Right now tens of thousands of travelers are preparing to leave on their annual pilgrimage to Memphis, Tennessee. The Elvis die-hards will spend the next week celebrating the life and times of their favorite entertainer at his Graceland home. Memphis is a fabulous place to visit, but Tennessee is also home to another wonderfully family-friendly city—Nashville.
If you are traveling to the area with family members of varying ages consider making pit stops at the following attractions. They all offer activities to keep even the youngest member in your group happy.
Nashville Zoo at Grassmere
The Nashville Zoo is considered one of the best in the nation, namely because of all of the unique programs and exhibits they host. For example, one of the newest offerings, a red river hogs habitat, is a rare find. The “hogs” are about five feet in length and weigh in at a hefty 250 pounds. And let me tell you these red hogs aren’t your average farm animals. They have red coats, contrasting black-and-white markings on their heads and white-eye rings… not something you see at every zoo in the nation. The red hog exhibit joins the ever-popular giraffe, elephant, gibbon, alligator and iguana exhibits. Admission to the zoo is $11 for adults, $9.50 for seniors, and $7 children, ages 3-12.
The Hermitage
If you have children the Hermitage is the perfect place for them to receive a hands on history lesson. For those of you unfamiliar with the name, the Heritage is the residence of former president Andrew Jackson and is the most visited president’s home in the nation after Washington’s Mount Vernon, Jefferson’s Monticello and the White House. The estate is located 12 miles east of Nashville and draws more than 250,000 visitors annually. (Translation: expect company and long lines.) The home is furnished as it was when Jackson returned from his second term as president and each room includes historical facts that you can quiz your kids on later. Admission is $14 for adults, $12 for seniors and students (13-18), and $6 for kids 6-12.
Country Music Hall of Fame
No trip to Nashville is complete with a visit to the Country Music Hall of Fame. The popular museum houses thousands of items from country stars past and present, including Elvis Presley’s solid gold Cadillac, Dwight Yoakum’s torn jeans, a Harley donated by Alan Jackson and a 100-year-old Gibson guitar. In addition to the exhibits, guests are also treated to live performances and song-filled galleries. Tickets to the Hall of Fame are $17.95 for adults, $15.95 for seniors and the military and $7.95 for kids 6-17. You can also tour the legendary recording studio on Music Row where many of Elvis’ early hits were produced for an extra $7.
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