Franklin, Tennessee is a city that’s rich in history and quaint, Southern hometown charm. It’s one of the wealthiest cities in the US, but there is nothing pretentious about it.
We visited this charming city on a road trip and we quickly discovered there were plenty of things to do in Franklin to make it worth stopping off at for a few days.
I knew it would be a cute Southern town full of charm, but I didn’t realize how much there was to see and do here.
In this guide, we’ve shared some of our favorite attractions in Franklin TN and what you can do on your visit there.
Table Of Contents
Things To Do In Franklin TN 1. Do a Civil War Home Tour at Carnton House 2. Visit Downtown Franklin for Boutique Shopping 3. Have Lunch at The Factory 4. Explore Leipers Fork 5. Drive over the Natchez Trace Parkway Bridge , Natchez Trail Parkway 6. Attend Open Mic at Puckett's Grocery 7. Franklin Drive Thru Safari 8. Franklin Farmers Market Final Thoughts Pin to Save on Pinterest
Things To Do In Franklin TN
1. Do a Civil War Home Tour at Carnton House
I highly recommend you start your day in the city of Franklin on a civil war tour at the Carnton House. My Dad is a major history buff, especially around Civil War battles (we worked in a visit to Gettysburg because of it), but he hadn’t heard of the battle at Franklin, one of the bloodiest of the Civil War.
The Carnton house was a federal style residence and the home the home of the wealthy McGavock’s. President Andrew Jackson was once a guest in the house.
The guided tour shared the life of the McGavock family, their house and the trauma they went through in attending to the wounded, cleaning up the horror, burying the dead, and then trying to survive after the war was over as they lost a large amount of their wealth.
We learned that on Nov 30th 1864, the community of 750 people were swept into the middle of a massive frontal attack on the Federal position by Gen John Bell. It was a charge bigger than Pickett’s Charge at Gettysburg, a fact my Dad couldn’t get over.
The right wing of the Southern army moved past Carnton. Can you imagine sitting in your living room and seeing thousands of soldiers suddenly marching past your window?
The area around the house was under heavy fire for five hours leaving nearly 10,000 casualties: 2,000 dead, 7,000 wounded and 1,000 missing.
Carnton House became a field hospital which housed the first of the wounded. There were 300 wounded soldiers inside the house and several hundred others spread across the grounds and bodies of confederate generals were laid out on the back porch.
Our passionate and informative guide took us up to the bedrooms, which had been recreated to show what it was like during the battle as surgeons stood by windows to take advantage of us much sunlight as they could while they amputated limb after limb.
Blood stains can still be seen on the wooden floorboards. One extra large puddle in the corner shows where the limbs would have been piled high.
We heard stories of the wounded begging to be put out of their misery. It all felt so very real and distressing.
Carnton House Garden
Slave House
After the tour you can roam around the property to see the beautiful family garden, the slave house and springhouse, the battlefield area and the military cemetery.
The confederate cemetery was created to be the final resting place of nearly 1500 killed during the Battle of Franklin. It’s the largest private Confederate cemetery in the US.
We weren’t sure how we’d go for time so missed the Carter House, which tells the story of another family affected by the Civil War. We all wished we did do it as we enjoyed this one so much.
Confederate Cemetery
Learning about the Civil War history here is one of the best things to do in Franklin, TN.
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Check out this tour of Carnton House, Carter House and Lotz House in Franklin where you can explore the Civil Rights history of this Tennessee town.
2. Visit Downtown Franklin for Boutique Shopping
We started with a coffee at Frothy Monkey after recommendations from a couple of people that was the place to go for a good coffee. They weren’t wrong. It had that Southern way of asking you to sit and chat for awhile.
But not for too long as we couldn’t get out to enjoy one of the most charming downtown streets we’ve discovered so far in the US.
Downtown Franklin Tennessee
Downtown Franklin is known as America’s favorite street, so has to be high on your list of things to do in Franklin, TN.
Downtown Franklin is a 16-block National Register district mix of historical and modern charm. It’s Main Street has antique shops, gift and book stores, trendy boutiques, art galleries, and Southern homes.
Our first stop was Magpies, a boutique store for girls aged 5 to pre-teen. The clothes, accessories and bits and pieces were stunning – bright, cheerful and stylish.
Craig’s parents had given the girls money to spend so they were delighted to choose an outfit each to buy.
It was a gorgeous store and probably the girl’s favorite on our USA road trip (apart from American Girl Doll that is).
Don’t miss White’s Mercantile, which is owned by Holly Williams, daughter of Hank Williams, Jr. You’ll find all things southern in this store.
You’ll also find the Franklin Theater, which is an iconic spot to get your classic marquee photo, or even perhaps see a show, if you stay in Franklin for longer than a day.
It’s a restored movie house which now hosts movies, live music and live theater.
The owners of Landmark, a book shop on Main Street, were the inspiration for author Karen Kingsbury’s New York Times best selling book, The Bridge, which also became a Hallmark movie of the same name.
The building itself is also one of the oldest in Franklin, and was where Andrew Jackson paid his soldiers after they returned from the Spanish American war.
Be sure to stop into the Franklin Visitor Center. They have guitars and banjos on the wall you can sit down and play. I loved jamming with the girls in this space.
3. Have Lunch at The Factory
Not far from Main Street is The Factory at Franklin , which is 11 depression-era factory buildings that have been renovated to house restaurants, art galleries, working artisans and storefronts that showcase local culture.
It’s listed in the National Register of Historic Places and is a more culturally immersive and interesting than a visit to a traditional mall.
We dined at Mojo Tacos , a Mexican restaurant inside The Factory. It’s a super cool Taco Shop, that’s casual and has quick service. I love the bright and colorful in design.
The tacos are fresh and innovative with flavors like adobo chicken, Korean cauliflower, and Tennessee style like hot chicken, braised pork, and slow-smoked brisket.
If you have time after lunch, you may want to stop at Third Coast Clay, where you can create clay art pieces to take home.
Or pop into Five Daughter’s Bakery for a donut treat!
4. Explore Leipers Fork
Not far from Franklin is Leipers Fork, the home of musical legend…Justin Timberlake. There were other famous musicians to have been born in or moved to Franklin and Leipers Fork. Miley Cyrus was born in Franklin, Chris Stapleton moved to Leipers Fork in 2017, and Tim McGraw and Faith Hill own a farm outside Leipers Fork.
Apparently, Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman live out here, and we did have eyes peeled in case we ran into him (we didn’t).
Of course, you’re more likely to bump into them in Los Angeles than Leipers Fork these days, but it’s still cool to see how such a quaint, small town can harbour so much creativity.
Located just 10 miles from Franklin, it’s a haven for musicians who want to live a quiet, inconspicuous life.
Leipers Fork is not just a haven for musicians, but creators of any kind. It’s obvious by the row of galleries alongside the very small and cute country town main street.
All shops and roads lead to Puckett’s Grocery, where an eclectic group of people in cowboy hats, and boots, and summer dresses sit around petrol bowsers chatting, smoking and quietly laughing.
There’s time in Leiper’s Fork to just enjoy the simple things – creating and connecting. For the art lovers, Leipers Creek Gallery displays art pieces by local and regional artists.
Behind Leipers Creek Gallery is the “Lawn Chair Theater” where there is a stage overlooking an open field. Movies are hosted here every Friday nights during June, July and August.
Bring your picnic blanket, lawn chairs and the kids for a great evening out. They sometimes have concerts as well.
Check the Facebook page for schedules and news about some amazing events!
Don’t miss the David Arms Gallery. I loved sitting in the chair soaking up the relaxed atmosphere, watching Savannah play near the window with the light dancing around her, listening to classical music and enjoying the masculine energy of the space and art.
This one is more for the men, but definitely a space where women for once can just sit and wait until their men have finished shopping.
5. Drive over the Natchez Trace Parkway Bridge , Natchez Trail Parkway
If you have time after your shopping on the main street of Leipers Fork, you can take a short 20 minute drive along the Natchez Trail Parkway starting at the Natchez Trace Parkway Bridge. (on our best road trips in the USA and Spring break destination ideas for families)
It’s a spectacular double arched bridge 107 feet off the ground. The views from here looking over the valley filled with gigantic mansions on the mountain sides is worth it.
Just north of the bridge there is a parking area with a view of the bridge and the valley below. Just south of the bridge is an exit ramp that takes you down to Tennessee Highway 96.
At the bottom of the hill there is a parking area with a view looking up at the entire length of the bridge.
The Natchez Trail l was an important travel route for Native Americans and early European-American settlers. Today the 444-mile Natchez Trace Parkway roughly follows its path and passes a mile away from Leiper’s Fork.
Leipers Fork is the only historic district on The Natchez Trail.
6. Attend Open Mic at Puckett’s Grocery
If you’ve visited Nashville, you’ve probably heard of Puckett’s Grocery. It began in Leipers Fork in 1953 and has since evolved into local stores located in Tennessee, including Franklin and Nashville.
It’s known for its live music, authentic Southern food- classics like the meat-and-three and slow-smoked BBQ – and its home grown feel.
At Puckett’s in Leipers Fork you can also get groceries and fill up your car. It’s been a community meeting point for over 60 years and still maintains that atmosphere.
It’s an eclectic mix of tourists, farmers, country music stars, and singer song writers. There’s nothing fancy on the inside. It’s dark and mismatched, but welcoming and friendly. There’s a buzz in here, especially on the night we visited, which was Open Mic night.
This lady was sensational!
Their open mic night is legendary, think like the Bluebird Café in Nashville, and attracts talent from near and far.
Many of the big names in music live nearby, and many more of the song writers and producers do too. It is not uncommon for multiple Grammy winners to hop up on stage, along with newcomers and locals.
Music starts at 6.00pm and goes to around 10.00pm – 11.00pm. It’s okay to take the kids but you may not want to keep them there to the end. It was starting to get rowdy when we left around 8.00pm.
And if you can have a kid-free night, then I’m sure you’ll have a lot of fun. Patrons spill out to the bowsers outside, chatting and laughing. It definitely has that vibrant local feel.
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7. Franklin Drive Thru Safari
Want to see wild animals roaming freely without the cages you find in your typical zoo? Then head to Franklin Drive Thru Safari , where you can get up close to the animals without the need to interfere with them.
See exotic animals from around the world, from giraffes and zebras to lemurs. There’s also a petting zoo, reptile house, and baby animal room.
8. Franklin Farmers Market
We love a farmer’s market. We always try to check them out whenever we visit a new place as it’s a great place to find fresh produce from the local region which you can then eat with a picnic.
The Franklin Farmers Market is the place to go if you want to find local produce, fruit and dairy, which have all come from local farms in the area.
The market happens every Saturday morning, from 9.00am – 12.00pm.
Use the map below if looking for a place to stay in Franklin, TN. We stayed in Nashville and traveld in for the day. I’d love to stay overnight in Franklin and explore more.
Final Thoughts
One thing we didn’t realize about Franklin is that it’s a gentle, amble kind of place. We didn’t need a lot of time to explore the city, and we actually had more time than we needed as everything is smaller than we realized.
Franklin, Tennessee is only about 21 miles from Nashville, so it’s easy to visit on a day trip from Nashville.
I would have loved more time there to dive deeper, and we’ll definitely make Franklin a stop when we visit Nashville again, because that place is always on our travel list.
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Can you recommend other captivating things to do in Franklin, TN? Have you visited Franklin on a day trip from Nashville, or stayed overnight? Let us know in the comments.
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