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Through Heather's Looking Glass

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Clarksville Tennessee: A Hidden Gem in Middle Tennessee

September 18, 2024 | Travel

Disclosure: This trip was sponsored by Visit Clarksville, however, all opinions are my own.

Clarksville Tennessee is the 5th largest city in Tennessee, and sits just outside of Nashville. We had the opportunity to visit for the weekend to showcase all the fun things there are to do for families.

We checked into the Holiday Inn right off the interstate in the afternoon. Rooms were very spacious! They had popcorn and cookies in the lobby which held us over until dinner!

Just across the interstate was a black light mini golf course called DND Mini Golf. It was super cool and a fun activity in the air conditioning! I loved the fun black light twist. They also had an arcade.

Right by the hotel is a beautiful newish place called Old Glory Distilling Co. and that’s where we went for dinner. The menu was all delicious as were the drinks. They also provide tours of the distillery. They have a large outdoor space that looks so fun for good weather! The pork nachos were my fave.

The next morning after breakfast we headed downtown to the Customs House Museum. It’s a great museum and downstairs was a super fun kids area. Emma Kate would have stayed all day!

5.) We walked a couple blocks over from the museum to lunch at Strawberry Alley Ale Works, then explored a few of the adorable shops nearby. We found so many cute things!

visit Clarksville

Next we walked a couple more blocks to the Downtown Commons. (Notice the car stayed in the same place! So walkable downtown!) They have a large grassy field and a stage where they host fun events. There is a cool water feature some kids were playing in! We found a soccer ball and did some running around before leaving.

After the fun downtown, we drove just a few short minutes away to Fort Defiance. It’s free to tour the museum and walk around outside. So much history! We walked around where the actual fort once stood which was wild.

visit Clarksville

Right on the River is McGregor Park. Emma Kate loved the playground and it has great views of the water from the benches we sat on.

After playing we walked around the Riverwalk next door and saw a lot of people walking and jogging. Would be a great place to meet up with a friend and get a workout in.

visit Clarksville

The highlight for Emma Kate was The City Forum. It’s a giant indoor play area with an arcade, mini golf, laser tag, bowling, go karts, a carousel, and more! She was in heaven. Such a great place for kids and families for a rainy or hot day.

Lastly, dinner was right next door at Dock 17. We enjoyed some happy hour drinks and a delicious dinner. They had a great menu and super cute aesthetics.

visit Clarksville

The next morning we headed home but could have gone back downtown for a Saturday market, and more local food. So much to do, we could have easily spent another day in Clarksville!  Any questions for me? Keep this list handy for when you visit Clarksville Tennessee!

 

Related: Steal my itinerary for North Alabama

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I am Heather Montgomery, a southern girl living in Knoxville, Tennessee with my husband Bobby, 11-year-old daughter Emma Kate, and our goldendoodles Dolly and Luna. I’m just a regular girl who likes to workout, travel, hang with my family, text, and eat chips and queso. Be sure to check out my “about me” page for more info!
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