Zoos and Nature Centers in and around Nashville, TN
It's not just the Nashville Zoo (although that is indeed wonderful)! There are tons of places kids and families can experience animals and nature in the Nashville area.
What have we overlooked? Email your Nashville editor, Helena, and she'll take care of it.
Cheekwood Estate & Gardens
With its intact and picturesque vistas, Cheekwood is distinguished as one of the leading Country Place Era estates in the nation. Formerly the family home of Mabel and Leslie Cheek, the 1930s estate, with its 30,000-square-foot Mansion and 55-acres of gardens, today serves the public as a botanical garden, arboretum, and art museum. The property includes 13 distinct gardens including the Bracken Foundation Children’s Garden, TRAINS exhibit and a 1.5-mile woodland trail featuring contemporary outdoor monumental sculpture. Visitors enjoy family activities, programming for all ages and year-round festivals celebrating the four seasons. From 250,000 blooming bulbs in the spring to one mile of holiday lights in the winter, there’s always something to see at Cheekwood.
