People from all over the country are flocking to Franklin, TN. Who can blame them? It’s a beautiful place to live and there are so many locally owned and family-friendly businesses here in Franklin. My family has missed going out and about this past year and we feel like we have so much catching up to do. My son still talks about "the old days" when we could sit down inside a restaurant in downtown Franklin or visit our favorite indoor playground in Cool Springs. Here are a few of my family's favorite places we look forward to visiting again...
1. The Franklin Theatre
419 Main Street, Franklin, TN 37067
(615) 538-2076
Box Office Hours: Tuesday-Sunday, 11am-5pm (closed 1:30-2pm)
Event hours vary.
The Franklin Theatre has sat on Main Street in downtown Franklin since the 1930s. In the early 2000s, it was revamped and reopened as not only a functioning movie theatre but also a live entertainment venue. I love it because they feature movies from the 80s and 90s so I get to feel a little bit like a kid again when we see a movie there.
2. The Grilled Cheeserie
334 Main Street, Franklin, TN 37064
(615) 905-0467
11am-9pm daily
The Grilled Cheeserie started in Nashville as a popular food truck, but they now have three physical locations: two in Nashville one on our very own Main Street in Franklin. The diner-like atmosphere features a menu with gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches for moms and dads as well as classic grilled cheeses for the kids if yours are as picky as mine. The pimento mac and cheese is to die for! Yum!
3. Pinkerton Park
405 Murfreesboro Road, Franklin, TN 37064
(615) 794-2103
Pinkerton Park is within walking distance of downtown Franklin. Whatever ages your kids are, they will find somewhere to play between the many slides, jungle gyms, and TWO sand pits. Your family can take a stroll along the paved one mile walking trail, or you can grill out in one their pavilions. During the summer, don’t forget to watch my events page for Pinkerton’s Movies in the Park schedule.
4. Third Coast Clay @ The Factory in Franklin
230 Franklin Road, Franklin, TN 37064
(615) 599-2200
Third Coast Clay, located inside The Factory in Franklin, is a paint-your-own-pottery place unlike any other. They have a huge selection of pottery at a wide range of prices. The kids will love to paint little animal statues or trinket dishes. I’ve always found painting pottery to be as relaxing as it is fun to do with my son, or even just a group of friends on a girls' night out.
5. The Barn Door
109 S Margin Street, Franklin, TN 37064
(615) 794-0089
Tuesday-Saturday: 10am-5pm
This shop markets itself as a custom framing store, but it is so much more than that. At the Barn Door, you will find vintage and antique decor, toys, and furniture, vintage or handmade clothes for adults and children, and original Southern-style handmade decor and artwork. Every time I visit, there’s something new and unique to look it.
6. SOAR Adventure Tower
3794 Carothers Parkway, Franklin, TN 37067
(615) 721-5103
Monday-Thursday: 10am-9pm
Friday-Saturday: 10am-10pm
Sunday: 10am-8pm
Visible from I-65, SOAR is a four-story outdoor climbing tower that’s fun for adults and safe for kids. Scared of heights? No problem. Enjoy their mini golf course safely from the ground. This is a super unique and fun adventure for the whole family.
7. Gray's on Main
332 Main Street, Franklin, TN 37064
(615) 435-3603
Monday-Thursday: 11am-pm
Live music Thursday, Friday, & Saturday Evenings
Gray’s might be more of a date night locale, but they do have a kids menu and some seriously yummy desserts (banana pudding!). This is another one of those old buildings in Franklin that got refurbished into something completely different. Gray’s was once an old-timey pharmacy that served soda pop. The original sign is still there, but now they serve custom Southern-style gourmet dishes, original cocktails, and they even feature live music three nights a week.
8. The Monkey's Treehouse
91 Seaboard Lane, #103, Brentwood, TN 37027
(615) 942-7911
Monday-Thursday: 9am-4:30pm
Friday: 9am-7pm
Saturday: 9am-1pm
Closed Sunday
When you’re sitting at home and your kids are climbing all over the furniture, but it’s too hot, or too cold, or too rainy to go outside… take them to Monkey’s Treehouse. It’s a huge indoor playground with trucks and trains and a little pretend town where your kids can dress up and be the fire chief or the mailman. If you have babies two and under, they can safely play in the sectioned off littles’ play area while you have full view of your big kids monkeying around.
9. Maniac's Chicken
99 Seaboard Lane, #500, Brentwood, TN 37027
(615) 370-2803
Monday-Saturday: 11am-8pm
After your kids have worked up an appetite at The Monkey’s Treehouse, take them over to Maniac’s for some seriously good chicken strips. It’s all in their secret recipe--and they’re not telling anyone!
10. Noble Springs Dairy
3144 Blazer Road, Franklin, TN 37064
(615) 481-9546
Hours vary. Check their site for tour dates.
For your animal-loving kiddos, Noble Springs Dairy offers an educational experience… with goats! This is a working goat dairy farm that offers tours at various times throughout the week. Kids can see how a dairy farm functions and pet the goats, and the whole family can enjoy the beautiful scenery and fresh country air only a few miles away from downtown Franklin.
These are just a FEW of the things my family looks forward to doing again as Franklin opens back up again. If you liked these suggestions, please subscribe to my newsletter to hear about more great places to take the whole family in Franklin, TN.
