Thanksgiving is just around the corner! Nashville is home to many amazing restaurants to dine in or pick up meals for your family! Here are a few of my favorites!
Thanksgiving in Nashville 2023
Fall at Barnsley
Barnsley Resort in North Georgia has been a family tradition of ours for the last few years! Barnsley is the type of place that allows you to take a deep breath and truly relax! We are thankful to have spent our 4th annual trip there over the weekend! I think it was our best visit yet!
Saturday morning’s forecast was rain, rain and more rain! Barnsley is full of outdoor opportunities so we were at first a little bummed. However, we embraced the rain and it didn’t stop us from enjoying the property!
First up, we had a late breakfast at Woodlands Grill-the kids love their waffles and you can’t beat this breakfast sampler!
It’s so nice having a few dining options onsite-we don’t get in our car the entire weekend.
After breakfast, we strolled over to the Outpost to check out the latest merchandise and gifts! I loved all of their floral books!
This girl loved splashing in the puddles, playing bocce ball in the rain and didn’t mind getting wet!
On Saturday afternoon, we had an adventure like never before! We went muddin’ with ATVs! Barnsley truly has something for everyone-from the spa, farm animals and horse riding, clay shooting, golfing, educational programming and lots more!
My family’s motto was the muddier the better! We rode through beautiful countryside! Seth had a smile on his face the entire time and the kids competed to see who could get the most mud on them!
I think the boys especially are hooked and want to do this more often!
Although, this girl was sad when we were heading back in! She’s my thrill seeker!
While I tried not to get as muddy as everyone else, I just sat back and enjoyed the landscape of the Georgia mountains!
After an eventful afternoon, we showered up and headed over to the Beer Garden for dinner and live music! The kids threw football and played cornhole while we ate our pizza and watched football! It was such a nice evening! And of course, s’mores around the fire pit were the highlight!!
On Sunday morning, we rode over to explore the Manor Ruins. This unique structure has so much history and just takes you back in time!
Barnsley is such a special place and gives guests the opportunity to embrace nature and recharge their spirits! We are always appreciative of the memories made here.
I noticed these flowers shaped like a heart in the garden. It made me smile and think, we do heart you, Barnsley!
See our past trips to Barnsley (Amazes me when I look back at how big my kiddos are!)
2023 Fall Guide + Pumpkin Patches
- September 16th through October 29th
- Cheekwood
- Celebrate fall with Nashville’s favorite pumpkin village, live music in the beer garden, stroll through the gardens to see fall foliage, seasonal workshops and more!
Stephens Valley’s 5th Annual Fall Festival and Market
- September 30th beginning at 11 a.m.
- Stephens Valley
- Free family-friendly event with local vendors, live music, food trucks, a petting zoo and pony rides, face painting and a balloon artist.
- Saturday, September 10th through Monday, October 31st
- Gaylord Opryland
- Opryland’s family-friendly Halloween activities and all-ages seasonal entertainment offer fall fun with peace of mind. Jack-o-lantern walk, trick-or-treating, Ghoul School, scavenger hunts, animal encounters, Ghouls Night Out boat cruise and more!
Honeysuckle Hill Farm Fall Festival
- September 23rd through October 29th (check their website for available dates as some are reserved for field trips, etc)
- Honeysuckle Hill Farm in Cooperstown, TN
- Country Music Corn Maze, Pumpkin Train, hillbilly pig races, pumpkin patch, kettle corn, caramel apples, zipline adventure park and much more!
- Saturday, October 28th from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Historic Downtown Franklin
- The Heritage Foundation of Williamson County’s 38th Annual Pumpkinfest is Middle Tennessee’s largest family fall festival. Autumn-inspired food and drink, children’s activities, live music, costume contests for pets and families, and outstanding arts & crafts – featuring seasonal and specialty gift items!
- Saturday, October 7th from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Historic Granville’s Fall Festival kicks off a full month of decorations and scarecrows that are simply “over the top.” One of Tennessee’s Largest Scarecrow Festival, visitors will enjoy see over 300 scarecrows of Mayberry characters and traditional scarecrows. Fireworks on the Cumberland, a Quilt Show and more taking place throughout October.
- October 13th though the 29th
- Nashville Zoo
- Enjoy fall-themed scenes, special animal shows, trick or treating for the kids and more!
- Through October
- Lucky Ladd Farms, 4374 Rocky Glade Rd. Eagleville, TN
- Pumpkin Patch, themed corn maze, apple cider, caramel popcorn, farm animals, children’s games and activities
- September 30th through October 30th (See their site for daily hours)
- Pumpkins, corn maze, trails, farm animals, seasonal treats and much more.
- Open Thursdays-Sundays September 23rd-October 29th
- Walden Pumpkin Farm will have pumpkins, children’s activities, local produce for sale. Free entry and parking.
- October 1st through 31st
- The Hermitage
- Explore the haunted side of history during our Hermitage Ghost Tours! After dark this fall, embark on a distinctly spooky voyage at Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage as you explore the mansion, grounds and cemetery by lantern light. Along the way, guides present stories of strange encounters such as the ghosts of the Battle of New Orleans and Jackson’s infamous meeting with Tennessee’s Bell Witch. Beware of eerie encounters, possibly even with President Jackson himself.
- Saturday, October 7th from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Downtown Gallatin Main Street
- Gallatin’s Main Street Festival will feature over 200 vendors *FREE*
- Saturdays and Sundays September 23rd through October 29th
- Wilson Family Farm (4809 Byrd Lane College Grove)
- 8 acre Corn Maze, sunflowers and zinnia fields, Hayride, cow train, pumpkin sling shot, lots of activities for young and old. A true pick your own patch, but we have plenty picked for you also. Homemade jams, jellies, salsa and breads. Admission is $12 per person ages 2 and up and includes all the activities.
Fall Festival
- Sunday, October 29th from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Wilburn Street Studio, 307 Wilburn Street Nashville, TN 37207
- Bring your little ones, friends, family, and even your pets. All are welcome! Entry is FREE, complete with a bouncy house, pumpkin painting for kids, live music, food and beverage vendors, holiday photo session by NicoleSchaafPhoto and more!
September Events
- September 16th through October 29th
- Cheekwood
- Celebrate fall with Nashville’s favorite pumpkin village, live music in the beer garden, stroll through the gardens to see fall foliage, seasonal workshops and more!
- September 1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd, 29th and 30th
- Centennial Park
- Free music series at Centennial Park! Performers include Sunflower Bean, The Watson Twins, Will Hoge, The Wild Feathers, Josie Dunne, and more.
- September 8th at 6:30 p.m.
- Nashville Zoo
- Sunset Safari is an annual event at the Nashville Zoo that includes live entertainment and food and drinks from local restaurants— all while you’re surrounded by animals around the zoo. This is a ticketed event.
- September 9th beginning at 3 p.m.
- Riverfront Park
- Enjoy samples of over 100 wines, beers and spirits while listening to live entertainment. Food will be available for purchase from local restaurants and food trucks. Proceeds from the event benefit THE DISTRICT and 2nd Ave Strong.
- September 16th
- Watkins Park
- The Nashville Parks Foundation hosts its Picnic for the Parks event with live music, food, and drinks. Plus, don’t miss some of Nashville’s most experienced riders as they perform in an exhibition on the new Watkins Park Pump Track. Proceeds support the design and installation of a Junior Pump Track in the neighborhood.
- September 17th from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- East Park
- Free Family-friendly day event that will include food trucks serving delicious vegan fare, live music, face painting and a family fun zone. Guests will learn more about the benefits of a plant-based, healthy, cruelty-free lifestyle. The Gentle Barn is the presenting sponsor and will have a booth where festival-goers can win prizes, and find out about the non-profit animal sanctuary’s efforts to rescue, rehabilitate and house at risk animals.
Nashville Sounds Fan Appreciation Weekend
- September 22nd through 24th
- First Horizon Park
- Cheer the Sounds on as they finish out the 2023 season! Fan Appreciation Weekend will include a Friday Fireworks Show, live music, a Sounds belt bag giveaway on Saturday and Sunday Family Fun Day finale! There will also be special prizes and concession specials all weekend as well as autographed memorabilia auction on Friday.
- September 23rd and 24th
- The Park at Harlinsdale
- A music festival including performances byThe Lumineers, The Black Crowes, Hailey Whitters and many more. A children’s area and shopping areas will also be onsite.
- September 28th beginning at 5 p.m.
- Travellers Rest Historic House Museum
- Family friendly event where attendees can enjoy a picnic on the grounds, historic toys, games, and live music. Live music featuring songwriters have written for artists like Lainey Wilson, Meghan Trainor, Reba McEntire, and more. historictravellersrest.org
- September 30th
- The grounds of Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage
- Country singer/songwriter Phil Vassar headlines the event. There will also be an art and travel auction and dinner.
Stephens Valley’s 5th Annual Fall Festival and Market
- September 30th beginning at 11 a.m.
- Stephens Valley
- Free family-friendly event with local vendors, live music, food trucks, a petting zoo and pony rides, face painting and a balloon artist.
- September 30th-race begins at 9 a.m.
- Nissan Stadium
- Run or walk and raise funds for St. Jude
London
London is calling….I blame it on all the books I read but my heart has been set on visiting London for years! I’ve tried to get there (even Owen got to visit the United Kingdom before I did!) for years, even the direct Nashville to London flight didn’t help my chances! But thanks to Open Invite, my dream finally came true! Lauren with Open Invite planned the best itinerary as she knows all the local spots!
Day 1: We stopped at the most beautiful Petersham Nurseries for lunch in Richmond. It may have been my most favorite spot of the whole trip! We explored the Royal Mall, Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square, shopping at Harrods and walked and walked around town.
It was very surreal to see Buckingham Palace and the guards there. I had hoped King Charles would invite us in for tea but unfortunately he was at the Ascot Races.
Can you tell we are American tourists? After exploring, we checked in and rested at our hotel-Page 8, which was right in the middle of town and such a convenient location! In fact, the MLB was in town and was just across the street for fan festivities. We had the most amazing dinner at Dishoom!
We started Day 2 by boarding Brigit’s Bakery Tea Bus making my dream of riding a double decker bus come true! The bus was equipped with the cutest tea party set up and as we enjoyed our treats, we drove around and saw many sights around London.
After the tea tour, we explored the sights taking in Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, Tower Bridge and stopped by Borough Market for an afternoon snacks!
After Borough Market, we raced over to Westminster Abbey for the Evensong service. This program was so special to experience, so much history in that church. It’s been home to coronations, Royal weddings and is a burial location for many dignitaries. Hearing the Westminster choir was something I’ll always treasure.
The group headed in a few different directions for the evening. I decided to stroll through Covent Garden-such a lively area with so many shops and restaurants. I dined at The Ivy and it did not disappoint!
Of course, I had to check out some of the charming local bookstores! Stanfords had such a great selection of local travel books and so much more! I could’ve spent hours in there!
Day 3 found us touring Kensington Palace! I have to admit it was different than I pictured it. However, I really enjoyed seeing the exhibit and gardens! We also saw a helicopter touching down when we arrived, pretty sure it was William and Kate’s ride!
These wildflowers made me happy, poppies symbolize remembrance and hope for the future!
After the Palace, we had lunch at the delicious {and historic} Maggie Jones before walking around the most charming Notting Hill! I adored all the quaint homes, gardens, shops, Portobello Road…all the things! We ended our trip with dinner on the Thames at The Swan.
I absolutely loved London! NYC has always had my heart as the best city but London is now in the running! I wish I would’ve had more time in this amazing city!! Until next time, London! Thanks Open Invite Trips for planning the best trip!
The Cotswolds
I have dreamed of the Cotswolds forever! Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres of books and many are set in England include charming villages like the Cotswolds. If there ever was a storybook setting, this is it! Around every corner are lovely, old homes wrapped in ivy, gorgeous gardens (even their dog parks are beautiful lush gardens!) We strolled through boutiques (my most comfy pink dress), ate at delicious restaurants and stayed at the coziest inn that’s been around since the 14th Century!
I could’ve just stayed in my room, which overlooked the patio (especially when the rain was trickling down) but we enjoyed a cooking class at Harts Barn Cookery School (click here for their scone recipe), a day browsing Stow-on-the-Wold and dinner at Tattersals.
We also toured the historic campus of Oxford University and went “punting” down the river! It was one of my favorite experiences of the trip!
I cannot recommend this area enough and hope that I will get to go back to this dreamland again soon. And I appreciated how dog-friendly everywhere was! The sweetest dogs were all around! Thanks Open Invite for planning the most amazing trip!
