The Best Social Distancing Activities in Nashville

Fall is upon us in Nashville, but Covid is still wreaking havoc on our community and we expect it to continue to be an issue for the foreseeable future. As a family, we continue to “social distance” and seek out new social distancing activities while being cautious and considerate. Also, we have friends & family with underlying conditions and autoimmune issues which require their social distance even more strictly — and we’re always looking for safe ways to be with friends. All of this to say, be mindful and respectful of others, wear your masks, and support our community!

To help, today, I’m sharing some social distancing activities in Nashville — or within a short drive. (See this post to read about 10 adventures near Nashville with great social distancing activities and easy-to-moderate hikes). Thanks to so many Nashville friends who have contributed!

1. Cheekwood Botanical Gardens

Address: 1200 Forrest Park Dr, Nashville, TN 37205

Cost of Admission: Admission varies. See website for costs. We highly recommend the family membership.

Website: https://cheekwood.org/

Social Distance/Mask Comfort: Since quarantine began, Cheekwood has limited guests through reserved timed entry making it perfect for social distancing activities. The open spaces and gardens make this an excellent place to social distance. Also, everyone has on masks when closer together. 

Best time of day/Week to go: Anytime

Description: Cheekwood is one of my all-time favorite places in Nashville – with or without kids. We’ve been for family events, date nights, after school to do homework outside, and I even go to walk and read in the gardens solo every once in a while. During Covid, Cheekwood has been a magical respite where we can explore outside while feeling safe. The current art installation is the ethereal glass sculptures of Chihuly which is fantastic but other family favorites that are available year-round include the new Bracken Foundation Children’s Garden, the Sculpture Trail and the Storybook Trail. Again, masks are widely used and social distancing is easy thanks to the timed entry. We love to bring a picnic and blanket, sketch pads and markers and plenty of water to enjoy these beloved gardens.

2. Nashville Sites Tours

Address: Headquarters are at 3000 Granny White Pike, Nashville, TN 37204 but tours are throughout the city and especially downtown.

Cost of Admission: Free* (Some tour stops may have entrance fees/costs if the user decides to explore further)

Website: https://www.nashvillesites.org

Social Distance/Mask Comfort: Users may choose to take a Nashville Sites tour either virtually or in-person, leaving the user in complete control of their tour experience. Nashville Sites in-person tours are almost entirely outside, making it easy to maintain social distancing standards. Some tour stops may encourage users to go inside a building to look around, but if users are more comfortable taking the entirety of their tour outside, there are still pictures and narrative text/audio to follow along with so they can still learn and explore.

Best Time of Day/Week to Go: If users wish to take an in-person tour and enter specific businesses or buildings, taking tours before the end of the business day would be best (between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m., approximately). Taking tours during the daytime would also be ideal to ensure the best visibility for users and safety concerns. Users may also take advantage of our “Virtual Tour” options and explore from the comfort of their own home at any time or place. 

Description: Nashville Sites develops walking tours and virtual tours of different parts of Nashville’s history, all free of cost and free of ads. Because of our increasingly interactive world, tours may be taken from mobile devices, laptop or desktop computers, and tablets, either in-person or from the comfort of your own home. Nashville Sites tours combine scholarly research with engaging history in order to bring Nashville’s story to life. Users can take one of the 20+ pre-planned tours or hop around stops and customize their tour, making this an individualized and unique experience that everyone can enjoy!

Contributed By: Marley Abbott, Director of Marketing and Information for Nashville Sites. FB: @NashvilleSites, Insta: @nashvillesites, Twitter: @nashvillesites

3. The Field At Franklin (Drive-In Movie)

Address:  1810 Columbia Ave, Franklin, TN 37064

Cost of Admission:  Everyone should be able to attend a show no matter their ability to pay.  Open contributions give people the option to pay what they can and even pay it forward to those who have been financially hurt.  You can order tickets online and bring your phone with the confirmation email to enter.  Payments are not accepted in person. 

Website:  https://www.ap-presents.com/

Showings:   AP Presents offers showings on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday with air times at 6:30 and 9:30 PM.  

Social Distance/Mask Comfort:  Located in Williamson, Co. the mask mandate expired August 29^th.  Masks guidelines can be found here, but overall, most people wear masks when walking around and cars are parked at least 6 ft. apart.

Description: In the COVID-19 era, The Field at Franklin provides a place to come together, in a safe way.  The timing couldn’t be better!  The field is very large and open with a massive 22-foot-by-41-foot LED screen.  Perfect for social distancing.  Plenty of room to spread out.  Parking is first come, first serve.  Gates open 45 minutes prior to the start of the movie/event.  Kids can enjoy some play time and adults can catch-up. The Field at Franklin is more than drive-in movies.  It’s set up that you can enjoy concerts and live events too!  There are food trucks and concessions on site.  Grab some food, enjoy a snow cone, and support local too!  You can have a picnic under the stars and watch a movie you haven’t seen in ages.  

Contributed by: Jami Michael. Insta: @nashvillewifelife

4. Belmont University Campus

Address: 1900 Belmont Boulevard, Nashville, TN 37212

Cost of Admission: Free!

Website: www.belmont.edu (Map link: http://www.belmont.edu/campus-map/files/campusmap.pdf)

Social Distance/Mask Comfort: The open spaces and gardens make this an excellent place to social distance. The University requires wearing a mask at all times while on their property – inside or out.

Best time of day/Week to go: Daytime

Description: Taking a walk with the dog around the Belmont University campus has been a staple on our weekend family activity list since quarantine began. The garden behind the Belmont Mansion is gorgeous. It is filled with blooming flowers of different varieties as well as fountains, gazebos, statues and verdant trees. A few steps away puts you in front of McWhorter Hall and a spectacular quad that reminds me of my undergraduate days. Another water fountain and a spacious lawn invite you to sit and read or throw a ball around. Perhaps our most favorite spot though, is the inviting stream found by the residence halls. Black-eyed Susan’s are in full bloom right now and while wading in the stream is frowned upon by security, it is pretty hard to not dip your toes in!

Contributed by: Regine Webster Insta: @regine.webster

Linkedin – https://www.linkedin.com/in/regine-webster-8792977/

5. Morning Glory Orchard

Address: Morning Glory Orchard, 7690 Nolensville Rd, Nolensville, TN 37135

Cost of Admission: Varies, depends on the size of the group and when you choose to tour

Website: http://morninggloryorchard.com/

Social Distance/Mask Comfort: Masks are not required as it is all outdoors. Groups are kept small and remain socially distanced outdoors.

Best time of day/Week to go: Tours are offered every Saturday at 3 pm during apple season. Reservations aren’t required but can sell out quickly so you want to go early. Weekday field trips can be arranged ahead of time and vary in price depending on the size of the group, which must include a minimum of 10 people.

Description: We love finding activities that are both fun and educational, and this one checks BOTH boxes. Morning Glory Orchard is not too far from Nashville, which makes it an easy option. Morning Glory Orchard is a working apple orchard where visitors get to, among other things, see trees of various sizes, learn about pollination and bees, pick apples from the trees, and taste apple cider. Be sure to bring a blanket and a lunch from home, because, after the orchard tour, you are able to enjoy a picnic in designated parts of the orchard. This is also a great time to journal, draw pictures of what you saw, or read a book aloud–Johnny Appleseed is a good option for the day! If you can’t make a weekday field trip, then you can attend a public Saturday tour where a guide will walk you through the orchard sharing the history of the place and describing how an orchard operates. You can also sample various products like honey, molasses, and cider before you leave.

Contributed by: Samantha Nelson, You can find us on IG and FB @weekendtripsfromnashville, Find your PERFECT road trip from Nashville at WeekendTripsFromNashville.com

6. Photowalk Nashville

Address: Meeting point is Milk and Honey on 11th Ave. S

Cost of Admission: Rates depend on group size

Website: www.photowalknashville.com

Social Distance/Mask Comfort: Small private groups only, masks worn in between walking to photo spots.

Best time of day/Week to go: weekdays for less crowds, early mornings or late afternoon are best.

Description: Photoshoot and tour with one of Nashville’s best photographers! Perfect for families, couples, birthdays, friend groups and Bachelorette parties. Your photographer takes you to all the best spots in The Gulch for an interactive and informative walking tour, while stopping for pictures along the way. Private groups can be a customized experience to get the best photos for your group. Photos are professionally edited and delivered in 3 days on a downloadable gallery. Fun for all ages and creating memories is encouraged!

Contributed by:  Christy Hunter/ founder of Photowalk Nashville and Authentic Photos and Designs

Insta: @photowalknashville @authenticphotosanddesigns www.photowalknashville.com

7. Arrington Vineyards

Address: 6211 Patton Rd, Arrington, TN 37014

Cost of Admission: Entry is FREE as well as parking; however there are Elevated Tasting Experiences from $55-560 and a variety of discounts with their membership. See website for details.

Website: www.arringtonvineyards.com

Social Distance/Mask Comfort: Social distancing guidelines are in place. Arrington has over 5 acres of outdoor picnic areas. With hillside and picnic areas all around the vineyard, the entire family will feel safe spending the day at Arrington. Masks are required when entering any of the buildings.

Best time of day/Week to go: Anytime!

Description: Arrington Vineyard is perfect anytime of the year! The first time I visited this local winery was for my birthday — my husband jumped in the car and drove us to this surprisingly magical place. Arrington is a great place for the entire family, but it’s really special with a significant other or friends. Plan ahead: prepare your trip by packing a picnic, cooler, blankets, or folding chairs. Picnic tables are available but sitting in the grass on a blanket is what I most enjoy. We like to stop a few exits from the Vineyard at the local grocery store to pack our cooler and picnic basket with all our favorite finger foods and snacks. Pack light because there is a bit of a hike up from the parking lot to the picnic areas. On Fridays, they have local food trucks set up, so if you want to do a quick, less fussy trip you can partake in the food trucks (see details on website). As a winery, they have all sorts of wines to purchase, but as soon as you settle into your spot I recommend trying the Frosé. It’s a sweet red and so refreshing which compliments the atmosphere of the winery. Sit back, relax, breathe in the fresh air, enjoy some great music (sometimes a live band), creating the most perfect carefree vibes.

Contributed by: Porsche Pope. Insta: @polishedpope, website: polishedpope.com.

8. The Bookshop — Private Shopping

Address: 1043 W. Eastland Avenue, Nashville, TN 37206

Cost of Admission: However much money you have in your budget to add books to your TBR list!

Website: http://www.herbookshop.com/

Social Distance/Mask Comfort: Masks are required to shop in person at The Bookshop. Private shopping appointments (for 15 or 30 minute increments – scheduled via the website) are the only way you can browse and shop in person but you can schedule an appointment for you and up to two other people. Joelle (owner) + Ryne (staff) both wear masks and also provide hand sanitizer for customers. Purchases are totalled and billed via a Square invoice sent to your email inbox to reduce transmission risk from exchanging cash or credit cards so make sure to bring your device of choice (cell phone, cell service enabled tablet, etc.) that will allow you to check your email and process the payment while in store.

Best time of day/Week to go: Anytime.

Description: I have been a supporter of The Bookshop since it was first known as Her Bookshop the day the doors first opened in 2016 in a little nook in the Shoppes at Fatherland. A little over one year later owner Joelle Herr moved her impeccably curated collection of titles over to the current location on W. Eastland, adding 150 sq. ft. more space and eventually changing the name to The Bookshop. Joelle and Ryne, her sole staff, ensure The Bookshop shelves always host a varied selection of best selling titles and less-well-known tomes. If you still can’t find exactly what you’re looking for on those shelves, they will happily place a special order for you. Kiddo (3.5 years old) and I have been missing our Saturday morning storytime routine (where I’ve been lucky enough to be asked to read on a few occasions!) for the past 6+ months but are relieved that Joelle has found ways to adapt to the current pandemic climate in a way that meets her customers retail needs while keeping everyone as safe as possible. We will be taking every opportunity to continue to visit our favorite neighborhood independent bookstore in person, to sit on the beloved pink velvet bench or snag a spot on the floral rug to browse the latest new-to-us titles for a few minutes before deciding which books will be the lucky ones to come home with us.

Contributed by: Alexandra Payne, Insta – @raisingnashville and website – www.raisingnashville.com

9. Picnic in the Nashville Parks

Address:  Any park or greenspace near you!

Cost of Admission:  Free!

Website: https://www.nashville.gov/Parks-and-Recreation.aspx 

Social Distance/Mask Comfort:  Our beautiful Nashville parks provide ample space for social distancing. We always bring a mask if needed.

Description: One of our favorite social distancing activities is grabbing food curbside at a local restaurant (favorites lately include Radish Kitchen, Hugh Babies & Poncho & Lefty’s) or grab some food at a local grocery store (favorites include The Produce Place, The Turnip Truck & Trader Joes) and head to a park to eat and play. Sometimes we bring lawn games or cards, other times we invite friends. Here is a list of our favorite Nashville parks — we also recommend the green space at One City (where you can grab a to-go cocktail at Pastaria) or simply bringing the food on your own porch or backyard!

10. Cummins Falls

Address: 390 Cummins Falls Lane, Cookeville, TN 38501

Cost of Admission: No fees to enter and see the falls but you will need to purchase a Gorge Access Permit for $6 to visit the base of the waterfall.

Website: https://tnstateparks.com/parks/cummins-falls

Social Distance/Mask Comfort: Some masks, but people are considerate being outside. Also, the permit requirement reduces the amount of visitors.

Best time of day/Week to go: 100 permits available per day and can be purchased online for $6. Access to the overlook and other hiking trails above the gorge will not require permit access.There will be limited parking available to control the numbers in the park so it’s not overcrowded during any time of the week or day.

Description: Cummins Falls is a short hour and half drive from Nashville and was named one of the ten best swimming holes in America by Travel and Leisure magazine. The falls itself is 75 feet high, the eighth largest waterfall in volume in Tennessee.  

The adventure begins at the overlook, where you have to climb down to a small finger that sticks out farther than the rest to get a really good look at the falls. 

From there you will follow the bluff’s edge downstream, through oak, hemlock, and laurel, to reach the stream, or, if you want to visit the top of the falls first, the upstream trail leads off from the left of the overlook area, and can also be used to return to the parking lot if you do not wish to continue to the base of the fall.

The rocks are slippery,  the stream is wide so be careful before you end up like me and find yourself facedown in the water.  Adventurous families will love this hike. It provides lots of scenic beauty that both kids and grandparents alike will enjoy along with the natural swimming pool so don’t forget your bathing suit.

Contributed by: Tomiko Harvey. Insta: @Passportsandgrub, FB: @Passportsandgrub, Website: www.passportsandgrub.com

For more social distancing activities You may enjoy 20 (more) Free Things to do in Nashville with Kids, and some favorite Nashville murals (and 7 more).