Destinations

Franklin TN Journey Information

It’s not straightforward to maintain a historic city fantastically preserved…and even tougher to replace it to Twenty first-century sustainability requirements. However Franklin, Tennessee (est. 1799) has achieved the uncommon combo of Nationwide Historic Register of Locations and LEED-certification…citywide! They’re simply certainly one of 120 cities (of the ~20,000 within the USA), to have earned this Management in Vitality and Environmental Design accolade for his or her forward-thinking programs and improved high quality of life. Locals are pleased with the place they’re from so that they take excellent care of their hometown and are completely satisfied to share it. Strolling the historic streets filled with impartial retailers and cafes, canoeing proper from our lodge, and tapping our toes to stay music throughout city, we rapidly fell in love with this place too. Lengthy overshadowed by its big-city neighbor Nashville, Franklin is not a day-trip vacation spot. We stayed 4 nights within the space and nonetheless have extra we need to come again and discover. Get to know probably the most charming and sustainable cities in America with our Franklin, TN Journey Information.
 

Franklin Strolling Tour

Franklin TN Walking tours

You won’t assume a downtown that’s 16-blocks large would wish a strolling tour (particularly when Go to Franklin has crafted some nice self-guided choices), however exploring with an area information is the easiest way to get your bearings and the within scoop. So we set out with Alicia Marshall, the proprietor and self-proclaimed historical past nerd at Franklin Strolling Excursions, for the two-hour “Franklin Allure” stroll. Excursions meet Monday-Saturday at 9am in entrance of the attractive Landmark Booksellers, the oldest industrial constructing on the town. Earlier than the Civil Warfare, Williamson County was one of many richest within the state and so they have numerous opulent Antebellum structure to indicate for it. However the Battle of Franklin on November thirtieth, 1864 devastated the city, with over 8,500 casualties turning just about all their buildings into discipline hospitals. Alicia identified blood stains soaked into the wood flooring and bullet marks pocking the partitions of buildings. Like all former accomplice state, their story isn’t fairly however we respect that Franklin isn’t sugarcoating its previous. Town is making ongoing reparations with initiatives like their “Fuller Story” markers and the March to Freedom Statue on the principle sq., honoring the function and sacrifices made by African People in making Franklin what it’s at the moment. We liked our cease at ANC Williams’ home, who was the primary African American enterprise proprietor in downtown Franklin, and studying that town simply named a avenue after him. Persevering with our stroll round city, Alicia confirmed us the row of homes the place Katy Perry, Taylor Swift, and different musicians usually keep once they have initiatives in Nashville and that many stars (Keith City, Nicole Kidman, Brad Paisley, and extra) have made Franklin their house. After stopping at locations just like the Heritage Basis (the previous jail) and an 1820s house-turned artwork gallery, we rapidly realized that every constructing had a deeper story behind its fairly facade. The tour ended at Bakehouse with a heat sprinkle cookie for good emotions throughout.

Tip: For extra nice historical past excursions, strive “Franklin’s Fierce Females” and go to the Carnton Home & Museum for an enchanting take a look at the Battle of Franklin.
 

Purchasing Principal Avenue

Main street Franklin Tennessee

Franklin’s Principal Avenue is so charming and well-preserved the Nationwide Civic League named it a “Nice American Principal Avenue.” The constructing facades are an exquisite mixture of Victorian, Tennessee Federal, Artwork Deco, and Craftsman structure, and the interiors are renovated to up to date perfection. Just about no chain shops or tchotchke retailers, the boutiques are genuine and hip, like Holly Williams’ (granddaughter of nation legend Hank Williams) White’s Mercantile providing a set of her favourite issues with Southern model. Or Rooted From Yarrow Acres aka “Franklin’s Little Plant Store,” run by a mother-daughter staff who provide “recent” decor and workshops on how you can construct your individual terrariums. And Philanthropy who donates 10% of their trend and residential items proceeds to charitable causes (and 100% while you store on-line)! Strolling underneath lamp posts, adorned with hanging flowers and flags, we discovered ourselves stopping each few toes for a cute new retailer. For the final word Principal Avenue expertise, we caught Franklin’s First Friday Artwork Scene, when retailers keep open late to show new artworks and share a glass of wine with the neighborhood. This occasion introduced us into cute companies that we wouldn’t have in any other case visited, like Parker Home Salon that had painter Lorrie Fowler making stay artwork with a blow dryer (which is now hanging on Buddy the Camper’s wall and gave us the possibility to satisfy so many beautiful locals.

Tip: Don’t miss Playing cards of Care. In entrance of metropolis corridor you’ll see a yellow mailbox with pens and paper the place individuals go away nameless notes of positivity for anybody who wants a smile. Take a word and go away a word to maintain this circle of fine vibes going.
 

The place to Eat

best restaurants in Franklin TN

Southern cooking is completed to perfection on this city, with some eating places serving up the classics (BBQ, biscuits, scorching hen, candy tea) and others giving it a recent twist. We liked Frothy Monkey for his or her artsy vibe and bountiful vegan choices and spectacular espresso bar, and Pink Pony was the proper spot for a date evening. Voted “Finest Restaurant within the County” and incomes a half-dozen Open Desk awards, Pink Pony is an upscale native favourite. We noticed Jerk Eggplant Meatballs on the menu and have been instantly intrigued, and once we requested about different vegan choices, they crafted a cashew-cream stuffed portobello and an almond-milk & darkish chocolate mousse for dessert. What a deal with! And for true southern fare and certainly one of coolest tales on the town, there isn’t any higher place than Grey’s. With its iconic neon signal and a entrance door painted with the names of all of the earlier house owners of Grey Drug Firm over the previous century, you’ll know you’re in the appropriate place. The most recent house owners have honored its Rx historical past and used previous prescriptions (they unearthed throughout a renovation) for wallpaper and saved the graffiti-style dairy of a previous worker (beginning with the start of his son in 1950 and ending 30+ years later with “Gone Fishing”). One more reason to go to Grey’s is the stay music and cocktails. Their Anthym Spirit was voted the “South’s Finest Whiskey Drink,” with its easy mixture of apricot brandy, benedictine, and chai bitters. We indulged in a mid-day cocktail, fries, and crispy Brussels sprouts and have been completely satisfied vegans. (see our TikTok about Grey’s). As for espresso retailers, don’t miss The Espresso Home at Second and Bridge in a historic cottage with a fantastic yard to sip your espresso.
Enjoyable Reality: The round city sq. is nicknamed is the “Squircle.”
 

Nightlife

Nightlife Guide Franklin TN

Whilst you ought to actually hit up Grey’s for stay music and their subsequent door neighbor Oh Be Joyful for inventive cocktails, a go to the Legendary Kimbros Pickin’ Parlor is necessary. An previous nook retailer smashed along with a Victorian cottage, this funky spot is the place Franklin will get down. We walked via the collection of rooms-turned bars and hang-spaces and felt like we have been at an superior home get together. The principle stage has seen names like John Prine, Wynonna Judd, to Emmylou Harris, and also you by no means know who’s gonna present up on open mic evening or of their free-for-all jam room. Additionally, test which reveals are taking part in on the iconic Franklin Theater (saved by the Heritage Basis!), they’ve performs, stand-up comedy, films, and extra for an incredible date evening.

See our video for the most effective of Franklin’s Principal Avenue

 

Manufacturing facility at Franklin

Factory at Franklin

This really isn’t our first time to Franklin, TN. Years in the past we got here for a gathering on the Lonely Planet places of work in The Manufacturing facility at Franklin. Whereas that journey writer is not headquartered there, The Manufacturing facility is getting cooler by the day…in actual fact, come fall 2022 they’re having a grand reopening of their unimaginable complicated of outlets, eating places, and leisure venues. Initially a Nineteen Twenties range manufacturing unit, it was on the verge of being demolished within the ’90s, however an area developer Calvin Lehew noticed the sweetness within the industrial house and its potential for a group hub, and now it’s on the Nationwide Historic Register of Locations. Preserving the unique water tower, metal beams, paned home windows, and concrete flooring, it’s house to 80 native companies, just like the Luna File Store, 5 Daughters Bakery, The Mockingbird Theater, Mojo’s Tacos (sooooo good), and the weekly farmer’s market. We obtained chatting with Bonnie, the proprietor of the reward store Occasions Previous & Current, who was the second tenant within the constructing and so proud to nonetheless be right here 23 years later and past excited for the place The Manufacturing facility at Franklin is heading.

 

The place to Keep

Harpeth Hotel

We checked into downtown’s scorching new lodge, the Harpeth. It’s in Hilton’s Curio assortment of boutique accommodations with up to date decor and private touches. Their 1799 Kitchen & Cocktails is among the nicest eating places on the town, and McGavock’s espresso store is cool sufficient that locals come for lattes. We adored our nook suite with stylish decor, spa-like toilet, seating space, and a balcony trying over city. Cleverly designed, they positioned the mattress in the midst of the room and made a headboard with a fold-out desk—as a pair that works collectively, we completely respect this house resolution! That stated, with a bottle of champagne and sundown view from our balcony…we didn’t get a lot work accomplished!

Tip: For a luxurious lodge in Franklin’s countryside, Southall Farms is poised to be the world’s premier getaway with its 62-room inn, farm-to-table delicacies, spa, and trails stretching throughout 325 acres. Opening winter 2022.

 

Harpeth River Blueway

harpeth river blueway

The place does the Harpeth Lodge get its title? The river that runs behind their lodge and thru downtown Franklin! To provide residents extra human-powered transportation and recreation alternatives, town joined the Harpeth River Blueway Challenge to make the river simpler to kayak and SUP. Downtown has six entry factors; we selected Harlinsdale Farm, a historic 200-acre park (and residential of the annual Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Competition), and paddled upstream in direction of our lodge. When it’s a relaxed river, we prefer to paddle upstream, then have a leisurely float again (no shuffling of automobiles or hitchhiking required). The Harpeth water ranges can get a bit of low by mid summer season so spring is the most effective time, however we didn’t thoughts selecting up our kayak for brief stretches—particularly as a result of we had the river all to ourselves! We noticed a number of nice blue herons, dozens of turtles, and large bass splashing about on this biodiversity hotspot. We hopped out on the beautiful Bicentennial Park for a stroll then paddled upstream till we hit our lodge.

Tip: For leases and guided journeys on the Harpeth, Paddle Canine has you lined.

 

The Village of Leiper’s Fork

Leiper's Fork TN

Eight miles west of Franklin lies one other world…Leiper’s Fork. This was a near-forgotten whistle cease city till the Nineties when a handful of Tennesseans turned its destiny round. Aubrey Preston and Bruce & Marty Hunt began renovating the historic buildings and hand-selecting artists, antiquarians, entrepreneurs, and individuals who would love and look after this place. They weren’t seeking to flip an enormous revenue and so they by no means needed it to develop too large. Fostering group and goals was all the time at its coronary heart. Immediately, Leiper’s Fork is only a village of round 650 individuals, however a few of the residents embrace Chris Stapleton, Mike Wolfe (host of American Pickers), and Justin Timberlake. The humanities run via the veins of this city—from David Arms Gallery, a century-old barn dispalying the artist’s work and ornamental curiosities, to Leiper’s Creek Gallery that options internationally acknowledged artists (a lot of that are native). Serenite Maison has a beautiful assortment of house decor and about 15 devices…that aren’t on the market. That’s Picker’s Nook, the place guitars and fiddles are on the prepared if any passerby looks like taking part in a tune. (We have been there all of 5 minutes earlier than somebody began pickin’!) Sadly, after twenty years, the stunning proprietress Alexandra is retiring, however with the constructing nonetheless owned by Leiper’s Fork matriarch Marty Hunt, there isn’t any method this house will lose its Leiper’s magic. Many guests come for a day journey, however we’re so glad we stayed the evening at Pot n’ Kettle Cottages. Homeowners Sam & Eric have been additionally wooed by this place across the time of its restoration and their magazine-worthy leases helped put Leiper’s on the map as a vacation spot in its personal proper. Our 1939 “Picker’s Cottage” with its entertaining kitchen, three bedrooms, and funky hangout areas made us really feel native for the evening. Somebody noticed our camper parked on the residential avenue and welcomed us like we have been transferring in. Everybody on the town is so darn pleasant!

Tip: Don’t miss Tennessee Turquoise within the previous smokehouse tucked off the principle avenue behind Leiper’s Creek Gallery. That is Morgane Stapleton’s (Chris’ spouse) jewel field of a store the place every buy of their new and vintage turquoise offers again to the Nationwide Indigenous Girls’s Useful resource Heart.

 

Fox & Locke Open Mic Night time

Fox and Locke Music Venue

It wasn’t luck that we arrived to Leiper’s Fork on a Thursday evening, that is when Fox & Locke hosts their legendary open mic. This music venue and homecookin’ restaurant obtained its fame as Puckett’s, however they’ve simply gone again to its authentic title from when it was a grocery retailer in 1947. By way of expertise, nothing has modified, with artists that are usually previous or future Grammy nominees. We arrived at 6pm and the patio was bumpin’ and inside was standing room solely, however our pal Matt scored us a entrance row seat for probably the most intimate and superior music experiences. Musicians come from throughout (one band drove from Detroit via the evening and one other man flew in from Canada!) to audition day-of for his or her probability at one of many 20 spots on stage. We have been blown away by each act—be it a teenage lady with an enormous set of pipes or the author for that “Night time Shift” music that’s everywhere in the radio. When the present was over and the bar was closed, the inventive power was nonetheless flowing with musicians nonetheless jamming on the entrance porch. Get your self to Leiper’s Fork on a Thursday and keep the evening!

See extra of Leiper’s Fork in our photograph gallery.

 

Tennessee Whiskey Path

Tennessee is world well-known for its whiskey, however do you know that solely three counties in your entire state may legally make the stuff till 2009?! Earlier than prohibition, Tennessee had a whole bunch of distilleries, although even after the federally-enforced dry spell, the state’s legal guidelines remained tight and solely two have been allowed to reopen. That stated, there’ll all the time be moonshine and the stills saved cooking in previous barns and backrooms. Come the Twenty first century, lawyer and distiller, Heath Clark determined to tackle these antiquated legal guidelines and struggle for small-batch makers. After an extended battle, he efficiently rewrote Tennessee legislation and whiskey manufacturing has opened up throughout the state with over 60 distilleries bringing craft spirits again to the individuals! The Tennessee Whiskey Path connects the dots between the distilleries, so we grabbed a passport and obtained stamped at two within the Franklin space. Beginning with Heath Clark’s very personal, Firm Distilling. He partnered up with former Jack Daniel’s grasp distiller, Jeff Arnett, to make a few of the finest bourbon, whiskey, and gin round. Leiper’s Fork additionally has their very own improbable distillery. We rolled as much as their 200-year-old cabin-turned-tasting-room, and folks have been having a grand ole time taking part in cornhole on the garden and consuming on the porch. On the Leiper’s Fork Distillery guided tour, we met “Ginger” their huge copper nonetheless, peered contained in the cypress-wood tanks, and sipped their double-gold-winning bourbons till we felt heat & fuzzy. Excited to see the place our passport takes us subsequent! See our Instagram gallery above for photographs from these glorious distillery excursions.

 

Natchez Hint Parkway & Timberland Park

Natchez Trace Parkway TN

Leaving Leiper’s Fork, it was effectively well worth the detour to the hop on the Natchez Hint Parkway, a Nationwide Park-protected 444-mile byway following the historic footpath utilized by Native People, European settlers, Mississippi River merchants, Civil Warfare troops, and future presidents. You’ll know the place know the place to show while you see the 1,572 ft-long double arch bridge hovering over the highway. We pulled over for Buddy the Camper to get his signature photograph opp in entrance of the nationwide park signal and realized you may hike to the bottom of the bridge and climb round this architectural marvel. Driving throughout, the views are fabulous of the plush Birdsong Hole and a mile later you’ll attain the pleasant Timberland Park. Enjoyable reality, this county park is the one one within the nation allowed to function on federal land. They proved their value and self-sufficiency by working solely off-grid, planting an Audubon-approved butterfly backyard, and providing guided walks and lessons for the group. We actually loved our hike alongside their forested trails and desirous about the generations of people that walked these hills.
 

FirstBank Amphitheater

best music venues

A completely surprising spotlight of our time in Franklin? Scoring live performance tickets at one of many coolest venues within the nation! As soon as a quarry, tall limestone partitions and 140 acres of forest encircle the model new FirstBank Amphitheater. To reclaim the rock-quarry-turned-trash-heap, they recycled and reused 900 tons of fabric and rebuilt to the very best requirements of sustainability. Plus, they’re dedicated to being zero-landfill with plastic-free concessions, the place every thing is both recyclable or compostable. In lower than a yr of operation they’ve already received the Tennessee Governor’s Environmental Stewardship Award! We’d have seen any live performance right here simply to expertise this candy new venue, however we had the nice fortune of catching the nice Willie Nelson. Eighty-nine-years previous and nonetheless rocking sturdy, the man is really dwelling legend. Singing alongside to On The Street Once more…“Like a band of gypsies we go down the freeway. We’re the most effective of associates, insisting that the world hold turning our method…” we felt like he was singing only for us. Watch our TikTok video from the live performance.

 

Giving Again

Franklin TN volunteering opportunities

In each vacation spot we companion with, we discover methods to provide again to the group that might even be enjoyable for different vacationers. The Giving Backyard is simply that! We spent the morning among the many FFUMC’s 5 acres of fields, flower beds, and greenhouses, studying from their grasp gardeners and chatting with the locals as we boxed up freshly harvested produce for these in want. The farm produces 30,000 kilos of meals a yr and rescues 15,000 kilos extra from the farmers market to distribute wholesome meals to Center Tennessee’s underserved communities, plus flowers to the aged. Anybody can volunteer (their kids’s backyard is cute!) and you may simply present up any Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, or Saturday from 8am-11am April-October. We have been so impressed by the work on the Giving Backyard that we donated $150 and determined to maintain the giving practice going with one other $150 donation to the Harpeth River Conservancy for preserving this ecosystem thriving for the flora, fauna, group, and guests like us.

An enormous thanks to Go to Franklin for inviting us to their inspiring group and for supporting our content material creation.



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