Weekend Trips from Nashville | The Best Places to Visit near Nashville

Nashville is such a great city but sometimes you just need to get out of town, right? I’m a firm believer that one doesn’t have to travel far to explore the world. Some of my favorite spots in the world, even after traveling quite a bit, are in my own backyard. There are so many driveable spots in and around Tennessee and here are ten weekend trips from Nashville to take.

Psst: Looking for more information on Nashville? Check out a few of our other posts!

- Do’s and Don’ts of Nashville, Tennessee
- 11 Fun Facts about Nashville

Asheville

I think I’ve waxed enough poetic about Asheville that you all know how much I love that city. If you’re looking for a mixture of small city meets mountains meets epic views then Asheville is the perfect spot for a weekend getaway from Nashville.

Asheville is a very inclusive city that makes it perfect for anyone no matter your reason for needing a weekend away. I love to visit for the amazing hiking, the mouthwatering vegan food, and overall aesthetic of the city.

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ESSENTIAL INFO
Distance from Nashville >> 4.5 hours
Reason for Getaway >> Outdoors, Vegan Food, Romantic, LGBTQ+

Atlanta

24 HOURS IN ATLANTA, GEORGIA

I grew up going to a lot of Braves (baseball) games in Atlanta and with it only being 4 hours away, it’s the perfect weekend getaway from Nashville. You should definitely head here if you’re looking for a bigger city vibe, are a sports fanatic, or looking for a good food scene.

I haven’t been back since going vegan (which really needs to change soon) but the vegan scene is supposed to be incredible as well. Searching for street art and visiting Oakland Cemetery are two of my favorite things to do while in Atlanta.

24 Hours in Atlanta, Georgia

ESSENTIAL INFO
Distance from Nashville >> 3.5-4 hours
Reason for Getaway >> City escape, Sports fan

Chattanooga

Nestled between Nashville and Atlanta is Chattanooga. This is a super easy day trip from Nashville too with it being under two hours away. Chattanooga still has a small town feel so it’s great if bigger cities aren’t your thing. Make sure to check out Ruby Falls, Lookout Mountain, or hike the Fiery Grizzard trail.

weekend trips from nashville

ESSENTIAL INFO
Distance from Nashville >> 2 hours
Reason for Getaway >> Family-friendly, Outdoors

Indianapolis

VEGAN INDIANAPOLIS

I visited Indianapolis for the first time in 2017 and surprised me in a lot of ways! There are so many outdoor activities within downtown, lots of green spaces, a perfectly walkable city, tons of vegan food options and very family friendly as well.

ESSENTIAL INFO
Distance from Nashville >> 4-4.5 hours
Reason for Getaway >> Family-friendly, vegan food, city escape

Gatlinburg

moonshine gatlinburg great smoky mountains road trip

The Smoky Mountains are one of my favorite places in the entire world and Gatlinburg is settled right on the outskirts of the National Park. While I’d much rather be in the actual park exploring the forests and trails, Gatlinburg is a nice little town getaway as well.

I much prefer Gatlinburg over Pigeon Forge but I’d definitely head over to Pigeon Forge to visit Dollywood for the day. Whatever you do, do not miss getting into the actual park though. It’s the most visited national park in the country and it’s free!

ESSENTIAL INFO
Distance from Nashville >> 3.5 hours
Reason for Getaway >> Family-friendly, Outdoors

Huntsville

Huntsville is located less than two hours south of Nashville and it’s a shame that I don’t get down there more often. There are some great things to do here including hiking, a great art scene, space camp (!), speakeasies, and more.

weekend trips from nashville

ESSENTIAL INFO
Distance from Nashville >> 2 hours
Reason for Getaway >> Family-friendly, Outdoors

Knoxville

Knoxville sits less than three hours east of Nashville and is where I went to college so it will always hold a special place in my heart. Knoxville isn’t a huge city. Downtown is still small and quaint – definitely visit Market Square. If you’re looking for somewhere to eat, do not miss Vegan Sanctuary Cafe.

weekend trips from nashville

ESSENTIAL INFO
Distance from Nashville >> 2.5-3 hours
Reason for Getaway >> Quiet city escape, Outdoors

Louisville

weekend trips from nashville

Louisville is known for probably one main thing – the Kentucky Derby. Check out this post on why I strongly urge you not to support this cruel tradition. There is definitely zero shortage of bourbon in Louisville so if that’s your thing, definitely consider checking off some of your Bourbon trail while here. There are also some great green spaces, Cave Hill Cemetery, street art, and delicious vegan food.

ESSENTIAL INFO
Distance from Nashville >> 2.5 hours
Reason for Getaway >> Vegan Food, Bourbon

Memphis

Memphis has changed and is still changing regularly. Come for the music and history as always but there’s a lot more to do now too including many green spaces including two state parks nearby, biking paths, many sustainability initiatives, and more.

weekend trips from nashville

ESSENTIAL INFO
Distance from Nashville >> 3 hours
Reason for Getaway >> Cultural, Music

St Louis

My brother was in grad school for three years in St Louis so I was able to visit many times and realized how underrated of a city it is. In fact, the whole Midwest is fairly underrated and it’s a shame. It’s such a great place to explore and St Louis is fantastic. It’s got a little bit of everything for everyone. Lots of museums (almost all are free) making it perfect for families. Lots of green spaces (a park larger than Central Park). A fantastic vegan food scene.

weekend trips from nashville

ESSENTIAL INFO
Distance from Nashville >>
Reason for Getaway >> Outdoors, Vegan Food, Family-friendly

As you can see there are plenty of weekend trips from Nashville that you can take and this only scratches the surface. One of the things I love about my city is how centrally located it is – you can reach the coast, the midwest, Florida and more within a few hours. If you have any questions about any of the places above, let me know!

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Ashley Hubbard

Hi! I'm the Founder and Editor-in-Chief at Wild Hearted. I'm a Nashville unicorn (born, raised, and based), queer, vegan, and dedicated to leaving a positive impact through her life, work, and this website.

I'm also a freelance writer and creator. You can see my published work here. I've been featured by Impact Travel Alliance as a creative who is transforming travel, and by Matador Network as a vegan travel blogger you should be following on Instagram.

When I'm not writing, I'm traveling, reading a book, trying not to kill my houseplants, worshiping my dog, or having an existential crisis.

You can also reach out to me on Instagram and TikTok.

Want to know more? Here's my full bio.

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