Nashville Family Fun Summer Guide
Everything You Need to Know for Family Adventure in Nashville
School is winding down, the weather is getting warmer, and Nashville is ready for summer fun! Grab your calendar and use our 2023 Family Fun Summer Guide to plan the best summer ever! Check back often, more information and ideas will be added through the summer. You will find everything you need for family adventures in Nashville and Middle Tennessee all summer long!
In addition to all the fun places and events we have highlighted here, check out our calendar, which is updated constantly, adding more local events. Learn more about Nashville attractions both indoor and outdoor before you go with your family. We even have some ideas for day trips and road trips for summer vacations.
It’s time for some summer fun! Here’s our Ultimate Nashville summer fun list for families! Keep this list handy and use it as a resource every time one of the kids whines “I’m bored!”
Ready for some free summer fun in Nashville? No matter what your budget is, it can be difficult to fill the long summer days with activities that don’t break the bank. So whether you are a working parent looking for fun weekend events or a stay at home parent looking for activities throughout the week, this list will be a great resource for you. Bookmark and check back often. This list will grow right up until Labor Day!
Splash Pads, Pools, and Beaches
Find some fun by the water right here in Middle Tennessee
It gets HOT in Nashville in the summer, so this list of outdoor swimming pools in Nashville and Davidson County will come in handy. They are open to the public and all have a daily fee or may even be free. No memberships are required to swim and beat the heat!
Beat the heat at one of the many splash pads and spray grounds in Nashville and Davidson County. These sprinkler parks are the perfect place to cool off especially with smaller kids. With several to choose from, there has to be one near you!
These Pools, Beaches and Splash pads, all located in Wilson County are either free or have a daily fee. There is no membership required!
Beat the heat this summer in Rutherford County, Tennessee at one of the area pools, splash pads and spray grounds in Murfreesboro and Smyrna. The best part? These pools do not require a membership to swim!
Summer in Tennessee is HOT and there are lots of places to cool off. If you are in Sumner County, TN make plans to visit one of these Sumner County Pools and Beaches. Each place on our list is either free or has a daily fee – you do not have to have a membership to go. Go for a swim or just splash around. Either way, your kids will thank you!
Summer is here so it’s time to head to the pool! Here are all the pools in Williamson County, Tennessee that do not require a membership, including Spring Hill, Franklin, Fairview, Nolensville and Brentwood. Entry is either free or a daily fee. Visit one or all of them to stay cool this summer!
If you are longing to get your toes in the sand but a trip to the gulf coast isn’t on your summer agenda, head to one of these Davidson county beaches. These natural areas are a great, low cost way to spend a fun afternoon with your family. Pack your sunscreen, chairs, sand toys and a picnic! And remember, you can probably expect large crowds at these sites on holidays and weekends.
Nothing says “Summer Fun” quite like the feeling of sand between your toes. We may be miles away from the ocean but there are still lots of beaches in Nashville and Middle Tennessee. So grab your bucket and shovel and discover some beachy fun right in your own hometown.
Middle Tennessee is home to a large variety of lakes. Ready to fish, swim, canoe or kayak? Or maybe you are just longing to have a picnic with a view? Either way you are sure to find the perfect place in our area. So grab your sunscreen, cooler and the family and head out for some fun on one of Middle Tennessee’s lakes!
Summer Entertainment
Movies, Live Theater Productions, and Concerts
Music City lives up to it’s name in the summer. There are so many concerts in and around Nashville. Some of these events are one time performances but many of them are concert series that have become summertime traditions.
Have some family fun at Summer Festivals scheduled in Nashville and Middle Tennessee. Live music, yummy food and children’s activities are just a few of the entertainment options you will find at a festival this summer. Many of these events are free which make them perfect for a summer full of frugal fun.
The Big Band Dance series at Centennial Park is hands down my favorite event of the summer. I was introduced to this event almost twenty years ago and I look forward to it every year.
The summer season is a great time to see a show. Middle Tennessee offers many wonderful community theatre opportunities. Check back throughout the summer as new shows are added each month. Please note that all of these productions may not be suitable for all ages. Make sure you check the play description at the linked site before planning to take the kids.
One of my family’s favorite summer activities is seeing a movie. We love an outdoor movie under the stars, an icy cold theater on a sweltering afternoon or (our favorite!) a double feature at the drive in. There are so many annual summer movie events to choose from.
Get ready! Mark your calendar! Do whatever it is you do! Regal Summer Movie Express is starting soon. Two movie choices each week on Tuesday and Wednesday morning for $1!
If you live in or near Gallatin, mark your calendars for the Palace Theatre Kid’s Summer Movie Series. See a movie every Friday morning between June 4 and July 9, 2021 for only $4. A small popcorn and a small drink are included!
Get ready for some free summer fun at Nashville Scene’s Movies in the Park. This annual summer event is held at Elmington Park (Map) in Nashville. This event is family friendly but their movie selections appeal to a diverse crowd so expect to see people of all ages attending.
Outdoor movies are one of my favorite ways to spend a summer evening. Movies under the Stars is an annual event in Murfreesboro, TN. One movie is shown outdoors at 5 different locations each week at 8:30PM.
Get Outside!
Playgrounds, Parks, Natural areas, Farms, and more places to explore in Middle Tennessee.
There are lots of “Pick Your Own” opportunities all over the Nashville area to get your little farmers out to harvest. From apples to zucchini it’s all available right here in the Nashville Metro area. Use our up to date – 2021 (yes, we called all the farmers! ) list to fill your fridge this summer.
Summer brings fresh produce to Nashville and the arrival of weekly Farmers Markets all over Nashville and Middle Tennessee.
Ready to go fishing? Residents of Middle Tennessee have so many options for places to fish. The Cumberland River, Percy Priest Lake, Old Hickory Lake and Stones River are the major bodies of water in our area but there are lots of smaller creeks and ponds perfect to drop your line.
Nashville and Davidson County are home to a lot of playgrounds. Inclusion on this list only means that some sort of play space exists in the named park. It might be a huge play area or it could be a lone swing set. If we have visited the park, you can find our review with pictures at the link. Eventually, we will get to all these parks and be able to tell and show you exactly what you can expect. Until then, pick a new place and see what you find. It might end up being your kid’s favorite place!
Middle Tennessee is home to lots of playgrounds. Inclusion on this list only means that some sort of play space exists in the named park. It might be a huge play area or it could be a lone swing set. If we have visited the park, you can find our review with pictures at the link. Eventually, we will get to all these parks and be able to tell and show you exactly what you can expect. Visit the town next to yours and try a new playground. You may end up finding a favorite!
Whether you are training for a marathon or just looking for a nice place to take a leisurely walk with the family, Middle Tennessee offers lots of greenways and walking trails perfect for training or taking a stroll.
Sign Up for Fun!
Register for these programs, camps, and classes and then play all summer long.
The program gets you two free games for each registered child every day all summer long. Shoe rental is not included but that’s generally not a huge cost.
Sign up for the Kids Skate Free program and get free passes to roller skate all year long! Roller skating is a great way to get your kids moving especially on those days when the weather doesn’t cooperate. You can visit several times a week and your only cost will be skate rental.
Summer is almost here! Which means it is time for summer reading programs! Libraries all over the area offer reading reward programs for kids and adults in some areas. All you need is a library card – which is FREE in your home county.
Staying home this summer and want some adventure? These online summer camps provide missions, competitions and learning all summer long. Log in and get your daily activity and spend the day creating robots, learning to draw and search for treasure online.
Stores are not just for shopping! There are many retail establishments that offer free and cheap kids’ workshops and classes in the Nashville area. Some have fees but most are free. There are some places that you can just come join in the fun and others that you need to sign up in advance. I’m sure there is something close to your house to keep your family busy this weekend!
Summer Holidays
Celebrate all the holidays throughout the summer season.
May is just a month full of anticipation. School is almost out and, if your kids are like mine, they are buzzing with spring fever. Here’s a few ideas for some fun this month as we get started on one awesome summer!
I’m counting down until Summer Vacation with 50 things to do in May in Nashville and Middle Tennessee. Even though winter wasn’t bad this year (except for the 40 days or rain!), I’m daydreaming about summer family fun.
Use this list to plan some family activities to bridge the gap between Spring and Summer. And if you need some ideas for frugal fun, the events in Blue are FREE!!!
By May, our weather has generally settled into a fairly predictable pattern. This makes it a great month for some spring festivals! Attend some of your family favorites or travel off the beaten path and experience a new event.
Spend May 18th outside in a park near you and celebrate the National Park Trust’s annual Kids to Park Day.
I love the end of the school year even more than my kids. No more lunches to pack. No more folders to check and sign. And my favorite…no more homework! There are lots of opportunities and activities scheduled in and around Nashville this month. We know that every moment of summer vacation can’t be filled with nonstop fun. But you can plan some great family adventures this summer. Spend some time and make a family appointment for FUN! Here are a few ideas.
Summer in Nashville is always filled with family fun. There are so many options, but we’ve narrowed it down to 101 for June. There will be even more in July!
July is a great time for family fun in Middle Tennessee. Plan some adventures and activities this last full month before school starts back.
It’s time to fill your calendar with things to do in Nashville in July! Most of our kids go back to school in August, which means we still have another month to pack full of summer fun.
The 4th of July is one of my favorite holidays. Parades, watermelon and of course fireworks. Here is a list of fireworks displays scheduled in Nashville and Middle Tennessee.
Celebrate summer with free donuts, free iced tea and more. These one day events all celebrate food and fun and you can score free snacks, drinks and even lunch! Put one or all of these summer free food days on your calendar.