7 Of Nashville’s Most Beautiful Parks
Known for Southern comfort, food, and hospitality, Nashville is also home to many beautiful parks. These parks are set minutes away from the big-city amenities for daily outings to get some exercise and have fun in the fresh air.
Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park
Set on the downtown’s outer ring right before Germantown, many come to the park for the panoramic views dominated by the Tennessee Capitol. Designed by the local architectural firm Tuck Hinton Architects to resemble the Mall in Washington DC, it was constructed to honor the state for its 200th year anniversary. Comprising an outdoor museum with free admission, it is a popular spot for tourists and history buffs with a 200-foot granite map of Tennessee and 31 fountains, among other sights. The 11-acre park is flanked by the Nashville Farmers market on one side and the Nashville Sounds stadium on the other. There are four paths to traverse the park, with the exterior Pathway of the Counties and Pathway of History and the interior Path of Volunteers, each offering a unique view. The park combines Nashville history with beautiful views while offering occasional concerts and an amphitheater for entertainment.
Centennial Park
One of Nashville’s most popular parks, the 132-acre spread is known for the Parthenon, the one-mile walking track, Lake Watauga, and the Centennial Art Center. Set two miles west of downtown, it sprawls the West End area near Vanderbilt University and the Hospital Corporation of America. Naturally beautiful, the park also comes with numerous historical monuments and a magnificent sunken garden. Many come for the exhibits at the museum, festivals at the band-shell and a shelter for events, or to play volleyball and walk their four-legged friends through the dog park. The glorious Parthenon with a scaled statue of the Athenian Parthenon and a statue of Pallas Athena are used primarily as an art gallery. There’s also the artificial Lake Watauga, where college students study on the shores or play sports on the lawns. Centrally set in the conglomeration of offices, restaurants, and streets, it is also a perfect spot for a scenic lunch break during the work week.
Radnor Lake State Park
The 1,368-acre park comes with a Class II Natural Area designation known for its richness of wildlife, environmental education initiatives, and hiking, all proximate to the center. Open only in the daytime, its 7.75-mile path is reserved for hiking, photography, and wildlife viewings, while the Otter Creek Road is for dog-walking, jogging, and cycling. Offering one of the best natural areas within urban proximity in the city, the park also comes with an artificial lake, forested areas, and a paved road closed to traffic for scenic walk-throughs. There are steeper paths suitable for challenging hikes, where people can truly leave civilization behind and immerse themselves in the wild and beautifully pristine natural atmosphere.
Riverfront Park
Constructed in the 1980s as a memorial to the river history of the city, the park tells a scenic story of the settlers from the 1780s who explored Nashville’s Cumberland River. The urban park stretches along the bank of the Cumberland River with beautiful views and an amphitheater, a popular spot for concerts and events. There, one can enjoy various live music and country festivals accompanied by gorgeous sunsets. The quintessential park is also great for everyday strolls along the river, boating, and picnicking for the best retreat right in the city. The greenway path connects to Rolling Mill Hill Greenway, a dog park, ornamental garden, and lawn for events, while Fort Nashborough comes with a historic display of Nashville’s rich past. Just a block away, one will find Nashville’s gem of a waterfront with some of the finest downtown restaurants to recharge after exploring.
Sevier Park
One of Nashville’s most beautiful and deeply historic parks, it is beloved by young and old, where kids come to play, and adults gather to enjoy the beautiful scenery. The new recreation right in the heart comes with a modern gymnasium for various athletic recreations and a community meeting space. Part of the 12 South neighborhood, the park features playgrounds, tennis courts, and a basketball court for the active. There are also many trees for shade, an ample green area bisected by Sunnyside, and many shops and restaurants just a short stroll away. Many come equipped with hammocks or blankets for an afternoon in the fresh air for relaxation or fun in the sun. The popular park gets especially energetic during the weekly 12 South Farmers’ Market held on Tuesdays during summer and is known for produce, meats, dairy, baked goods, and specialty items.
Shelby Park
The large, urban park set three miles east of downtown Nashville picturesquely sprawls the shores of the Cumberland River. The 1,200-acre spread is popular among dog-walkers for daily strolls along the river together with an off-leash dog park. Found in a very historic part of the city, many come for some exercise and fresh air following a scenic city tour. There are many paths for hiking and biking, along with the scenic train bridge running over the park that comes with the Greenway path enclosed by trees. There are several baseball fields, two golf courses, and a nature center covering 361 acres of the park for varied recreational opportunities. The varied choice of activities also includes boating, fishing, and picnicking by the small lake or riverfront, while the nature center lets one discover the local flora and fauna.
The Warner Parks
Comprising two parks collectively known as “The Warner Parks,” the Edwin and Percy Warner Parks are set nine miles from downtown Nashville. One of Tennessee’s largest municipally controlled parks, they cover over 3,100 acres of woodland and grassland, coming complete with a Nature Center, picnic shelters, a dog park, equestrian center, scenic motorways, and overlooks. The scenic drive to the park taken by over 50,000 annual visitors brings one to a beautiful, sprawling forest and field to enjoy some quality time with others or a peaceful day with many activities also available. Millions of fitness fans come each year for the park’s many hiking trails, mountain biking and horse trails, cross country running courses, golf courses, and athletic fields. Aside from the many well-worn paths and the Iroquois Steeplechase hosting exciting horse races, the park is a designated significant historical community resource by the National Register of Historic Places for some scenic time travel. One can breathe the scented air from the oak-hickory and beech-maple temperate forests and cedar glades, while the hidden springs, creeks, and wetlands add diversity to the never-ending experiences.
One cannot visit the vibrant city of Nashville without immersing themselves in the scenic atmosphere found in one of its many beautiful parks. This list of scenic natural getaways within urban limits lets one experience every side of the must-visit city.
