Got the broke weekend blues? Maybe home schooling on a tight budget or looking for an educational and fun activity for your school or church group? Here are just a few ideas on how to spend a quality filled day full of fun and informative activities while working with a shoe string budget.
Free Tours – Load up the posse, pack a bag lunch and head on out to these free tours.
Take a self guided walking tour of Nashville. With free guide brochure in hand, folow this two mile trek around historic downtown Nashville along the green painted line that maps out your walk. Most of the stops along the way are free including historical Fort Nashboro, the State Capital and famous Printer’s Alley. Get a copy of the suggested sight seeing spots from the Metropolitan Historical Commission by calling 615-862-7970.
Take a tour of the Purity Dairies just outside of Nashville, TN. Admission is always free and includes a free ice cream treat. The tour includes a look at the factory and how ice cream is made. Call ahead to reserve a tour and get directions at 615-760-2271 ext. 489.
Take a trip to the historic Jack Daniels Distillery in Lynchberg, TN. About an hour drive from downtown Nashville, this is the oldest registered distillery in the country. Tours are free daily and packed full of historical information about the area and a look at how the famous Tennessee whiskey is made. Call 931-759-4221 for details on tour times, dates and directions. To make a whole day out of the trip, check out the Moore County Old Jail House Museum while in town. Featuring interesting displays of artifacts from the civil war, memorabilia and other turn of the century exhibits, this side trip costs just $1 for adults and kids are always free. In addition, the town also posts a list of interesting events and festivals monthly on their website like the annual Jack Daniels BBQ, the Spotted Saddle Horse Show and a motor cycle rally. This is also a great little town for viewing turn of the century architecture and breathtaking scenery.
Tennessee Farmers Market located at 900 Rosa L. Parks Blvd. in Downtown Nashville, TN offers a wide variety of fresh produce vendors and hosts various special events free to visitors. Here you can learn about how produce is grown, meet real farmers and enjoy a brisk open air walk through the market. The market posts a schedule of events on their website. It also hosts a flea market on Weekend days. Call 615-880-2001 for more information.
Krispy Kreme Doughnut Shop franchise locations around the country offer a free tour of the doughnut shop, a demonstration of how the popular treats are made, and if caught during production, a chance to taste a fresh glazed doughnut for free. Contact any local Krispy Kreme dealer for more information.
Visit the State Capital and other government buildings for a look at how laws are made and how the judicial system works. Make sure to stop at the information desk of the various buildings to get a list of tours offered and areas that are restricted to the public.
Tour the Nashville City Cemetery located at 1001 Fourth Avenue South for an interesting look at the oldest cemetery in the city as well as information on some of the famous graves there. Tours are free the second Saturday of each month starting at 10 pm sharp. No reservations are required.
The Tennessean, Nashville’s leading newspaper, offers free tours of it’s printing presses and newsrooms. Learn how the newspaper is made and what goes into it. Call 615-644-2171 for tour information and directions. Another location of interest to print enthusiasts is the nearby Hatch Show Print, located at 316 Broadway. This is the oldest continuously operating poster shop in America. Tours are free, stop by anytime during normal operating hours.
At the Nissan Plant in Smyrna, TN located an hour drive from Nashville, TN, learn how cars are made and how a factory operates. Nissan offers free tours of it’s facilities for ages 10 and over on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Call ahead to reserve a tour spot and get directions at 615-459-1444.
Outdoors Fun – Bring a ice chest and your swimming trunks for these fun freebies.
Spend the afternoon at the Bicentennial Capital Mall State Park located at 600 James Robertson Parkway in downtown Nashville, TN. This free 19 acre park offers a chance to explore the history of Nashville in an open aired relaxing atmosphere. Park Rangers conduct free programs throughout the park and can answer just about any question regarding the nearby historical sites and tourist attractions. The park offers many historical markers and exhibits as well as an amphitheatre where public concerts and other special events are held. There are also picnic tables and restrooms accessible to the public. For a list of upcoming events, attractions in the park and other information visit their official website.
A great site for active outdoor enthusiasts is Shelby Bottoms. Trailheads starting at Shelby Park in Nashville, TN follow the Cumberland River in a 5 mile paved and a 7 mile unpaved trek designed for hikers, runners, bike riders and skaters alike. Shelby Park is also one of three Nashville parks that allows dogs. Access to the park and the bottoms is free.
Two Rivers Riverfront Skate Park is free for all who would like to try their hand at skating and skateboarding. Located on the downtown riverfront, skaters must bring their own equipment to enjoy this two mile street course.
Take a trip to the beach at Lock 3 Beach on Old Hickory Lake off Walton Ferry Rd. in Hendersonville, TN. Located about a half hour drive from Nashville, this lake is free to access and offers picnic areas as well as local wildlife.
Other free things to do – extra stuff to throw into the day just to round it out, or try one or two when there isn’t a lot of time to set up those freebie fun days.
In the mood for a good story? Many local bookstores and libraries in the Nashville area offer free story time for kids and adults alike. Check with local bookstore chains such as Barnes and Noble, Border Books or The Pottery Barn Book Club in Rivergate mall for times and locations. Check the phone book for local library listings to check dates, times and stories in the library story time programs.
More stuff to do at the library. Check out a free DVD, CD or VHS tape from one of any of the many Metro Public Library locations. They often have the latest children’s’ movies as well as popular theatre movies, classics and educational films to explore. Also there is an option to check out an audio taped book with the read along copy to create story time at home.
Creative Kids need hands on activities? Check out any local area Lowe’s Warehouse for dates and times of their Build and Grow Kid’s Clinic. These offer free projects for kids that usually last about an hour.
Star gazers will enjoy the free Star Parties offered by the Barnard Seyfert Astronomical Association. Held at various locations in and around Nashville, these parties include members of the society who are on hand to help the public with telescopes, how to view the selected heavenly bodies, and explain events as they happen in the sky during the party. Party dates and locations vary and are always weather permitting. Call ahead to get info on when, where and what at 615-401-5092. Admission is always free.
The Military Museum located near the State Capital in Nashville, TN offers a wide collection of war and military artifacts dating from different periods. Admission is always free and hours of operation are from Tuesday through Saturday from 10am to 5pm.
The Tennessee State Museum, the largest museum in the state offers free admission to all of its permanent exhibits and most of its special exhibits though donations are encouraged. Hours are from 10am to 5pm Tuesday through Saturday and Sunday from 1pm to 5pm. The museum is located at the corner of 5th and Deadrick St. in the James Polk Center.
The Frist Center for Visual Arts located at 919 Broadway in Nashville, TN offers many free special events such as live music exhibitions and free gallery views. For ordinary events admission is always free for age 18 and under and adults are admitted for $8.50. There are also several adult discounts offered under different categories. For a list of free for all exhibits, discount admissions and other free activities at the center call 615-244-3340. Free to all ages events are also released to the local media a few weeks before the events.
Vanderbilt Fine Arts Gallery, one of many interesting locations on the Vanderbilt University Campus, offers free admissions to view their collections of fine artworks as well as occasional special exhibits. The Campus is located at 23rd Ave. and West End Ave. in Nashville, TN. Visit the Campus information center for a detailed brochure of all the interesting works of art, exhibits, sculptures and common areas that are free to the public to access.
The Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center offers several rolling acres of inside garden to stroll through lush exotic foliage, a manmade stream and meandering rock paths. Enjoy free music at one of the many lounges and impromptu free exhibits and events scattered throughout the center. For a list of upcoming events call 615-889-1100. Though the scenic walk and the music is free, there is a small fee for parking during special events and walking tends to work up a thirst, drinks unfortunately are not free.
The Lane Motor Museum specializes in European cars with over 150 cars and motorcycles not typically seen in the U.S. on display, cars date from the early 20’s to modern day cars as well as several novelty vehicles. Admission for kids is always free, Adult admission is $5 and seniors get in for $3. Groups are offered specialty rates. Call 615-742-7445 for dates and hours of operation.
Off the Beaten Path – Free stops along the Highway 52 Tour.
Visit the 1857 One Room School House at Richland Park in Portland, TN. Just a half hour from Nashville, this building has a rich history as a schoolhouse, a confederate training center and an infirmary during the Civil War. It is open to the public from June to September from 1pm to 4pm and guided tours are offered if reserved in advance by calling 615-325-3445. Admission is free.
Walk through the Smallest Railroad Tunnel in the World in Westmoreland, TN. Visit Westmoreland City Hall for a visitor’s brochure and directions to this out of the way record breaking locale just 45 minutes North of Nashville. Pack an picnic lunch and enjoy the towns hospitality at one of its small parks and gazebos located in the center of town. A playground and volleyball court is free and accessible to the court as well.
See one of the largest Sundials in the World in Lafayette, TN. Located about 45 minutes Northeast of Nashville, the Sundial is openly accessed by the public though it is located on the far corner of a private property. Stop at Key Park in town to enjoy a free spot to picnic. Other park features include hiking trails, bird watching, a seasonal farmers market and playground. The park is free to the public.
For a full listing of the highlights of the tour and upcoming festivals and events along the way, check out the tour website compiled by several historical societies of the local areas involved in compiling the tour. The tour itself is long enough to fill up at least an entire weekend, though not every stop on the tour is free. You can view the website here: www. tn52.com.
