlanta neighborhoods. This also allowed us to discover some great finds and ideas for future trips to ATL.

We saved money by eating brunch and dinner only. When we did eat, we ate well. The portion sizes at most restaurants are enough for 2 or more people so we would choose a dish with large portions and split it, asking for an extra plate. This allowed us to save money and not overeat. We also saved money by using our Marriott points so our hotel stay was completely free. You can find out how to get a Marriott Bonvoy rewards card and why we love being a member here. We strategically planned to stay near where we had dinner which was the unique and charming Dwarf House Chick Fil A, so we did not spend time and gas driving. We could head to our hotel and relax right after dinner. This Chick Fil A was the very first one and you can learn more about why it was so special and why we loved it here.

We had brunch at the highly rated Sun in My Belly. It did not disappoint. I was looking for somewhere that could make an amazing latte (mine had a pretty design on top) and an outstanding meal. SIMB fit the bill on both counts. We added it to our bucket list for places we must revisit next trip! As an added bonus, it was only 5 minutes away from Target and our Stranger Things Experience, which was the event that brought us to Atlanta in the first place. You can read about our experience here if you would like to know more. The Target was a Super Target, and had a Starbucks and Ulta inside. It was not crowded at all and we love Target so much that looking back it was one of our trip highlights.

Other notable highlights and places we would like to visit on a return trip include: East Pole coffee in Buckhead, Krog Street Market, Virginia Highland area (best food), Ponce City Market (give yourself a whole day for this, or have a clear agenda in mind. It is huge!) My biggest regret was not allowing more time for Ponce City. There was so much we wanted to do and so many places we wanted to try in the food hall but just ran out of time.

My final piece of advice is to consider your daughter and what she would LOVE. I don’t know about you, but as a mom, if my daughter’s bucket is full, mine is too. Avoid too much touristy stuff and seek out things to do and places to eat that will bring you both joy.

adventures with kids · travel with kids

This May Change the Way You Travel with Kids

January 8, 2022 Essentially Better LivingLeave a comment

There are three things our family does when we travel, that I find are a little different than the norm, but they serve us extremely well. Once you’ve given them a read through, I’d love to know your own ideas of things your family has done to make your vacation experience more enjoyable. Please share in the comments!

Set a goal of seeing the country, maybe even the world.

I was writing on the patio at Starbucks one day, and overheard two girls talking about their vacations. One was explaining that they went to Destin, Florida every year and that was where they were going. The other girl replied, “Why would you take the same vacation every year when there’s a whole world to see?”

That was a lightbulb moment for me, because at that point taking the same vacation every year was exactly what our family had been doing! Not anymore.

We have made it our intention to visit a new state each year, and we pass through other states on our way to our destination. Fifty states goal! It is my hope that my girls will see all 50 states before graduating from high school.

Be a traveler, not a tourist.

Chef Anthony Bourdain taught us to be travelers, not tourists, and changed the way we visit new cities.

So now, instead of focusing on the popular tourist attractions, we try to find places that cater to each family members’ interest when we travel. I love yoga, going to the beach, knitting and jewelry making, so I try to incorporate these into our trips. One of my daughters loves music, plays guitar and loves to read, so guitar shops, record shops and bookstores are on our itenerary. My younger daughter is an avid swimmer and loves ice cream, so pools and ice cream shops are a must. Both girls love visiting coffee shops and doing art so I research those too. My husband is a classically trained chef so I research the best grocery stores, butcher shops, farmers markets and seafood markets. Of course we make sure to get a rental with a kitchen so he can cook!

We all want to check out the food scene, so researching local favorites is imperative. But the best way to find the really best food is to talk to the locals. Ask someone who lives there for their recommendations!

Avoid the crowds

The saying, “Look at what other people are doing, and do the exact opposite,” serves us well on vacation. Most people go to the beach in the afternoon and stay til sunset, so instead we are willing to get up early and see the sunrise. Then we can stay at the beach until around lunch time, or even pack a picnic lunch. We find that as we leave the beach, it is just beginning to get crowded. Getting to the beach early also helps us with parking! Visiting popular venues on weekdays and studying peak times helps us visit when they are the least crowded.

Dare to be different.

There is no right or wrong when planning your family vacation, but I hope these ideas have helped stretched the scope of your imagination for what your next trip could look like. Whatever your plans may be, you know your family best and you’re the best person equipped to make it the best one ever for everyone.

adventures with kids · quarantine · Tennessee · travel with kids

Visiting Machine Falls with Kids

August 5, 2020 Essentially Better LivingLeave a comment

If you’ve been wanting to chase waterfalls, but wanting to social distance and choose one that’s not so crowded, Machine Falls is a great choice!

We took our daughters, ages 6 and 11, and ran into maybe 10 other families the entire time we were there, including our hike to the falls and back.

Machine Falls was about an hour hike down for us, but I will admit we intentionally took our time so that our youngest would feel safe and comfortable, especially on the slippery rocks toward the end.

Things to know before you go: (I was so glad I did research before visiting!)

Wear sneakers or shoes with good traction, and consider bringing water shoes or sandals for the tail end of the hike. You will be hiking down the creek to get to the falls. And the water is COLD.
Parking lot is by the big white water tower. Put this address in your GPS: 1861 Short Springs Rd. Tullahoma, TN. Machine Falls is located in Short Springs Natural Area.
The trailhead is across the street from the lot.
When you begin the trail, you will notice the sign for Machine Falls points in BOTH directions! The path on the right is much easier! We took the path on the left going to the falls and the right path coming back so we know from experience! If you take the more strenuous path on the left, watch out for tree roots and rocks sticking up out of the pathway at the start of your hike. Regardless of which path you choose, as you get closer to the falls, the climb becomes steeper, and some of the steps are loose.
When you come upon the little bridge, this is good time to change your footwear.

travel with kids · Uncategorized

Our Bike Ride at Alys Beach

June 25, 2020 Essentially Better LivingLeave a comment

My daughter Anna Claire is ten, and new to riding her bike. She really wanted to ride bikes on 30A during our vacay, so I researched for somewhere safe, less crowded, and with level ground.

Alys Beach fit all of our criteria, plus the architecture and entire little community is so charming. It’s beautifully manicured and photogenic.

Please know my child did not mean to ride into the grass. She didn’t stop in time.

Also, as an added bonus, prior to our trip, I had researched the different bike rental locations along 30A and The Bike Shop at Alys Beach had to the best rates. You should also know that bikes are typically priced for daily rental, and we only needed hourly which they allowed.

I don’t know that a reservation is required, but I opted to reserve ours which gave us confidence that the bike sizes we needed would be available.

A little bike safety lesson: Did you know that the child should ride in front of the adult? This allows you to keep your eyes on them, and call out directions to them. This made my child nervous at first, but I think she liked leading the way by the end.

Back home we are vigilant about wearing our helmets when we ride, since we share the road with car traffic, but with a designated bike lane, no one was wearing one. My daughter loved this! (So did I.)

Pro Tip: Be sure to venture down the side roads. We loved looking at the beautiful homes and condos. We also found Charlie’s Donuts which is known for having the best smoothies on 30A. AC had a Long John and we split a mango smoothie. So good!

The Bike Shop at Alys Beach is also located directly across from the large green space and next door to Piper’s food truck in case you work up a thirst or would like a yummy taco after your ride.

Bike riding was a great social distancing activity, and I can honestly say this goes on my list of the top five bike rides I’ve been on in my life.

I will just end by saying how kind, happy and friendly everyone was at Alys. It was contagious!

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