A fall weekend here is cool mornings on the trails, Cheekwood in full harvest mode, and a fire pit somewhere by evening. These are the places we'd spend one, a few day trips included, with the seasonal ones dated and the fall festivals on our calendar after them.
Cheekwood Estate & Gardens
A 1920s mansion and 55 acres of gardens, and through Nov. 1, 2026, Cheekwood Harvest: the whole garden in fall festival mode, with a scarecrow trail, 5,000 mums and the pumpkin house.
- When to go
- A weekday morning in October beats the weekend crowds. On October weekends, use the free off-site parking and trolley, and buy dated tickets online a few days ahead.
- What to do
- The gardens and the Cheek family's Georgian-style mansion. Adult tickets run $20 to $26 for the gardens, depending on the date; members get in free, and non-members pay for parking.
- Good to know
- The Carell Woodland Sculpture Trail is closed for construction, so don't plan around it. Thursday evenings through Oct. 29 bring Harvest Nights: illuminated scarecrows, live music and cocktails.
Percy and Edwin Warner Parks
More than 3,100 acres of wooded hills, scenic drives and trails, nine miles from downtown.
- When to go
- Late October, for the fall color. Weekday mornings are the quietest.
- What to do
- Climb the stone Allée steps at the Belle Meade entrance, walk the 4.5-mile Mossy Ridge loop, or take the Luke Lea Heights spur off the paved loop for the best downtown overlook.
- Good to know
- Start at the Nature Center on Highway 100 for trail maps (Tuesday to Saturday, 9 to 4). Dogs are welcome on a 6-foot leash everywhere except Burch Reserve.
Radnor Lake State Park
A protected lake and wooded ridges about 20 minutes south of downtown, where locals go to see deer, herons and owls.
- When to go
- Early. The gates open at 6 AM and the lot fills fast in nice weather; a Scene writer waited 30 minutes to park.
- What to do
- The lake loop, about three miles around the water, or Ganier Ridge for a climb of more than 200 feet. The aviary opens to visitors Wednesday and Saturday, 10 AM to 1 PM.
- Good to know
- Stay on the trails. Dogs, jogging and bikes are allowed only on paved Otter Creek Road, and there's no picnicking.
Natchez Trace Parkway and the Double Arch Bridge
A free scenic drive from the Loveless Cafe to the Double Arch Bridge, 8.7 miles south, and on to Leiper's Fork.
- When to go
- Late October, for the fall color, with morning light on the bridge.
- What to do
- Breakfast at the Loveless Cafe near the north end, then the drive. Stop at the overlook just past the bridge for the classic view.
- Good to know
- The bridge is 1,572 feet long and won a Presidential Award for Design Excellence in 1995.
Arrington Vineyards
Twenty-two house-made wines, five tasting rooms and weekend music on the lawn through November, 25 miles south of town.
- When to go
- A weekend afternoon in October, before the music season ends in November.
- What to get
- A tasting of the 22 wines made on site.
- Good to know
- Book on Tock and bring a designated driver. Parking is free.
Fall Creek Falls State Park
Tennessee's highest waterfall, 256 feet, on the Cumberland Plateau, under two hours away.
- When to go
- Late October, for the fall color, or after rain, when the falls are fullest.
- What to do
- The falls themselves, and a night at the park's new lodge if you can stay over.
- Good to know
- Check the park's closure list before you hike: Millikan's Overlook is open, but its trail is still closed after the 2023 tornado.
Trails in the morning, a fire pit by sundown.
Harriet's Rooftop
The 1 Hotel's rooftop: fire pits and sunsets early in the evening, house music later.
- When to go
- Early evening, for the fire pits and the sunset. A weekend dinner reservation gets you the louder house-music night.
- What to get
- The frozen piña colada with a Campari float, or the Tropic Delight, made with a syrup from pineapple skins and cores.
- Good to know
- Book the Nashville rooftop through 1hotels.com; harrietsrooftop.com is the West Hollywood Harriet's.
Parlor Wine Bar at Urban Cowboy
A wine bar in the parlor of Urban Cowboy's Victorian mansion, with three fireplaces.
- When to go
- Cool evenings, when the fireplaces are lit. There are no reservations, and it's 21 and up after 8 PM.
- What to get
- A Piedmont red or a skin-contact pét-nat, with Roberta's pepperoni rolls from the Public House kitchen.
- Good to know
- The Public House out back, open from 4 PM on weekdays and noon on weekends, has the garden patio and the fire pits.
Butterlamp
An East Nashville wine bar built around its own bread, and the Scene's best new wine bar of 2025.
- When to go
- Thursday to Sunday afternoons, before the small room fills. Take a bottle and a blanket to the shady lawn.
- What to get
- Warm bread and butter, pork-fat fries with aioli and chili vinegar, and a chocolate gâteau with a glass of bubbles.
- Good to know
- It's open Thursday to Sunday only, with counter service, and it's strictly 21 and up, patio included. Grab a loaf to go at the walk-up bread window.
Nashville Farmers' Market
Farm sheds and a Market House of local food stalls beside the Bicentennial Capitol Mall, open every day.
- When to go
- Friday to Sunday mornings for the farm sheds: 9 AM to 2 PM through October, then 10 to 2 from November.
- What to get
- Jamaican jerk chicken at Jamaicaway (closed Saturdays), wood-fired pizza at Bella Nashville Pizzeria, and a drink at The Picnic Tap.
- Good to know
- There's free two-hour parking on site. Pair it with Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park and the Tennessee State Museum next door.
Nashville Zoo at Grassmere
Giraffes, a treetop jungle gym and a historic farmhouse, and from Oct. 16 to Nov. 1, Boo at the Zoo.
- When to go
- October evenings, for Boo at the Zoo: 5 to 9 PM nightly, with its own tickets. For the zoo itself, weekday mornings at 9.
- What to do
- Boo at the Zoo's trick-or-treat trail, the haunted village and the carousel after dark.
- Good to know
- Pick your date online to pay less than the $24 any-day price, and budget $10 for parking.
Vanderbilt Commodores football
SEC football in an intimate 1922 stadium on Vanderbilt's campus.
- When to go
- October Saturdays, for the weather: Ole Miss on Oct. 10 at 2:30 PM, and Arkansas on Oct. 17.
- Good to know
- Alabama visits Nov. 14 and Tennessee Nov. 28, so book those early. Locals joke that the only time they go down Broadway is when Vandy beats Bama.
Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium
NFL Sundays in the open-air stadium's last season, before the new one opens in 2027.
- When to go
- October games, for the weather: Houston on Oct. 11 and Cleveland on Oct. 25, both at noon.
- What to do
- Tailgate on the East Bank, and walk over the John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge from downtown, as more than half the fans do, to skip game-day parking.
On the calendar this fall
The seasonal events on our calendar that run on fall weekends, each with its own dates. Open one for the details and tickets.
- Through Nov 1 Nashville Fall Festival Nashville Fall Festival farm, 8687 Old Harding Pike · Bellevue · $23+ Corn maze, sunflower field, pumpkin patch, petting zoo, hayrides and a walk along the South Harpeth River. Unverified
- Through Nov 1 Cheekwood Harvest Cheekwood Estate & Gardens · Belle Meade · $22 Scarecrow trail, 5,000 mums and the pumpkin house. Runs daily through Nov. 1. Verified
- Through Nov 1 Trace View Ranch Pumpkin Patch Trace View Ranch · Franklin · Free Free pumpkin patch with mums, hay bales and picnic areas, plus paid hands-on ranch tours with animals. Unverified
- Through Nov 1 Fall at Gentry's Farm Gentry's Farm · Franklin · $13+ Five-acre corn maze, wagon rides, pumpkin patch, farm animals, tractor playground and nature trails on a farm dating to 1849. Unverified
- Oct 1–4 Oktoberfest Nashville Bicentennial Capitol Mall · Germantown · $10+ The 47th Oktoberfest, four days at Bicentennial Mall: free all day Thursday and until 4 p.m. Friday. Unverified
- Sat, Oct 3, 10:00 AM Celebrate Nashville Cultural Festival Centennial Park · West End · Free Parade, global music and dance stages, World Bazaar market and international food from more than 50 cultural communities. Unverified
- Oct 9–11 Fall Tennessee Craft Fair Centennial Park · West End · Free Juried artists sell handmade clay, glass, wood and metal work, with live demonstrations, a kids' tent and food vendors. Unverified
- Sat, Oct 10, 10:00 AM Fall Ball, Y'all Festival Nashville Farmers' Market · Germantown · Free Harvest festival with live music on two stages, free pony rides, a petting zoo, cooking demos and a pie contest. Unverified
- Oct 16–Nov 1 Boo at the Zoo Nashville Zoo at Grassmere · South Nashville · $19+ Trick-or-treat trail, the haunted village and the carousel after dark. Unverified
- Oct 17–18 Southern Festival of Books Bicentennial Capitol Mall · Germantown · Free Two days of author talks, signings and the used-book tents. Free to walk in. Unverified
- Oct 24–25 Franklin Pumpkinfest Downtown Franklin · Free Main Street closes for costume contests, a chili cook-off and 40,000 people. Unverified
- Sat, Oct 31, 4:00 PM All Hallows East Five Points · East Nashville · Free Halloween block party in Five Points with costume contests, live music, DJs and food vendors; all ages. Unverified
We checked all of this on Oct. 1, 2026, and fall hours and dates can shift, so check with each place before you go. For everything else on this weekend, see the events calendar.
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