Hi,

Will be headed outside of Nashville for a few days around Xmas. Any recommendations for a day trip? Have done most of the sites in D.Town, so would love to venture out a bit. Would Smokey Mountains be doable? Have a 1 yr. old, but a quick hike might be nice.

Thanks!

Smokey Mountains would be a three to four hour drive. Mammoth Cave is about 90 minutes to the north.

Agreed - the Smokies are not a day trip, especially with a one-year-old. There's some good light hiking in town; check out Radnor Lake or Percy Warner Park, both in metro Nashville. Radnor has several trails ranging from easy to moderate. Percy Warner has one 2.5 and one 4 mile trail. Depending on where exactly you'll be, you might look into Fall Creek Falls near Crossville; it's a couple of hours from downtown, though, so it would be a somewhat long day.

Hiking aside, check out Franklin (about 20 minutes south of downtown) or even Chattanooga (about two hours southeast). There's also the Hermitage on the east side of town. Plus there are plenty of things to do in the city other than downtown - Belle Meade, Cheekwood, the Frist, walking around Hillsboro Village, the Bluebird or the Opry... Not all might be doable with a child, but there's a lot more to see than the honky-tonks and Hall of Fame.

We are doing Mammoth Cave in March and it looks to be a couple of hours north. Also going to do the Corvette Museum and plant tour in Bowling Green. Lincoln's Birthplace is another 45 minutes north.

Check out all the lights at Opryland Hotel. If the weather is decent I second Cheekwood (botanical gardens/art museum). Lots of space for a child to run. The 2 mile loop hike at Percy Warner is one of my favorites along with a stop at the visitor center to see the animal and plant displays.