adventures with kids · Tennessee · travel

Things to do in Fall in Middle Tennessee

One of the best things about living in Middle Tennessee is the beautiful fall foliage and all of the fall activities that we have to offer. I’ve put together a list of my very favorite things we love to do in the fall in the Tennessee-Kentucky area. We live in Clarksville,Tennessee, and we have a true color change if leaves that is beautiful and not to be missed so you can be sure that a lot of the items on the list are outdoors! Living less than an hour away from Nashville, many of our favorite fall activities are located there as well as some of the surrounding areas. We are also just a half hour away from the Kentucky state line so you’ll find some Kentucky locations made my list. I love living in Middle Tennessee in the fall! If we ever move, fall will be high on my list of things that I miss.

  • Go to a pumpkin patch! There are so many great ones. Gentry Farm, Lucky Ladd Farm, and Walden Farm are all wonderful.
  • Go to Cheekwood. The mums are breathtaking and the pumpkin displays are amazing. The pumpkin houses are so cute and make a great photo op.
  • Go on a hike. In Clarksville we love to go to Rotary Park, Dunbar Cave and Billy Dunlop Park. There are some cute trails near downtown Clarksville as well. In Nashville we love to hike at Radnor Lake.
  • Outside of Nashville there are so many great waterfall hikes such as Machine Falls and Burgess Falls. Late October and early November offer the best chance to see fall leaves.
  • Honeysuckle Hill Farm. This is a family favorite and a tradition that has so much to offer. There are hayrides, a “pumpkin patch,” mining for gemstones, awesome playground, in-ground bouncy trampoline, zipline, and so much more.
  • Boo at the Zoo. The Nashville Zoo is so much fun on a regular day, but they also do such an amazing job at creating this wonderful experience during the Halloween season.
  • Take a drive along Natchez Trace near Franklin, TN. The views of the fall foliage are stunning!
  • Go on a trail ride with Circle T Ranch! Located near Hopkinsville, KY, they offer a couple near Halloween that include a haunted hayride, and making s’mores and roasting hot dogs over the fire afterward.
  • Todd County Bale Trail. Some of the best things in life are free, and this is one of them. The bale trial is basically amazingly decorated hay bales that can be found throughout Todd County and has the feel of a scavenger hunt. Just print the hay bale map and enter the addresses into your GPS and away you go! This year there was an Inside Out them for several of the bales and they were adorable! While you’re in Todd County, make a day of it by checking out The Country Pantry and Schlabach’s, Guthrie’s Amish grocery and bakery! Or in downtown Elkton where many of the bales can be found, check out the soda shop or Hampton’s for the best burger and shake!

These are just a few of my favorite things to do Clarksville and surrounding areas! We are so blessed to live where we do with so many rich offerings of things to do and places to explore.

adventures with kids · Tennessee · travel · travel with kids

Chattanooga Bucket List

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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!